Sen. Glenn Wakai

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution asks the state legislature to create a task force to study ways to lower costs and increase benefits for residents when using state funds for public mass transit projects. The group, co-led by transportation committee chairs and including state officials, will review successful transit initiatives from other cities and countries to develop specific recommendations. The task force is set to operate until June 30, 2027, and must submit its final report and any proposed laws to the legislature before the next regular session begins.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Concurrent Resolution urges the Hawaii construction industry to increase the recycling of construction and demolition debris and to use recycled materials as much as possible. The bill highlights that landfills across the state are nearing capacity and aims to reduce waste sent to these sites to protect nearby communities from environmental issues and traffic burdens. It does not create new laws or penalties but serves as a formal recommendation to industry leaders, with copies sent to major construction trade groups.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution urges the Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation to adopt job order contracting for maintaining and repairing its facilities, such as piers and bathrooms. Job order contracting is a method where a single master contract covers multiple individual projects, aiming to help the state complete work on time and within budget. The bill directs the resolution to relevant state officials, including the Department of Land and Natural Resources and the State Procurement Office, to encourage this approach.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution requests the Department of Accounting and General Services to create a working group to plan and build a permanent memorial honoring Hawaii first responders, including firefighters, lifeguards, and paramedics who died in the line of duty. The proposed memorial would be funded through private donations rather than state taxes and is intended to recognize the bravery of individuals who served at local, state, and federal levels. The working group will include representatives from various fire departments, emergency services, labor unions, and family members of fallen heroes to guide the project. By November 30, 2024, the department must submit a report detailing the memorial's plans, estimated costs, and any additional legislation needed to proceed.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution asks the Governor and the County of Maui to create a detailed plan for housing people who lost their homes in the August 2023 Maui wildfires. The bill specifically requests a strategy that outlines construction timelines, maps project locations, and breaks down housing needs for different groups like single-family owners and renters. It also calls for the county to speed up its permitting process and for the state to consider temporary waivers of land use rules to help build homes faster. The resolution sets a deadline of May 31, 2024, for submitting this plan and requires quarterly progress reports to the Legislature.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution asks the Director of Finance to officially define "beneficial effects to the State" in state investment laws to include financing for housing. The bill proposes that banks and financial institutions should be viewed as having a positive impact on Hawaii if they provide loans with favorable terms to housing developers. By clarifying this definition in administrative rules, the state aims to encourage more public funds to be invested in entities that can help lower development costs and increase affordable housing. The resolution directly affects the Director of Finance, who is urged to create these new guidelines, and financial depositories that might benefit from such a policy shift.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Concurrent Resolution asks the Office of the Administrative Director of the Courts to gather and share data on fees, court costs, fines, and restitution imposed on minors in Hawaii. The requested information includes total amounts assessed and collected over the past five years, as well as a detailed list of specific charges available in different court districts. The goal is to provide the Legislature with a clear picture of how these financial penalties are currently applied to young people before the 2025 session. Ultimately, the bill seeks to inform future policy decisions regarding financial consequences for youth involved in the justice system.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Concurrent Resolution asks the Hawaii Department of Education to study how teacher salary increases affect the problem where experienced educators earn the same as less experienced ones. The bill directs the department to analyze current pay structures and provide recommendations to improve teacher retention by addressing this compression issue. It requires the department to work with various stakeholders and submit a final report with findings and potential policy changes to the Legislature by late 2024.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution urges the Hawaii Community Development Authority to create a multiagency working group to update state land inventories for affordable housing development. The group will review existing maps and data to identify urban lands suitable for new housing, focusing on redeveloping underutilized state properties and aiming to accommodate one hundred thousand new units. Membership includes representatives from various state agencies and county mayors, with the group tasked to submit findings and legislative recommendations to the Legislature by early 2025.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution asks the Hawaii State Energy Office and the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development to create a plan for implementing waste-to-energy technology across the state. The goal is to reduce reliance on landfills and generate renewable energy by converting municipal solid waste into power. Agencies are required to submit their findings and recommendations to the Legislature no later than twenty days before the 2026 regular session begins.