Sen. Mike Gabbard

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution (SR 57) requests Hawaii's Department of Human Services and Department of Health to create an incentive program for Community Care Foster Family Homes (CCFFHs). The program would encourage CCFFHs - homes certified to provide in-home care for individuals needing nursing-level support - to accept people with intellectual or developmental disabilities who qualify for the state's Medicaid I/DD waiver program. It aims to address a shortage of CCFFHs serving this population by offering financial or other incentives. The resolution is a non-binding request, not a law, directing the departments to develop this program.

Maddy summaryThis is a symbolic Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR 98), not a legislative bill with binding provisions. It expresses Hawaii's support for Taiwan's participation in international organizations like the World Health Organization, International Civil Aviation Organization, and International Criminal Police Organization. The resolution also endorses strengthening U.S.-Taiwan trade relations and reaffirms Hawaii's longstanding sister-state relationship with Taiwan. It serves as a formal statement of support to be sent to U.S. federal officials and Taiwan-related offices, with no direct legal effect on policy or funding.

Maddy summaryHawaii Senate Resolution 82 urges the Directors of Health and Corrections to encourage state-licensed hospitals and prisons to replace ultra-processed foods with minimally-processed options like fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, herbs, spices, and non-dairy beverages. It specifically highlights that these healthier choices can reduce chronic disease risks, accommodate lactose intolerance, save taxpayer costs, and support local agriculture and climate goals. The resolution does not mandate changes but formally requests state agencies to promote these food options in healthcare and correctional facilities.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution (SR 89) urges the State of Hawaii to reject energy sources like liquefied natural gas (LNG) and other fossil fuels deemed harmful to the climate and environment, while committing to renewable energy. It specifically requests state agencies and officials - such as the Governor, Attorney General, and energy regulators - to withhold financial and regulatory support for new fossil fuel projects, including LNG infrastructure, and instead prioritize transitioning to renewable energy. The resolution cites scientific consensus on methane emissions from LNG and fracking, emphasizing that these sources worsen climate impacts like wildfires, sea-level rise, and health risks, while diverting resources from clean energy goals. It directly affects state decision-makers responsible for energy policy and funding.

Maddy summarySCR 99 is a resolution by the Hawaii Legislature to ratify a proposed constitutional amendment that would give Congress authority to limit, regulate, and prohibit labor for people under 18 years old. This amendment was first proposed in 1924 (House Joint Resolution 184) but has not yet been fully ratified, as only 28 states have approved it out of the required 38. The resolution states Hawaii is one of seven states with no record of taking action on this proposal. Ratifying this amendment would be Hawaii's formal support for a constitutional change that would allow federal regulation of child labor, though it does not create new laws itself. The resolution is procedural, as it only advances the ratification process for a long-standing proposal.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution (SR 34) urges Hawaii's Department of Education and Emergency Management Agency (HI-EMA) to create a high school curriculum for a Youth Civil Defense Corps. It would train students to assist in emergency response through Hawaii's State Emergency Response Team Program during disasters. The resolution is non-binding and requests the agencies develop this program to support statewide emergency preparedness. It directly affects high school students and Hawaii's emergency management coordination.

Maddy summaryHawaii's SCR 109 acknowledges the genocide against Assyrians committed between 1915 and 1933, including the 1933 Simele massacre in Iraq, and urges Turkey and Iraq to formally recognize these events as genocide. The resolution calls on both nations to provide scholars with access to historical archives and documents related to the genocide. It directs certified copies to be sent to the U.S. Secretary of State, the leaders of Turkey and Iraq, and the International Association of Genocide Scholars. As a non-binding resolution, it expresses Hawaii's official stance without creating legal obligations.

Maddy summaryThis is a non-binding Senate Resolution (SR 90) introduced by Hawaii's 2025 legislature. It formally acknowledges the genocide against Assyrians committed by Ottoman Turks between 1915-1923 and by Iraqi forces in 1933 (the "Seyfo" genocide). The resolution urges the governments of Turkey and Iraq to recognize this genocide and grant historians access to relevant historical archives. It does not create new laws or impose requirements on Turkey or Iraq, but serves as a formal statement supporting recognition efforts by international bodies like the European Parliament.

Maddy summarySCR 74 is a concurrent resolution requesting Hawaii's Departments of Human Services and Health to create an incentive program for Community Care Foster Family Homes (CCFFHs). It aims to encourage existing CCFFHs - licensed homes providing 24-hour care for individuals needing nursing-level support - to accept more residents eligible for the state's Medicaid program for intellectual or developmental disabilities (I/DD waiver). The resolution does not create new law but asks the departments to design financial or other incentives to increase CCFFH capacity for these specific Medicaid waiver participants. This directly affects CCFFH providers and individuals seeking community-based care instead of institutional settings.

Establishes a working group within the Office of the Governor for administrative purposes to ascertain the State's available water resources and water system source capacity and to streamline well permit approval processes to further plan for the development of affordable housing. Requires the working group to inventory all available water resources statewide and identify sources of aquifer replenishment in relation to affordable housing development. Requires an interim and final report to the Legislature. (SD2)