Sen. Mike Gabbard

Maddy summarySB 608 regulates paid advisors who provide assistance with veterans' benefits applications or appeals. It directly affects veterans who hire such advisors, as well as the advisors themselves, by requiring them to meet specific standards when charging for their services. The bill establishes rules for how these advisors can operate, including transparency requirements and restrictions on certain fees. This aims to protect veterans from unscrupulous practices while ensuring they receive accurate guidance on accessing their benefits. The law takes effect on July 1, 2077.

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)

Establishes within the Department of Land and Natural Resources a working group to evaluate and make recommendations regarding the governance and structure of the Commission on Water Resource Management to ensure that it effectively fulfills its constitutional public trust responsibilities while maintaining operational efficiency and implementation capacity. Sunsets the working group on 1/1/2028. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution encourages the Hawaii Department of Education to expand Hawaiian language immersion programs in partnership with the Office of Hawaiian Education. It addresses growing demand for these programs by urging the creation of teacher training pathways and the implementation of K-12 instruction across various school districts based on data-driven needs analysis. The resolution is non-binding and serves as a formal recommendation rather than a law, directing state education officials to consider expansion efforts within available funding constraints.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Concurrent Resolution requests the Hawaii Department of Education to develop a plan for removing processed meats from school meals by 2032 or replacing them with healthier alternatives. The bill directly affects students and school food service providers by asking for an inventory of current menus, a timeline for transitioning to whole-foods or plant-based options, nutritional standards for replacements, and an analysis of associated costs. It is a procedural request rather than a law, meaning it asks the state agency to create a plan and report back to the Legislature by 2027 without mandating immediate changes.

Maddy summaryThis bill requests the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to expand and strengthen programs focused on financial literacy, credit readiness, and homeownership preparedness for Native Hawaiian beneficiaries. The resolution asks the department to partner with financial educators, credit counselors, and lenders to provide pre-award education, post-award support, culturally responsive materials, and to explore additional funding sources. The department is also required to submit a detailed report to the Legislature by early 2027 outlining program improvements, participant numbers, and measurable outcomes related to lease stability and credit improvement.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution requests the Hawaii Department of Education to form a working group to address findings from an auditor's report on the state's farm-to-school program. The bill directly affects the Department of Education, local farmers, food distributors, and school administrators by creating a collaborative body to improve local food procurement in public schools. The working group will include representatives from education, agriculture, schools, and community organizations to review audit findings and develop strategies for better data collection, procurement practices, and coordination between schools and local producers. The group must submit a report to the Legislature by early 2027 with recommendations for improving the implementation of Hawaii's local food sourcing goals.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution requests the Department of Land and Natural Resources to transfer ownership of specific public land parcels to the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity. The bill identifies two particular tax map keys - (3) 4-1-6:7 and (3) 2-6-18:1 - that would change from state land management to agricultural department control. The transfer would follow existing state laws and constitutional requirements for using public lands to support farming and homeownership. Both state boards must approve the transaction before the land ownership officially changes hands.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a formal request from the Hawaii Senate asking the U.S. President and Congress to release all federal records related to the Jeffrey Epstein investigations, with redactions only to protect victims' privacy and safety. It directly affects federal agencies holding Epstein-related documents and calls for greater transparency in how these records are handled. The resolution criticizes current Department of Justice actions for allegedly over-redacting names of individuals involved while under-redacting victim information, and urges Congress to investigate all implicated parties. It does not create new laws but serves as an official appeal for federal officials to take specific actions regarding document disclosure and accountability.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a state-level resolution urging the U.S. Congress to convene a constitutional convention under Article V of the Constitution, limited to proposing amendments that impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, limit federal power and jurisdiction, and restrict terms of office for federal officials and members of Congress. The resolution outlines specific conditions for such a convention, including that Congress only has the authority to set a meeting time and place, that states retain the power to select and appoint their own delegates, and that the convention cannot consider any amendments to the Bill of Rights. Hawaii is submitting this as a formal application toward the two-thirds threshold required to trigger a constitutional convention, with the state reserving the right to recall delegates if they violate the stated instructions.