This Senate Concurrent Resolution asks the Governor's Senior Advisor for Mental Health and the Justice System to create a plan for increasing access to the Hawaii State Hospital for mentally ill criminal defendants and individuals recently released from the facility who are at risk of reoffending. The bill is non-binding and does not authorize funding or change laws; instead, it directs the Senior Advisor to coordinate with relevant state agencies to develop placement options for these individuals. The resolution requires a report with findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to be submitted to the Legislature by early 2027. This measure addresses concerns about the hospital reaching capacity and the lack of suitable placements for people under civil commitment or those transitioning out of the mental health system.
This bill requests the creation of a working group to study staffing shortages and security challenges at Hawaii's state courts. The group would examine how expanded duties for the Department of Law Enforcement have outpaced available Deputy Sheriff positions, leading to increased reliance on private security contractors. Its purpose is to evaluate solutions for aligning staffing levels with responsibilities, improving recruitment and retention, and reducing long-term dependence on private security contracts. The working group would include leaders from the judiciary, law enforcement, human resources, and finance to develop recommendations for addressing these systemic issues.
This bill is a concurrent resolution that formally requests the Hawaii Department of Transportation and Department of Law Enforcement to work together to create a state highway police force. It aims to address rising traffic fatalities by supplementing county police efforts with a specialized state-level enforcement unit focused on highway safety. The resolution highlights the potential benefits of combining transportation infrastructure expertise with law enforcement authority to improve traffic management and response to incidents. It does not authorize funding or mandate the creation of the force, but rather serves as a formal recommendation to the relevant state agencies.
This House Resolution urges Hawaii's Department of the Attorney General and Department of Law Enforcement to improve their capacity to combat human trafficking and the commercial sexual exploitation of children. The bill requests the creation of a plan to expand specialized investigative personnel and strengthen statewide enforcement initiatives, including expanding the Operation Shine the Light program to all county police departments. It also calls for the establishment of specialized runaway youth recovery teams in each county to quickly locate missing youth who may be at risk of exploitation. Finally, the resolution asks state agencies to submit a report with staffing, training, and funding recommendations to the Legislature by early 2027.
This House Concurrent Resolution urges Hawaii state and county officials to stop using "excited delirium" as a medical diagnosis, cause of death, or legal theory. The measure is based on findings that this concept lacks scientific validity, is not recognized by major medical organizations, and has no official diagnostic code. It specifically calls for medical determinations and legal proceedings to rely on scientifically valid principles instead. The resolution also directs copies to county mayors and council leaders and is named in memory of veteran Sheldon Haleck.
This Senate Concurrent Resolution asks the federal government to provide additional funding to help Hawaii increase pay for adult corrections officers in the state's Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The bill addresses ongoing staffing shortages and high turnover by requesting federal financial support for competitive compensation, including base pay adjustments and retention incentives. It does not directly change state laws or budgets but serves as a formal request to federal officials to assist with workforce stabilization. The resolution aims to reduce vacancies and improve safety conditions without placing the full financial burden on state taxpayers.
This Senate Concurrent Resolution asks the Governor to request a federal exemption from the Drug Enforcement Administration for Hawaii's registered medical cannabis patients and to seek registration waivers for state-licensed dispensaries. The bill aims to resolve the conflict between Hawaii's state medical cannabis program and federal law, which currently classifies cannabis as an illegal Schedule I substance. By pursuing these exemptions and waivers, the resolution seeks to protect patients from federal prosecution and allow dispensaries to operate with full banking and tax compliance. It also directs the Department of Health to report progress to the Legislature and sends copies of the resolution to federal officials and state agencies.
This bill urges Hawaii's county planning and permitting agencies to deny all applications for building, expanding, or using warehouses by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for detaining individuals facing deportation. It is based on concerns about the potential for mass incarceration in large facilities, the strain on local resources, and the separation of individuals from their families and legal counsel. The resolution directs copies to planning officials in Honolulu, Maui, Hawaii, and Kauai counties to encourage them to reject such permit requests. It reflects Hawaii's stated values of dignity and respect for all individuals, regardless of immigration status.
This House Resolution asks the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women to work with the Legislative Reference Bureau to create a working group focused on image-based sexual abuse. The group would include survivors, service providers, law enforcement, and prosecutors to review laws and policies from other states and recommend improvements for prevention, intervention, and survivor protection. The working group must submit a report with findings and potential legislation to the Legislature by early 2028 and will dissolve by the end of 2027. This resolution does not change any laws directly but sets up a process to study and propose future policy changes.
This bill is a non-binding resolution that asks state and city officials to acknowledge that mental health facilities, sober homes, and homeless shelters are unevenly distributed across Oahu, with too many concentrated along the Waianae coast. It requests that Partners in Care Oahu consult with community stakeholders on issues such as facility proximity to schools and parks, transparency, insurance, law enforcement resources, oversight, and community engagement. The resolution formally notifies various government leaders and officials about these concerns but does not create new laws or mandate specific actions.
