HILO, HI  – Senator Lorraine R. Inouye (District 1 – Hilo, Paukaʻa, Papaikou, Pepeʻekeo) is proud to announce that Governor Josh Green has released $1 million for the Hilo International Airport in Hilo, Hawaiʻi. This funding will be dedicated to the design of T-Hangars and West Ramp improvements.  “I thank Governor Green and his administration for supporting this project, which will benefit both infrastructure and the economy,” said Senator Inouye. “These improvements will enhance operational efficiency and pave the way for future growth at the airport.”  This funding marks an important step in strengthening Hilo International Airport, ensuring its continued role as a key transportation hub for Hawaiʻi Island and supporting local aviation and economic development.

HILO, HI  – Senator Lorraine R. Inouye (District 1 – Hilo, Paukaʻa, Papaikou, Pepeʻekeo) is proud to announce that Governor Josh Green has released $593,500 to finance the replacement of cesspools with individual wastewater systems at Hilo International Airport.  “I want to thank Governor Green and his administration for recognizing the importance of this infrastructure to help protect our fragile ecosystem,” said Senator Inouye. “This project will help prevent water contamination and reduce environmental pollution.”  The funding will go toward replacing outdated cesspools, improving wastewater management, and supporting the long-term sustainability of Hilo’s infrastructure. Senator Inouye remains committed to working with local and state agencies to ensure continued investment in environmentally responsible projects that benefit the community and preserve Hawaiʻi’s natural resources for future generations.

HONOLULU – State Senator Angus L.K. McKelvey (District 6 – West Maui, Mā‘alaea, Waikapū, South Maui) has announced that Governor Green has released $3.2 million in Capital Improvement Project (CIP) funds to design and construct fencing in South Maui. This project seeks to address the growing environmental and safety concerns caused by the overpopulation of Axis deer on Maui, which has been identified as a major cause of the conditions leading to previous flooding like that of just last month.   “This decision is not just an administrative act—it is a powerful demonstration of responsiveness and a commitment to safeguarding our land, our people, and our future,” McKelvey said. “This moment sends a strong message to the people of South Maui that the Governor and his administration understands the urgency and are committed to expediting the resources needed to tackle the flooding crisis from Mauka to Makai.”   According to McKelvey, the funding, which was secured through the combined efforts of legislators Representative Terez Amato, Representative Kyle Yamashita, Senator Lynn DeCoite and Senator Donovan M. Dela Cruz, will be used to mitigate the destructive impact of the Axis deer population on agriculture, infrastructure, and the general safety of our community.   McKelvey expressed his gratitude for the swift action taken by the administration, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.   “The unchecked spread of Axis deer has led to severe agricultural losses and increased the risk of flooding due to overgrazing, which weakens soil stability,” McKelvey said. “The Governor’s commitment to funding this project reflects a proactive approach to preventing further environmental degradation and ensuring the well-being of residents.”   The South and West Maui lawmaker explained that the fencing initiative is part of a broader strategy to enhance conservation efforts and long-term sustainability in the region. Leaders and stakeholders emphasize that the project will serve as a foundation for future flood mitigation and environmental preservation efforts.   “The funding release marks a significant step forward in addressing one of South Maui’s most pressing ecological challenges,” McKelvey said, adding that, “community members, conservation advocates, and policymakers will continue working together to ensure the successful implementation of the project and explore additional strategies for sustainable land management.”   “The fences we build today are not just barriers—they are bridges to a safer, stronger, and more resilient Maui,” McKelvey said.

A collection of news articles featuring members of our Hawaiʻi Senate Majority Caucus NEWS ARTICLES Hawaii Senate bills aim to protect farmers, boost ag theft penalties Original Article Star Advertiser John Burnett, Hawaii Tribune-Herald Feb 20, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Herbert "Tim" Richards, III Two agriculture-related bills moving forward at the state Legislature would increase penalties for agricultural theft and allow farmers and ranchers to use deadly force against intruders under certain circumstances. Senate bills 1248 and 1249, both introduced by Sen. Tim Richards (D-Kohala), have cleared the Committee on Agriculture and Environment. Both bills on Feb. 13 passed their second readings. SB 1248, the stand-your-ground legislation, has been referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, while SB 1249, an omnibus agricultural measure, has been referred to a joint session of the Judiciary and Ways and Means committees. SB 1248 would allow a farmer or rancher, under certain circumstances, to use deadly force without retreating. Richards calls the measure the “Cranston Duke Pia Act.” Pia was a 39-year-old Makaha rancher, who was — in Richards’ words — “executed in front of his mother” for protecting his cattle from hunting dogs on Feb. 17, 2024. Pia died of a single gunshot wound to the head. Chantston Pila Kekawa, then 17, of Maili, was charged as an adult with second-degree murder, first-degree terroristic threatening, firearm offenses and first-degree theft. He’s pleaded not guilty and has a trial scheduled for April 7 in Honolulu Circuit Court. Richards said Pia’s mother visited his office four days after the shooting. “Mutual friends brought her in with Cranston’s widow,” Richards said. “I gave her my word I would work very diligently on trying to make a difference, and not let Cranston’s murder be for nothing. That’s been my driver. “We’ve hit some headwinds, as you can imagine … but it is making progress and it is highlighting the problems of crimes against agriculture.” The measure received written testimony in support by the state Department of Agriculture, Kapapala Ranch, Hawaii Farm Bureau and Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council. In her written testimony, Lani Cran Petrie of Kapapala Ranch in Kau said that she, as president of the Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council, presented a resolution in Pia’s memory earlier this month to a National Cattlemen’s Beef Association committee. “The resolution was accepted by the committee and is moving towards its presentation to the full membership for vote at the next annual convention,” Petrie wrote, calling the response from fellow ranchers at the convention in San Antonio “humbling and overwhelming.” The Hawaii Farm Bureau testified that Pia’s death “highlighted the vulnerabilities that agricultural workers face, particularly in remote areas where law enforcement response times may be delayed.” “In recent years, the agricultural community has reported an increase in confrontations with trespassers, including incidents where farm workers and landowners have been physically threatened,” the testimony states. “In some cases, criminals have returned multiple times, emboldened by the knowledge that response times from law enforcement are slow or that penalties for agricultural crimes are minimal. Farmers and ranchers need stronger protections to defend themselves and their families when faced with imminent threats.” Pia’s father, Mike Pia, told lawmakers in live testimony on Feb. 10, “I want to see this thing pass.” “Until today, I still ask the question, why?” Mike Pia testified. “Why a young kid took my son away, my youngest son, of my four children?” “I’m still grieving today. It’s very painful,” he said. According to the FindLaw website, 29 states have some form of stand-your-ground law. A companion bill to the omnibus agriculture bill, House Bill 859, was introduced by Rep. Matthias Kusch (D-Hilo, Hamakua) and passed its second reading on Feb. 5 after clearing the Committee on Agriculture. The legislation’s intent is to establish an agricultural crime prevention program within the DOA to provide grants, education and other services to the state’s agricultural industry and to strengthen laws regarding agriculture theft and hunting on private agriculture lands. “The meat and potatoes of this bill is that it more carefully lays out penalties for agricultural crimes,” said Kusch. “Right now … (perpetrators) don’t get pursued by prosecutors because it’s sort of nebulous. There are a lot of hurdles, like you have to catch someone with a camera and they would have had to have climbed over a sign saying ‘this fruit is not free.’” “We’re talking about making it sting a little bit,” added Richards. “The perpetrators are stealing avocados or papayas, whatever. And what the attorney general is working on is to stiffen the fines to make them more expensive and changing laws from saying ‘may include jail time’ to ‘shall include jail time’ to lock these people up.” Written testimony in support has been submitted by Hawaii County Prosecutor Kelden Waltjen, Honolulu Police Department, Hawaii Farm Bureau, the Hawaii Department of the Attorney General and the state Department of Agriculture. Written testimony in opposition was submitted by the Office of the Public Defender. Waltjen told the Hawaii Tribune-Herald on Tuesday that he supports the efforts by Richards and Kusch “to aid farmers and ranchers by providing funding to protect and secure their crops and livestock, establishing more appropriate penalties to hold offenders accountable to deter future crimes, and supporting local law enforcement with additional resources.” “Agricultural crimes — including theft, trespass and poaching/hunting on private agricultural lands — have been an ongoing concern across our state,” Waltjen said. “To my knowledge, our office is the only law enforcement office in the state that conducts agriculture crime awareness and prevention efforts by visiting local farmers markets. “Our investigators educate vendors and members of the public about agriculture theft, the impact of purchasing stolen fruits, vegetables and produce, laws regarding ownership and movement certificates, document recent agriculture theft incidents for victims, and share methods farmers and ranchers can employ to protect their crops, animals, produce and equipment.” Waltjen said the measures, if passed, “will further support these types of efforts” statewide. Bill to ban algorithmic price-setting in Hawaiʻi’s rental market moves ahead in Senate Original Article Maui Now Brian Perry Feb 19, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Jarrett Keohokalole Senator Carol Fukunaga Senator Angus L.K. McKelvey Senator Herbert "Tim" Richards, III A bill aimed at protecting Hawaiʻi renters from algorithmic price-setting has cleared the Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee, which has recommended passage on second reading and referral to the Judiciary and Ways and Means committees. Senate Bill 157 Senate Draft 1 would prohibit the use of algorithmic price-setting in Hawaiʻi’s rental market. It would require the Department of the Attorney General to develop and undertake a public education program regarding the prohibition, and it would establish fines and penalties. A YouTube video of the committee hearing can be seen here . According to a committee report , the bill’s purpose is to prevent artificially inflated rental prices by banning the use of algorithmic price-setting, which has been used in local housing markets to share private data, including current prices, available square footage, vacancy levels and the number of applicants for a particular unit. The committee found that third-party price setters use that data to recommend rent and occupancy levels and advise landlords to hold some units off the market to raise the price of a unit, creating artificial scarcity and displacing island renters. “Because Hawaiʻi already has the highest median rent in the nation, this measure will help ensure units are filled via competitive pricing, rather than through cooperation to set prices,” the committee report says. In public testimony on the bill, Maui Chamber of Commerce President Pamela Tumpap said that while the chamber agrees that Maui rents were inflated by post-wildfire rental support practices of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the bill might be “challenging to enforce effectively.” “We would encourage the consideration of additional proposals and innovative ideas to address the broader issue of escalating rental prices,” she said. “We share this concern and are increasingly witnessing residents being forced to sleep in their cars due to the lack of affordable rental options,” Tumpap said. Jordan Hocker, education and outreach coordinator for the Maui Housing Hui, a grass-roots organization formed after the 2023 Maui wildfires, said that rents in Maui County have gone up 44% in the last two years and were climbing even before the wildfires disaster. “The rate of houselessness in the state of Hawaiʻi has grown by 87%,” she said. “We acknowledge that renters, those making 70% area median income and below, are most at risk of becoming unhoused and face the greatest challenges under our housing crisis.” Hocker said a forward-thinking bill such as Senate Bill 157 is needed “to protect Hawai’i’s renters from the unrelenting condition of corporate greed and price-fixing to the detriment of our community.” “Hawaiʻi’s renters cannot afford any additional compounding factors,” she said. Michael EKM Olderr also supported the bill, saying: “These algorithmic, AI-driven rent pricing schemes prey on vulnerable tenants and exploit those who are struggling to have enough money to support themselves. They are driven not out of necessity to cover damages, mortgages, or upkeep costs but as a lazy attempt to satisfy a landlord’s greed.” Lyndsey Garcia, director of advocacy for the Hawai‘i Association of REALTORS®, noted that in August 2024, the Department of Justice and eight states (not including Hawaiʻi) filed a lawsuit against software company RealPage . The department alleges an unlawful information sharing scheme that allowed property managers to increase apartment rental prices through the use of RealPage’s algorithmic pricing tools. The lawsuit, which is still ongoing, does not currently target the property managers who utilize the tool, according to Garcia. Hawaii bill would subsidize fencing to control ungulates Original Article Star Advertiser Michael Brestovansky Hawaii Tribune-Herald Feb 18, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Herbert "Tim" Richards, III Senator Joy A. San Buenaventura A proposal to help subsidize the installation of animal control fences is the only survivor of four bills in the state Legislature aimed at controlling pigs, goats and sheep. Senate Bill 523, co- introduced by Kohala Sen. Tim Richards and Puna Sen. Joy San Buenaventura, would require the state Department of Agriculture to establish a biosecurity fencing cost-sharing program that would reimburse farmers up to a certain percentage of the cost of installing animal control fences. As currently written, farmers who can demonstrate their active agricultural operations and have developed an “approved conservation plan” can apply to have “not less than 50%” of fencing expenses reimbursed. The bill currently has a blank spot where an upper reimbursement limit per person would be established. Similarly, it does not yet specify what the program’s total yearly budget would be. “People are afraid to go into their own backyards,” said San Buenaventura. “But the fencing cost per acre is huge.” Bob Duerr, commissioner on the Big Island Game Management Advisory Commission, said the cost of fencing can reach $1 million per mile in some places. He added that fences have proved to be effective for animal management, driving problem animals from areas with fences to areas without. “Large swaths of mauka lands in the hands of federal, state and private landowners are fenced and game animals eradicated,” Duerr said. However, Duerr said, this also has interfered with hunters, who can no longer rely on access to their common hunting grounds. “Hunting game animals for food is an effective population control that is disappearing,” Duerr said. “Fencing with access corridors is a must for game management.” Other pig-related bills have failed to move through the Legislature. Another San Buenaventura bill, SB 315, died Wednesday when two Senate committees deferred the measure. That bill would have expedited the Department of Land and Natural Resources’ permitting process to allow for the destruction of feral pigs on private land, if the animals have caused or are likely to cause substantial damage to crops. House Bill 347, which would have prohibited the DLNR from establishing bag limits for goats in public hunting areas, also was deferred earlier this month, and a companion bill in the Senate hasn’t moved at all since being introduced. Finally, Senate Bill 568 would have designated the DLNR as the state’s primary agency for trapping feral goats and sheep, and would require it to establish a program to humanely manage feral animal populations. That bill also has failed to move at all since its introduction, to Duerr’s chagrin. “Though looking like having no chance of passing, this bill puts its finger on the game animal problem’s pulse,” Duerr said. “No one is responsible for the conservation and control of game animals in the state of Hawaii. At GMAC we have only seen DLNR talk about eradication, which means fencing tens of thousands of acres and killing all the ‘invasive’ game animals within. “For years now at GMAC, we have not seen DLNR nuisance animal population studies or game management plans for problems beyond fence and kill.” South Maui to receive $3.2 million to help control deer Original Article The Maui News Gary Kubota Feb 17, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Angus L.K. McKelvey Senator Lynn DeCoite Senator Donovan M. Dela Cruz Gov. Josh Green has released $3.2 million in capital improvements to design and construct more fencing along the slopes of South Maui to control the overpopulation of axis deer. State Sen. Angus McKelvey said the funding is a powerful demonstration of responsiveness and commitment to safeguarding the land and future of South Maui. The overpopulation of deer was cited as one of the reasons South Maui saw increased flooding in recent months. “This moment sends a strong message to the people of South Maui that the governor and his administration understands the urgency and are committed to expediting the resources needed to tackle the flooding crisis from mauka to makai,” McKelvey said. He said that the unchecked spread of axis deer has led to severe agricultural losses and increased the risk of flooding due to overgrazing, which weakens soil stability. The lawmaker who represents South Maui and West Maui explained that the fencing initiative is part of a broader strategy to enhance conservation efforts and long-term sustainability in the region. According to McKelvey, the funding was secured through the combined efforts of a number of legislators including Reps. Terez Amato and Kyle Yamashita and state Sens. Lynn DeCoite and Donovan M. Dela Cruz. In the past, fencing has been put in downslope of Haleakala as well as horizontally to limit the deer migration and make it easier to cull their numbers. Maui ranchers and farmers say the deer population has caused losses in crops and a lack of forage in unfenced lands amounting to millions of dollars. Some Kula farmers say deer continue to appear in large numbers near the Naalae Road area and often graze around the Kula Hospital. Upcountry Farmers Market owner Neal Coshever said he’s continuing to see large numbers of deer while driving on Calasa Road, including the park below the Kula Fire Station. “I haven’t seen a significant amount of reduction,” Coshever said. A state program offers a dollar amount for each deer killed and has helped ranchers and farmers to reduce the deer numbers and provide some money for fence repairs and the installation of deer fencing. The state Division of Forestry and Wildlife said in November that the deer population on Maui was estimated at 34,000, significantly less than their numbers were years ago. Axis deer were brought to the Hawaiian Islands from India in late 1867 as a gift to King Kamehameha V and released on Maui in 1959. Sen. Angus McKelvey: California Fires Mean Bad News For Lahaina Original Article Honolulu Civil Beat Richard Wiens Feb 16, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Angus L.K. McKelvey Editor’s note: Sen. Angus McKelvey, who chairs the Senate Government Operations Committee, is a key figure in recovery efforts following the August 2023 Maui fires. In an interview edited for length and clarity, he discusses the latest obstacles to rebuilding Lahaina and talks about the government reforms he is backing. You said last May you could imagine two futures for Lahaina: