Rep. Chris Muraoka

Maddy summaryThis is a House Resolution (HR 75), not a bill, urging the Hawaii Legislature to require mandatory inquiries into all child fatalities and serious injuries occurring within the state's child welfare system. It references numerous past cases (e.g., Reubyne, Peter Boy Kema, and Geanna Bradley) where systemic failures led to preventable harm, citing lawsuits and settlements. The resolution calls for the Legislature to mandate these reviews, rather than creating new legal requirements or policy changes. It serves as a formal request for oversight, not an enacted law.

Maddy summaryThis House Resolution (HR 76) urges the University of Hawaii to conduct a geological survey and geotechnical study of the Ewa Plain in Honouliuli. It addresses concerns about land instability caused by limestone dissolution, which has led to sinkholes, cracked sidewalks (like along Kualakai Parkway), sinking road sections, and recurring holes in parks and neighborhoods. The study aims to provide data for safely planning future infrastructure and construction in the area. As a non-binding resolution, it does not require the university to act but requests the study to inform local officials, planners, and residents.

Maddy summaryHCR 53 is a non-binding concurrent resolution urging the City and County of Honolulu and housing developers to coordinate infrastructure planning with community stakeholders before approving new housing projects. It directly affects Honolulu officials, developers, and residents in areas like West Oahu where infrastructure upgrades lag behind rapid development. The resolution highlights Hawaii’s $1.1 billion unfunded infrastructure gap and links inadequate infrastructure to delays in addressing the state’s 50,000-unit housing shortage. It calls for proactive collaboration to ensure water, sewer, and transportation systems are in place prior to construction, referencing specific concerns like premature development contracts and federal grant shortfalls. This resolution has no legal force but aims to guide future planning practices.

Maddy summaryThis is a non-binding resolution (not a bill) passed by Hawaii's state legislature. It asks the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to use existing federal water infrastructure funds - specifically the Clean Water State Revolving Fund - to support Honolulu's $174 million wastewater plant upgrade project at Sand Island. The resolution cites the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law's $50+ billion water infrastructure investment as the funding source and notes the project aims to improve plant capacity and environmental outcomes by 2028. It directly affects Honolulu's wastewater treatment infrastructure and seeks federal assistance through established EPA programs.

Maddy summaryThis House Resolution (HR 161) urges Hawaii's Department of Accounting and General Services and Department of Land and Natural Resources to remove a parking lot and paid parking area on the grounds of Iolani Palace - the only royal palace in the U.S. where a monarch lived. It requests a cost analysis and proposed legislation by late 2025 to eliminate the parking, followed by restoring the grounds to reflect their historical landscape using archival photos. The resolution directly affects the management of Iolani Palace, a site of cultural significance to Native Hawaiians and a major tourist attraction. As a non-binding resolution, it does not create new law but formally requests specific actions to preserve the palace's historical integrity.

Maddy summaryHCR 12 is a resolution urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide federal funding for Honolulu's wastewater infrastructure upgrades. It specifically requests assistance through the EPA's Clean Water State Revolving Funds - part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law's $50+ billion water infrastructure investments - to support a $174 million project at the Sand Island Wastewater Treatment Plant. The project, scheduled for completion by October 2028, aims to improve the plant's efficiency, capacity, and waste management capabilities, directly benefiting Honolulu residents and supporting the city's growth. The resolution does not allocate funds but formally requests federal action to advance this local infrastructure initiative.

Maddy summaryThis House Resolution (HR 41) requests utility providers serving Wai’anae to publish an annual public report. The report must evaluate current utility capacity (water, electricity, sewage, etc.), the expected lifespan of existing infrastructure, and the costs for necessary expansions to meet community growth. It requires providers to include specific details like infrastructure nearing end-of-life, expansion cost estimates, upgrade timelines, and potential rate impacts. The resolution mandates the report be made publicly available and submitted to the Legislature 20 days before each session begins. (Note: This is a non-binding resolution, not a law, so it requests but does not require compliance.)

Maddy summaryHR 83 is a House Resolution requesting the Auditor to study implementing a law that would tie Hawaii legislators' base salaries to the median salary of licensed teachers. It asks the Auditor to research how such a law could work, including examining other jurisdictions with similar policies, and to report findings to the Legislature by late 2025. The resolution does not change salaries but seeks research on aligning legislative pay with teacher compensation as a symbolic and practical measure. This would directly affect how legislators are paid, though no current law requires this. The resolution is procedural and does not enact policy changes itself.

Maddy summaryHCR 83 is a legislative resolution disapproving the 2025 Commission on Salaries' recommendation to increase salaries for Hawaii's governor, lieutenant governor, department heads, legislators, and judges. The legislature rejected these proposed increases, citing current economic conditions as "excessive," and directed the Commission to reconvene by November 2025 to review the disapproval reasons and submit a revised proposal for the 2026 legislative session. This resolution does not set new salaries but mandates the Commission to adjust its recommendations based on legislative feedback. As a procedural resolution (not a law), it affects the Commission's process rather than directly changing pay.

Maddy summaryHCR 166 is a non-binding resolution urging Hawaii's Department of Accounting and General Services to analyze removing a parking lot adjacent to Iolani Palace, the only royal palace in the U.S. where a monarch lived. It directs the department to submit a cost analysis by January 2026 and requires the Department of Land and Natural Resources to redesign the grounds to match the palace's original historical landscape. The resolution aims to address the presence of modern parking infrastructure on the palace grounds, which the text describes as inconsistent with the site's status as a protected historical and cultural landmark for Native Hawaiians.