Sen. Dru Kanuha

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution (SR 44) requests Hawaii's Department of Education to create and implement a statewide financial literacy curriculum for public high school students. It requires schools to offer a standalone financial literacy course by the 2026-2027 school year, covering budgeting, saving, credit management, taxes, loans, and fraud prevention. The plan must integrate these topics into existing courses, provide teacher training through workshops and pilot programs, and be finalized by December 2025. The resolution directly affects all public high school students and the Department of Education in Hawaii.

Maddy summarySenate Resolution 100 requests the Department of Land and Natural Resources to form a Kailua Bay Advisory Working Group to address challenges at Kailua Pier, including vandalism, homelessness, and infrastructure damage. The group would include state and county agencies, community representatives, and nonprofits to coordinate management, improve safety, and recommend solutions for the pier's long-term sustainability. This resolution does not create new law but seeks to enhance collaboration among stakeholders.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution (SR 133) requests the Department of Land and Natural Resources to adopt rules permitting rodeos on lands zoned for agricultural use. It does not create new law but asks the agency to establish regulatory guidelines. The resolution cites Hawaii's historical paniolo (Hawaiian cowboy) culture and a 1908 rodeo victory by Hawaiian cowboys as context for the request. It specifically targets agricultural zoning rules, not general land use.

Maddy summarySenate Resolution 101 requests the Hawaii Auditor to assess the social and financial effects of a proposed mandate requiring health insurance plans to cover continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) for people with diabetes. This procedural resolution, required by Hawaii law (HRS §23-51), is triggered by House Bill 820, which would establish this coverage mandate. The Auditor must submit a report by the 2026 legislative session to inform the legislature's decision on HB 820, without directly changing insurance coverage rules.

Renames the State Boxing Commission of Hawaii as the Boxing and Combat Sports Commission of Hawaii. Amends the jurisdiction of the Commission to include combat sports contests. Prohibits no rules combat or similar combat sports contests. Repeals the existing Mixed Martial Arts Contests Program. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Permits the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to enter into contracts with eligible employers or registered apprenticeship programs in the private sector to provide on-the-job training to eligible interns. Provides that the State shall be the responsible employer for purposes of workers' compensation coverage for students or recent graduates in the on-the-job-training work experience program, subject to certain limitations. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Authorizes the Department of Education to award a high school diploma to qualified persons who did not receive a high school diploma as a result of compulsory or voluntary induction into the armed services of the United States or whose high school education was interrupted due to wartime practices during World War II, the Korean War, or the Vietnam War. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Establishes a Tourism and Gaming Working Group within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism. Requires a report to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Establishes a Food and Product Innovation Network within the Agribusiness Development Corporation. Appropriates funds for the development of Food and Product Innovation Network facilities. Requires annual reports to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Maddy summarySB 371 would create two new criminal offenses for damaging critical infrastructure facilities, such as power plants or water treatment centers. It directly affects individuals who cause property damage to these facilities by defining "first degree" (more severe) and "second degree" (less severe) offenses. The bill establishes specific legal penalties for these acts, though the exact punishments aren't detailed in the abstract. The bill is currently pending introduction (as of January 14, 2025) and has no effective date listed beyond the unusual "7/1/3000" noted in the abstract.