Sen. Angus McKelvey

Maddy summaryThis bill urges the Hawaii Department of Education to add tax instruction as a major topic area within the state's existing financial literacy graduation requirement for public school students. The resolution specifically recommends that tax education cover practical skills such as completing a 1040 form, understanding W-4 forms, payroll deductions, and the differences between federal and state income taxes. As a Senate resolution, the bill does not create new legal requirements but instead formally requests the Department of Education to incorporate these tax concepts into the financial literacy standards already in place for students starting with the Class of 2030.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution requests the Hawaii Department of Transportation, working with the Department of Education, to evaluate and recommend improvements to the licensing, training, and recruitment process for school bus drivers. The bill aims to address driver shortages that cause route cancellations and transportation disruptions, particularly affecting students in rural and neighbor island communities. The evaluation will examine barriers such as testing availability, interagency coordination, and workforce pipeline issues, with a deadline to submit findings and recommendations to the Legislature by early 2027.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution urges the County of Maui to actively enforce its Fire Code provisions related to wildfire prevention, including brush clearance, fuel breaks, roadside vegetation management, and emergency access. The bill directly affects property owners and land managers in Maui, particularly those with large parcels or properties near residential areas, temporary housing sites, and major evacuation routes. Key provisions include maintaining vegetation clearance between 30 to 100 feet from structures, clearing overgrown vegetation to less than 18 inches on smaller lots, and removing combustible plants along roads to ensure safe passage for emergency vehicles. The resolution emphasizes prioritizing enforcement on properties that pose heightened risks to life and property, using available tools like inspections, citations, and abatement orders to ensure compliance.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Concurrent Resolution asks the Department of Transportation to work with the Department of Education to study how to improve the process for hiring and training school bus drivers in Hawaii. The bill addresses ongoing shortages of qualified drivers that have led to canceled routes and disrupted transportation for students, particularly in rural and neighbor island communities. The requested evaluation will examine barriers to commercial driver's licensing, coordination between agencies and private contractors, and strategies to expand testing and training access. The departments must consult with various stakeholders and submit a report with findings and recommendations to the Legislature by the start of the 2027 regular session.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution urges the County of Maui to adopt local ordinances that establish wildfire safety standards for plantation towns and other high-risk communities. The bill encourages Maui to create rules for ember-resistant construction, defensible space around structures, vegetation management, and integrating wildfire risk into zoning and permitting decisions. It references Kauai's recent ordinance as a model and emphasizes tailoring these safety measures to Maui's historic plantation communities while learning from the 2023 wildfires. The resolution is non-binding and directs copies to county officials for consideration.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Concurrent Resolution asks state officials to work with the U.S. Department of Defense and military partners to explore creating a partnership between military and civilian trauma systems in Hawaii. The bill specifically requests that the Governor and Department of Health evaluate opportunities for Tripier Army Medical Center to serve as a receiving trauma center for civilian patients, investigate funding options for uncompensated care, and consider legislative changes to allow reimbursement for civilian trauma services at military facilities. Additionally, the resolution seeks to develop tele-trauma consultation capabilities to help rural hospitals and improve overall trauma care access across the state. The Department of Health is required to submit a report with findings and recommendations to the Legislature by the beginning of the 2027 session.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Concurrent Resolution urges the County of Maui to adopt ordinances establishing wildfire safety standards for plantation towns and other high-risk communities, using Kauai's recent ordinance as a model. The bill encourages Maui to incorporate specific measures such as ember-resistant construction, noncombustible zones around structures, defensible space requirements, and vegetation management into local zoning and permitting decisions. It highlights the lessons from the 2023 Maui wildfires and recommends that these standards be tailored to the unique conditions of historic plantation communities while integrating wildfire risk into community planning and redevelopment.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Concurrent Resolution urges the County of Maui to actively enforce existing fire code provisions related to vegetation management and fire safety. The bill directly affects property owners, large landowners, and residents in West Maui, particularly those living in temporary housing areas or near major evacuation routes. Key provisions include maintaining brush clearance of 30 to 100 feet from structures, clearing vegetation to less than 18 inches on smaller lots, creating fuel breaks on larger properties, and removing combustible vegetation along roadsides to ensure emergency access. The resolution specifically asks the county to prioritize enforcement on large parcels, areas near residential communities and survivor housing, and locations bordering evacuation corridors, using available tools like inspections, citations, and abatement orders to ensure compliance.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution asks the Governor and Hawaii's Department of Health to work with the U.S. Department of Defense and military partners to explore creating a partnership between military and civilian trauma care systems. The bill specifically targets Tripier Army Medical Center, requesting it be evaluated as a potential receiving facility for civilian trauma patients within Hawaii's existing trauma network. Key provisions include studying opportunities for the military hospital to accept civilian patients, examining ways to fund such care, and investigating regulatory changes needed for reimbursement. The resolution also calls for developing tele-trauma consultation services to help rural hospitals with patient assessment and triage. The Department of Health must submit a report with findings and recommendations to the Legislature by early 2027.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution urges all state and county agencies in Hawaii that handle construction projects to create public websites showing payment details for contractors and subcontractors. The bill asks these agencies to display information about job progress, payments made, and retainage amounts within one year, following a model already used by the Public Works Division. Agencies unable to implement this system must explain their barriers to the Legislature by the start of the 2027 session. The resolution also thanks the Public Works Division for its work and sends copies to relevant government officials and industry associations.