Either taken over by monied outside interests, kind of becoming the Kakaako of West Maui, or restored in a way that brings back many of its former local residents and at least some of the old businesses. Which direction do you think it’s going at this point? Right now, unfortunately, I think we’re headed in the direction of the monied interests. We’re still at that fork of the road, but what’s adding unbelievable pressure is what’s happened in California and now with the federal government. This has completely changed the entire tapestry of reality for the future of Lahaina. How so? You have the issue of interruption or potential loss of future federal monies. You have the fact that you’ve got tariff wars breaking out and counter-tariffs. Most of the construction material — because of the supply chain and other issues — before the Pacific Palisades fire was being bought from China in an effort to try to start rebuilding before the insurance money started lapsing. Now you’ve got the potential tariffs coming in against China, 10% plus the additional 25% from all aluminum and steel. You’ve got potentially a lot of workers who are from the immigrant community, who have now taken off. People who, I guess it was anticipated, would do a lot of the manual, blue-collar laboring. You’ve got all of these issues. And of course, you’ve got Pacific Palisades. After that fire happened, I was hearing about how Maui’s not going to get anything. The contractors are going to sell to LA because they don’t have to put it on a barge and wait, they can go ahead and these guys are paying cash. So we’re going to see a huge diversion, or interruption, of materials coming from the West Coast because of California. Now you’ve got tariffs popping in all over the place for other materials from other places, and meanwhile, the clock is running out on so many people because of their insurance policies requiring them to start substantially rebuilding already, or before this coming August. Time is totally on the side of the outside interests. Last year you were proposing establishing a community district to oversee both state and county restoration efforts. Are you still pushing for that? It was a bill was to create a community development association that would kind of transcend the county and the state. But given everything that’s been going on, especially now with the changes with the federal government, I didn’t reintroduce the bill this year. There are a lot of people in the community who, over the summer, were talking about it. They thought it was an idea that we should keep discussing, and I was contemplating putting together a community working group. But right now, with all of this raining down on everybody’s head, even though I do believe for the future of Lahaina this could be a very powerful tool for community control over this very precious place, it would create so much disruption to an already disruptive and chaotic environment and government system that it could literally push people over the edge. So at this point, this is a discussion best had when we start to get people back into homes, we start working with local partners who are trying to develop housing strictly tailored for Lahaina people. You also proposed that the state acquire all West Maui water districts. Are you still pushing for that? I did put it in again this year. Unfortunately, the bill was deferred in the Water and Land Committee after the hearing. I know that that’s something that the county of Maui has really been pushing. When I introduced the bill last time, there was no discussion going on anywhere about it. But in the meantime, even though the bill failed last year, the Maui County Council has picked it up and is continuing to discuss it on their end. You had also said that it was essential that the state establish concessionary lending programs for the underinsured and mortgage forbearance for fire victims. Where does that stand? None of it happened. I was very disappointed. It was basically the banks won. And this is where special interests do rear their heads, despite efforts to get the executive branch and others to see that this was a way to save people. Now many of the places that are being sold are due to the fact that people can’t continue to pay mortgages, and they’re underinsured, and they’re not going to be able to rebuild. And then, of course, when they do get an insurance check, it goes to the bank for the mortgage. And so you’re watching the situation where now it looks to the people like the best thing to do is to sell, put it on the market. We do have some bills this year to strengthen the community land trust program and establish it statewide. And I’m hoping that the Lahaina Community Land Trust can get some serious support, because they’ve been working on trying to be an alternative for people who feel like they have to sell but they don’t want to sell it to an offshore interest. I’m really bummed that we didn’t do any kind of public financing. And again, the banks don’t want to underwrite these customers. There was a hearing on a bill, and I said, “why do you guys oppose every type of public financing? You don’t want these customers anyway. You won’t give them loans, you won’t give them mortgages. But yet, when the state tries to offer something to them, you come in and kill it.” And this goes for the state, the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. They have, consistently, with their regulated entities, been on the side of the industry, not the consumer. How about the tax surcharge on rental cars to help pay for the northern extension of the Lahaina bypass? That moved, and it’s moving on to the next committee. The bill also calls for diverting the Transient Accommodations Tax to building the bypass, because originally the resort areas were supposed to build the northern terminus of the bypass as the condition of the approval for their developments in Kāʻanapali, and they never did it. By using the TAT in addition to the rental surcharge, we can hopefully get them the money to get the project going, and then we can bond out the rest of it as we get moving. But this is a way to get this critically needed highway going. And I’ve got to tell you, the No. 1 legislative accomplishment of my whole career was working with (then-state Sen.) Roz Baker and Sen. Dan Inouye in getting the original bypass bill. I couldn’t imagine what that night of the fire would have been like had there been no bypass. Let’s move on to a couple of overall government reform measures. You’re the lead introducer of a bill to charge a 5% fee on independent expenditures by non-candidate committees. Where did that idea come from? It’s to help pay for public campaign financing. I absolutely loathe campaign fundraising, everything about it, and to have a public financing system where that is basically off your shoulders and you can run your race, and you know you have the resources to get your message out regardless of everything, is a good thing for democracy. More people run, and we get more talent. Getting talent on the bench has always been a struggle for neighbor island delegations. So having a public financing system, I believe, gives neighbor islanders the ability to run and to serve. The PAC (political action committee) fee is a way we can create more funding for it that we’re not taking from other things. A lot of times these PACs come in and do these independent expenditure committees against candidates who don’t have many resources to compete with anyway, and blow them out of the water. So why not create funding from their activity that these candidates can now use to get their message out? Use a fee on the PACs because the more activity they’re doing in a race, the higher fee they’re going to pay. And that, of course, will create a hopefully robust public financing system. Didn’t this bill get amended to where the proceeds of this PAC fee, if it were adopted, would actually go to the Campaign Spending Commission instead of straight to the public campaign funding? Yeah, I asked for that because they’re going to need to do structural things to effectuate the campaign financing thing far beyond money in the fund, and this way we can go ahead and structurally set up the public financing system. The candidates can report easily and qualify and get the money. We’re trying to give the commission additional resources so they can stand it up and have the flexibility to oversee it. I thought it was a good amendment. Another election measure that you signed on to would establish at least three additional voting centers on Oʻahu so we don’t end up with the long lines and delays that occurred last November. Do you think that’s going to happen? I hope so. It’s going to be an issue of money and staffing. But we can’t have long lines like this repeatedly. People should have the ability to come in and be able to vote at the last minute and not sit in long lines or get turned away or have this chaos. So I hope that we can find the revenue for these additional voting centers. You’re still sold mainly on mail balloting though? Oh yeah, it’s just so much easier and efficient. And, you know, people on Maui really took to it. And of course, most people over there basically vote by mail. But some things have to be discussed going forward because of all those ballots that were considered spoiled because the signatures did not match, and a lot of people said they were never given notification enough to go in and cure them. One issue with the mail-in is you’re signing your signature on the outside of an envelope. If I’m an identity thief, I’m having a field day with that. You were a co-sponsor of a proposal to ask voters to amend the constitution to create a 12-month Legislature . That’s been deferred for now, but the House speaker and Senate president have introduced bills to at least create a task force to study the idea of a year-round Legislature. Do you think that represents progress and that maybe something might happen there? I hope so. I mean, just look at what’s going on this year. You’ve got 30 members of the House who have two or less years’ experience. You’re asking them to literally step into a $4 billion budgetary picture. You’re expected to come in and do this all in the span of the 60 legislative days. Then on top of that, in order to promote more transparency, you’re trying to do 72-hour advance notice of hearings. This is why you’ve had weird stuff happen at the very end of the session, and you wouldn’t have this happening if you had a longer session. I like the idea that you spend the first five months of the session working on the budget bills. And then members can really sink their teeth into the policy stuff. Are you agreeable to the House speaker’s notion that you could still only have 60 days of floor sessions, but just spread them out over the year, with a lot more days for committee hearings and other business? I agree. I think we could do that. And if we had a longer legislative session, we could actually do committee hearings in the community, instead of just all in the square building. That’s one of the advantages of having more time is you could do more outreach types of things. You’re also the lead introducer of a bill to require the selection of heads of public agencies or divisions be done in in open meetings, through an open public process. What’s behind that? We need transparency because that’s a critical decision that’s going to determine the direction and fate and efficacy of these boards and commissions and that should be decided in public. I understand the concern of proprietary, confidential information, but the selection itself should be an open and transparently deliberate process. So that’s what I’m trying to achieve with the bill. It’s come up before and didn’t make it, and so I felt it was worth bringing back again, especially with these very powerful boards that exist and are growing statutorily every year. Senate bill advances to strip county council approval of state-funded housing projects Original Article Maui Now Brian Perry Feb 14, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Stanley Chang Senator Troy Hashimoto Senator Joy San Buneaventura Senator Glenn Wakai A bill to exempt state-financed housing developments from county council approval has passed second reading on the Hawaiʻi Senate floor and advanced to the Ways and Means Committee. Senate Bill 27 drew mixed reactions during a public hearing late last month before the Senate Housing Committee, chaired by Sen. Stanley Chang of urban Honolulu and southeast Oahu, and vice chaired by Sen. Troy Hashimoto of Central Maui. Lahaina Strong submitted written testimony saying that current fast-tracked state housing projects have a 45-day review period and “are reviewed thoroughly while remaining time-sensitive.” “In the broader context of Maui’s permitting process, 45 days is not a significant delay,” Lahaina Strong said. “If a project truly meets the intent of the 201H law to prioritize affordable housing, then it should easily gain County Council approval. Eliminating this review period undermines the County Council’s role and the community’s opportunity to weigh in on projects that directly impact their lives.” The housing advocacy group borne in the wake of the August 2023 Maui wildfires said that West Maui has had to “grapple with the misuse of the 201H process.” “Developers have used it to push projects that may technically include affordable housing units but ultimately serve to subdivide rural land into multi-million-dollar ‘gentlemen’s estates.’ These projects have created deep mistrust in the community, as they fail to address the pressing need for truly affordable housing while exploiting loopholes for profit,” Lahaina Strong said. “For Lahaina, this is not just an abstract policy concern — it’s a matter of survival.” “Our community faces unique challenges, including water scarcity and ongoing infrastructure recovery, which demand thoughtful, inclusive decision-making,” the group said. “Senate Bill 27 would sideline these considerations by fast-tracking projects without sufficient community engagement, exacerbating an already fragile situation.” Other testimony opposed to the measure came from the City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Planning and Permitting, HI Good Neighbor and 16 individuals. Maui Chamber of Commerce President Pamela Tumpap supported the bill. “The Chamber recognizes that, historically, many projects have gone to the County Council for approval, only to face significant conditions that render them financially unfeasible,” she said. “This is particularly disconcerting for state-funded projects (201H), which already must meet special conditions and are intended to provide affordable housing. Given the urgency of the housing crisis, we need to expedite the development of housing as quickly as possible. The county approval process is often time-consuming and subject to extensive testimony, and additional delays can result in increased costs.” “In light of the severe housing shortage in both the state and Maui County, we strongly support initiatives that promote, rather than hinder, the development of housing for our residents,” Tumpap said. Other submittals of testimony in favor of the bill came from the Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice, Housing Hawaiʻi’s Future and one individual. Senate Bill 27 was introduced by Chang and Hashimoto, as well as Republican Kurt Fevella of Ewa Beach, Sharon Moriwaki of urban Honolulu and Glenn Wakai of Central Oʻahu. A Housing Committee report on this bill is here. A YouTube recording of the Jan. 28 committee meeting is here. The Senate also has passed on second reading Senate Bill 38, which would prohibit county councils from making modifications to housing development proposals that would increase project costs. That bill, also heard in committee on Jan. 28, was introduced by Sens. Chang, Fevella, Hashimoto and Joy San Buenaventura of Puna, Hawaiʻi Island. Public testimony on Senate Bill 38 was as mixed as Senate Bill 27, with both sides of the debate lining up in favor or opposition in similar fashion. Lahaina Strong expressed strong concerns about diminishing the County Council’s role in addressing community needs on pending housing projects. “The County Council is the body closest to the people and the realities on the ground, particularly in disaster-affected communities like Lahaina,” the group said. “Ensuring that housing projects align with our community’s needs and values requires a process where local voices are heard. The current proposal undermines this essential process by allowing the state to bypass county-level approval for projects that have received state funding. This sets a dangerous precedent and risks disenfranchising communities across Hawaiʻi.” Lahaina Strong said that the bill provision that prohibits the County Council from making any modifications that could increase the cost of a project is “deeply concerning.” “It effectively ties the hands of the County Council, preventing them from addressing critical design, safety or infrastructure concerns that could arise during the review process,” Lahaina Strong said. “Responsible development often requires adjustments to ensure a project is sustainable, accessible and aligned with local needs — adjustments that may incur additional costs but are essential to long-term success. This limitation prioritizes cost savings over the well-being and functionality of our communities.” In support of the bill, Tumpap said: “we have witnessed projects that initially met county and state requirements and appeared financially feasible. However, when these projects went before the County Council for final approval, new conditions were often imposed. These modifications frequently led to increased costs, making the projects no longer financially viable. As a result, many housing developments were not built, and the housing that had been planned never materialized.” “Developers are often unable to obtain accurate estimates for these last-minute conditions and cannot properly assess whether the changes fit within the overall project budget,” she said. “Many of these conditions involve the development of critical infrastructure, which we believe should be the responsibility of the county and state. By the time developers reach the County Council level, they already know what will work financially. Sudden changes during this process create significant challenges and, over the years, have led to a loss of potential housing.” According to a committee report, testimony in support of the bill also came from the Hawaiʻi Housing Finance and Development Corp., Grassroot Institute of Hawaiʻi, NAIOP Hawaiʻi, Housing Hawaiʻi’s Future and one individual. Testimony in opposition was submitted by Honolulu’s Department of Planning and Permitting, HI Good Neighbor and 12 individuals. Commenting as an individual Maui County Council member, Chair Alice Lee said this morning: “While I enthusiastically support efforts to limit affordable housing costs and expedite housing projects, I generally do not advocate for state restriction on local authority.” “The counties are uniquely positioned to better understand local impacts and nuances of proposed developments,” she said, adding that Senate Bill 38 would “entirely remove the counties’ ability to safeguard and protect their communities from potential negative aspects of proposed developments if modifications increase the affordable housing project’s costs, even slightly. This proposed restriction on county power comes at too high a cost.” “Similarly, Senate Bill 27 would exempt projects that have received a financial commitment from the state from needing county legislative approval. Removing all local approval of these housing projects could have costly and unintended results,” she said. In other updates of housing-related legislation, House Bill 739 has cleared the Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs Committee, chaired by Rep. David Tarnas and vice chaired by Rep. Mahina Poepoe. The bill would establish a Kamaʻāina Homes Program. Modeled after the Vail InDEED program in tourist-Mecca Vail, Colo., the program would provide funding to the counties to purchase voluntary deed restrictions from eligible homeowners or homebuyers. Central Maui Rep. Tyson Miyake and Kaua’i Rep. Luke Evslin were co-introducers for the House bill. The Kamaʻāina Homes Program would be established within the Hawaiʻi Housing Finance and Development Corp. at a time when the median single-family home sells for more than $1 million in Maui County, although the condominium market has sustained a recent price and sale volume chill over concerns about the vacation rental phase-out bill pending before the Maui County Council. That measure is expected to be scheduled for consideration in late March. Meanwhile, the University of Hawaiʻi Economic Research Organization is working to complete a study of the bill’s economic impacts in the first quarter of this year. The Council has until June 18 to take action on the bill within a 180-day time period for department-initiated land use legislation set by the Maui County Charter. In addition to Tarnas and Poepoe voting in favor of House Bill 739 were Reps. Della Au Belatti, Kirstin Kahaloa, Amy Perruso, Gregg Takayama, Chris Todd and Garner Shimizu. Rep. Diamond