Sen. Brandon Elefante

Maddy summarySCR 24 is a Hawaii legislative resolution urging the U.S. Department of Defense to maintain public references to the 100th Infantry Battalion and 442nd Regimental Combat Team on its websites. The resolution was passed in response to the Pentagon removing these historical references in March 2025 as part of a federal review of content related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. It emphasizes preserving the history of these units - composed largely of Japanese American soldiers who served with distinction during WWII despite the internment of their families - to honor their contributions and prevent erasure of this significant historical memory.

Maddy summaryThis concurrent resolution (SCR 30) requests the Commander of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam to temporarily allow Honolulu's Department of Parks and Recreation to use 12 acres of restricted vacant land on the Pearl City Peninsula for youth sports programs. It specifically proposes using non-contaminated portions of the land to create at least three ball fields for soccer, baseball, and flag football, while contaminated areas would be used for parking. The request aims to address a shortage of city ball fields for youth teams, as current demand exceeds available facilities. (Note: This is a non-binding request, not a law.)

Maddy summaryThis bill (SCR 112) is a ceremonial resolution requesting the City and County of Honolulu to illuminate City Hall with purple lights on August 7, 2025. It honors National Purple Heart Day, recognizing military service members injured or killed in action who have received the Purple Heart medal. The resolution does not create new laws or policies; it simply asks Honolulu to display purple lights as a symbolic tribute on this specific date. The request is directed at the City and County of Honolulu, not a new legislative requirement.

Prohibits excited delirium from being recognized as a valid medical diagnosis or cause of death in the State. Prohibits a medical examiner, coroner, or health care provider from stating on a certificate of death or in any report that the cause of death was excited delirium. Prohibits law enforcement officers from using the term excited delirium to describe an individual in an incident report. Establishes a new Hawaii Rule of Evidence that deems evidence that a person experienced or suffered an excited delirium inadmissible in a civil action. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Maddy summarySCR 141 is a non-binding resolution urging Hawaii's Department of Agriculture to collaborate with the Agribusiness Development Corporation (ADC) to access existing U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) grant programs. It specifically targets funding opportunities that support local farmers, ranchers, and aquaculture groups to advance Hawaii's agricultural sustainability goals, including increasing local food production by 2030. The resolution does not create new laws or funding but formally requests interagency coordination to help agricultural entities secure USDA grants. It references Hawaii's 2050 Sustainability Plan and the Aloha+ Challenge as context for this collaboration.

Requires the Board of Land and Natural Resources to adopt rules to impose user fees that apply solely to nonresidents visiting state parks and trails, as selected by the Board. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Maddy summarySCR 94 is a concurrent resolution urging Hawaii's Department of Agriculture and Maui County's Agriculture Department to address axis deer overpopulation. It specifically calls for making USDA-certified meat inspections more accessible and affordable for local hunters who want to process and distribute venison. The resolution also requests the creation of a joint task force to develop a program for processing locally-hunted deer meat and distributing it to the community, with a report due by November 2025. This resolution directly affects Maui residents, local hunters, and the state's agricultural departments, focusing on practical steps to utilize deer as a food source while managing overpopulation.

Maddy summarySCR 51 is a Senate Concurrent Resolution requesting the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development to form a working group to evaluate where a permanent Office of Resilience and Recovery should be established within Hawaii state government. The resolution responds to the Maui wildfires' devastation and recommendations from the Hawaii Climate Advisory Team, which urged creating such an office to coordinate disaster resilience. The working group must include state agency leaders (like Emergency Management, Fire Marshal, and Land Resources), county emergency managers, and the Red Cross, and submit findings by November 2025. It does not create the office itself but seeks to determine its optimal administrative placement and relationship with existing agencies like the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency.

Maddy summarySCR 18 is a concurrent resolution requesting the U.S. Postal Service to build a new Pearl City Post Office on U.S. Navy property at the Pearl City Peninsula entrance (across from Lehua Elementary School). The current post office, located at Kamehameha Highway and Acacia Road, is overcrowded due to increased online package volume, limited parking, a small lobby (holding only 6-10 people), and safety concerns from traffic congestion. The resolution seeks a larger facility with expanded parking to accommodate 75+ employees, 75 mail carriers, and growing customer demand from recent commercial development and future transit-oriented growth. This request targets USPS and Navy property management, not a binding law.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SCR 63) is a concurrent resolution requesting Hawaii's Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to study creating a "Hawaii Workforce Excellence Award Program" for craftspersons. It asks the department to research adapting France's long-standing "Meilleur Ouvrier de France" award system, including identifying key industries, cost-effective implementation, and public nomination processes. The study must include industry input and result in a report with recommendations for the 2026 legislative session. The bill does not create the award program itself but only requests an analysis of how to establish it. It directly affects the Department of Labor and would potentially impact Hawaii's craft and trade workers if the program is later adopted.