Sen. Troy Hashimoto

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution urges Hawaii state agencies to create a statewide peer counselor program for high school students to address youth loneliness and social disconnection. The program would involve trained student peer counselors who receive standardized instruction in active listening, ethical boundaries, and culturally responsive practices to help identify and support students experiencing isolation. Key provisions include collaboration between the Department of Education, Department of Health, and Office of Wellness and Resilience, with the Hawaii State Youth Commission providing input on program design and evaluation. The resolution emphasizes face-to-face peer relationships and clear referral pathways to licensed mental health professionals while maintaining centralized oversight across the state's public education system.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution urges Hawaii's Campaign Spending Commission to take proactive steps to ensure candidate committees fully comply with state campaign finance laws. The bill specifically requests the Commission to conduct automatic audits of committees spending over $500,000, subsidize independent audit costs, clarify rules about defective reports, and offer more frequent training sessions outside normal business hours. These measures aim to address concerns that volunteer-run campaigns may struggle to meet compliance requirements due to limited training access and unclear reporting standards. The resolution is non-binding and serves as a formal recommendation to the Commission rather than creating new legal requirements.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution requests the Department of Law Enforcement to expand an existing agricultural enforcement pilot program to the islands of Kauai and Maui. The bill directly affects law enforcement agencies and farmers across Hawaii who face challenges from agricultural crimes such as trespassing, theft, and vandalism. The key provision is a formal request to extend the pilot program's scope from its current locations on Hawaii and Oahu to include Kauai and Maui, aiming to strengthen enforcement efforts in those areas. This resolution does not create new laws or penalties but instead asks the department to apply an already established program to additional islands.

Maddy summaryThis bill requests the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to conduct a study on Hawaii's food manufacturing strengths and identify strategic markets for local high-value products. The study will analyze competitive advantages, calculate minimum profit margins needed to overcome Hawaii's high operational costs, and assess logistical barriers to exporting. It also asks the University of Hawaii to update its curriculum to teach entrepreneurs how to engineer products for premium export markets and requires the Agribusiness Development Corporation to use findings to guide future facility development.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Concurrent Resolution requests the Hawaii Department of Education to create artificial intelligence literacy curricula and programs for public schools. The bill aims to address the growing use of AI tools by students while ensuring they receive formal instruction on how to use these technologies responsibly and effectively. Key provisions include defining AI concepts, teaching ethical considerations, and incorporating local context related to Hawaii's history and culture. The Department of Education must submit the developed curriculum plans to the Legislature at least twenty days before the 2027 Regular Session begins.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Concurrent Resolution asks the Governor of Hawaii to establish a backup plan for filling the Chief Election Officer position if it becomes vacant. The bill directs the Governor to appoint an acting officer from within the Office of Elections, following a specific order of succession based on current staff roles like election support services or counting center operations. This measure aims to ensure there is always someone authorized to manage and certify election results, preventing disruptions during critical election periods. The resolution applies specifically to state election administration and does not change existing laws but rather requests an executive action to clarify succession procedures.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution asks Hawaii's Department of Education to create curriculum plans and programs teaching artificial intelligence literacy in public schools. The proposed curriculum would cover AI fundamentals, ethical use, best practices for academic and professional settings, and how AI relates to Hawaii's history, environment, and culture. The resolution requires the Department to submit these plans to the Legislature at least 20 days before the 2027 session begins. This measure responds to the growing use of AI tools by students nationwide and aims to prepare students for future workforce demands while addressing concerns about misuse and educational equity.

Maddy summaryThis bill requests the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development to work with state and local agencies to evaluate how much infrastructure capacity exists around transit-oriented development areas in Honolulu. The assessment will focus on sewer and water systems to determine what upgrades are needed to support future growth in these neighborhoods. This study aims to identify necessary improvements before new construction begins, ensuring that infrastructure can handle anticipated population increases. The resolution directs copies to relevant city and state officials to coordinate the evaluation process.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution asks the Hawaii Department of Transportation and Department of Land and Natural Resources to work together on returning the state's small boat harbors to the Department of Transportation. The bill directs these agencies to create a management team that will develop detailed plans for transferring staff, operations, and assets back to the transportation department. The team must outline how to reorganize positions, structure the harbor administration within the department, and ensure a smooth transition of responsibilities. The agencies are required to submit their findings and any proposed legislation to the Legislature by early 2027. This resolution initiates the planning process but does not immediately change laws, as full transfer of authority would require separate statutory action.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution asks the Hawaii Department of Transportation to fix and update its rules for the state Driver Education Program based on recommendations from a 2025 auditor report. The bill directs the department to address issues like missing curriculum certifications, inconsistent instructor training processes, and outdated administrative procedures that have caused confusion for students and instructors. It requires the department to submit a progress report to the Legislature by early 2027 showing what changes have been made and how the program will be improved.