Garcia voted “aye” with reservations. Reps. Elle Cochran and Mark Hashem were excused. Two bills going nowhere so far this session are House Bill 489 and Senate Bill 1214, which take aim at discouraging owners of second homes in Hawaiʻi who leave them unoccupied much of the time. The legislation would establish a Vacant Homes Special Fund under the Hawaiʻi Housing Finance and Development Corp. for rental assistance programs similar to federal Section 8 tenant-based housing assistance. Under the measures, residential property owners who allow their property to remain vacant for 180 days, or more than a year, would be subject to an annual general excise tax surcharge. It also requires people who own residential property but don’t live there to obtain a general excise tax license. Editor’s note: This story has been updated from its original post to add comments, as an individual council member, from Maui County Council Chair Alice Lee. Fireworks task force bill passes out of committee; now headed for final reading Original Article Maui Now Brian Perry Feb 13, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Donovan Dela Cruz Senator Sharon Moriwaki Senator Henry Aquino Senator Lynn DeCoite Senator Brandon Elefante Senator Troy Hashimoto Senator Lorraine Inouye Senator Dru Mamo Kanuha Senator Michelle Kidani Senator Donna Mercado Kim Senator Chris Lee Senator Glenn Wakai The Hawaiʻi Senate Ways and Means Committee passed Senate Bill 222 , which would fund an illegal fireworks task force. Although the amount of funding is not specified, the measure is now headed for third reading on the Senate floor before crossing over to the House of Representatives. A committee news release pointed out that Chair Donovan Dela Cruz established the task force in 2021. “The group focuses on intercepting illegal fireworks and addressing the growing problem of homemade explosives in the community, helping to improve public safety and reduce related risks.” On Feb. 5, the Senate Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs recommended passage of the bill — the same day that Honolulu police announced that a sixth person died from injuries suffered in a New Year’s fireworks explosion in Honolulu. The blast of fireworks initially killed three adults and left more than 20 people in critical or serious medical condition. Most public testimony was in support of the bill. For example, Allen Novak said: “I support this measure as it helps to curb the use of illegal fireworks in Hawai’i. In spite of claims to the contrary, aerial fireworks are not a cultural tradition, and they present a fire, health and nuisance hazard to the community.” The state Department of Law Enforcement reported that the Illegal Fireworks Task Force has successfully removed, so far, more than 200,000 pounds of illegal fireworks from Hawaiʻi’s streets. The bill would extend the sunset clause for the task force from June 30, 2025, to June 30, 2030, which the department said “is critical to maintain this momentum and ensure the long-term effectiveness of the Task Force’s mission.” Earlier written testimony also supported the funding for the task force, its operations and hiring of administrative support staff. Money also would cover reimbursements to law enforcement agencies for personnel, overtime, fuel, equipment and storage and disposal of confiscated fireworks. On Wednesday, 13 members of the Ways and Means Committee voted in favor of sending the bill to the Senate floor, including Chair Dela Cruz, Vice Chair Sharon Moriwaki and Sens. Henry Aquino, Lynn DeCoite, Brandon Elefante, Troy Hashimoto, Lorraine Inouye, Dru Mamo Kanuha, Michelle Kidani, Donna Mercado Kim, Chris Lee, Glenn Wakai and Kurt Fevella. Also Wednesday, the House Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs Committee unanimously recommended passage of companion House Bill 508 on second reading. Supporting the measure were Chair David Tarnas, Vice Chair Mahina Poepoe and Reps. Della Au Belatti, Mark Hashem, Kirstin Kahaloa, Amy Perruso, Gregg Takayama, Chris Todd and Garner Shimizu. Rep. Diamond Garcia voted “aye” with reservations. In other Ways and Means Committee action, the panel advanced: Senate Bill 327 Senate Draft 1 , which would expand the Hele Imua internship program. The program allows residents to take part in paid internships with private businesses. Funded by the Legislature in 2022, Hele Imua provides opportunities for people to gain valuable work-based experience and support themselves and their families. “Workforce development programs like Hele Imua are critical to reversing the brain drain and keeping residents employed in Hawaiʻi,” according to the committee. Senate Bill 1117 Senate Draft 1 would clarify regulations around electric bikes (e-bikes), requiring helmets, setting age limits for certain types of e-bikes and introducing insurance requirements for electric motorcycles. “The goal is to promote the responsible use of e-bikes, which can help reduce people’s reliance on traditional vehicles,” the committee said. “The bill also expands an existing rebate program to encourage more people to use e-bikes in a safe and sustainable way.” Senate Bill 1044 Senate Draft 1 would address rapidly rising insurance costs for condominiums by expanding the Hawaiʻi Property Insurance Association and the Hawaiʻi Hurricane Relief Fund to offer coverage for properties that are unable to get insurance through private companies. The bill was amended to include a loan program to help condominiums with maintenance issues that have led to higher insurance premiums or made it difficult to get insurance from private companies. Hawaiʻi State Legislature's Kūpuna Caucus presents bill package Original Article Maui Now N/A Feb 12, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Troy Hashimoto Senator Sharon Moriwaki Senator Lynn DeCoite Members of the Kūpuna Caucus announced a bill package focused on enhancing the quality of life for Hawaiʻi’s seniors, Friday, Feb. 7, 2025. Pictured (Front row): Rep. Linda Ichiyama, Rep. Cory M. Chun, Sen. Troy Hashimoto, Sen. Sharon Moriwaki, Sen. Lynn DeCoite; (Back row): Kealii Lopez (state director, AARP), Caroline Cadirao (director, Executive Office on Aging), Sen. Kurt Fevella and Rep. Ikaika Olds. Present at the press conference but not in photo were Rep. Lisa Marten and Rep. Garner M. Shimizu. Photo Coutesy: Hawaiʻi State Legislature The Hawaiʻi State Legislature’s Kūpuna Caucus convened by state Sen. Sharon Moriwaki and Rep. Cory M. Chun shared their 2025 legislative package, a set of bills focused on enhancing the quality of life for seniors across the state. These proposed measures include expanding access to healthcare, addressing the need for more food security and improving affordable housing options. The Kūpuna Caucus’ package consists of five bills: SB877 / HB702 Relating to human services Appropriates funds to increase the funding for Medicaid in-home services, conditioned on the Department of Human Services obtaining the maximum federal matching funds. SB878 / HB703 Relating to kupuna housing Extends the sunset date for the State Rent Supplement Program for Kūpuna to 6/30/2028. SB879 / HB701 Relating to taxation Establishes a refundable Family Caregiver Tax Credit for nonpaid family caregivers. Requires the Department of Taxation to report to the Legislature before the convening of each Regular Session. SB880 / HB705 Relating to the Executive Office on Aging Establishes a temporary Medi-Medi Project within the Hawaiʻi State Health Insurance Assistance Program administered by the Executive Office on Aging to assist older adults, Medicare beneficiaries, individuals with disabilities and other underserved populations who may qualify for various low-income subsidy programs to gain access to their benefits. Requires the Executive Office on Aging to submit reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. SB881 /HB704 Relating to food security Establishes the Hawaiʻi Food Security Special Fund to restore Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefit levels to those provided in federal fiscal year 2023. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. “We are committed to having our seniors receive the support they need to live with dignity and independence, especially during this period of time in their lives,” Moriwaki said. “This legislative package is a crucial step towards building a more inclusive and equitable future for all generations.” $3.2M released for axis deer fencing in South Maui to address flood risks, environmental concerns Original Article Maui Now N/A Feb 12, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Angus L.K. McKelvey Senator Lynn DeCoite Senator Donovan M. Dela Cruz State Sen. Angus L.K. McKelvey on Wednesday announced $3.2 million in Capital Improvement Project funds to design and construct axis deer fencing in South Maui. The funds were released by Gov. Josh Green amid a state emergency proclamation to address the growing environmental and safety concerns caused by the overpopulation of axis deer on Maui, which has been identified as a major cause of the conditions leading to previous flooding like that of just last month. “This decision is not just an administrative act—it is a powerful demonstration of responsiveness and a commitment to safeguarding our land, our people and our future,” McKelvey said. “This moment sends a strong message to the people of South Maui that the governor and his administration understands the urgency and are committed to expediting the resources needed to tackle the flooding crisis from mauka to makai.” According to McKelvey, the funding, which was secured through the combined efforts of legislators Rep. Terez Amato, Rep. Kyle Yamashita, Sen. Lynn DeCoite and Sen. Donovan M. Dela Cruz, will be used to mitigate the destructive impact of the axis deer population on agriculture, infrastructure and the general safety of the community. McKelvey expressed his gratitude for the swift action taken by the administration, emphasizing the urgency of the situation. “The unchecked spread of axis deer has led to severe agricultural losses and increased the risk of flooding due to overgrazing, which weakens soil stability,” McKelvey said. “The governor’s commitment to funding this project reflects a proactive approach to preventing further environmental degradation and ensuring the well-being of residents.” The South and West Maui lawmaker explained that the fencing initiative is part of a broader strategy to enhance conservation efforts and long-term sustainability in the region. Leaders and stakeholders emphasize that the project will serve as a foundation for future flood mitigation and environmental preservation efforts. “The funding release marks a significant step forward in addressing one of South Maui’s most pressing ecological challenges,” McKelvey said, adding that, “community members, conservation advocates and policymakers will continue working together to ensure the successful implementation of the project and explore additional strategies for sustainable land management.” “The fences we build today are not just barriers—they are bridges to a safer, stronger and more resilient Maui,” McKelvey said. Gender-affirming healthcare bill passes in Hawaii Original Article KITV Jeremiah Estrada Feb 12, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Jarrett Keohokalole Senator Joy San Buenaventura HONOLULU (Island News) -- The Hawaii State Legislature passed a healthcare bill which expands protections for and ensures access to gender-affirming care for youth and adults. Senate Bill 1150 was approved on Wednesday morning due in part to the Hawaii Senate Health and Human Services Committee, chaired by Senator Joy San Buenaventura, and the Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee, chaired by Senator Jarrett Keohokalole. This bill comes with amendments from those Senate committees. The bill affirms that patients, doctors and parents have control over medical care without any interference from other states. Testimonies were made over this bill this week including arguments in support of and opposing what rights would be established. Testifiers who backed the bill said that families would benefit from it, whereas critics feared the lengths people on the mainland would take to come to Hawaii to access gender-affirming healthcare for a child. The Stonewall Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii is grateful about the critical legislation as it comes as a victory for transgender people and their families. This bill will advance protection for local healthcare providers and guarantees that certain groups are not prevented from receiving healthcare. “The Stonewall Caucus remains committed to advocating for the passage of Senate Bill 1150 into law.” said Abby Simmons, Chair of the Stonewall Caucus, “We look forward to continuing to work alongside lawmakers, healthcare professionals, transgender individuals and their ohana, as well as community advocates to ensure that Hawaii remains a safe haven for those seeking essential, compassionate medical care.” Hawaiʻi Lawmakers Seek Tougher Fireworks Enforcement, But No Statewide Ban Original Article Civil Beat Blaze Lovell Feb 11, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Brandon J.C. Elefante State senators declined to move forward with a statewide ban on all fireworks on Monday, and instead are working to significantly strengthen law enforcement’s ability to investigate and prosecute fireworks cases. Within the last week, measures to increase fireworks penalties, boost funding for investigations and allow for the random inspection of containers at the ports have all cleared their initial hurdles in the Senate. Together, the measures represent the most significant steps to crack down on illegal fireworks that legislators have taken in more than two decades. Over those years, a series of reports outlined steps that lawmakers, law enforcement agencies and prosecutors could take to curtail fireworks in Hawaiʻi , but those recommendations were rarely acted on. The moves this week in the Senate show how dramatically the politics of policing fireworks changed after an explosion at a neighborhood fireworks display on New Year’s Eve left six dead . Police have so far made 10 arrests . The incident gave lawmakers a new sense of urgency. “I feel like we should have done more in the past,” said Sen. Brandon Elefante, chairman of the committee primarily responsible for advancing fireworks bills this year. Aerial fireworks have been illegal in Hawaiʻi since 2000, and most consumer fireworks except for firecrackers have been outlawed on Oʻahu since 2011. Elefante said that he and other senators are focused this session on giving law enforcement officials the tools they need to pursue fireworks-related cases. Gov. Josh Green’s administration has also proposed rewriting fireworks laws to make it easier for prosecutors to bring criminal cases and enhancing penalties for offenders. The most significant part of the governor’s proposal under Senate Bill 1324 changes various fireworks-related definitions in the state’s laws. For example, the current definition of an “aerial device” is a firework with 130 milligrams or less of explosive material that, when ignited, produces an audible or visible effect. Law enforcement officials said that definition requires forensic testing and the testimony of expert witnesses to prove a crime occured. And that’s assuming there’s anything left of the device to test. It’s particularly a problem “if the firework has already gone up. There’s no evidence to collect,” Deputy Attorney General Tricia Nakamatsu told lawmakers. Under the proposed changes, an aerial device would be defined as anything that shoots at least 12 feet into the air and explodes or emits fireballs. The Attorney General’s Office said the bill creates “common sense” standards that most people would be able to testify about in court if called upon. The bill also increases penalties for some fireworks violations. Under the current law, throwing a firework out of a moving car is treated the same as igniting one outside of designated times. Both could only be punished with a fine of up to $5,000. SB 1324 would create higher penalties for more dangerous acts and raise penalties up to a class C felony, punishable by up to five years in prison. Sonny Ganaden, deputy public defender “We believe that’s frankly unconstitutional.” Honolulu City Councilmembers are also considering stricter penalties for people who have illegal aerials on Oʻahu. Their Bill 7 would make possession of 25 pounds or more of aerial devices a class C felony, punishably by up to five years in prison. It is scheduled for its first committee hearing on Thursday. The state measure under consideration would also allow prosecutors to pursue civil fines in addition to criminal charges. However, that provision drew opposition from the state Office of the Public Defender. Indigent defendants who can’t afford an attorney would be assigned a public defender in a criminal case, but would not get representation in a civil case. “We believe that’s frankly unconstitutional,” said Sonny Ganaden, a deputy public defender. The office instead supported lawmakers’ other efforts to fund initiatives aimed at cracking down on illegal aerials. Lawmakers appear keen to funnel more resources to state law enforcement to stem the flow of illegal fireworks into the state. Senate Bill 1226 , which also cleared its first round of committee hearings last week, would institute a container inspection program at harbors in Hawaiʻi. Under the current draft of the bill, the law enforcement department would have discretion over which containers to inspect. Once a container is selected, it would be sequestered from the rest of the port to avoid disrupting the normal flow of container goods carrying essential items to store shelves. Senators made that change in part because harbor users and shipping companies had objected to past container inspection proposals. The proposed new inspection program would utilize dogs who can smell fireworks within closed containers. In cases where the explosives are hidden at the back of a container, the dogs could detect the scent once the doors are opened. Senators have asked for $750,000 for the program, but the department said that may not be enough. Two more dogs alone could cost more than $600,000, and more costs are expected. Law Enforcement Director Mike Lambert told lawmakers that the state currently spends at least $1 million every time it needs to ship a full container of confiscated fireworks to the mainland for disposal. He asked them to pass those costs on to the fireworks importers and intended in-state recipients. Lawmakers are proposing additional funding for the law enforcement department to create a new explosives unit and continue a task force that has already seized more than 220,000 pounds of illegal fireworks in the last two years. Mike Lambert, law enforcement director “As the issues switch throughout the state, we’d have the latitude to move between fireworks and firearms.” Lambert said that he eventually wants the task force and explosives unit to take up gun violence investigations and envisions its future as a state-level version of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “As the issues switch throughout the state, we’d have the latitude to move between fireworks and firearms,” Lambert said. Russell Fong, the department’s finance officer, said that the new unit would cost about $5 million in its first year of operation and $3.2 million in its second. The unit would be staffed with eight investigators and one clerk. Included in those first-year costs are $2.1 million for an explosives testing lab. On Monday, state Senators gave preliminary approval to a measure, Senate Bill 999 , that would increase fines for minor fireworks offenses and divert funds from fireworks penalties to the state’s general fund. However, language to outlaw the fountains, sparklers and firecrackers that are currently permitted on Hawaiian islands except for Oʻahu was struck from the bill. The Honolulu Police Department and the state Department of Law Enforcement supported the ban, saying it might deter fireworks users. But the bill was opposed by retailers who say the ban would impact small businesses that sell fireworks around the holiday season. James Fuller, who represents the pyrotechnic industry, said that fireworks producers and retailers support a crackdown on illegal aerials and measures to increase resources for law enforcement. But the original draft of SB 999 went too far. “We’ve go to get illegal fireworks off the streets,” Fuller told Civil Beat. “Banning all fireworks … does not represent a fix to that challenge.” Consumer fireworks give people an alternative to popping aerials, and don’t carry the same risks of fire or the noise that disturbs people and their pets on New Year’s, Fuller said. He encouraged Hawaiʻi officials to instead pursue educational campaigns that remind fireworks enthusiasts to keep sources of water nearby, to not light fireworks near flammable structures and to keep the audience at a safe distance. Elefante, chairman of the Senate Public Safety and Military Affairs Committee, said he proposed changes to the bill after hearing concerns about the original draft from other senators. At the hearing