This 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.
This 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.
This Senate Resolution requests the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission to impose specific conditions before approving any costs related to liquefied natural gas infrastructure and operations. The bill directly affects utility companies and ratepayers by requiring that all LNG costs be fully amortized by 2045, eliminating take-or-pay fuel commitments, and ensuring no increased costs for customers in Hawaii, Kauai, or Maui counties. Key provisions also mandate that utilities share fuel price volatility risks with customers and that LNG approvals be denied if cheaper renewable alternatives exist. Additionally, the resolution asks the commission to consider how LNG investments might impact renewable energy development and the risk of stranded assets.
This 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.
This 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.
This 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.
This Senate Resolution requests that the federal government provide supplemental funding to increase pay for adult corrections officers working for Hawaii's Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The bill aims to address severe staffing shortages and high turnover rates by using federal money to improve compensation, including base pay and retention incentives. It does not directly change state law or spending but serves as a formal appeal to federal officials for financial assistance to support public safety workforce stability.
This bill requests the State Auditor to conduct a performance audit of the Hawaii State Building Code Council, which is responsible for adopting and maintaining statewide building codes. The audit will examine the Council's efficiency, its impact on regulatory consistency across counties, and whether its current structure and funding model serve the public interest. Key areas of review include the three-year code update cycle, the Council's role in housing production and construction costs, and whether counties should manage and fund the code adoption process instead of the state. The State Auditor will consult with various government agencies and industry stakeholders before submitting findings and recommendations to the Legislature by early 2027.
This Senate Concurrent Resolution urges state agencies that own or control land in West Maui to actively manage vegetation and reduce wildfire risks in Lahaina and surrounding communities. The bill asks agencies like the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, and Department of Education to clear hazardous vegetation, create defensible space, and maintain emergency access routes on their properties. It emphasizes that these actions should follow existing state laws and address concerns that unmanaged grasses and fuels contributed to the 2023 Lahaina wildfires. The resolution does not create new legal requirements but serves as a formal request for agencies to prioritize fire safety measures on public lands near populated areas.
This Senate Concurrent Resolution requests the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to provide an update on the findings of a 2022 proof-of-concept study titled Breaking Cycles, which explored alternative rehabilitation and restorative justice models for the Oahu Community Correctional Center. The bill asks the department to report on how the study's recommendations have been incorporated into plans for a new correctional facility and to include feedback from incarcerated individuals, staff, families, and community stakeholders. The Department must submit this report to the Legislature at least 20 days before the 2027 Regular Session begins, with any proposed legislation included in the submission. This measure focuses on oversight and information gathering rather than implementing specific policy changes.
This Senate Resolution requests the Department of Accounting and General Services to form a working group to study delays in state building permit approvals from county departments. The bill directly affects state agencies and county permitting offices by establishing a collaborative group to investigate why state projects face long approval times. The working group will include representatives from various state departments and county officials to explore ways to streamline permitting processes specifically for state projects. Members must submit their findings and recommendations to the Legislature by 2028, potentially including proposed legislation to address the identified issues.
This Senate Resolution establishes a Hawaii Health Plan Working Group to design and recommend a basic, affordable health plan available to every resident of the state. The working group will include representatives from the Senate health committee, the Governor's office, the Insurance Commissioner, the State Health Planning and Development Agency, the Hawaii Medical Service Association, and Kaiser Permanente. The group is tasked with developing a report with recommendations and proposed legislation by October 2026, with the goal of submitting final findings to the Legislature by early 2027. The resolution references existing federal changes that may increase the number of uninsured residents and draws on Hawaii's previous State Health Insurance Program Act as a model for a similar state-level solution. The working group is authorized to cease operations on June 30, 2027, after completing its review and recommendations.
