Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole

Reaffirms that artificial persons created under state law possess only those powers that are necessary or convenient to carry out lawful purposes, and that those powers do not include the power to spend money or contribute anything of value to influence elections or ballot measures. Authorizes the Attorney General and the Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to impose certain penalties for violations. Effective 7/1/2027. (CD2)

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution urges state agencies and the University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law to collaborate on creating externship opportunities for law students to help review and update Hawaii's administrative rules. The bill addresses concerns that outdated regulations burden businesses and residents, while acknowledging that agencies currently lack the resources to conduct comprehensive rule reviews. It specifically requests the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to lead this partnership, with the goal of pairing law students' need for practical experience with agencies' need for regulatory assistance. The resolution does not create new laws or funding but serves as a formal recommendation to establish this educational and administrative collaboration.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution urges Hawaii state agencies to form a working group aimed at addressing how climate change is affecting insurance availability and costs for residents. The proposed group would include officials from the Insurance Division, Attorney General, and various legislative committees to study insurance risks from extreme weather events. Key tasks include evaluating current recovery options and exploring legal strategies to seek financial compensation from fossil fuel companies, which the resolution identifies as responsible for climate-related damages. The measure focuses on protecting state resources and ensuring affordable insurance coverage without mandating specific policy changes or taking a stance on liability.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution requests the Hawaii State Center for Nursing to conduct a study compiling recommended safe patient staffing ratios for various hospital units and healthcare settings. The study will use existing state bills as a framework and incorporate standards from major professional nursing organizations such as the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses and the Society of Pediatric Nurses. The Center is asked to submit findings and recommendations to the Legislature and Department of Health by late 2026, with results published on an online dashboard. The resolution also urges healthcare facilities to consider implementing the compiled staffing standards to improve patient safety and nurse retention.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution asks the Department of Human Resources Development to work with state agencies and labor organizations to finish reviewing how civil service jobs are classified and paid. The request focuses on departments with high vacancy rates or hard-to-fill positions to help address the state's labor shortage. This collaborative approach aims to gather practical insights from those directly managing hiring and retention challenges. The resolution directs DHRD to prioritize areas with the most significant staffing gaps when developing recommendations for updating the system.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Concurrent Resolution asks the Department of Human Resources Development to work with state departments, agencies, and labor organizations to finish a review of how civil service positions are classified and paid. The request stems from high vacancy rates and upcoming retirements that threaten the state's ability to hire and keep qualified employees. The resolution directs the department to prioritize departments with the most unfilled or hard-to-fill positions during this review process. This action is part of a larger effort mandated by Act 180 to modernize the state's workforce management systems.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution requests the Hawaii State Energy Office to create a working group to study how large data centers might affect the state's electric grid, utility rates, natural resources, and climate objectives. The proposed working group would include representatives from state agencies, electric utilities, consumer advocates, and environmental organizations to examine potential policy safeguards. Key areas of study include ensuring data center developers pay for necessary grid upgrades rather than existing ratepayers, protecting water resources used for cooling, and preventing increased greenhouse gas emissions. The resolution aims to proactively prepare Hawaii's isolated power system for future data center development while balancing economic growth with environmental protection and ratepayer fairness.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution asks the Governor to study whether Hawaii state agencies should manage their own hiring and recruitment instead of relying on the centralized Department of Human Resources Development. The bill addresses concerns that the current system causes long vacancies and staffing shortages, with over 4,000 positions vacant as of late 2025. If implemented, the proposed changes would allow individual departments to write job descriptions, review applicants, conduct interviews, and directly hire qualified candidates. The Governor must complete this evaluation and submit a report with recommendations to the Legislature by early 2027. This resolution does not change current law but requests an administrative review of the hiring process.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution (SR 20) requests Hawaii's Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to create a dedicated panel focused on regulating island shipping services (intrastate water carriers) and maritime commerce. It directly affects the PUC, maritime transportation operators, and Hawaii's supply chain by asking for specialized oversight of a system critical to moving essential goods like food, fuel, and medicine between islands. The resolution emphasizes that Hawaii uniquely relies on maritime transport as its core supply chain - unlike most states - and argues that a specialized panel would improve safety, emergency response, and regulatory decisions without changing existing laws. The request aims to strengthen coordination between the PUC and Hawaii's Department of Transportation on maritime operations.

Maddy summarySenate Resolution 23 expresses the Hawaii Senate's support for the Native Hawaiian Intellectual Property Working Group's request to extend their timeline and secure additional resources for fiscal year 2026-2027. The Working Group, established to protect Native Hawaiian cultural intellectual property, needs more time for community consultations to develop solutions that prevent cultural appropriation. This resolution affirms the state's constitutional duty (Article XII, Section 7) to preserve Native Hawaiian rights and aligns with efforts to support indigenous self-determination over cultural assets.