Monday, the public safety committee voted to remove language from SB 999 regarding an outright ban on all fireworks. Senators also included provisions for a new community safety program, which would be run by county police departments. Hawaii's growing pest crisis, is a stronger plan needed? Original Article KHON2 Bryce Moore Feb 8, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Donovan M. Dela Cruz PALOLO VALLEY, Hawaii (KHON2) — Coqui frogs, coconut rhinoceros beetles and little fire ants are just some of the invasive species that the Hawaii Department of Agriculture has their hands full with in 2025. Some even say a biosecurity chief position is needed. The Hawaii Department of Agriculture said working with the community to combat invasive species will be critical in 2025 since $10 million was approved for 2025. “[Ten million dollars] is more money than the Department of Agriculture has ever had dedicated to biosecurity efforts,” said HDOA chair Sharon Hurd. “We’re going to say, ‘We have a statewide plan for public property, but for the private properties in the communities, maybe you guys can help us with this funding and decide what you’re going to do for coconut rhinoceros beetles.” Coconut rhinoceros beetles are widespread on Oahu and has also been found on Kauai, Maui and Hawaii Island. Invasive Species Committees on each county respond to reports, but some legislators hope to cut through red tape by establishing a chief of biosecurity. “So that it becomes a priority so that someone actually owns the issue and can follow through,” said Senate Ways and Means Committee Chair Donovan Dela Cruz. “We need a much more tight strategic plan that we know can get implemented.” The manager of the Oahu Invasive Species Committee has some concerns about shifting roles, however. His crew just sprayed for coqui frogs on Feb. 7 in Palolo Valley. “They’re proposing to move it from the DLNR right now to the Department of Agriculture,” Nate Dube said. “So when anything gets past the ports of entry and starts to establish, that’s where Oahu Invasive Species Committee is able to come in and work with residents, work in their backyards.” Field specialists said their on-the-ground work would not be possible without the public and they urged folks to send in reports. “If you see something, say something. So it’s always good to call the pest hotline or contact either. HDOA, OISC whoever is involved, you know, just getting it to the right parties and being able to, you know, report a pest. If you see one,” said HDOA Acting Land Vertebrae Specialist Jessica Miura. Dela Cruz said it is time that there is a position that can be held to account for the continuing spread of invasive species since there are so many city, state and community agencies. “I mean, it’s gotten to the point where we have little fire and we have coconut rhinoceros beetle, we have coqui frog, and the list is continuing to grow,” Dela Cruz said. “We are hoping for the day that farmers and ranchers can wake up and they can say, ‘Okay, what do I farm today,’ rather than, ‘What invasive species do I have to treat for today?'” Hurd said. The bill to create a biosecurity chief passed the Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee on Feb. 6. Community to celebrate life of Ka'ū Calendar editor Julia Neal Original Article Big Island Now Tiffany DeMasters Feb 7, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Ronald D. Kouchi Julia Neal, founder of the monthly publication the Ka‘ū Calendar and owner of the Pāhala Plantation Cottages, has been described as compassionate, generous, a community advocate and a dedicated journalist. On Jan. 24, the Pāhala resident for about 30 years passed away in her home on Jan. 24. She was 75. “Everybody knew who she was and what she did,” said Iopa Maunakea, founder of the nonprofit Men of Pa‘a. “That lady impacted the community just by her paper alone. She had a lot of integrity.” Neal kept people from Miloli‘i to Pāhala informed of the goings-on in Hawai‘i Island’s sprawling rural district. From county elections to the controversial proposed resort development in Punalu‘u, Neal reported on the community truthfully. On Saturday, the community is invited to celebrate Neal’s life at 9 a.m. at the Plantation House at 96-3209 Maile St. in Pāhala. With Neal now gone, the Ka‘ū Calendar will cease operations, with its final publication to run later this month. The community is invited to submit letters, prayers, poems and art in honor of Neal to contribute to the final issue. Send submissions to tibarra2000@gmail.com by Feb. 14. Neal also ran a bed and breakfast and vacation rental business called the Pāhala Plantation Cottages, where she hosted weddings, science camps, music festivals and a variety of community events and gatherings. “Her love for Ka‘ū’s unique community and culture and realization that the rural region lacked organized print media inspired her to start the Ka‘ū Calendar,” said Neal’s nephew, William Neal. “She also firmly believed that bringing the voices of those who call Ka‘ū home to the forefront on the region’s most consequential issues was imperative.” William Neal said his aunt was the hardest-working person he ever knew. “Few have had the passion and drive that she had,” he said. “Every day, she would wake up to report on the happenings of the community and national stories of consequence for Hawai‘i at large without missing a day.” Neal covered community events, including the Ka‘ū Coffee Festival, high school graduations and the Pāhala Christmas Parade. She also hosted countless concerts at her property. One Facebook user said they can’t imagine Pāhala without Neal, who always was wearing a hat and smiling. William Neal said his aunt largely ran the paper alone. “She did have some help with graphic design putting the paper together and from time to time throughout the years she had some folks help her take photos for stories or seek advertisers,” he said. “But largely the day-to-day reporting was all done by Julia.” Neal was born in Missouri to a military family that was always on the move. She grew up in several places around the U.S. and Europe, including Kentucky, New York, Germany and France. In the 1980s, Neal worked as a photographer for The Garden Island newspaper on Kaua‘i, working her way up to editor of the publication. Senate Speaker Ron Kouchi was elected as a Kaua‘i County Council member when he met Neal, who at the time was a reporter at The Garden Island. “It was a time when reporters would sit through the entire county council meetings,” Kouchi said. “They were firey journalists and did a lot of homework and research.” Kouchi said Neal covered the development controversy of Nukoli‘i. According to a 2016 Honolulu Civil Beat article by the now Kaua‘i State Rep. Luke Evslin, the fight over Nukoli‘i was “Kaua‘i’s worst political crisis since statehood.” Developers were trying to build a resort on Kaua‘i’s east shore. Although the vacant land at Nukoli‘i was upzoned to urban by the State Land Use Commission in 1974, no building could occur until the county changed the zoning to resort. According to the Civil Beat article, the Planning Department, through the Līhu‘e Development Plan, recommended resort zoning in 1978, which sparked a wave of protests. While they were on opposite sides of the issue, Kouchi supporting development and Neal opposing it, the senator said she wrote the story with all the facts, allowing readers to make their own choices. “She was a professional,” Kouchi said. “She held you to the fire and asked the hard questions.” After turning 40, Neal moved to the Big Island to start a new life in Pāhala. Men of Paʻa’s Maunakea said Neal was involved in everything from housing to education. “She was fearless about reporting things in Punalu‘u,” Maunakea said. Maunakea met Neal four years ago. She opened up her cottages to the nonprofit when the members would stay overnight while in Ka‘ū to do service projects. He said Neal always made it a point to spend time with the group during their stays. “She opened doors for us to engage our community service with the Ka‘ū region,” Maunakea said. Neal is survived by her partner Michael C. Worthington, brother Forest Neal II, and three nephews; Forest Neal III, Michael Neal and William Neal. Honolulu launches $5M grant program to support low-income rental housing Original Article Star Advertiser Ian Bauer Feb 7, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Les Ihara, Jr. Senator Carol Fukunaga Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s administration is offering $5 million in grant funding to stoke the creation of more low- income rental housing on Oahu. Currently, the city Department of Land Management is soliciting proposals from nonprofit entities and public agencies for funding opportunities through the Affordable Housing Fund, or AHF, which typically provides funding to develop and expand affordable rental housing for households earning 60% or less of area median income. The fund also comes with the requirement that funded housing remain affordable for at least 60 years. But in this solicitation, the city is prioritizing projects that serve extremely low-income households — or 30% AMI and below, including those experiencing homelessness — in which a person earns $29,250 a year or a family of four receives $41,750 annually, according to the state Housing Community Development Authority. “This funding opportunity is a key part of the city’s broader strategy to increase the supply of affordable housing, particularly for those in urgent need, including individuals transitioning out of homelessness,” Kevin Auger, executive director of the Mayor’s Office of Housing, said in a statement. In a statement, Catherine Taschner, DLM’s director designate, said the program encourages “organizations to bring forward projects that will have a lasting impact.” “By prioritizing projects that serve extremely low- income households, this initiative underscores our commitment to tackling homelessness and expanding affordable housing opportunities,” she said. The funding cap is $55,000 per unit, meaning the program could support at least 90 units at full funding, according to city officials. They add that the actual unit production will depend on project scope, land acquisition costs and whether funds are used for new construction or rehabilitation. City officials say they won’t know the number of affected units until the completion of the competitive selection process. And while 90 units is the estimated baseline, the final number could be higher depending on how efficiently funds are allocated and whether projects secure additional financing. The proposal submission deadline is scheduled for 3 p.m. March 18. Meantime, the city is also seeking developers willing to build or redevelop four new affordable housing projects on city-owned parcels in urban Honolulu. The properties in question include: >> 1615 Ala Wai Blvd. >> 436 Ena Road. >> 130 S. Beretania St. >> 1421 Pensacola St. Under this program, selected developers will enter into a 75-year ground lease with the city and will be responsible for designing, financing, constructing and operating affordable rental housing on these sites. DLM recently issued a “request for qualifications” to redevelop the four underutilized sites, the city said. The deadline to submit is 1 p.m. March 21. Both of these efforts correspond with the Blangiardi administration’s unveiling earlier this week of its new plan to expand construction of more housing across Oahu. Coinciding with the mayor’s second four-year term, the city’s Office of Housing released its 2025-2028 Strategic Housing Plan, which aims to partner with developers to “activate underutilized” city-owned lands on the island and involve using new types of “financing strategies” to build more housing on the island. The plan, which does not offer an overall number of new housing units the city expects to develop on the island, will supposedly lay the groundwork for such development in the coming years — or at least as long as the Blangiardi administration remains in office. The mayor’s second and final term ends in 2028. During a news conference held Wednesday at the Mayor’s office, a few “special guests” — namely, representatives from large developer firms including Kobayashi Group LLC, Stanford Carr Development LLC and Castle &Cooke Hawaii, among others — appeared. Peter Savio, a longtime real estate developer in Hawaii and president and CEO of the Savio Group of Companies, did not appear at the mayor’s news conference. But afterward, Savio told the Honolulu Star- Advertiser that the city’s approach to building more affordable housing on Oahu misunderstands the real issue at play. “We do not have a supply problem; we have a demand problem,” he said. “As we build affordable units and sales restrictions expire, they get resold at market and become unaffordable.” And most so-called affordable housing units are “unaffordable based on local wages,” he said. “Real estate markets are local in nature, and slow for the building and sale of homes in a community,” he added. “This means homes are sold tied to the income of buyers and sellers in that community.” Savio said if applied to housing in Hawaii, and tied to average wages, a three-bedroom, two-bath fee-simple home should sell for about $450,000. Instead, that home sells for more than $1 million, he noted. “‘Affordable’ projects have studios at $250,000 (and) one-bedrooms at $400,000. They are lower than market prices but still unaffordable,” said Savio. “Outside demand has pushed our market above the local sale price by over $700,000.” “Our wages do not allow us to compete for home purchases. We are priced out of our market because of our demand,” he said. “If demand is the problem, building more supply simply attracts wealthy mainland and foreign buyers.” “If demand is the issue, building more is the worst thing the government can do,” he added. To solve the problem, Savio claimed the government must establish a program to keep housing affordable in perpetuity. “This can be done by creating an affordable local market where homes are sold in a controlled market, where price is determined by increase in wages,” he said. “Wages go up 20% over 10 years, the price goes up 20%.” “All we have done is create a local market for local wage earners, which is what our market would be without the distortion of outside buyers,” he said. To that end, Savio said he supports new state-level legislation introduced by Sens. Les Ihara Jr. and Carol Fukunaga. He said the measures — Senate Bills 1632 and 379, respectively — are meant to establish “a local market” for housing as well as keep so-called affordable housing “affordable forever.” “That’s the real story,” he added. “We have a solution and it will work.” Meanwhile, according to the city and the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization, or UHERO, the median sales price of a single-family home exceeds $1.1 million, and median rents approach $2,000. In the Honolulu metro area alone, there are nearly 20,000 cost-restricted units, while West Oahu contains approximately 9,000 units, UHERO says. According to the Hawaii Housing Factbook, 58% of Oahu renters are rent-burdened, spending more than 30% of their income on housing. In comparison, 29% are severely rent-burdened, allocating over half their income to rent, the housing report says. Senate panel passes bill to fund illegal fireworks task force Original Article Maui Now Brian Perry Feb 6, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Karl Rhoads Senator Henry J.C. Aquino Senator Stanley Chang Senator Brandon J.C. Elefante Senator Mike Gabbard Senator Michelle N. Kidani Senator Angus L.K. McKelvey Senator Herbert "Tim" Richards, III Senator Carol Fukunaga Senator Jarrett Keohokalole Senator Sharon Y. Moriwaki Senator Joy A. San Buenaventura Senator Glenn Wakai The Hawaiʻi Senate Committee on Public Safety & Military Affairs has recommended passage of Senate Bill 222 , which would appropriate an as yet undetermined amount of state funding for an illegal fireworks task force. The committee’s unanimous action on Wednesday came as a sixth person, a 30-year-old woman, was confirmed to have died from injuries suffered in a New Year’s fireworks explosion in the Salt Lake area of Honolulu. The massive explosion at a residence initially killed three adults and left more than 20 people in critical or serious medical condition. A companion bill, House Bill 508 , has passed first reading and been referred to the House Finance; and Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs committees. No public hearing had been scheduled for the bill as of Thursday afternoon. Most of the written testimony on Senate Bill 222 supported the funding for the task force, its operations and hiring of administrative support staff. Money also would cover reimbursements to law enforcement agencies for personnel, overtime, fuel, equipment and storage and disposal of confiscated fireworks. According to the state Department of Law Enforcement, the Illegal Fireworks Task Force has successfully removed more than 200,000 pounds of illegal fireworks from Hawaiʻi’s streets, with operations and investigations continuing to progress. The bill would extend the sunset clause for the task force from June 30, 2025, to June 30, 2030, which the department said “is critical to maintain this momentum and ensure the long-term effectiveness of the Task Force’s mission.” Abbra Green, executive secretary of Libertarian Party of Hawaiʻi, submitted testimony in strong opposition to “any prohibitions and enforcement measures targeting fireworks.” “We believe Hawaiians have the right to pursue and engage in any activities that bring them joy and fulfillment,” Green said. “Fireworks prohibitions and regulations infringe upon the freedom of our citizens to partake in this time-honored custom, diminishing the spirit of celebration and unity that fireworks bring.” Strict enforcement measures to crack down on fireworks use “would only serve to burden law enforcement resources, and diverted needed attention away from more pressing issues,” Green said. “Prohibitions and heavy enforcement will lead to unnecessary conflict between police and citizens, eroding trust and creating an atmosphere of fear and animosity. Causing harm against another person is already illegal, and crimes can already be prosecuted without these new tyrannical enforcement measures.” Beverly Heiser said: “The Aliamanu tragedy was sad, and it is hopeful that the lives lost and those suffering from life-changing critical injuries were not in vain but will provide the wake-up call to take the use of illegal fireworks seriously. This all starts with legislators creating laws to invoke stiffer penalties and higher fines, and it allows enforcement to the fullest extent of the law to instill a fear of getting caught and induce deterrence.” While effectiveness of the measure might require more funding in the future, “how do you put a price on lives lost, life-changing deformities and psychological issues that may require medical attention for the rest of one’s life? Yes, enough is enough,” Heiser said. Bronson Teixeira said the funding measure would be a “waste of taxpayer dollars” and not stop illegal aerial fireworks. Voting in favor of the bill were committee Chair Brandon Elefante and Vice Chair Glenn Wakai, with Sens. Carol Fukunaga and Karl Rhoads, all of Oʻahu. One dissenting vote came from Sen. Samantha DeCorte of West Oʻahu. By an identical vote, the Public Safety & Military Affairs also recommended approval of Senate Bill 227 . It would establish an Illegal Fireworks Enforcement Division within the Department of Law Enforcement and provide an as yet unspecified amount of funding for the division. Public testimony submitted on the bill was similarly for and against the measure. The committee deferred action on Senate Bill 476 , which would increase fines for fireworks violations from the current $500 to $5,000 per offense. A 2011 report from the Illegal Fireworks Task Force to the Legislature said an increase in fines associated with illegal fireworks may act as a stronger deterrent. Written public testimony on Senate Bill 476 was mostly in favor, with opposition coming from the Libertarian Party of Hawaiʻi and others protesting government infringement on personal freedoms. The committee was unanimously in support of passage of Senate Bill 1226 , which would establish a Shipping Container Inspection Program to ferret out illegal fireworks being smuggled into Hawaiʻi. The bill proposes spending $750,000 in fiscal 2025-2026 and the same amount, again, in fiscal 2026-2027 to administer the program and purchase at least two fireworks- or explosive-sniffing dogs. That bill was introduced by Sens. Karl Rhoads, Henry Aquino, Stanley Chang, Brandon Elefante, Mike Gabbard, Michelle Kidani, Angus McKelvey, Herbert Richards III, Carol Fukunaga, Jarrett Keohokalole, Sharon Moriwaki, Joy San Buenaventura and Glenn Wakai. MAHALO SENATOR ELEFANTE – SENATE PUBLIC SAFETY AND MILITARY AFFAIRS COMMITTEE HOLDS SERIES OF HEARINGS ON ILLEGAL FIREWORKS BILLS Original Article myPearlCity.com PC Community Feb 6, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Brandon J.C. Elefante HONOLULU – The Senate Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs (PSM), chaired by Senator