Sen. Mike Gabbard

Maddy summarySCR 214 is a Senate Concurrent Resolution requesting collaboration between Hawaii's Department of Education and Department of Law Enforcement to enhance safety at public elementary schools and state prekindergarten campuses. It specifically encourages these departments to create a memorandum of understanding for sheriffs to be stationed at campuses within the Campbell-Kapolei complex area. The resolution also requires the Department of Education to submit a report with findings and recommendations - including potential legislation - to the Legislature by 2027. This is a procedural request, not a new law, focusing on interdepartmental coordination and reporting. It directly affects school safety planning for young children in these specific educational settings.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution (SR 97) urges Hawaii's counties to adopt local zoning rules requiring agricultural landowners to sign and record declarations acknowledging state and county land-use rules and penalties for not following them. It directly affects owners of agricultural-zoned land across all counties, aiming to increase active farming on the nearly 2 million acres designated for agriculture but currently underutilized (only ~14% used for crops or grazing). The resolution references existing Maui County practice and encourages counties to also share resources about farm mentorship programs to help landowners start farming. It is not a binding law but a recommendation to address Hawaii’s agricultural land underuse, as highlighted by state data showing most agricultural land is not actively farmed.

Maddy summaryThis is a Senate Resolution (SR 189), not a bill, requesting collaboration between Hawaii's Department of Education and Department of Law Enforcement. It encourages these agencies to create a memorandum of understanding for sheriffs to serve at public elementary schools and state prekindergarten campuses in the Campbell-Kapolei complex area. The resolution also requires the Department of Education to submit a report with findings and recommendations - including any proposed legislation - to the Legislature by January 2027 and 2028. It does not create new laws or security requirements but seeks to improve safety coordination through interagency collaboration.

Maddy summarySCR 116 is a Senate Concurrent Resolution urging Hawaii's counties to adopt local zoning ordinances requiring owners of agricultural-zoned lands to sign and record declarations acknowledging state and county agricultural land use regulations, penalties for noncompliance, and available farming resources. It cites data showing only 8% of agricultural land is actively used for crops and 18.5% for grazing, with significant underutilization across the state. The resolution also encourages counties to provide information on farm apprenticeship programs to help landowners transition to active farming. This non-binding resolution does not create new law but recommends policy actions to increase agricultural land use.

Maddy summaryThis concurrent resolution requests the Hawaii Department of Transportation to create a 12-month pilot program (June 2025-January 2026) inspecting personal aircraft arriving at state airports for illegal fireworks. It directs the DOT to coordinate with law enforcement and fire departments to prevent unauthorized fireworks importation and dispose of prohibited items. The program aims to address concerns following a December 2024 fireworks incident that caused fatalities. The DOT must submit a report by January 2026 evaluating the program’s effectiveness and recommending future action. This is a procedural request, not a law, and does not change existing fireworks regulations.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution (SR 102) is a symbolic statement, not a law, reaffirming Hawaii's existing constitutional ban on nuclear power plants (Article XI, Section 8) and opposing nuclear energy development. It cites Hawaii's unique risks - including geological instability, ocean transport hazards, and the state's 100% renewable energy goal by 2045 (per Act 97) - as reasons to prioritize solar and wind over nuclear. The resolution directs state officials (Governor, Attorney General, county mayors) to uphold this commitment but does not create new legal requirements or affect residents directly. It explicitly rejects nuclear energy as incompatible with Hawaii's clean energy path and safety concerns.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR 216) urges Hawaii's Department of Human Services to increase reimbursement rates paid to primary care physicians for services provided to Med-Quest recipients (Hawaii's Medicaid program). It highlights that current reimbursement rates are low, lack cost-of-living adjustments or overhead coverage, and do not account for physician experience, making it financially difficult for providers to maintain practices serving Medicaid patients. The resolution notes a decline in private practice physicians (from 75% to 10% over ten years) and aims to prevent further withdrawal of primary care access for Med-Quest enrollees. As a non-binding resolution, it does not change law but formally requests the department consider this adjustment.

Maddy summarySR 161 is a non-binding Senate Resolution (not a bill) passed by Hawaii's 2025 Legislature. It expresses support for reactivating the dormant Hawaii Health Authority (HHA), established by Act 11 in 2009, with a specific goal to transition the state's health insurance system toward a single-payer model. The resolution highlights potential savings from reduced administrative costs (estimated at 15% for hospitals and providers) and suggests these savings could fund community programs or address physician shortages. It emphasizes this transition would occur only after securing federal waivers and exhausting existing Medicaid/Medicare funding, but does not create new laws or immediate policy changes.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Concurrent Resolution requests Hawaii's Department of Education to identify public schools with aging equipment and replace it with modern equipment. It applies to all 258 public schools serving over 152,000 students statewide. The resolution directs the Department to prioritize equipment upgrades but does not allocate new funding. As a non-binding request, it asks the Department to act on existing resources.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution (SR 204) requests Hawaii's Department of Education to create a pilot program in public and charter schools, requiring staff trained in epinephrine administration for severe allergic reactions. It specifies that each school must have at least one trained staff member per 100 students or per accessible building floor, and display clear signs about anaphylaxis symptoms and treatment. The resolution is non-binding and requires a report on the pilot's findings to the legislature by early 2026. It directly affects Hawaii public and charter schools, aiming to improve emergency response for students/staff with life-threatening allergies.