Sen. Angus McKelvey

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution (SR 67) urges Maui County, in coordination with the Maui Emergency Management Agency, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, and the Department of Defense, to conduct real-time wildfire and disaster drills involving the Maui community. It specifically calls for community members to participate in planning, executing, and evaluating these drills to improve emergency response preparedness. The resolution emphasizes that such drills should familiarize residents with evacuation protocols and create opportunities for immediate feedback to refine response strategies. It does not create new law but formally encourages these agencies to adopt community-engaged disaster training practices.

Maddy summarySenate Resolution 76 urges the Governor and state agencies to integrate Indigenous Hawaiian knowledge (including traditional ecological practices and the Hawaiian language) into climate policy decisions. It specifically calls for this integration in three areas: climate adaptation (adjusting to climate impacts), climate mitigation (reducing emissions), and climate resiliency (building community strength). The resolution does not create new laws but encourages the state to develop goals that meaningfully include Indigenous knowledge as part of a "just climate future." It directly addresses state leadership and agencies responsible for climate planning.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution (SR 38) supports the Native Hawaiian Intellectual Property Working Group's request for additional resources and a timeline extension for fiscal year 2025-2026. The Working Group, established to protect Native Hawaiian cultural intellectual property through community consultations, needs more time and funding to develop solutions preventing cultural appropriation. The resolution expresses legislative support for their work without creating new legal requirements.

Maddy summarySenate Resolution 93 requests the City and County of Honolulu to display purple lights at City Hall on August 7 each year to honor National Purple Heart Day. This symbolic resolution commemorates military service members who were injured or killed in action, recognizing their sacrifices. It does not impose legal requirements on the city but asks for a visible annual tribute. The resolution is non-binding and focuses solely on honoring Purple Heart recipients through a public display.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution (SR 43) requests the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) to partner with the Kahoolawe Island Reserve Commission (KIRC) to collaboratively maintain and improve the Kihei Ramp in South Kihei, Maui. The ramp is used by the local community for recreational activities like fishing and diving, and KIRC relies on it for access to Kahoolawe and future visitor center plans. The resolution asks DLNR to work with KIRC to facilitate ongoing repairs, rehabilitation, and redevelopment of the ramp, potentially leveraging private investment. It does not create new laws or funding but formally encourages interagency collaboration for community and KIRC benefit.

Maddy summaryThis non-binding Senate Resolution urges Hawaii's Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) to prioritize restoring and protecting wetlands and anchialine pools. It specifically directs DLNR's Division of Forestry and Wildlife to extend wetland protection policies to anchialine pools (unique coastal ecosystems) and prioritize wetland conservation in Kihei over development where feasible. The resolution emphasizes these natural areas' role in filtering water runoff, supporting endangered species, preventing coral reef damage, and avoiding costly future restoration. It does not create new laws but requests agency action based on environmental and economic benefits.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution (SR 96) affirms Hawaii's commitment to prioritizing marine ecosystem restoration as a strategy to meet state climate goals, including achieving 100% renewable energy by 2045 and reducing emissions 50% below 2005 levels by 2030. It specifically calls for strengthening carbon accounting methods to better measure emissions reductions from marine restoration projects and supports aligning such projects with renewable energy and conservation initiatives. The resolution directs state agencies (including the Board of Land and Natural Resources and Energy Office) to advance these efforts but does not create new laws or funding. It addresses statewide climate vulnerabilities, such as coastal flooding risks threatening infrastructure, cultural sites, and $19 billion in economic assets. As a procedural resolution, it serves as a policy statement rather than a binding mandate.

Maddy summarySCR 89 is a resolution requesting Hawaii's Department of Agriculture to form a working group that will develop an educational pathway at University of Hawaii community colleges for meat processing careers. It directly affects students seeking entry-level jobs in meat processing and addresses a current workforce shortage that limits local ranchers' ability to process and sell their products. The working group must create a curriculum covering food safety, animal handling, processing techniques, regulatory compliance, hands-on training, and sustainable practices. The goal is to equip students with skills needed to support Hawaii's agricultural industry and reduce reliance on imported meat.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution (SR 72) requests Hawaii's Department of Agriculture to form a working group that will develop an educational pathway at University of Hawaii Community Colleges for meat processing careers. The resolution directly affects students seeking entry-level jobs in meat processing and local meat processing facilities facing workforce shortages. The working group must create curriculum covering food safety, processing techniques, regulatory compliance, sustainability practices, and hands-on training to equip students with skills needed by the industry. The resolution does not create the program itself but asks for a plan to establish it, aligning with state goals for food security and local job growth.

Maddy summaryThis resolution urges Maui County, the Maui Emergency Management Agency, and state agencies (including Transportation and Hawaii Emergency Management) to create and implement a standardized evacuation route signage program. It specifically references the 2023 Lahaina wildfires as a catalyst, calling for clear, multilingual signs with digital updates - modeled after systems in Florida and Los Angeles - to improve emergency evacuations during disasters like wildfires or tsunamis. The resolution does not create new laws but requests collaboration to align signage with existing emergency plans and conduct public education campaigns.