Sen. Kurt Fevella

Maddy summarySCR 209 is a Senate Concurrent Resolution requesting the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency (HEMA) to address tree-related obstructions on evacuation routes. It directs HEMA to identify large trees that could block evacuation paths, trim or remove them, conduct public risk assessments for high-risk trees, implement urban forestry best practices, and strengthen community disaster preparedness education. This resolution does not create new law but formally requests specific actions from HEMA to improve evacuation route safety and community resilience. It directly affects HEMA's operational procedures and communities relying on designated evacuation routes.

Maddy summarySCR 84 is a non-binding resolution urging Maui County, in collaboration with the Maui Emergency Management Agency, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, and the Department of Defense, to conduct real-time wildfire and disaster drills involving the Maui community. It specifically calls for these drills to include community members in planning, execution, and post-drill evaluations to improve emergency response preparedness. The resolution emphasizes community participation as a key mechanism to enhance public awareness, evacuation familiarity, and feedback for refining emergency protocols, based on examples from other communities.

Maddy summarySCR 61 is a Senate resolution requesting Hawaii's Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to evaluate the cost-benefit and return on investment of sponsoring a Michelin Guide for the state's restaurants. It asks the department to assess whether such a sponsorship would improve Hawaii's culinary tourism, attract skilled restaurant workers, and elevate local dining standards. The resolution does not require the state to actually sponsor the guide, only to study the feasibility and potential benefits. This request follows Hawaii's growing reputation as a food destination but notes Michelin inspectors currently do not visit the state.

Maddy summaryThis resolution clarifies that housing projects approved by the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation (HHFDC) before July 1, 2031, will still qualify for housing credits under Act 31 even after its repeal on that date. It requires HHFDC and counties to include specific details in approval documents, such as the number of qualifying housing units and available credits. The intent addresses uncertainty during Hawaii’s housing crisis, where an additional 50,156 homes are needed by 2025. As a procedural resolution, it does not create new funding but ensures continuity for pre-approved projects.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR 222) requests Hawaii's Office of Consumer Protection to form a task force to study payment options at towing companies. It directly affects vehicle owners who struggle to pay for towing services due to limited payment methods (like lack of credit/debit card acceptance or ATMs) and towing companies that may not offer convenient options. The task force will assess these issues, include relevant stakeholders, and submit a report with findings and potential recommendations to the legislature by early 2026. The resolution does not change current law but seeks to identify problems and possible solutions regarding towing payment accessibility.

Maddy summarySCR 75 is a Senate Concurrent Resolution requesting Maui County to hire one full-time archaeologist to guide historic preservation efforts during Lahaina's rebuilding after the 2023 wildfires. The resolution specifically addresses the absence of archaeological oversight in current rebuilding plans and asks the County to employ this role to preserve cultural landmarks and comply with preservation mandates. The archaeologist would collaborate with rebuilding entities to protect Lahaina’s irreplaceable heritage sites, including centuries-old structures destroyed in the fires. This resolution is a non-binding request, not a law, directed solely at Maui County’s planning process.

Maddy summaryThis non-binding resolution requests all Hawaii county police departments to purchase and deploy explosion detection technology to locate and respond to explosions from illegal firearms and fireworks. It specifically asks departments to adopt systems like ShotSpotter (cited as a widely used example) that can identify explosion sources within 40 seconds, improving response times. The resolution also requires police chiefs to provide officer training on using this technology. It does not mandate funding or require specific vendors, but encourages adoption based on reported benefits observed in other jurisdictions.

Maddy summarySCR 26 is a Senate Concurrent Resolution requesting the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to include circuit and district court facilities within the new Oahu Community Correctional Center in Halawa, and to establish a release procedure that transports people leaving custody to locations other than residential areas or public spaces. This aims to reduce transportation costs, greenhouse gas emissions, and traffic congestion by eliminating frequent court trips from Halawa to Honolulu, while addressing community safety concerns about releases into neighborhoods. The resolution does not create new law but asks the Department to consider these specific planning requirements during the facility's design phase. It directly affects the planning of the new Halawa facility, the Judiciary's court operations, and surrounding Halawa communities.

Maddy summarySCR 59 is a non-binding concurrent resolution requesting the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) to partner with the Kahoolawe Island Reserve Commission (KIRC) to collaboratively maintain and improve the Kihei Ramp. This ramp provides South Maui community access for recreation like fishing and diving, and is used by KIRC for access to Kahoolawe Island. The resolution asks DLNR to work with KIRC on ongoing repairs, rehabilitation, and redevelopment of the ramp, including potential visitor center development. As a procedural resolution (not a law), it has no legal force but formally requests interagency collaboration to support community access and facility improvements.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution (SR 71) requests Hawaii's Department of Agriculture to create a pilot program testing microbial algae-based soil products on eligible farms. The program would target small-to-medium organic farms (10-100 acres) experiencing soil health issues or excessive fertilizer use, aiming to improve soil fertility and reduce chemical dependency. The Department must collaborate with the University of Hawaii's College of Tropical Agriculture and report findings to the Legislature by late 2025. This resolution does not create new law but formally asks the Department to initiate the pilot and assess its potential for broader agricultural use.