Brandon Elefante (Senate District 16 – ‘Aiea, ‘Aiea Heights, Hālawa, Pearlridge, Newtown, Royal Summit, Waimalu, Waiau, Momilani, Pacific Palisades, and Pearl City), completed a series of significant hearings today addressing legislation aimed at combatting illegal fireworks in communities across Hawai‘i. Three separate hearings held at the Hawai‘i State Capitol went over several key bills that focus on strengthening enforcement measures and penalties related to illegal fireworks use. A priority for the Senate, these bills aim to enhance public safety and respond to the increasing concerns about the dangerous and disruptive use of fireworks. The following bills were heard today: SB 999 : this bill would ban the use and sale of consumer fireworks, set fines for breaking the law, and create a fund to support safety education programs using money from the fines and seized property; the committees who heard the bill (PSM/CPN) deferred it to Monday, February 10 for decision-making. SB 1226 : this bill aims to create a program to inspect shipping containers, require the Department of Law Enforcement to report on the program’s effectiveness, and provide money to support the program. The TCA/PSM committees passed the bill with amendments. SB 302 : this piece of legislation would limit the use of consumer fireworks to only approved cultural events with a permit, ban selling them without a permit, and add a fee for those permits. The TCA/PSM committees passed the bill with amendments. SB 1324 : this bill would increase penalties for fireworks-related injuries or deaths, create new criminal offenses for illegal fireworks actions, and set up a system to handle fireworks violations. The PSM/TCA committees passed the bill with amendments. SB 227 would create a new division to enforce laws against illegal fireworks. It was passed unamended. SB 476 would raise the fines for certain fireworks violations, starting on July 1, 2025. The bill was deferred. SB 222 : this bill provides more funding for the illegal fireworks task force for the next few years until June 30, 2030. It was passed unamended. Senator Elefante emphasized the critical nature of these discussions, noting that illegal fireworks not only pose safety hazards but also disturb residents, pets, and local wildlife. “Today’s hearings represent a major step forward in ensuring the safety and well-being of our communities,” said Senator Elefante. “By strengthening enforcement and increasing penalties, we are sending a clear message that the unlawful use of fireworks will not be tolerated.” The bills are part of ongoing efforts to address the rising concerns over fireworks-related incidents, including fires, injuries, and public disturbances, especially in light of the tragedies that happened in the state at the beginning of this year. Senate Committee acronyms, for reference: PSM: Public Safety and Military Affairs CPN: Commerce and Consumer Protection TCA: Transportation and Culture and the Arts ABOUT THE HAWAIʻI STATE SENATE MAJORITY The Hawaiʻi State Senate consists of 25 members who serve staggered four-year terms. The Senate Majority consists of 22 Democrats for the 33rd Legislature, which convened on January 15, 2025. For the latest news and updates, follow the Senate Majority on Facebook, Instagram, or visit https://www.hawaiisenatemajority.com. Hawaiʻi Might Finally Put The Bite On Bedbugs In Housing — But Not Hotels Original Article Civil Beat Stewart Yerton Feb 5, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Stanley Chang Senator Karl Rhoads The first sentence of a bill before the Legislature says it all: Bedbugs are bloodsucking insects that typically hide in bedrooms and come out to feed at night. Anyone with a nightmare hotel experience can tell you that. But what’s surprising about the proposed legislation, which would require landlords to ensure rental properties are free of the pests, is that it’d be the first bedbug regulation in Hawaiʻi, which has one of the highest percentages of renters in the U.S. Hawaiʻi Sen. Stanley Chang, chair of the Senate Housing Committee, which approved a version of the bill Thursday, has his own bedbug story from a time in New York. “I would not wish it on my worst enemy,” he said. Senate Bill 456 puts the presence of bedbugs on par with a lack of running water, electricity or plumbing in a home. Sen. Karl Rhoads, who sponsored the bill , said a property infested with bedbugs “probably rises to the level of uninhabitability” under Hawaiʻi’s landlord-tenant code. The bill, however, doesn’t apply to Hawaiʻi’s sprawling hotel sector, which had $5.5 billion in revenue in 2024, and any effort to include the industry in the legislation is likely to face strong opposition. The latest version of the bill mostly makes landlords responsible for fixing the problem, prompting pushback from the Hawaiʻi Association of Realtors. If the bill passes, Hawaiʻi would join 24 other states and cities with bedbug laws. Some date back decades and bear archaic language indicating how long bedbugs have plagued communities. An Ohio law from the 1940s bans the pests in rail cars, and Wisconsin requires landlords to use “all means necessary” to prevent bedbugs in homes for “orphans, indigents and delinquents.” Nevada requires hotel rooms with bedbugs to be fumigated. Other states and cities protect residential tenants like Hawaiʻi would do. New York City demands that landlords provide new tenants with a bedbug history of the apartment and apartment building for the previous year. A bedbug bill introduced in 2024 died. Rhoads, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, hopes this can be the year Hawaiʻi finally does something. “I’ve never had them, thank God,” he said. “But I hear they’re horrible.” The Hawaiʻi Department of Health doesn’t keep statistics on bedbugs because they don’t carry or spread disease. But the department says the bugs can cause itching and loss of sleep, and that “excessive scratching can increase the chance of secondary skin infections.” Bedbugs are also sneaky. People generally sleep through bites because the creatures, who like warm, dark spaces, inject an anesthetic and blood thinner into their hosts before feeding, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports . The bugs can hide in box springs and headboards for several months without needing blood. Although overall data doesn’t exist, anecdotes of high-profile incidents abound in Hawaiʻi. In 2014, a bedbug infestation was reported at Oʻahu Community Correctional Center . In 2023, the state Department of Transportation had to shut down a section of Daniel K. Inouye International Airport so exterminators could kill bedbugs that had infested part of a terminal. In March, Hawaiʻi News Now reported that Honolulu’s Joint Traffic Management Center was temporarily shut down after bedbugs were found in the building’s quiet room. It cost $1,800 to fumigate the space. For an unfiltered (and unverified) peek at the local bedbug problem, bedbugreports.com lets travelers anonymously share stories about outbreaks in rental housing and hotels, such as an alleged incident at a landmark Waikīkī hotel. “My husband and I checked into the hotel on 9/11/2024,” the traveler reported. “When I woke up the next morning, I had several red, itchy bumps on my arms. I thought that I was bitten by a mosquito — however, the next morning, I had several more bites on my knee and arms. I then checked for bedbugs (tip from my daughter) and BINGO, in the seam of the mattress, box springs, I found bedbugs.” Hotel executives contacted by Civil Beat were reluctant to speak on the record about bedbug issues. But Tim Lyons, executive director of the Hawaiʻi Pest Control Association, said it’s not uncommon for bedbugs to hitchhike with travelers into hotels. Even the most expensive properties are susceptible, he said. “They’re not discriminatory,” Lyons said of the pests. Eight states have statutes addressing bedbugs at hotels, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Rhoads said his bill is aimed only at the pests in residences. As for hotels, he said, in the age of social media and online reviews, it’s easy for word to get out if a property has a widespread problem. “It’s incumbent on them if they want to make money to take care of the problem,” he said. But Rhoads also said, “If the committees that take a look at it decide they want to include hotels, it won’t bother me at all.” But a bill expanded to include the powerful hotel industry could face a tough climb. The Hawaiʻi Association of Realtors testified against the bill, saying “owners or tenants residing in infested units can unknowingly transfer the bedbugs to adjacent properties, and determining the source of the infestation can be complicated.” Alvin Fukuyama, owner of State Termite and Pest Control in ʻAiea, said there’s also a question of fairness. It can cost $200 per room to treat a home for bedbugs, he said. Many exterminators provide no warranty if the bugs come back, but tenants or their guests, not landlords, are usually the ones who bring bedbugs into a home, Fukuyama said. “Whoever’s living there is typically the one who’s bringing it in,” he said. Hawaii’s plan to develop leasehold homes advances Original Article Star Advertiser Andrew Gomes Feb 4, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Stanley Chang An unconventional state initiative to build more homes for Hawaii residents with moderate incomes is approaching a critical test to see whether homebuyers want high-rise condominiums with 99-year land leases. A more than $200 million tower is envisioned in Honolulu with 360 units and leasehold prices ranging from $456,400 for units with one bedroom and one bathroom to $862,600 for units with four bedrooms and two bathrooms. The Hawaii Community Development Authority, a state agency pursuing the plan at the direction of Hawaii’s Legislature under a law enacted in 2023, is seeking a $30 million appropriation from lawmakers over the next two fiscal years to help pay for the ambitious project. However, it’s not yet clear whether enough interest from prospective buyers exists, or if enough funding for the envisioned tower can be arranged. “If there is buyer demand, we still see assembling financing for the project as a hurdle,” Craig Nakamoto, HCDA executive director, said in an email. “If there is buyer demand and if financing can be assembled, we see the pilot project as a new model for developing affordable housing for local people, that can be replicated.” The idea for the state to develop and sell leasehold condos on state land was initially proposed as legislation in 2019 by Sen. Stanley Chang (D, Hawaii Kai-Kahala-Diamond Head) based on a model used by the government in Singapore to provide lifetime housing for residents at affordable prices. As envisioned for Hawaii, such housing would come at no long-term cost to the state because revenue from unit sales would fully repay development expenses as a “revenue neutral” investment. At the end of a tower’s 99-year lease, during which condo buyers would pay for all upkeep, the state would take ownership of the entire property. To carry out the plan, the Legislature in 2023 passed Senate Bill 865, which became Act 97 and appropriated $1.5 million to HCDA for preliminary work. The agency hosted focus sessions with developers, economists, lenders and real estate brokers in 2024. Then HCDA sought bids from developers to take on the project, and selected Ko Laila LLC, a company whose principals in 2024 completed a mainly midpriced 328-unit condo tower in Kakaako called Ililani. Ko Laila, led by Henry and Kenneth Chang, is expected to finish preliminary design, cost and site evaluation work for a leasehold condo tower this summer. Then the company intends to solicit nonbinding purchase reservations to gauge interest from prospective buyers. To qualify, prospective buyers would have to meet certain requirements under Act 97 that include not earning more than 140% of Honolulu’s median income. This limit equates to about $156,000 for a couple and $195,000 for a family of four. Nakamoto said HCDA also aims to make units affordable to households earning the median income, which equates to about $111,000 for a couple and $139,000 for a family of four. In 2024 on Oahu the median sale price for single- family homes was $1.1 million, a point at which half the homes sold for more and half for less. For condos the figure was $515,000. Leasehold condos have been developed in Hawaii previously on private land. Most of these units produced decades ago were converted to fee-simple ownership, though some still exist today. A 2021 study ordered by the Legislature and updated in 2022 concluded that buyer demand would likely be high for leasehold condos with two bedrooms and two bathrooms priced at $400,000. The study by the Hawaii Budget and Policy Center of the nonprofit Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law &Economic Justice said a comparable fee- simple unit built by a private developer would cost $600,000. Part of the difference is attributable to financing costs and profit for a private developer, as well as the cost of land. Yet the land cost for individual unit owners in a high-rise can be relatively small. For instance, the city for property tax purposes values the land in a one- bedroom and one-bath unit in the 423-unit Ke Kilohana tower, which opened in Kakaako in 2019, at $20,200, compared with $543,700 for the unit itself and other shared interest in the building. This unit is currently listed for sale at $560,000. A site for HCDA’s envisioned leasehold condo tower has not yet been decided. Nakamoto said potential sites exist in Kakaako and along the city’s Skyline rail route. If sufficient interest from buyers is received for the envisioned tower, HCDA and Ko Laila would still have to arrange financing. Nakamoto said an initial analysis indicated that the project may not be able to attract private financing to pay for construction, so HCDA and Ko Laila are exploring other options including state funding for the more than $200 million project. “If there isn’t sufficient buyer interest or if the means of financing the development is not available, the pre-development will conclude and no further work on the development will be conducted,” Nakamoto said. The Sunshine Blog: How Much Is A Governor Worth? A Mayor? A Judge? Original Article Civil Beat The Sunshine Blog Feb 4, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Karl Rhoads Senator Angus McKelvey Senator Ron Kouchi Senator Stanley Chang Political sticker shock: Gov. Josh Green is squirming a bit at the much-publicized proposal floated by the state salary commission a couple weeks ago that would boost his salary by more than 61% over the next six years. He’d be OK with a 35% to 40% pay hike over his current $189,480 annual wage, his chief of staff, Brooke Wilson, told the commission last week. “Just to cut straight to it — and you know at the end of the day you guys are going to decide, OK? — but his feedback was that he felt more comfortable with a 35% to maximum 40% increase over six years for he and the lieutenant governor,” Wilson said. Commissioners noted Green’s current salary is less than what the Honolulu mayor makes, which they suggested is inappropriate given Green’s expansive statewide responsibilities. Mayor Rick Blangiardi got a raise last year that boosted his pay to $217,392. But Wilson told the salary commission that Green doesn’t think he needs to be paid more than the mayor. After all, he has a car, a driver and housing at Washington Place, perks the mayor doesn’t have. Green, according to Wilson, thinks judges should get a “great increase” in their salaries because competition from the private sector is making it more difficult to attract candidates for judicial appointments. Still, the commission seems intent on a pretty hefty ramping up of the pay scales for the governor and other state officials — including legislators — despite plenty of public outrage that has followed since The Blog and others reported that whopping increases were on the table. On Monday commissioners mapped out a tentative schedule for the governor that includes a 32% raise effective July 1, followed by 4% raises for each of the following five years. That still works out to a total of 52%, or nearly 61% over the six years when compounding of the annual raises is taken into account. Bottom line: The governor’s pay would be $304,301 in 2031. That’s actually a year after Green would be termed out of office if he’s reelected in 2026. The commission is charged with recommending pay increases for the next six years for the governor, the lieutenant governor, state department heads and deputies, Hawai’i judges, and the Legislature. Commission members plan to vote on the package of pay raises at their next meeting on Monday. The raises will automatically take effect unless the state House and Senate both vote to reject them in an all-or-nothing deal. The sun is shining brightly so far: Last week was the Legislature’s first full week of committee hearings and The Blog could hardly keep up with all the sunshine bills that went whizzing through, thanks to the snappy pace set by The Sunshine Boys. That’s the title our cartoonist Will Caron recently gave to Judiciary chairs Sen. Karl Rhoads and Rep. David Tarnas. The Blog would add Senate Government Operations chair Angus McKelvey to that crew; he’s pulled quite a few accountability bills to his hearing calendar, too. It’s early yet and of course conference committee is where everything will die, but many of the key reform measures are getting some actual love from lawmakers: more restrictions on contractor and grantee political donations, more money for partial public financing of campaigns, more requirements for lobbyists’ disclosure. Bill packages requested by the state Ethics Commission, Elections Commission and Campaign Spending Commission — including prohibiting contributions to state elected officials while they’re in session and funding for more investigators — are being heard and largely approved, at least by one chamber or the other. Even a couple of constitutional amendments that would ultimately need to go to the ballot for approval by voters are getting a legislative thumb’s up (so far): increasing the mandatory retirement age for judges to 75, fixing an issue with blank votes and overvotes in Hawaiʻi’s elections, and an end run around Citizens United by declaring that in Hawaiʻi free speech shouldn’t necessarily mean huge campaign contributions. Coming up this week, lawmakers are scheduled to take up more bills related to the public financing of campaigns and a serious effort by Rep. Tarnas to curb one aspect of pay-to-play politics by better tracking contractors and grantees who are getting state funding and restricting the money they have been funneling to elected officials. (That’s at 2 p.m. Wednesday in House Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs.) Lawmakers also seem interested in changing the law regarding asset forfeiture to make sure authorities only seize property in criminal cases where someone has been actually convicted, and convicted of a felony. Bills making it clear that the public has the right to record law enforcement officers also are moving forward. The House Republican caucus’s Stand Your Ground proposal has yet to be scheduled for a hearing. Bipartisan proposals to ban or restrict cell phone use in schools seem to be going nowhere. The same for bills that would require more voter centers, especially on Oʻahu, to help alleviate long lines for voters who choose to vote in person on Election Day. The Blog could go on and on about some of the other interesting proposals we’re tracking here. But the Legislature’s website is pretty easy to navigate for bills and hearings and it also has easy links to live video streams or recorded hearings. We’ll do our best to keep you updated on the issues we’re following. There’s about a month to go til crossover, when bills must be approved in at least one chamber and they cross over to the other one. Session stretch: A couple of the bills getting some attention this year entertain the notion of putting lawmakers to work year-round — not necessarily every day but spreading the legislative session throughout the year to give policymakers more time to do their jobs in an increasingly complex world. Count Senate Judiciary chair Karl Rhoads as a loyal skeptic on this one. He’s giving some air to Senate President Ron Kouchi’s version of a proposal by House Speaker Nadine Nakamura to create a task force to study how the session could be extended over 12 months (now it’s 60 session days spread over about four months). Senate Bill 1514 gets a hearing Friday at 9:25 a.m. before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Nakamura’s House Bill 1425 is set to go Wednesday at 2 p.m. before the House Legislative Management Committee. “It’s not clear to me that there’s any stomach for extending the session either in the building or amongst voters,” Rhoads told The Blog on Monday. Rhoads made quick work of another proposal for a 12-month Legislature on Friday when he unilaterally deferred Senate Bill 733, which sought to put the question directly to the voters via a constitutional amendment. His Judiciary Committee colleague, Sen. Stanley Chang, was the lead sponsor on that