Sen. Henry Aquino

Maddy summarySCR 135 is a Senate Concurrent Resolution urging all Hawaii state departments to establish secure data-sharing agreements with the Office of Wellness and Resilience. It directs departments to collaborate on sharing deidentified, aggregated data to help the Office integrate information across agencies. This aims to overcome current data silos, enabling a more comprehensive analysis of community needs through the existing Quality of Life and Well-Being Dashboard. The resolution emphasizes protecting resident privacy while supporting evidence-based program development.

Maddy summarySB 328 creates a state income tax credit for farmers who convert dairy farms to hog farms, covering capital infrastructure costs like building modifications. It directly affects dairy farmers planning such conversions by reducing their tax burden for eligible expenses. The credit becomes effective July 1, 3000, as specified in the bill's abstract. This policy change provides a financial incentive for agricultural land-use shifts without altering existing tax rates or creating new regulatory requirements.

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)

Establishes the Agricultural Enforcement Program within the Department of Law Enforcement. Establishes the Agricultural Enforcement Special Fund. Establishes positions. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD3)

Maddy summaryThis Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR 88) requests Hawaii's Department of Agriculture to create a pilot program testing microbial algae-based soil products on farms. It specifically targets small to medium-sized farms (10-100 acres) with certain crop types, soil health issues, or organic operations. The program requires collaboration with the University of Hawaii's College of Tropical Agriculture and mandates a report to the legislature by 2026 detailing findings and potential long-term use of these products. The goal is to reduce reliance on chemical fertilizers, improve soil health, and support sustainable agriculture without imposing new regulations.

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 134 is a non-binding resolution urging Hawaii's Department of Education (DOE) to prepare a detailed report on school meal costs. The bill requires the DOE to break down expenses (like ingredients, operations, and distribution) and provide meal statistics (full-price, reduced-price, free meals) for the 2024-2025 and future school years. This aims to increase transparency about meal production costs, which the DOE claims are $9.00 per meal, and prevent unnecessary price hikes like the proposed increase from $2.50 to $4.75 per meal. The report must be submitted to the Legislature by 2026.

Requires that lands within the agricultural district with class B or C soils that have solar or wind energy facilities must also obtain certification from the Department of Agriculture that the lands are also used for a farming operation. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Maddy summarySCR 90 is a Senate Concurrent Resolution requesting the Agribusiness Development Corporation (ADC) to assume responsibility for the routine maintenance and repair of the Kohala Ditch. This 26-mile irrigation system, built in 1906, supplies over five million gallons of water daily to farmers and ranchers in North Kohala, who have faced significantly higher costs and reduced production after a 2021 rockslide damaged the system. The resolution requires the ADC to develop a maintenance plan with community input and submit annual reports detailing repairs, system conditions, and recommendations to the Legislature. The bill does not allocate new funds but seeks to leverage the ADC’s existing mandate to support agricultural infrastructure and local food production.

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.