Sen. Lorraine Inouye

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution asks the Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to sponsor a Michelin Guide for restaurants throughout the state. The bill aims to bring the internationally recognized star-rating system to Hawaii, which currently does not have a Michelin Guide despite its growing culinary reputation. By establishing this guide, the resolution hopes to attract more diners, help restaurants improve their standards, and address the shortage of culinary staff by making Hawaii a more appealing destination for food professionals. The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism would be responsible for coordinating with Michelin to implement this initiative.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Concurrent Resolution requests the Hawaii Department of the Attorney General to form a working group focused on technology-facilitated abuse affecting youth and vulnerable populations in the state. The group will include representatives from state agencies, domestic violence organizations, and youth commissions to examine issues like digital stalking, spyware use, and nonconsensual image distribution. The working group will assess current laws, evaluate platform safety practices, and develop recommendations for regulatory safeguards and policy changes to protect residents from online abuse. The group is required to submit a report with findings and proposed legislative actions to the Legislature before the 2027 session begins.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a formal request from the Hawaii Senate asking the U.S. President and Congress to release all federal records related to the Jeffrey Epstein investigations, with redactions only to protect victims' privacy and safety. It directly affects federal agencies holding Epstein-related documents and calls for greater transparency in how these records are handled. The resolution criticizes current Department of Justice actions for allegedly over-redacting names of individuals involved while under-redacting victim information, and urges Congress to investigate all implicated parties. It does not create new laws but serves as an official appeal for federal officials to take specific actions regarding document disclosure and accountability.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution expresses support for the University of Hawaii at Manoa Faculty Senate's request that university leaders commit to defending students, faculty, and staff who exercise their rights to academic freedom and free speech. The bill does not create new laws or change university policies but instead serves as a formal statement of legislative backing for the faculty senate's opposition to proposed "Time, Place, and Manner" restrictions on expressive activities. It calls on University of Hawaii leadership to maintain strong protections for free speech and academic freedom within the institution. The resolution directs copies to the Board of Regents, university president, and faculty senate administrative officer to ensure the commitment is communicated to key university officials.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution asks the Hawaii Department of Human Services to study the costs and benefits of creating an Office of the Child Advocate to oversee the state's child welfare system. The bill is prompted by recent high-profile cases of child abuse in foster care and previous findings that the department failed to properly license foster homes, leading to lawsuits and lost federal funding. The study would examine how an independent oversight office could conduct site visits, investigate complaints, review internal records, and issue recommendations to improve child safety and accountability. The department must submit its findings and any proposed legislation to the Legislature by the end of 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill requests the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to conduct a study on Hawaii's food manufacturing strengths and identify strategic markets for local high-value products. The study will analyze competitive advantages, calculate minimum profit margins needed to overcome Hawaii's high operational costs, and assess logistical barriers to exporting. It also asks the University of Hawaii to update its curriculum to teach entrepreneurs how to engineer products for premium export markets and requires the Agribusiness Development Corporation to use findings to guide future facility development.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Concurrent Resolution requests the Hawaii Department of Human Services to study the costs and benefits of creating an Office of the Child Advocate to oversee child welfare services. The proposed office would conduct site visits, investigate complaints, review agency records, and issue annual reports with recommendations to improve oversight of children and families served by state programs. The resolution directs the department to determine whether the new office should be established as an independent entity or placed within an existing agency, with findings to be reported to the Legislature by early 2027.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Concurrent Resolution requests the creation of a working group to address staffing shortages and security challenges at Hawaii state courts. The bill focuses on the Department of Law Enforcement's Sheriff Division, which is responsible for securing court facilities but faces persistent vacancies and increased duties without sufficient personnel. The working group will evaluate how to realign staffing levels with expanded responsibilities, improve recruitment and retention, and reduce reliance on private security contractors. Members will include top officials from the judiciary, law enforcement, human resources, and finance to develop structural solutions for long-term fiscal stability and public accountability.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Concurrent Resolution expresses support for the University of Hawaii at Manoa Faculty Senate's request that university leaders commit to defending students, faculty, and staff who exercise their rights to academic freedom and free speech. The measure responds to concerns that proposed revisions to the university's expressive activities policies could restrict speech and create an antagonistic relationship between administration and the campus community. By formally endorsing the Faculty Senate's opposition to these policy changes, the resolution aims to encourage university leadership to maintain protections for academic expression rather than imposing new limitations. The document is a symbolic gesture that does not alter existing laws but signals legislative backing for the faculty's position on free speech and academic freedom.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution asks the Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to study whether mezzanine loans could help increase housing production in the state. Mezzanine loans are a type of financing that combines debt and equity features, allowing developers to borrow against a project's value without needing to provide as much upfront cash or ownership stake. The study would examine if this financing method could help developers build more homes while making better use of state housing funds. The department must complete the study and submit a report with findings and recommendations to the Legislature by early 2027. This resolution does not create new laws but requests research to inform future housing policy decisions.