one, along with a few other senators. Chang has frequently pushed for an extended legislative session, and has called the current setup “four months of chaos.” Of course being in charge comes with some privileges. Referring to the Nakamura/Kouchi push for a task force to study the issue, Rhoads said, “since it’s a leadership bill, I think that’s the one that will move if any do.” Gordon Ito out at DCCA: Rumors have been swirling for some time that former House Speaker Scott Saiki is favored by Gov. Josh Green to be Hawaiʻi’s insurance commissioner. In fact, Saiki now has a job at the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Insurance Division, but not the top spot. Yet. On Monday, the agency announced that Gordon Ito is retiring from the insurance division after 31 years including 10 total as commissioner. Jerry Bump, who joined the division in 2008, has been named acting director. Standing up to Trump and Musk: Meanwhile, 5,000 miles away across the continent — and the ocean — Hawaiʻi’s senior senator vowed to place a “blanket hold” on all of Trump’s nominees to the U.S. State Department until the attempt to shutter the U.S. Agency for International Development is reversed. Just last week Sen. Brian Schatz was named ranking member on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs. And today … there he was on the steps of the agency with a handful of other Democratic senators and reps promising to put up a fight to keep the Trump administration from dismantling a vital lifeline from the U.S. to other countries. “Dismantling USAID is illegal and makes us less safe,” Schatz said. “USAID was created by federal law and is funded by Congress. Donald Trump and Elon Musk can’t just wish it away with a stroke of a pen — they need to pass a law.” Schatz called the Trump-Musk move “brazenly authoritarian” and “a self-inflicted chaos of epic proportions that will have dangerous consequences all around the world.” Over the weekend, staffers from the new Department of Government Efficiency took possession of classified information held by the agency and then refused to allow employees in the building on Monday, The Wall Street Journal reported. A single senator can hold up nominations under the Senate rules. Senate bill passes to waive SMA permits for rebuilding in historic Lahaina town Original Article Maui Now Brian Perry Feb 4, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Lorraine R. Inouye Senator Angus L.K. McKelvey Senator Troy N. Hashimoto A bill to help with rebuilding historic Lahaina town advanced Monday afternoon out of the Senate Water and Land Committee, chaired by Sen. Lorraine Inouye of Hilo, Hawaiʻi Island. Senate Bill 1296 would not require special management area permits for structures in Lahaina town if they were destroyed in the deadly Aug. 8, 2023, wildfire disaster and if planned reconstruction stays within the footprint of the structure as it stood before it was consumed by flames. Sne Patel, president of the LahainaTown Action Committee, said the bill is essential for Lahaina’s rebuilding. “The Maui wildfires devastated Lahaina, displacing families, shuttering businesses and halting our local economy,” he said in written testimony . “Without streamlining the permitting process, rebuilding efforts will face unnecessary delays, leaving our community in limbo. While this bill is a step forward, we urge lawmakers to increase the SMA minor permit threshold to $1 million rather than $750,000. With construction costs exceeding $1,000 per square foot, compounded by inflation, labor shortages, and increased tariffs on steel and lumber, a higher threshold is critical to prevent further permitting roadblocks.” The committee advanced the legislation , introduced by West and South Maui Sen. Angus McKelvey , by removing its Part 2 on Page 9 as that section was considered redundant and unnecessary for the bill overall. The committee meeting on the bill and others can be seen on YouTube here . Senate Bill 830 , drafted by Central Maui Sen. Troy Hashimoto , and its companion measure, House Bill 1181 , introduced by Central Maui Rep. Tyson Miyake , would narrow the scope of the definition of the term “development” in coastal zone management law by excluding reconstruction of structures impacted by disasters. No hearings have been scheduled yet on those measures, however. McKelvey’s Senate bill would not exempt properties directly on the shoreline. The bill also increases the valuation threshold of development subject to a special management area permit from $500,000 to $750,000 when it’s located within the area covered by a federal disaster declaration on Aug. 8, 2023. In written public testimony submitted to the committee, Mayor Richard Bissen and Maui County Department of Planning Director Kate Blystone supported the bill. They said it would not only expedite construction for non-shoreline structures, but also increase the SMA minor permit threshold to $750,000 for federal disaster areas, which is appropriate “given high construction costs witnessed after the August Lahaina wildfire. This steep cost increase can be assumed for future disaster events.” Wailuku attorney Jeffrey Ueoka testified in favor of the Senate bill, saying that “while there will be many more challenges and hurdles to overcome while rebuilding, SB1296 provides some desperately needed relief from a very complicated regulatory process.” Ueoka is a land-use attorney assisting with Front Street Recovery, a coalition of business owners dedicated to rebuilding and revitalizing Front Street. Testifying on behalf of the LahainaTown Action Committee and the Front Street Recovery Organization, Haloa Dudoit said: “This bill is critical to helping our community rebuild from the Lahaina wildfires. Property owners within the SMA face not only devastating loss but also an overwhelming, complex rebuild process that threatens their ability to restore their homes, businesses and livelihoods; all essential to Lahaina’s recovery.” Dudoit added that nearly a year and a half has passed since the wildfires, “yet progress is slow, with little beyond debris removal. With a sunset date of August 8, 2028, this bill provides a clear and necessary pathway for rebuilding before it is too late.” The bill acknowledges the necessity, under the Coastal Zone Management law, to control development near shorelines to avoid permanent losses of valuable resources and the foreclosure of management options. The law also has safeguard to ensure adequate public access to publicly owned beaches, recreation areas and natural reserves. Rebuilding efforts in Lahaina will face significant challenges from rapidly rising construction costs, which are expected to escalate in light of the massive Los Angeles wildfires. The bill says SMA valuation thresholds were established in 2014 and are outdated because of significant increases in construction costs. In Maui County, the Department of Planning administers the Coastal Zone Management law, and the Maui, Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi planning commissions are the decision-making authorities for SMA permits. An SMA permit is the first permit required for developments within designated coastal areas. No agency is authorized to issue other development permits within SMA areas unless approval is first received within SMA procedures provided in state law. Bill would ban immigration detention centers on state land Original Article Star Advertiser Dan Nakaso Feb 4, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Henry Aquino Immigration detention centers would be banned on state and county lands, and other bills in the Legislature also would ensure due process for any detainees. The bills have drawn both condemnation and support as Senate and House members consider public testimony. The bills are moving through the state Legislature as federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents continue to enforce President Donald Trump’s promise to sweep up illegal immigrants, many of whom have committed no violent offenses, and deport them. During his presidential campaign, Trump repeatedly said unspecified numbers of illegal immigrants had committed murders and were members of violent drug cartels. Trump also has threatened to eliminate “birthright citizenship” for American-born children of immigrants, a right that’s enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. Gov. Josh Green has repeatedly told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that he will not deploy Hawaii National Guard troops to the mainland to assist in rounding up illegal immigrants, especially if it means separating them from their families. House Bill 73 would prohibit the state Department of Land and Natural Resources and Board of Land and Natural Resources from allowing state land to be used for immigration detention facilities while also forbidding state and county agencies from “contracting with the federal government or processing any permit for this purpose.” HB 73 unanimously passed out of the House Committee on Economic Development and Technology. HB 438 and its Senate companion bill, Senate Bill 816, would create a “Due Process in Immigration Proceedings Program in the state Judiciary to provide legal representation to individuals in immigration-related proceedings in immigration court.” HB 457 also would require state and local law enforcement agencies “to notify an individual of their rights when in law enforcement agency custody before any interview with United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement on certain matters regarding immigration violations.” HB 22 would limit state and county law enforcement agencies’ ability to collaborate with the federal government for immigration purposes. The bill received support from, among others, the office of the Kauai County Prosecuting Attorney, which wrote, “As the smallest of the State’s County law enforcement team, our Office does not have the resources to spare to enforce civil immigration detainers. In addition, we share concerns about due process violations in enforcement of these orders.” House Bill 73, which would prohibit detention centers on state and county land, has been opposed by individuals and a group called Hawaii Island Republican Women. The bill has been referred to the House Economic Development and Technology, Water and Land, and Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs committees. No hearings have been scheduled yet on HB 73. Support for the ban on immigration detention facilities has come from individuals, organizations and agencies such as the state Office of Public Defender; immigration and civil rights groups; Catholic Charities Hawaii; Honolulu Council member Matt Weyer, who represents the North Shore and parts of Central Oahu; Hawaii County Council member Jennifer Kagiwada; and unions like Hawaii’s largest — the Government Employees Association — and Unite Here Local 5 that represents thousands of employees of Filipino descent working in Hawaii’s hotel, food service and health care industries. “Many of our union members are immigrants or children of immigrants, they are the working-class families, friends and neighbors that make up the fabric of our Hawaii communities,” the union wrote in testimony supporting the House bills. “We support HB22 as it clarifies how Hawaii will treat non-judicial warrants. … (There) are legitimate concerns about the constitutionality of civil immigration detainers, as opposed to criminal warrants issued by a judge with probable cause.” But Jamie Detwiler, president of Hawaiian Island Republican Women, wrote in opposition to banning detention centers on state and county land: “If the Federal government provides funding to build Federal detention facilities and procures the land lawfully, a federal detention center should be built. We need to support the efforts of our President Trump and his administration in their pursuit of making America safe again.” Andrew Crossland wrote in his testimony in opposition, “I STRONGLY OPPOSE any Bill in which the State would attempt to defy the deportation efforts of the federal government to enforce our immigration laws. We need to take care of legal citizens and residents in Hawaii first, not illegal aliens who are criminals by definition.” In her testimony, Sharee Orr wrote, “Illegal aliens are illegal. They did not follow immigration process therefore should not be afforded any help by the state to keep them from being returned to where they came. They eventually become burden to the taxpayer.” Noela von Wiegandt opposed HB 73 in her written testimony because “we don’t have enough housing to house the legal citizens who live here and to house our Veterans and homeless. I do not want my tax dollars spent on any facilities to house illegals on our public land. Just deport them and they can apply the legal way to live in the United States.” State Sen. Henry Aquino (D, Pearl City-Waipahu-West Loch) chairs the Senate Labor and Technology Committee and helped introduced SB 816, which would create the “Due Process in Immigration Proceedings Program.” Aquino wrote in a text to the Honolulu Star- Advertiser that he introduced it “in response to growing concerns from the immigration community and civil rights groups specifically.” “Currently there’s very few resources that help folks navigate the complex legal processes surrounding immigration-related actions,” Aquino said. Tuia‘ana Scanlan — president of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 665 union, which represents entertainment workers — cited the internment of 120,000 Japanese Americans and the first generation of Japanese immigrants following the Japanese navy’s attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. In the anti-Japanese hysteria that followed, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, one of America’s most progressive Democratic presidents, issued an executive order requiring the U.S. military to round up and force both Japanese- and U.S.-born Japanese Americans into internment camps across the U.S. West, including a much smaller one on Oahu called Honouliuli. Congress eventually apologized and paid surviving internees $20,000 each, for a total of $1.6 billion. Honouliuli has since been designated a National Historic Site. “If history teaches us anything, it is that racially motivated support for the construction of detention centers is wrong,” Scanlan wrote in support of HB 73. “We need only remind ourselves of the Japanese internment camps. … It is a slippery slope to allow for the creation of internment camps. It is a deplorable mechanism used to rob contributing members of society of their possessions and their dignity.” Officials urge action on speeding problem Original Article Star Advertiser Victoria Budiono Feb 3, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Brandon J.C. Elefante State lawmakers are pushing for stricter penalties on speeding, which has contributed to nearly half of all highway deaths and accounted for 236 fatalities over the past five years, according to the state Department of Transportation. In 2023 alone, speeding played a role in about 60% of fatal traffic crashes. During a town hall meeting Tuesday at Prince David Kawananakoa Middle School, residents of District 27 — Pacific Heights, Nuuanu and Liliha — voiced concerns about speeding on Pali Highway and in residential areas. State Rep. Jenna Takenouchi, who represents the district, invited the Honolulu Police Department to weigh in. HPD officials noted that while the department frequently receives complaints about speeding in the area, about 95% of drivers caught speeding are residents of the neighborhood. Honolulu police officials said residents who want stricter enforcement of speeding laws must be prepared for the consequences. They noted that while many call for more action, some later complain when they receive citations themselves. Officers emphasized that speeding is speeding, no matter how little a driver exceeds the limit. Takenouchi expressed strong support for legislation this year aimed at imposing stricter penalties for speeding, which threatens public safety and contributes to excessive noise for residents. House Bill 54, along with its companion Senate Bill 97, seeks to increase penalties for excessive speeding, elevating the charge to a Class C felony for a third or subsequent offense. The bills also give the court authority to order the forfeiture of the vehicle involved in the offense as part of the sentencing. SB 97 was introduced by state Sen. Brandon Elefante (D, Aiea-Pacific Palisades-Pearl City), who also chairs the Senate Public Safety Committee. Elefante said he “constantly receives calls on excessive speeding” and has urged law enforcement to take action by citing and arresting those who violate speed limits. He said that while law enforcement has been active in addressing the issue, speeding in his district persists, particularly from Friday to Sunday, between 11 p.m. and 2 a.m. The bill proposes that drivers exceeding the speed limit by 30 mph or more, or driving over 80 mph regardless of the limit, would face fines, license suspension, driver retraining and surcharges. For a first offense, penalties include a fine between $500 and $1,000, a 30-day license suspension and either community service or up to five days of imprisonment. Subsequent offenses within five years would result in higher fines, longer suspensions and more community service or imprisonment. Three-time offenders within five years could face a Class C felony, license revocation and vehicle forfeiture. Under current law, excessive speeding is classified as a misdemeanor if a driver exceeds the speed limit by 30 mph or more, often considered a petty misdemeanor. Most speeding violations, however, are treated as civil infractions and do not carry misdemeanor charges. “This is constant. This goes on almost every weekend,” Elefante said. “We have constituents who call 911, we have HPD that goes out and conducts their investigation and enforcement. It’s speeding, it’s noise but it’s also a danger to the community and those who need to use our roadways to get to their destination safely.” Elefante shared that over the last weekend in January, HPD informed his office of two arrests for racing on the freeways of Pearl City and Aiea. Furthermore, between Jan. 14 and 17, additional enforcement actions led to more arrests and citations related to racing and excessive speeding. “There were four arrests, two for excessive speaking and reckless driving without a license,” he said. “Four citations and two reckless driving without a license, excessive speeding.” HPD reported a slight increase in speeding violations over the past two years, with 25,700 offenses recorded in 2023 and 27,252 in 2024. As of Jan. 29, HPD has already documented 1,503 violations for the year. Standard speeding continues to be the most common offense, with 21,172 citations issued in 2023, rising slightly to 21,251 in 2024. Excessive speeding saw a significant increase, with more than 5,000 citations given out in 2024, while reckless-driving violations rose to 602. Racing offenses decreased to 247 in 2024 from 341 in 2023. The year-to-date statistics as of Jan. 29 showed that HPD issued over 180 citations for reckless driving and eight for racing, excessive-speeding citations are close to 200 and standard speeding violations already surpassed 1,000. The city Department of Transportation Services receives about 2,000 complaints annually from across Oahu, with roughly half related to speeding concerns, officials said. As a first step, the city asks HPD to increase speed enforcement in problem areas. If that does not resolve the issue, speed trailers — portable radar devices that display drivers’ speeds — are temporarily deployed as a short-term deterrent, though they can remain in place for only a few weeks. For persistent speeding problems, midterm solutions are implemented, including road striping to create additional shoulder or parking lanes, which visually narrow the roadway to encourage slower driving. Additional signage and solar-powered flashing pedestrian beacons near schools also may be installed to improve safety. Long-term measures require funding and construction, such as installing speed humps, median and curb modifications and roundabouts, which are larger infrastructure projects that often involve contractors and take more time to complete. State Transportation Director Ed Sniffen said the state has installed 258 speed humps, which he credits with reducing overall crashes by one-third and major crashes by two-thirds. Since 2019, Sniffen said, a location that previously saw 25 fatalities now has only one following the installation of a speed hump. Sniffen said about 100 people die on Hawaii’s freeways annually, with speeding as a leading factor and excessive speeding accounting for 30% of those fatalities. Both city and state officials are exploring ways to address the speeding problem in Hawaii. However, they urge residents and community members to take action by adhering to posted speed limit signs, as outlined in each county’s ordinance. Hawaiʻi Lawmakers At Work Year Round? That's Becoming A Real Possibility Original Article Honolulu Civil Beat Richard Wiens Feb 2, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Ronald Kouchi It was a typical scene at the Capitol: two Kauaʻi