Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution urges the Office of Enterprise Technology Services to enhance Hawaii's Open Data Portal by adding more data sets, consolidating all state department data onto a single platform, and ensuring the information is regularly updated for accuracy. The bill directly affects the Office of Enterprise Technology Services, the Chief Data Officer, and the heads of all state departments by requesting they collaborate to improve data accessibility and usability for the public. It calls for the office to study successful open data portals used by other states and cities to guide these improvements. Ultimately, the resolution aims to make government data more transparent and easier for residents, analysts, and developers to access and use.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution requests the Hawaiʻi Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission to create an educational program that helps individuals understand which personal habits contribute most to climate change. The program aims to clarify common misconceptions about lifestyle choices, such as recycling or diet, by highlighting actions with the highest impact on carbon emissions. It specifically asks the commission to use printed materials and to work with the Department of Health to distribute this information to the public. As a non-binding request, the bill does not mandate funding or enforce specific actions but serves to encourage the commission to focus on individual behavior in its climate education efforts.
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 Hawaii Department of Agriculture to create an advisory commission focused on improving the state's agriculture, aquaculture, and food systems industries. The commission is tasked with meeting twice a year to discuss challenges such as labor shortages, climate change, water access, and invasive species. Its work will involve ranking priority actions like expanding local food purchasing programs, supporting farm-to-table initiatives, and increasing access to processing facilities. Additionally, the group will review existing regulations to encourage the buying of local agricultural products from state and county entities.
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 urges the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to create a new administrative process for housing projects exclusively reserved for moderate-income households. The bill seeks to utilize existing state laws that currently allow certain housing developments to receive exemptions from standard zoning and construction rules. It specifically requests that this new pathway be established alongside, rather than replacing, the current requirement that half of a project's units be available to buyers earning up to 140% of the area median income.
Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution urges the University of Hawaii Leeward Community College to create an online bachelor's degree program in education to help working adults become teachers across all counties. The bill requests that funds be moved within the community college system to support this new program and address teacher shortages in rural areas. It also asks various educational leaders to collaborate on promoting access to quality education and helping current substitute or emergency teachers enter the profession. Because this is a non-binding resolution rather than a law, it does not force any specific actions but serves as a formal recommendation to the university and other stakeholders.
Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution asks the Hawaii Professional Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists to create a system for the public to check if news sources follow ethical and objective reporting standards. The bill aims to help people distinguish reliable news from misinformation in an era where social media and artificial intelligence make it harder to verify information. It does not create new laws or penalties but serves as a formal request for the journalism organization to develop a voluntary evaluation process. The resolution is directed solely at the professional journalism chapter and does not impose requirements on news outlets or individuals.
Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution asks the Legislative Reference Bureau to study the idea of making Hawaii's state legislature a full-time, year-round body instead of its current part-time schedule. The study will examine the practical steps needed to implement such a change, including potential pros and cons, proposed calendars for bills and budgets, and salary requirements for legislators and staff. This bill does not change any laws or policies itself; it only directs an official review of how a continuous legislative session would work for the state.