Sen. Mike Gabbard

Requires condominium associations to provide electronic copies of their governing documents, as amended or restated, to unit owners or their authorized agents, upon request, at no cost. Repeals the authority of condominium associations to charge a reasonable fee for administrative costs associated with the handling of a request for association documents. (CD1)

Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, expands free school meal coverage to students who currently qualify for reduced-price lunch. Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, expands free school meal coverage to students whose family income is not more than three hundred per cent of the federal poverty level. Appropriates funds. (CD1)

Authorizes school staff and agents trained by a health care professional to volunteer to administer medication to students at Department of Education public schools under certain conditions. Clarifies who may prescribe medication to be administered to students in schools. (CD1)

Requires courts to consider certain factors when sentencing a person convicted as an adult for an offense that the person committed when the person was a minor. Allows courts to reduce a mandatory minimum period of incarceration or depart from a mandatory sentencing enhancement if the court determines that the reduction or departure is warranted given certain factors. (HD1)

Requires the Attorney General, on behalf of the State, to defend professionally licensed or certified state employees from civil actions or proceedings, under certain circumstances. Clarifies that the employee may employ their own attorney at the employee's own expense. Establishes a process for the Attorney General to transfer or withdraw representation if the Attorney General declines to defend the employee. (CD1)

Prohibits and imposes penalties for the intentional taking, harming, or killing of ʻIo (Hawaiian hawk). Increases penalties and fees for taking and killing indigenous species of aquatic life, wildlife, and land plants that are native to the State. (HD2)

Maddy summarySB 691 establishes that children under the age of 12 cannot be formally charged or adjudicated in court for alleged or attempted violations of law. This directly affects minors under 12 who might otherwise face family court proceedings for minor legal infractions. The key provision sets a clear minimum age threshold, shifting responsibility away from court adjudication for this age group. The bill focuses on altering the legal process for youth, not on funding, penalties, or other policy elements.

Defines community outreach board to mean a board established to serve in a community advisory capacity under a county commission or a county department. Includes community outreach boards in existing provisions of the Sunshine Law relating to neighborhood boards. Authorizes neighborhood board and community outreach board members to attend meetings or presentations related to official board business statewide. (HD1)

Maddy summarySCR 60 is a non-binding resolution urging the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation (HHFDC) to create a plan for increasing housing production. It directs HHFDC to develop a specific strategy addressing housing shortages, including density timelines, walkability, sustainable financing, staffing needs, and solutions for land/infrastructure barriers. The plan must include input from a proposed Affordable Housing Land Inventory Task Force (referencing Senate Bill 26) and be submitted to the Legislature by January 2026. This resolution directly affects HHFDC’s planning process but does not mandate new housing construction or funding.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR 115) is a non-binding statement affirming that restoring marine ecosystems supports Hawaii's climate goals. It highlights how marine restoration - alongside wetlands - captures carbon and helps meet the state's targets to cut emissions 50% below 2005 levels by 2030 and achieve 100% renewable electricity by 2045. The resolution urges strengthening carbon accounting methods to better measure emissions reductions from these natural solutions. It does not create new laws or funding but expresses legislative support for aligning ecosystem restoration with decarbonization efforts.