legislators getting together to discuss common interests and how they could support each other and the folks back home. The sort of thing that happens at the start of every session. But this was also a high-level meeting between longtime Senate President Ron Kouchi and brand-new House Speaker Nadine Nakamura, and the latter had a special request. “She innocently in her folder slid over a bill,” Kouchi recollected with a smile the next day. It was a proposal that could significantly change how the Legislature operates, and Nakamura wanted Kouchi to join the cause by introducing the same measure in the Senate. “I don’t know if you’d sign it,” Kouchi recalled her asking, “but I said, ‘For you Speaker, I’d be happy to sign it on our side and we’ll see what happens.’” And just like that, the often-proposed but seldom seriously considered concept of converting the Legislature to a year-round enterprise took on new life. “I’m glad you signed that bill,” Nakamura said to Kouchi as the top two legislative leaders headlined Civil Beat’s Civil Cafe at the Capitol on Jan. 22. Then she made her pitch. “All of the county councils in the state are year-round,” Nakamura said. “They have a fraction of the state’s budget and they meet year-round because the work of the counties — and here at the state — is year-round. Emergencies happen year-round.” “We currently have a 60-day session from the middle of January to the first week of May and we have these self-imposed deadlines that require us to not hear a lot of bills,” she said. “It requires us to write very complex bills in a very short period of time. We do not get the time to really work it as we would on the council side.” She noted that she and Kouchi are both former Kaua‘i County Council members. “I really appreciate that process and I think we should move toward that.” Why It Could Actually Happen Nakamura’s House Bill 1425 calls for the creation of a task force to study the logistics and ramifications of a 12-month Legislature. Don’t roll your eyes. This would not likely be one of those longstanding committees that eventually issues a report to be put up on a shelf and forgotten. In addition to the speaker’s sincere interest in the issue, the panel would be required to submit its findings to the Legislature at least 20 days before the start of the 2026 session. More importantly, something occurred just five days after the Civil Cafe that likely removes a big obstacle to a year-round session: State Salary Commission members revealed they were considering bumping up legislators’ pay by 40%. If that happened, there would be no further debate about whether the job is full-time. And If legislators are full-time, why should the session be so short? “It would be good to pay legislators more so we don’t have to have that second job,” Nakamura said at the Civil Cafe. Better pay and no outside employment would reduce conflicts of interest and could also lead to a more diverse group of legislative candidates, the speaker said. “We are excluding caregivers, women especially, who want to come out and do this type of work, from entering state legislative offices,” she said. Lawmaker salaries aside, there would certainly be other costs associated with the move to a 12-month Legislature, such as additional staff resources and travel. “I know it is a big change,” Nakamura said. “The study group would really take a look at what are the different issues, what are the costs.” The current 60 days for floor sessions might still be sufficient — they would simply be spread out over 12 months, she said. Meanwhile, bill-writing and committee hearings could proceed at a less frenzied pace. Nakamura’s bill gets its first hearing Wednesday at 2 p.m. before the Legislative Management Committee. In addition to her bill and Kouchi’s companion measure, Senate Bill 1514 , there are two other bills this session proposing the conversion to a 12-month Legislature. The companion measures would put the question directly to voters via a proposed constitutional amendment. One of them, Senate Bill 733 , was heard Friday by the Senate Judiciary Committee. It was deferred, meaning it probably won’t proceed this session. The other, House Bill 770 , does not yet have a committee hearing scheduled. The Legislature is also waiting on a more modest study of the 12-month option that’s being put together by the Legislative Reference Bureau as the result of a Joint House Resolution approved last session. The LRB was asked to study the pros and cons of a continuous legislative session, what the calendar might look, and the salary needs for full-time legislators and staff. What’s Really On The Table Here Legislative leaders conduct much of the people’s business behind closed doors and wield near-dictatorial powers in open committee meetings and especially during the private negotiations that dominate each session’s final days. They often point to the current tight deadlines (one sponsor of SB 733 has called it “four months of chaos”) to justify secrecy for the sake of expediency. Each election season, legislative candidates are asked in their Civil Beat Q&As if they would support applying the Sunshine Law to the Legislature to stop most of those secret meetings at the Capitol. Many say they would — if the sessions weren’t so darned short. Perhaps the time really has come to take more time. Legislators long ago exempted themselves from the open meeting laws that apply to other government bodies. But a year-round Legislature could not only better oversee the work of 20 state departments and agencies and a $20 billion budget, it could do so in the light of day. If the speaker of the House and the president of the Senate are open to operating more like the county councils on a 12-month schedule, shouldn’t they be willing to conduct their business out in the open just as the councils are required to do? Senate Judiciary Chair Karl Rhoads said as much when he amended a year-round Legislature proposal two years ago to apply the Sunshine Law to state lawmakers. At the time, he noted that Hawaii had almost twice the population it had back in 1968 when the current legislative procedures were enshrined in Article III of the State Constitution . Getting legislators to abide by the Sunshine Law won’t be an easy sell. But if they convert to a 12-month session, they would have plenty of time to do the right thing and allow the public to observe their deliberations, not just their committee hearings. Some will say the Capitol just wouldn’t be the same without the old-fashioned horse-trading that goes on in private. Not the same, but perhaps better. What about the idea that what happens at party caucus meetings stays at party caucus meetings? Again, it wouldn’t be the same if their constituents were watching, but it might be better. Longer Sessions Already Possible Even now, legislative leaders aren’t quite as rushed as they often say they are. The State Constitution spells out when each session begins — the third Wednesday in January — but not when it ends. Those 60 days of floor sessions could already be spread out over a lot more of the calendar instead of ending in early May. And committee hearings could continue in the intervals. If they feel like they have unfinished business — and every session ends with that feeling — legislators can also extend a regular session for an additional 15 days or call themselves into special session for up to 30 days. Either of those options requires the approval of two-thirds of the House and Senate. Still, a cleaner way to convert to a 12-month session would be through voter approval of a constitutional amendment. That’s because the constitution’s current timing requirements for the governor to sign or veto bills is tied to when the Legislature adjourns its regular session. This session’s bills for a full-time Legislature, for instance, would give the governor 90 days to sign or veto measures, with no reference to the date of adjournment. It’s becoming plausible to imagine a future in which better-paid legislators hold no outside employment and are unconstricted by artificial deadlines. However it unfolds, a longer session holds promise for a more effective Legislature Change is coming. Newer lawmakers are raising more questions about the top-down nature of things at the Capitol. The recent hour-long discussion on the House floor of its rules of operation was refreshing evidence of the shift, because those rules traditionally are imposed with no dialogue at the start of each session (as they still are in the Senate). It’s becoming plausible to imagine a near-term future in which better-paid legislators hold no outside employment and are unconstricted by artificial deadlines. Their only jobs would be addressing the many challenges facing Hawaii, which should be full-time work indeed. Senate Judiciary Committee passes wealth asset tax bill for assets above $20M Original Article Maui Now N/A Feb 1, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Karl Rhoads The Hawaiʻi State Senate Committee on Judiciary passed Senate Bill 313 in a hearing Thursday morning, which would implement a wealth asset tax for assets valued over $20 million. “SB 313 is a significant step towards creating a fairer, more equitable economy,” said Judiciary Committee Chair Karl Rhoads, who introduced the bill. “This legislation pushes for those with the greatest resources to contribute their fair share to the prosperity of our state. By moving this bill forward, we are tackling inequality head-on and working to build an economy that benefits all, especially those who have been left behind for far too long.” If the bill becomes law, individuals with assets worth more than $20 million would pay a state tax on the value of their assets above that amount. For example, if someone has $25 million in assets, they would pay the tax on the $5 million that exceeds the $20 million threshold. The tax rate would be 1%. The Committee adopted Chair Rhoads’ recommendation to assess the tax every three years. SB 313 would include assets like real estate, stocks, bonds, cash, art and collectibles, in the calculation. Those subject to the wealth asset tax would report their assets to the Department of Taxation and pay the tax at the same time they file their regular state income taxes. If passed, the bill as amended would be applied to taxes due after Dec. 31, 2029. Sen. Rhoads has introduced similar legislation in the past – SB 925 in 2023, and SB 2389 in 2022. Massachusetts has already implemented a similar state wealth tax, with the money collected aimed at funding transportation and education programs, and other states are considering similar legislation. Hawaii bans ticket scalping after Bruno Mars Fan uproar Original Article Hypebot Chris Castle Jan 31, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Lorraine Inouye Senator Chris Lee Senator Joy A. San Buenaventura Bruno Mars fans have been hit hard by ticket scalpers, with resale prices soaring to thousands of dollars. Now the state of Hawaii bans ticket scalping via new legislation that bans re-sale markups, stop bots and protect consumers. Bruno Mars is a huge star everywhere but has exceptionally loyal fans in Hawaii. Unfortunately, this means he is a top target for bots and ticket resellers. At a 2018 concert at Honolulu Stadium, second row seats priced at $125 face were reportedly resold for $6,972 . As usual, the artist had nothing to do with these resellers and the artist did not make the reseller’s margin. If that’s not a market failure , I don’t know what is. That margin was driven by bots that are as close to resellers as one is to two and have been the subject of a lot of attention by lawmakers at the federal level and increasingly in the states. Bots have been illegal under federal law since 2016, but federal law enforcement authorities have done little to enforce that law to the great frustration of Senators Marsha Blackburn and Richard Blumenthal who sponsored the legislation. This leaves enforcement to states and Hawaii is no exception. Hawaii state senators Chris Lee (D)*, Karl Rhoads (D)*, Joy San Buenaventura (D)*, and Lorraine Inouye (D), have introduced legislation under Hawaii’s consumer protection authority that would limit resale prices to the face price of any ticket . The bill language states: "The legislature finds that popular events held in the State attract secondary market profiteers, commonly known as scalpers. Scalpers often utilize computer software to navigate a ticket-selling platform and its security measures in a fraction of the time as a human being to purchase multiple tickets and conduct multiple transactions simultaneously. For example, in 2018, thousands of tickets for a concert held in the State by recording artist Bruno Mars ended up on third party websites at inflated prices. Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to eliminate the impact of scalpers on Hawaii residents by prohibiting tickets to be sold at a higher price than the original price charged by the primary venue ticket provider." See how easy that was? Does it make me uneasy to have government setting prices? It does, but it’s about the only way I can see in the current environment to stop resellers like StubHub from blatantly ripping off fans by leveraging their confederates in the vast bot ecosystem . If the federal government is not going to prosecute these people under existing laws, then don’t be surprised if the states pass their own consumer protection legislation with a host of penalties. The Hawaii legislation is scheduled for a January 30 hearing before Hawaii’s Senate Transportation and Culture and the Arts Committee. Fingers crossed it gets voted out of the committee. We should not be surprised. It’s gotten so bad, fans are not going to tolerate bot scalping and under well-trodden principles of subsidiarity, it’s only appropriate for states to take charge. To coin a phrase, “don’t believe me just watch.” Mokulele Not in the Clear Yet Original Article The Molokai Dispatch Jack Kiyonaga Jan 31, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Lynn DeCoite While Mokulele has resumed commercial flights to Molokai, residents are still dealing with prolonged delays, flight cancellations and a frustrating lack of communication from the airline. In a recent interview with KHON news, Ed Sniffen from the Hawaii Dept. of Transportation explained that Mokulele is only at about 50 percent flight capacity right now and that it will take approximately six weeks before Mokulele flights are back to normal. Currently, Molokai community members and representatives are heading efforts to try to bring better flight service to the island. Molokai’s Tylor Tanaka is helping lead this process by collecting hard data on flight delays and cancellations experienced by residents. “We’re gathering tangible data that we can use to plead our case not just at the county level, but at the federal level as well,” explained Tanaka. Tanaka is circulating a survey intended for anyone who has been affected by Mokulele’s flight service since Jan. 15. He is asking for specific dates, costs, reason for travel as well as what additional routes and travel options people had to find. Tanaka plans on presenting the data to Molokai representatives like U.S. Senators Brian Schatz and Mazie Hirono, U.S. Representatives Ed Case and Jill Tokuda, and Hawaii State Senator Lynn DeCoite and Hawaii State Representative Mahina Poepoe. “We want to be able to say ‘hey look at this, look at what is happening here,” said Tanaka. “We want to show them also that we are resilient, and we find solutions on our own, but of course we could use their help.” Tokuda has been engaging in conversations with the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), specifically looking at leveraging Mokulele’s Essential Air Service (EAS) contracts. “I have been in conversation with multiple federal agencies about any and all remedies we have to prevent these lapses in service and explore alternative options to keep our neighbor island communities connected,” said Tokuda. “In conversations with the USDOT, I have asked them to consider a delay of award or shorten their upcoming EAS contracts for Kalaupapa and Kamuela in order to give them the most flexibility and options in selecting a carrier. I also requested that they consider going out earlier to solicit new contracts for existing EAS routes if carriers have not been able to live up to the terms of their agreements. At my request, USDOT included reporting requirements in their most recent EAS contract for Lanai in order for there to be accountability on the consistency and reliability of their routes,” explained Tokuda. “We will continue to work with USDOT on requiring contingency plans to prevent lapses in services as a part of future EAS contracts. This is a complicated and challenging issue that will require collaboration between state, federal, and private stakeholders, but our residents deserve nothing less than the ability to get safely to and from their island home.” One potential competitor for Mokulele could be Pacific Air Charters, which filed to begin commercial flights to Molokai back in June 2024, according to Sniffen. However, flights from Pacific Air Charters won’t be operational for at least one to two years while they complete FAA certification requirements. Find Tanaka’s survey at forms.gle/yDQ2Hpw9Adma1WW79. The deadline for the survey is Jan. 28. Hawaiʻi Constitution amendment proposed as protest of unlimited campaign spending Original Article Kauaʻi Now Brian Perry Jan 31, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Karl Rhoads Senator Angus McKelvey Senator Stanley Chang Senator Carol Fukunaga Senator Michelle Kidani Senator Sharon Moriwaki Senator Mike Gabbard Senator Lorraine Inouye Senator Joy San Buenaventura Senator Herbert "Tim" Richards III A proposed Hawaiʻi Constitution amendment that would be at odds with the controversial 2010 Citizens United Supreme Court decision that took the brakes off campaign spending limits has passed unanimously out of the Hawaiʻi Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday. Senate Bill 311 would advance a proposed amendment to the Hawaiʻi State Constitution to provide that its freedom of speech protection does not include the expenditure of money to influence elections. In a legislative finding, the bill says that the US Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission reversed long-standing campaign finance restrictions and designated corporate spending on elections as free speech protected under the First Amendment of the US Constitution. “The decision removed any limits on the amount of money that corporations, special interest groups, and political action committees (PACs) could spend on an election,” the bill says. “The legislature further finds that the decision in Citizens United is a serious threat to our democracy.” “Corporations enjoy various advantages, including limited liability, perpetual life and favorable treatment in the accumulation and distribution of assets, which allow them to amass and spend an extraordinary amount of money on political messages that often have far greater reach and influence than messages from individuals,” the bill says. The measure notes that there has been a “massive increase in political spending by corporations, special interest groups, and PACs, dramatically expanding their already outsized political influence on election outcomes and policy decisions.” The bill maintains that the people of each state have the power to amend their state constitutions, and “the Legislature believes it is critical that the state express its disapproval of the Citizens United decision.” According to the bill, at least 20 states, including Hawaiʻi in 2016, have taken legislative action to urge Congress to pass a constitutional amendment to overturn the decision. However, “Congress has failed to take any action and appears unlikely to do so.” The bill was introduced by Senate Judiciary Chairman Karl Rhoads of urban Honolulu. He was joined in introducing the measure by South and West Maui Sen. Angus McKelvey; Oʻahu Sens. Stanley Chang, Carol Fukunaga, Michelle Kidani, Sharon Moriwaki and Mike Gabbard (vice chair); and Hawaiʻi Island Sens. Lorraine Inouye of Hilo, Joy San Buenaventura of Puna and Herbert Richards III of North Hilo. Rhoads said the bill was amended Thursday to add language about the Buckley v. Valeo case , which also addressed political speech. The case is a landmark 1976 Supreme Court decision that, among other things, upheld the limitations of contributions to candidates for federal office. Senate Bill 311 is symbolic, Rhoads said, “in the sense it likely won’t have any immediate effect on campaign spending.” “It would be an important statement of what Hawaiʻi residents believe the role of money in politics should be and it is no more symbolic than all the anti-choice states leaving their anti-abortion statutes on the books even after the Supreme Court ruled that a woman’s right to choose was constitutional in the Roe decision. Playing the long game,” he said. Written public testimony submitted on the bill was mostly in support of its passage. Michael EKM Olderr said: “Citizens United’s damage to our country and our state cannot be understated. Time and time again, that ruling has undermined policy-making and real change in this country. It