Rep. David Tarnas

Requires the Hawaii Medical Board to establish standards for health care providers to ensure that a patient's consent to treatment is an informed consent. Requires that informed consent for a proposed medical or surgical treatment or a diagnostic or therapeutic procedure shall be obtained before the day of that treatment or procedure. Specifies that if the treatment or procedure is to occur on the same day it is scheduled, the informed consent shall be obtained at the time the decision is made to schedule that treatment or procedure.

Maddy summaryHB 236 raises the minimum age to operate a low-speed electric bicycle from 15 to 16 years old. This change directly affects 15-year-olds who currently may ride such bicycles but would be restricted under this bill. The key provision is the age increase, which would require riders to be at least 16 to legally operate these vehicles.

Appropriates funds for a one-time hazard pay bonus to state officers and employees in bargaining units 5, 6, and 7, and their excluded counterparts under certain conditions.

Maddy summaryHB 142 appropriates state funds for physical improvements like infrastructure or building upgrades within the Eighth Representative District. It directly affects residents and local projects in that specific district by providing dedicated financial resources. The bill’s key mechanism is simply allocating budgetary funds for capital projects, without altering laws or creating new requirements. This is a straightforward funding measure focused on district-level improvements, not a policy change.

Clarifies and strengthens the State's protections against sex-based harassment, sex discrimination, and retaliation that occur in public schools, public charter schools, or at the University of Hawaii, including discrimination based on gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy, and pregnancy-related conditions. Establishes procedures for investigations and decision-making. Requires mandatory reporting by certain employees.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes changes to the Department of the Attorney General but does not specify the exact nature of those changes in the available information. The legislation was introduced on January 21, 2025, and referred to the Joint House Appropriations Committee for review. Without access to the full text of the bill, specific provisions, funding allocations, or operational modifications cannot be described.

Maddy summaryHB 124 establishes a 10-year deadline after which land surveyors cannot be sued for civil claims related to their work. This means clients or property owners would no longer be able to file lawsuits against surveyors for errors or omissions after a decade has passed. The bill directly affects land surveyors (by limiting their legal liability window) and their clients (by setting a clear time limit for claims). It creates a fixed statute of repose, replacing any longer or undefined time periods under current law.

Maddy summaryHB 691 allocates funding to the Campaign Spending Commission for permanent staff positions. This bill directly affects the commission by providing resources to establish ongoing staffing. The key provision is the appropriation of funds specifically for permanent roles, enabling the commission to maintain consistent operations. No other policy changes or affected groups are described in the provided abstract.

Repeals existing law that preempted local ordinances or regulations that regulate the sale of cigarettes, tobacco products, and electronic smoking devices and nullified and voided any conflicting local laws and regulations. Allows counties to adopt ordinances that regulate the sale of cigarettes, tobacco products, and electronic smoking devices that do not conflict with and are more stringent than the state law that govern smoking.

Maddy summaryHB 444 modifies criminal law by removing the requirement that perpetrators must know or reasonably believe a victim is 60 years or older. This change applies to certain crimes against seniors, making it easier to prosecute offenders even if they did not know the victim's age. The bill directly affects criminal cases where seniors (60+) are victims, streamlining prosecution by focusing on the victim's age rather than the perpetrator's knowledge. The policy change aims to strengthen legal protections without altering the core crime definitions.