Sen. Ron Kouchi

Maddy summaryThis Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR 6) authorizes a 25-year, non-exclusive easement for a seawall on 165 square feet of state submerged lands at Ewa Beach, Oahu. It resolves an encroachment where a 1966 seawall - originally built on private property - now sits on state lands due to shoreline migration. The easement allows Poni LLC (the property owner) to maintain, repair, and use the seawall, with the company paying the state fair market value via appraisal. The resolution seeks legislative approval to comply with Hawaii law (HRS §171-53) for this procedural step.

Requires the Judiciary to contract with a collection agency or licensed attorney to collect delinquent court-ordered fees, fines, sanctions, and court costs. Repeals the authority of the Judiciary to contract with a collection agency or licensed attorney to collect delinquent restitution. Expressly allows courts to specify a period of time or installments for payment of fees and restitution. Requires district courts to hold payment compliance hearings once per year or as soon as practicable, until all fees, fines, and restitution are fully paid, and requires a defendant in district court to appear and show cause if the defendant fails to pay in full within a time specified by the court or fails to pay three consecutive installments. Makes conforming amendments to related statutes. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Maddy summaryThis bill (SCR 3) authorizes the State of Hawaii to grant a permanent, non-exclusive right to use a small portion (1,050 square feet) of state-owned submerged lands at Maunalua, Honolulu, to the City and County of Honolulu. The easement allows the city to maintain, repair, and operate an existing stormwater drainage outfall and its associated infrastructure on that site. It follows prior approvals for a drainage system replacement and complies with state law requiring legislative authorization for such land use. The bill does not create new policy but formalizes an existing infrastructure agreement.

Requires the School Facilities Authority to consult with the Department of Education and other impacted departments or agencies before the conveyance of ownership rights or lease of lands to the School Facilities Authority. Repeals the requirement that the Department of Education transfer title to lands it holds upon request of the School Facilities Authority. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD3)

For taxable years beginning after 12/31/2024, requires all qualified members claiming a credit for pass-through entity taxation to adjust their income to include the qualified member's share of taxes paid by an electing pass-through entity. Effective July 1, 3000. (HD1)

Requires any order to cease and desist issued by the Director of Health that is administratively appealed to remain in effect during the appeals process.

Maddy summarySB 289 establishes uniform rules for calculating and imposing fines on individuals or entities violating the State Ethics Code or Lobbyist Law. It directly affects state ethics code violators and lobbyists who face administrative penalties under current law. The bill’s key provision creates standardized guidelines for assessing fines, replacing inconsistent practices that varied by case or enforcement office. This change ensures consistent penalty calculations across all ethics and lobbying violations, without altering the types of violations or penalty amounts themselves.

Maddy summarySB 1382 would make intentionally causing bodily injury to a National Guard member while they are performing their duties a class C felony. This bill directly affects National Guard members by increasing the legal penalty for harming them during official service. The key provision raises the offense from a lesser crime to a class C felony, specifying that intentional or knowing injury during duty triggers this higher penalty. The bill passed committee recommendation on January 31, 2025, with no opposing votes.

Requires that the Attorney General's identification system include criminal cases initiated via citations that resulted in conviction, deferred acceptance of guilty or nolo contendere plea, or conditional discharge, and that a court order identification processing in such cases. (SD1)

Adds the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security to the list of agencies that may examine the energy industry information statements submitted pursuant to section 486J-3, HRS. Adds the promotion of emergency management and critical infrastructure protection as relevant purposes of the Energy Data Collection Program.