Rep. Lisa Marten

Maddy summaryHCR 48 is a non-binding House Concurrent Resolution urging future Hawaii legislatures to propose and the public to ratify a constitutional amendment guaranteeing all residents the right to a clean environment and stable climate. It cites environmental concerns in Hawaii, including water pollution from the Red Hill facility and climate impacts like rising sea levels, and references similar amendments adopted in Montana, New York, and Pennsylvania. The resolution does not create new legal rights itself but formally encourages future action toward this constitutional change. It is a procedural step, not a law affecting current policies or individuals.

Maddy summaryThis House Resolution (HR 44) encourages future Hawaii legislatures to propose a constitutional amendment and urges voters to ratify it, which would guarantee all residents the right to a clean, healthy environment and stable climate. It does not create new legal requirements or change current law - it is a symbolic resolution referencing environmental concerns like water pollution and climate impacts in Hawaii. The resolution cites examples from Montana, New York, and Pennsylvania where similar constitutional amendments were adopted. It directly addresses future Hawaii lawmakers and voters, not current policy or affected individuals.

Maddy summaryHR 122 directs Hawaii's Legislative Reference Bureau to review all reports required by law to be submitted to the Legislature and recommend which reports should no longer be required. It aims to eliminate redundant or outdated reporting obligations, such as those for discontinued programs or reports gathering minimal new information. The Bureau must submit its findings and recommendations to the Legislature by early 2026, including any proposed changes to the reporting requirements. This resolution streamlines legislative oversight by focusing on necessary reports without altering existing laws.

Maddy summaryHCR 101 is a request to Hawaii's Department of Taxation to create a one-time "Tax Amnesty Day" allowing businesses and individuals with unpaid taxes to settle their liabilities without penalties or fines. It directly affects taxpayers who owe back taxes due to financial hardship, errors, or unintentional noncompliance. The resolution cites Hawaii's 2009 Tax Fresh Start Program, which collected $14.4 million in unpaid taxes, as a successful model. The Department would need to develop implementation guidelines and report on feasibility to the Legislature by 2026. This is a procedural request, not a binding law.

Maddy summaryHCR 13 is a procedural resolution requesting the State Auditor to assess the social and financial impacts of proposed mandatory health insurance coverage for traditional Native Hawaiian healing practices. It specifically directs the Auditor to evaluate House Bill 641 (2023), which would require insurers to cover services like lomilomi massage and la’au lapa’au offered through federally qualified health centers or Native Hawaiian Health Care Systems. The resolution complies with Hawaii Revised Statutes §23-51, mandating this assessment before any such coverage mandate can be enacted. This resolution itself does not create new coverage requirements but seeks data to inform future legislative decisions.

Maddy summaryHR 46 is a House Resolution requesting the Hawaii Department of Law Enforcement and Department of Health to form a task force by August 1, 2025. The task force must include state agencies, Honolulu officials, legislative leaders, and community representatives to address no-trespassing policies along Oahu streams. Its key goals are developing humane enforcement practices, improving state-county coordination on encampments, connecting unhoused individuals to services, and mitigating environmental pollution from stream encampments. The task force must submit recommendations to the Legislature by August 2025, with a final report due before the 2026 legislative session. This is a procedural resolution that directs collaboration but does not create new laws.

Maddy summaryHCR 181 is a non-binding resolution requesting Hawaii's State Office of Elections to form a working group to study changing the state's automatic voter registration system from an opt-in to an opt-out model. The working group would include election officials, Honolulu Department of Customer Services, and advocacy groups like Common Cause Hawaii and the League of Women Voters. The resolution aims to address low voter turnout (32.1% in 2024) by exploring how an opt-out system could streamline registration and increase participation, with the group required to submit findings and recommendations to the Legislature by late 2025. This resolution does not change election law but seeks to evaluate potential improvements to voter registration processes.

Maddy summaryHCR 38 is a resolution requesting Hawaii's Tax Review Commission to study how to implement the state's existing Hawaii Long-Term Care Financing Program (established by Act 245 in 2002). It directs the Commission to identify possible financing methods, including reconsidering a 2003 proposal for a Long-Term Care Income Tax Credit, and to report findings to the Legislature by early 2026. The resolution does not create new law but asks the Commission to analyze implementation options and costs for the program, which aims to provide affordable long-term care for eligible residents regardless of income. This is a procedural step to advance a program framework that lacks operational details.

Maddy summaryHR 33 is a House Resolution requesting Hawaii's Tax Review Commission to study how to fund the existing Hawaii Long-Term Care Financing Program (established under Act 245, 2002). The resolution asks the Commission to identify specific funding mechanisms, including a revised version of a previously proposed Long-Term Care Income Tax Credit, and to report findings to the Legislature by January 2026. This resolution does not create new law but directs the Commission to analyze implementation options for a program designed to provide universal, affordable long-term care coverage. The Commission must evaluate possible financing methods, associated costs, and administrative requirements for the program.

Maddy summaryHCR 41 is a procedural resolution requesting Hawaii's Auditor to conduct a required social and financial assessment of a proposed mandate for health insurance coverage of Native Hawaiian healing practices. The resolution specifically targets practices like lomilomi and la’au lapa’au offered through federally qualified health centers or Native Hawaiian Health Care Systems, as referenced in pending House Bill 641. State law (HRS §23-51) mandates this assessment before any such coverage mandate can be considered. The Auditor must submit findings and recommendations to the legislature by January 2026, including potential legislative changes. This resolution itself does not change coverage but triggers the mandated evaluation process.