Sen. Stanley Chang

Maddy summaryThis Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR 8) urges Hawaii counties to approve or deny building permit applications for home safety modifications within 45 days of receiving a complete application. It specifically targets modifications - like ramps, grab bars, or widened doorways - prescribed by a licensed healthcare provider and deemed essential for the safety or health of older adults (62+) or people with disabilities. The resolution does not create new law but encourages counties to act faster to reduce delays that contribute to fall-related injuries and hospitalizations, citing 2023 data showing over 200 preventable fall deaths among seniors.

Maddy summarySenate Resolution 7 affirms Hawaii's support for the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA), which requires hospitals to provide life-saving emergency care - including abortion services when medically necessary - to stabilize pregnant patients experiencing medical emergencies. The resolution urges all Hawaii hospitals, regardless of religious affiliation, to uphold EMTALA's requirements and ensure no pregnant patient faces delays or denials of timely emergency care. This is a declaratory statement of policy, not a new law, aimed at reinforcing existing federal standards and clarifying Hawaii's commitment to reproductive healthcare access during medical emergencies.

Affirms student-athletes' rights to engage in name, image, and likeness activities for compensation. Requires the University of Hawaii to adopt policies governing institutional name, image, and likeness agreements and other aspects of name, image, and likeness activity consistent with federal law, rules by an intercollegiate athletics governing body such as the National Collegiate Athletic Association, and Title IX. Allows student-athletes to retain professional representation for the purpose of name, image, and likeness activities. Establishes certain transparency and accountability requirements in the administration of institutional name, image, and likeness activities. Provides protections and educational support for student-athletes who enter into name, image, and likeness agreements. Establishes an endowment fund for the name, image, and likeness program. Appropriates funds into the endowment fund. Sunsets 6/30/2030. (CD1)

Proposes constitutional amendments to expressly provide that the Legislature may authorize political subdivisions, such as the counties, to issue resilient infrastructure for shelter and equity bonds for specified public works, public improvements, or other actions necessary for housing and community development, and exclude these bonds from determinations of the funded debt of the political subdivisions. (CD1)

Renames the State Boxing Commission of Hawaii as the Boxing and Combat Sports Commission of Hawaii. Creates a subcommission on boxing and subcommission on combat sports. Amends the jurisdiction of the Commission to include combat sports contests. Prohibits no rules combat or similar combat sports contests. Repeals the existing Mixed Martial Arts Contests program. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD3)

Establishes the Kuleana AgTech Pathways Program to create career pipelines in the fields of agriculture and agricultural technology. Requires the University of Hawaii to collaborate with the Department of Education, Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, Agribusiness Development Corporation, Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, and appropriate community organizations to develop and administer the program. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Maddy summarySB 2446 increases the number of associate judges on the Intermediate Court of Appeals from six to seven and appropriates funds for this change. This bill directly affects the court's staffing structure by adding one judicial position. The key mechanism is a simple numerical adjustment to the court's authorized positions, funded through the state budget. It does not alter judicial procedures, case handling, or substantive law.

Establishes the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias Research Center of Hawaii (Research Center) within the University of Hawaii. Requires the Research Center to be administratively affiliated with the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM). Requires JABSOM, the Research Center, University of Hawaii Center on Aging, and University of Hawaii at Manoa to identify opportunities to capitalize on collaboration between the parties and maximize operational efficiencies. Requires the Research Center to submit annual reports to the Legislature. Establishes positions. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Establishes a five-year Agriculture and Biosecurity Workforce Development Pilot Program within the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, in collaboration with the University of Hawaii's Leeward Community College and the Department of Human Resources Development. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Sunsets 6/30/2031. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Establishes a two-year Two-Lined Spittlebug Response Pilot Program to mitigate and control the spread of the two-lined spittlebug. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)