Sen. Mazie K. Hirono

Maddy summarySRES 381 is a symbolic Senate resolution designating August 28-September 1, 2023, as "National Community Health Worker Awareness Week." It recognizes community health workers - trusted frontline staff who connect underserved communities to health services, provide cultural mediation, and support health education - as vital to improving health outcomes. The resolution encourages federal, state, and local collaboration to raise awareness of their contributions but does not create new laws or funding. It directly affects community health workers by affirming their role in public health systems, particularly in high-need areas. This resolution has no binding effect and serves solely as a gesture of support.

Maddy summarySRES 378 is a Senate resolution designating September 25-October 1, 2023, as "Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions Week." It recognizes the work of institutions that enroll at least 10% Asian American, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander students and highlights their role in serving over 46% of such students nationwide. The resolution encourages eligible institutions to seek federal funding and marks the 16th anniversary of the program established by the 2007 College Cost Reduction Act. It does not create new policies or funding but formally acknowledges these institutions' contributions to higher education.

Maddy summaryThe Youth Voting Rights Act aims to increase voting access for young people aged 18-29 by addressing systemic barriers they face. Key provisions include requiring states to implement pre-registration for 16-year-olds, treating public colleges as voter registration locations, mandating on-campus polling places for federal elections, and treating student ID cards as valid voter identification. The bill also prohibits age-based restrictions on mail-in voting and provides grants to states for youth voter engagement programs. It addresses documented issues like higher rejection rates for young voters' provisional ballots and mail-in ballots compared to older voters. The legislation seeks to normalize voting for young people early in their civic engagement.

Maddy summaryThe Unhoused VOTE Act (S 2971) improves voting access for people experiencing homelessness by removing barriers to voter registration and participation. It prohibits states from denying voting rights based on living in nontraditional housing (such as shelters or public spaces) and requires election officials to accept written attestations of residence instead of traditional address documentation. The bill mandates that election websites provide clear voting information for unhoused individuals, designates homeless shelters as voter registration locations, and creates grants for mobile voting centers and outreach programs. These provisions directly affect unhoused individuals across all states who are eligible to vote but face unique challenges in registering and casting ballots.

Maddy summaryThis bill replaces "Columbus Day" with "Indigenous Peoples’ Day" as the official federal holiday observed on the second Monday in October. It amends U.S. Code Section 6103(a) and updates all existing federal laws, regulations, and official documents to use the new holiday name instead of Columbus Day. The change directly affects federal government operations, including employee pay, public office closures, and official communications on that date.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution (SRES 372) expresses concern about the rising trend of book bans in U.S. schools and libraries, citing PEN America data showing nearly 3,400 book removals affecting 1,557 titles from July 2022-June 2023. It specifically highlights disproportionate bans targeting books with LGBTQ+ themes (36%) or content about race/racism (37%), including titles like *The Handmaid’s Tale* and *Maus*. The resolution urges local schools and libraries to follow established guidelines (e.g., from the American Library Association) when addressing book challenges and reaffirms support for First Amendment rights to read and access diverse perspectives. It does not create new laws but formally calls for protecting students’ access to literature reflecting diverse viewpoints.

Maddy summaryThe BOSS and SWIFT Act of 2023 requires ticket sellers (both primary sellers like venues and secondary marketplaces like StubHub) to clearly display the total cost of tickets - including all mandatory fees - before purchase. It mandates that sellers show the base ticket price separately from fees and taxes, disclose whether a ticket is a primary or secondary sale, and prohibit misleading pricing tactics. The law also prevents sellers from double-selling seats and requires refunds if tickets aren’t delivered, with enforcement handled by the Federal Trade Commission. This affects all ticket buyers for live events, ensuring transparency in pricing from the first point of display.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases excise taxes on multiple tobacco products to create tax parity, meaning previously lower-taxed products will now face rates similar to cigarettes. It doubles the tax on roll-your-own tobacco ($24.78 to $49.56 per pound), sets pipe tobacco at $49.56 (up from $2.83), and significantly raises smokeless tobacco rates (e.g., from $1.51 to $26.84 per unit). The bill also imposes a new tax on nicotine for vaping products ($100.66 per 1,810 milligrams) and adds an inflation adjustment mechanism for future tax rates. These changes directly affect manufacturers and importers of tobacco products and nicotine, altering their tax liabilities under the Internal Revenue Code.

Maddy summaryThis bill bans the private possession, sale, or transfer of rifles capable of firing .50 caliber ammunition, with exceptions for government use and rifles lawfully owned before the law's enactment. It requires owners of such rifles to register them with the National Firearms Registry within 12 months (without fees), and adds these rifles to existing federal firearm reporting requirements. The bill also expands restrictions to prevent firearms from reaching foreign narcotics traffickers designated under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Act and modifies legal protections for gun sellers who knowingly supply prohibited weapons.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Small Business Act to include the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) in the definition of "State" for the federal microloan program. It directly affects CNMI residents and small businesses by allowing them to access the same federal microloan program previously available to states, the District of Columbia, and other U.S. territories like Puerto Rico. The key mechanism is a technical update to the law's definition, removing a barrier that prevented CNMI from participating in the existing microloan program. This change does not create new funding but expands eligibility for an existing program.