Sen. Samantha DeCorte

Maddy summarySR 13 is a Senate Resolution requesting the Office of the Auditor to audit the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands' (DHHL) "paper lease" system, which affects native Hawaiian beneficiaries holding undivided leases. The audit will evaluate how effectively the system transitions beneficiaries to specific lots, tracks lease durations, maintains records, clarifies beneficiary rights, and complies with trust obligations under the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act. This procedural resolution does not change laws but seeks transparency in DHHL's administration of over 200,000 acres held in trust.

Maddy summarySB 3337 would remove the state tax on gasoline and diesel fuel used in motor vehicles. This change would directly affect drivers and businesses that purchase these fuels, as they would no longer pay the state tax on each gallon. The bill’s key provision is eliminating the existing state tax rate applied to these fuels at the point of sale. The bill is currently in committee review, with a public hearing scheduled for February 12, 2026.

Prohibits the erection, placement, construction, or maintenance of an encampment within one hundred feet from the property line of a pre-K-12 public or private school or school facility on public or private property.

Requires home schooled students to participate in certain annual in person tests at the public school that the student would otherwise be required to attend.

Establishes the Board of Education Internal Audit Office to conduct program and fiscal evaluations of the Department of Education's key strategic initiatives to identify program improvements and provide other benefits. Requires the Board of Education to establish a standing committee with a scope that includes audit-related responsibilities. Appropriates moneys.

Maddy summarySB 3287 prohibits setting up new encampments within 100 feet of state highway rights-of-way. This directly affects individuals or groups who might establish temporary shelters near highways. The bill creates a clear buffer zone to prevent encampments from forming adjacent to state highways, without addressing existing encampments. It is a procedural policy change focused on location restrictions.

Establishes an independent complaint and investigation process by requiring that all complaints brought by employees, officers, and trustees of the office of Hawaiian affairs be referred directly to an appropriate independent state agency, including the department of the attorney general, the state ethics commission, or the Hawaii civil rights commission. Establishes penalties.

Requires the office of the legislative analyst to produce fiscal notes on all fiscal bills. Prohibits a committee from making a decision on a fiscal bill without a fiscal note. Mandates that fiscal notes be made available to the public. Appropriates funds.

Maddy summarySB 2821 requires election officials to maintain a minimum number of voter service centers open on general election day. This policy directly affects voters by ensuring more accessible polling locations on election day. The bill mandates this minimum number through specific administrative requirements for election administration.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution (SR 4) calls on the Hawaii Senate to establish an investigative committee to examine allegations involving a $35,000 cash or check payment made in 2022 to an unidentified "influential legislator" for influencing a political campaign. The committee would investigate potential violations of state law, ethics rules, and campaign finance regulations, with a deadline to act by January 2027 due to the statute of limitations. The resolution does not propose new laws but seeks to initiate an internal legislative review of the matter.