Sen. Stanley Chang

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 bill requests that Hawaii's Department of Transportation work with the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to form a working group that studies whether the state should own or control warehouses and logistics centers near ports, harbors, and airports. The goal is to lower material costs for publicly funded affordable housing projects by improving supply chain efficiency and reducing transportation expenses caused by Hawaii's reliance on imported building materials. The working group will examine potential sites, analyze cost savings from bulk purchasing, consider public-private partnerships, and determine what legal changes might be needed to implement such facilities. The group must include representatives from transportation, housing agencies, contractors, and other stakeholders, and will submit its findings and recommendations to the Legislature by early 2027.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution formally recognizes open water lifeguards in Hawaii as first responders, acknowledging their critical role in emergency response, public safety, and community wellbeing. The bill highlights that these lifeguards are among the first to arrive at emergency scenes, often operating alongside police and firefighters, and are trained in emergency medical response, rescue techniques, and scene management. While the resolution does not create new laws or funding, it urges state and county agencies to adopt this recognition and ensure lifeguards receive the same rights, resources, training support, and professional respect as other first responders. This symbolic measure aims to validate the essential work lifeguards perform in hazardous ocean environments and on land, distinguishing them from pool lifeguards due to the higher risks and broader emergency responsibilities they face.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Concurrent Resolution formally recognizes open water lifeguards across Hawaii as first responders, acknowledging their critical role in emergency response, public safety, and community wellbeing. The bill highlights that these lifeguards are often among the first to arrive at emergency scenes, perform life-saving medical interventions, and operate in hazardous ocean and shoreline environments similar to police and firefighters. While the resolution does not change laws or grant new legal rights directly, it urges state and county agencies to ensure lifeguards receive the same resources, training support, and professional respect as other first responders. The measure applies to all open water lifeguards in the state, including those designated as ocean safety or water safety officers in different counties.

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.

Maddy summaryThis bill requests the Department of Accounting and General Services to create a working group to study and improve how state projects get county building permits. The group will include representatives from various state agencies and county officials to research delays and suggest ways to streamline the process. Members must submit their findings and recommendations to the Legislature by 2028, which could lead to new laws if needed. This resolution does not change any laws immediately but sets up a study to address permit delays affecting state projects.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Concurrent Resolution asks the U.S. Department of Defense to create a working group that would study and recommend how Hawaii could establish its own commemorative medal for Vietnam War veterans living in the state. The proposed group would include state officials, representatives from local veterans organizations, and other interested parties to develop eligibility rules, application procedures, and design concepts for the medal. The working group must submit its findings and any proposed legislation to the Hawaii Legislature by late 2027, along with cost estimates for creating and distributing the medal. This bill does not create the medal itself but initiates a process to explore whether such a state award is feasible and how it would be implemented.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution urges state agencies that own or control land in West Maui to actively manage vegetation and reduce wildfire risks in Lahaina and nearby communities. It calls for clearing invasive grasses and other flammable plants, creating defensible space around homes and schools, and maintaining emergency access roads and evacuation routes. The measure specifically targets agencies like the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, and Department of Education, which manage significant land holdings in the area. The resolution is based on lessons from the 2023 Lahaina wildfires and recent weather patterns that have increased fuel loads, aiming to prevent future fire spread from unmanaged state lands into populated areas.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution urges Hawaii state agencies to form a working group aimed at addressing how climate change is affecting insurance availability and costs for residents. The proposed group would include officials from the Insurance Division, Attorney General, and various legislative committees to study insurance risks from extreme weather events. Key tasks include evaluating current recovery options and exploring legal strategies to seek financial compensation from fossil fuel companies, which the resolution identifies as responsible for climate-related damages. The measure focuses on protecting state resources and ensuring affordable insurance coverage without mandating specific policy changes or taking a stance on liability.