Sen. Troy Hashimoto

Maddy summaryThis Senate Concurrent Resolution requests the Hawaii Board of Education and Department of Education to create a working group that will design a Climate Literacy Seal of Excellence for public school students. The proposed framework would recognize students who complete advanced coursework and hands-on projects focused on climate science, sustainability, and community resilience. The working group would include educators, university experts, industry representatives, and student leaders to develop course requirements, assessment criteria, and implementation timelines. The Department of Education must report its findings and any recommended legislation to the Legislature by the start of the 2027 session.

Maddy summaryThis bill requests the Department of Law Enforcement to expand an existing Agricultural Enforcement Pilot Program from the islands of Hawaii and Oahu to include Kauai and Maui. The program aims to address rising agricultural crimes such as trespassing, theft, vandalism, and illegal hunting by providing dedicated enforcement resources to protect farmers and food security. It does not create new laws but asks state agencies to extend a current pilot initiative to two additional islands where enforcement gaps currently exist.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution asks the Governor of Hawaii to establish a clear line of succession for the Chief Election Officer position, ensuring there is always someone authorized to manage state elections. If the Chief Election Officer role becomes vacant, the resolution directs the Governor to appoint an acting officer from within the Office of Elections, starting with the supervisor of election support services and moving down a specific list of other supervisors if needed. This measure aims to prevent election administration disruptions and maintain public trust by guaranteeing that election results can be compiled and certified without legal ambiguity. The request applies to all state elections and affects the Office of Elections staff who would serve in these temporary leadership roles.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution requests the Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to conduct a study on the state's food manufacturing strengths and identify strategic export markets for local high-value products. The study will analyze competitive advantages, calculate minimum profit margins needed to offset Hawaii's high operational costs, and assess logistical barriers to international trade. It also directs the University of Hawaii to update its food innovation curriculum based on the findings and requires collaboration with state agencies to align workforce development programs and future facility planning with the study's recommendations.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Concurrent Resolution asks the Hawaii Department of Transportation to fix and update its administrative rules for the Driver Education Program based on recommendations from a state auditor's report. The bill directly affects driver education instructors, students, and the department itself by addressing issues like outdated curriculum certification and inconsistent oversight. It requires the department to establish task forces, certify required curricula, and create clear policies within a set timeframe, then report progress to the legislature before the 2027 session. The resolution does not change laws or create new programs but instead directs the department to follow its own existing rules and improve how it manages driver education standards.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Concurrent Resolution requests the Hawaii Department of Transportation and Department of Land and Natural Resources to coordinate the transfer of small boat harbors back to the Department of Transportation. The bill asks these agencies to create a joint management team responsible for developing detailed transition plans that address staffing, organizational structure, and operational continuity. The management team must submit a report with findings and any proposed legislation to the Legislature by early 2027. This resolution serves as a planning step to ensure an orderly transfer of authority and assets, though it does not enact the transfer itself.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution asks the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development to work with several agencies to evaluate how much infrastructure capacity exists around transit-oriented development areas in Honolulu. The assessment will focus specifically on sewer and water systems to determine if they can handle future growth in these neighborhoods. This study aims to identify necessary upgrades and investments before new construction projects proceed in these designated zones. The resolution directs the findings to be shared with multiple city and state officials responsible for planning and development.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Concurrent Resolution urges state agencies to create a statewide peer counselor program for high school students to address loneliness and social disconnection. The bill asks the Department of Education, Department of Health, and Office of Wellness and Resilience to work together to develop a program that trains students in active listening, ethical boundaries, and culturally responsive practices. It emphasizes providing standardized training with clear referral pathways to licensed mental health professionals while prioritizing face-to-face peer relationships and culturally appropriate approaches. The resolution also requests the Hawaii State Youth Commission to help design and evaluate the program to ensure it meets student needs and maintains cultural responsiveness.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution asks Hawaii's Board of Education and Department of Education to create a working group that will design a Climate Literacy Seal of Excellence program for public school students. The proposed program would recognize students who complete advanced coursework and hands-on projects focused on climate science, sustainability, and community resilience. The working group would include educators, university experts, industry representatives, and student members to develop course requirements, evaluation criteria, and implementation plans. The Department of Education must submit a report with recommendations and any needed legislation to the Legislature by early 2027. This bill does not change current laws but initiates a planning process to potentially add a new graduation recognition program in the future.

Maddy summaryThis bill urges the Hawaii Campaign Spending Commission to take additional steps to ensure candidate committees fully comply with state campaign finance laws. The resolution specifically requests the commission to conduct automatic audits of committees spending over $500,000, subsidize independent audit costs, and create clear rules defining what constitutes a defective campaign report. It also asks the commission to offer more frequent training sessions outside normal business hours to accommodate volunteer campaign workers. The bill does not create new laws or impose new requirements but instead encourages the commission to use its existing authority to improve compliance through audits, clearer guidelines, and better training opportunities.