shifted the focus of elected officials from their constituents to special interests, which has led to the Oligarchs who now whisper in our president’s ears. It has eliminated trust in our democracy and the value of our institution and created an air of legal bribery.” Olderr suggested amendments to the bill; for example, tweaking the words “to influence elections” to make them less broad. Victor Ramos opposed the bill, saying that the US Supreme Court has already ruled, and “therefore, any justification to propose a change (amend) to our State of Hawaii Constitution must be more than just a ceremonial gesture.” Andrew Crossland also opposed the bill, saying it would curtail free speech protected by the US Constitution. Stephen Munkelt supported the measure. He said that while it could not have any immediate effect on federal elections, “it may well play a role in state political contests and return some measure of power to the people.” Honolulu resident Josh Frost said the Citizens United decision “can arguably be pointed to as the beginning of an accelerated unravelling of basic democratic principles and systems in our country. “We are becoming an oligarchy. A terrifying drift that has been accelerated by the Supreme Court’s ruling on Citizens United,” Frost said. “The notion that money is speech and that ‘corporations are people’ are equally offensive and maddening. Corporations don’t breathe. They don’t feel pain, don’t need sleep nor sustenance. They have no need for health care and, perhaps most importantly, corporations do not vote. Yet their ‘voice’ drowns out those of ordinary Americans who are actually people. Real people who have no money for campaign contributions or campaign advertising.” Editor’s note: This post was updated from an original version with the addition of comments from Senate Judiciary Chairman Karl Rhoads. Hawaii Lawmakers Propose Legalizing Adult-Use Cannabis Original Article Ganjapreneur Graham Abbott Jan 30, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Joy San Buenaventura New legislation introduced in Hawaii seeks to legalize adult-use cannabis and establish the Hawaii Cannabis and Hemp Office, which would oversee the state’s medical cannabis and hemp businesses alongside its future adult-use industry. Senior state lawmakers in Hawaii last week proposed legislation to legalize adult-use cannabis, regulate the plant’s production and distribution, and establish a new agency to oversee the state’s adultuse, medical cannabis, and hemp industries, Marijuana Moment (https://www.marijuanamoment.net/key-hawaii-lawmakers-filesweeping-bill-to-legalize-marijuana-and-regulate-hemp-derivedcannabinoids/) reports. House Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Chair David Tarnas (D) and Senate Health and Human Services Committee Chair Joy San Buenaventura (D) sponsored the legislation in the House and Senate, respectively. The proposal would allow adults aged 21+ to possess up to one ounce of cannabis flower and up to five grams of concentrate. The proposal would also legalize small-scale cannabis home grows, allowing adults to grow up to six plants for personal use with a maximum of 10 plants — and two pounds of homegrown cannabis — per household, the report said. The proposal would also establish the Hawaii Cannabis and Hemp Office, which would be tasked with overseeing the state’s adult-use, medical cannabis, and hemp industries. The Hawaii Senate successfully passed cannabis legalization (http://www.ganjapreneur.com/topic/legalization) reforms last year but the proposal failed to advance through the House of Representatives. Advocates believe the issue stands a better chance this year, however, partly because the new Speaker of the House, Rep. Nadine Nakamura (D), supports the reforms, the report said. Meanwhile, Hawaii Gov. Josh Green (D) — who supports legalizing adult-use cannabis in the state — recently signed (https://www.ganjapreneur.com/hawaii-gov-signs-executive-order-toprotect-caregivers-as-some-medical-cannabis-provisions-expire/) an executive order providing stopgap protections for medical cannabis caregivers after some provisions of the state’s medical cannabis program expired. Hawaii Leaders Wary After Federal Funding Pause Rescinded Original Article Spectrum Michael Tsai Jan 30, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Ronald D. Kouchi Some 48 hours after the Trump administration ordered a freeze on federal grants and loans, the U.S. Office of Management and Budget rescinded its directive on Wednesday, leaving both the administration and its dissenters here and around the country to declare victory at the same time. What You Need To Know On Monday, the U.S. Office of Management and Budget issued a memo directing all federal agencies to pause financial assistance offered under their auspices so they could be reviewed for compliance with the administration’s new initiative to purge progressive programs supportive of diversity, equity and inclusion; LGBTQ+, environmental justice and other causes that do not align with the president’s priorities News of the intended pause was quickly met with a pair of lawsuits. U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan later issued a stay in response to one of the suits just minutes before the OMB directive was to have taken effect at 5 p.m. Tuesday On Wednesday, OMB officially withdrew the directive without further explanation While the funding pause did not materialize, officials said the long-term threat to programs and services that do not meet Trump’s approval remains real On Monday, the OMB issued a memo directing all federal agencies to pause financial assistance offered under their auspices so they could be reviewed for compliance with the administration’s new initiative to purge progressive programs supportive of diversity, equity and inclusion, LGBTQ+, environmental justice and other causes that do not align with the president's priorities. A subsequent clarification noted that the pause would not affect core assistance programs, such as Social Security, Medicare or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. At a news briefing on Tuesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the pause was proof of the Trump administration being “good stewards of taxpayer dollars.” News of the intended pause was quickly met with a pair of lawsuits, one by the National Council of Nonprofits, the American Public Health Association, the Main Street Alliance and the LGBTQ+ elders advocacy group SAGE and another by a coalition of 22 state attorneys general, including Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez. U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan issued a stay in response the first suit just minutes before the OMB directive was to have taken effect at 5 p.m. Tuesday. On Wednesday, OMB officially withdrew the directive without further explanation. The administration contends that the issuance of the initial order achieved its greater purpose in making sure federal agencies were aware of their obligation to understand and adhere to hundreds of executive orders Trump issued in the first week of his return to the White House. And while many federal, state and local leaders remained chagrined at the widespread confusion wrought by the OMB directive, some viewed the action as a necessary shock to the system in line with Trump’s campaign promise to remake the federal government. “This is Donald Trump,” Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., told The Associated Press. “He throws hand grenades in the middle of the room and then cleans it up afterwards. I just think the guy’s a genius.” Democrats and others opposed to Trump’s wide-net action celebrated OMB’s cancellation of the order, which some attributed to public outcry. “Yesterday, we all woke up to chaos, uncertainty, and confusion as the Trump administration freezes federal funding,” state Rep. Adrian Tam posted on his social media accounts. “This funding is critical to infrastructure, healthcare, education, and wildfire recovery. While I’m happy that the Trump Administration backed off, I want to remind you that he wouldn’t have backed off had it not been for our community leaders raising the alarm on how this funding will hurt us. Pressure works; pushing back when we see bad policies is essential. Thank you to everyone for uniting and voicing their concerns. Today is a win for Hawaii.” Initial news of the intended freeze drew a sharp rebuke from Hawaii's political leaders and prompted state agencies, under the direction of Gov. Josh Green, to mobilize quickly to assess the potential impact and draw alternative plans for maintaining critical programs and services. In a speech on the Senate floor Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, decried the freeze and the violation of the Constitution he said it represents. “The government shutdown that Donald Trump just ordered is illegal and unconstitutional,” Schatz said. “He is not a king and we do not live in a monarchy." Schatz said the freeze would result in “real pain” for many Americans. “If you’re a disaster survivor in North Carolina or Louisiana, or California or Texas or Florida or Maui, you don’t know what happens next,” he said. “If you’re a low-income family that relies on the Women, Infants, and Children Program to get healthy meals for your kids, if you live in a remote area like Waianae or Lanai in Hawaii and you go to a community health center to fill your prescriptions or to get a checkup, this freeze on funding means you don’t get help.” U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono and U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda issued a joint statement Wednesday shortly after the order was temporarily blocked. “Eight days into his dictatorship, President Trump has mandated a federal funding freeze that will cost Hawaii hundreds of millions in federal support,” they wrote. “Even a ‘temporary’ freeze will create a lapse in funding for disaster relief efforts in Lahaina, as well as crucial programs like Medicaid, Head Start, nutrition assistance programs like SNAP, WIC, school lunch programs and many more. State Attorney General Anne Lopez, along with a coalition of 21 other attorneys general, filed suit to immediately stop enforcement of the OMB policy and preserve essential funding. “The impacts of this policy withholding federal funds have already been realized in our state," Lopez said. "Neither the president of the United States nor an acting federal budget official can unilaterally upend federal law and cause such mass uncertainty in the Hawaii and our sister states by withholding federal funds authorized by law. The Department of the Attorney General will stand up for the rule of law in this nation.” The coalition argued that jeopardizing state funds will put Americans in danger by depriving law enforcement of much-needed resources and interrupting support for U.S. Department of Justice initiatives to combat hate crimes and violence against women, stop drug interdiction, support community policing and provide services to victims of crimes. The AGs also noted that the OMB policy would halt essential disaster relief funds to places like California and North Carolina, where tens of thousands of residents are relying on FEMA grants to recover after devastating wildfires and floods. In a statement released after the District Court ruling but before the order was rescinded, Gov. Josh Green said the Trump administration’s effort to freeze federal funding “cannot stand.” “My administration is currently assessing the impact of this pause on essential state programs and services, including education, health care, social services and wildfire recovery,” Green said. “For those programs that are found to be impacted, the state of Hawaii will work to develop alternate plans to ensure that key services for local residents are continued.” Hawaii’s legislative leaders also spoke out against the freeze and expressed concern for those who rely on services and programs funded by federal grants and loans. “This latest directive from the federal level comes at a time when many communities are already facing hardships, and it threatens to disrupt the distribution of critical resources to individuals, businesses, and organizations that rely on federal financial assistance,” said Senate President Ronald Kouchi. “These programs — spanning health care, education, infrastructure, housing and more — are lifelines for our Hawaii residents as well as millions of Americans and the temporary suspension of these funds will only exacerbate challenges that are already straining our communities.” House Speaker Nadine Nakamura said legislators were closely monitoring the situation. “This freeze is deeply concerning as it could jeopardize critical services that Hawaii’s communities depend on, including education, healthcare, social services, wildfire recovery and essential federally funded programs,” she said. “Furthermore, it undermines the progress we have made in ensuring representation and support for our Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities.” And while the funding pause did not materialize, officials said the long-term threat to programs and services that do not meet Trump’s approval remains real. In a news briefing after the OMB order was rescinded, Leavitt emphasized that while the freeze will not move ahead, federal agencies are still required to comply with Trump’s mandate to review all financial assistance programs to ensure that they follow his executive orders. In that regard, the state’s hurried efforts to assess the potential impact federal grant and loan cancellations would have on its myriad programs and services may have given it a head start in preparing for cuts yet to come. Green said his administration is assessing the impact the funding pause would have on essential state programs and services, including education, health care, social services and wildfire recovery and work to develop alternate plans for keeping key services available. State Comptroller Keith Regan confirmed that the Department of Accounting and General Services has several divisions or attached agencies that would be affected should it lose federal funding. “The main impact would be to our public arts initiatives in the State Foundation of Culture and the Arts,” he said. “Indirectly, it is possible the Archives may need to halt projects funded by its federal grants and our State Procurement Office’s Surplus Property Program may be affected by the pause in funding.” State Department of Labor and Industrial Relations director Jade Butay said his department is “deeply concerned” about potential impacts to its ability to deliver essential services. “A significant portion of our operations, including workforce development, unemployment insurance, job training and workplace safety through our Occupational Safety and Health division, is supported by federal funds,” Butay said. “Any disruption to these critical programs could affect workers, employers and communities statewide. We are actively monitoring the situation and are awaiting further guidance from the U.S. Department of Labor to understand the full scope of the impacts and next steps. We remain committed to serving the people of Hawaii and ensuring the continuity of essential programs.” The Hawaii Department of Defense, which includes the Hawaii National Guard, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, Office of Veterans’ Services and Civilian Military Programs, is heavily reliant on federal funding, receiving approximately $88 million for its annual operating budget; about $350 million to administer its Hazardous Mitigation Program Grant; and nearly $25 million for its Emergency Management Program Grant. The department further anticipates approximately $56 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency reimbursement for Maui wildfire disaster response and recovery. It also receives federal grant funding for the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program to coordinate its counter-narcotics efforts with federal, state and county law enforcement agencies. “While these federal programs are being reviewed by OMB, there’s no immediate impact to operate, retain qualified personnel, and continue to protect the citizens of the state of Hawaii,” said Maj. Gen. Stephen Logan, the state adjutant general. The Hawaii State Public Library System could also be significantly impacted by the freeze. HSPLA receives about $1.5 million in Library Services and Technology Act funding that enables it to provide access to library materials, technology to connect to the internet, and online databases. “The suspension of this funding will cause our communities to face limited access to information that supports their health, business, education and ability to connect to the world,” HSPLA reported on Tuesday. “Specifically, students will not have free access to test preparation and families will not have easy access to legal forms to support their needs.” HSPLS also is a recipient and partner for two digital equity projects, one that offers basic digital literacy classes statewide and another, funded via the Federal Broadband Equity Access Development program, that supports digital literacy navigators in all public libraries. Meanwhile, the Hawaii Department of Transportation is seeking clarification regarding potential impacts on obligated formula projects and discretionary funds. Likewise, the state Department of Law Enforcement reported that it is still seeking a final determination of the impacts from its federal partners. Michael Tsai covers local and state politics for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at michael.tsai@charter.com . Senate bill would transfer Māla Wharf and Kīhei Boat Ramp to Maui County Original Article Maui Now Brian Perry Jan 29, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Angus L.K. McKelvey Senator Stanley Chang Senator Donovan Dela Cruz Senator Sharon Moriwaki Senator Lorraine Inouye Senator Brandon Elefante Dissatisfied by state Department of Land and Natural Resources’ management of small boating facilities, West and South Maui Sen. Angus McKelvey has drafted a bill to transfer maintenance and operations of Māla Wharf in Lahaina and the Kīhei Boat Ramp to Maui County. Under the bill, the County could set permit fees to generate revenue for the facilities’ upkeep. Senate Bill 750 , introduced by McKelvey and Oʻahu Sens. Stanley Chang and Kurt Fevella, includes a legislative finding that “state boating facilities on Maui are cherished and important parts of the island’s communities and are critical for fishing, recreation, commerce and transportation.” “However, the Legislature recognizes that Maui’s state boating facilities have descended into complete disarray and are under-functioning in many different aspects,” the bill says. It says repairs and maintenance at the Maui boating facilities are “incomplete” and done on an ad hoc basis. Operations of the facilities are managed through state offices on Oʻahu and communications go through “several layers of personnel.” The bill would also transfer nearby park areas to the county for maintenance. The Department of Land and Natural Resources had no comment on the bill. The measure would allow Maui County to set and collect permit fees from facility users. It also has an unspecified amount included as an appropriation to pay for the transfer. In response to a Maui Now request for comment, Maui County Council Chair Alice Lee said she does not support transferring the boating facilities to Maui County to assume their operation, administration and maintenance, particularly with an undetermined amount of funding support. Lee noted that the boating facilities are in “extremely poor condition” and “yet the bill proposes to give this liability to Maui County when we are still in the thick of recovering from the August 2023 wildfires. The recovery process has our infrastructure agencies, along with other operations, administration, and management, at full capacity – we simply do not have the manpower and financial resources to manage these facilities at this time.” “I am typically a supporter of home rule, and there may be a time in the future when this idea could be discussed thoroughly and responsibly with all relevant agencies and personnel, but now is not that time and this discussion has not occurred,” Lee said. Senate Bill 750 has passed first reading and been referred to the Ways and Means Committee, chaired by Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz and vice chaired by Sharon Moriwaki, both of Oʻahu; and the Water and Land Committee, chaired by Sen. Lorraine Inouye of Hawaiʻi Island and vice chaired by Sen. Brandon Elefante of Oʻahu. No public hearings had been scheduled as of Wednesday morning. Trump’s order to cut federal funding sends shock waves in Hawaii Original Article Star Advertiser Dan Nakaso Jan 29, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Ronald D. Kouchi President Donald Trump’s orders to cut federal funding for a wide range of programs and nonprofit organizations has set off chaos and confusion in Hawaii and around the country. All of Trump’s orders to halt federal funding for multiple programs sent Hawaii officials scrambling Tuesday to pinpoint which programs and services may be at risk. Hawaii departments and agencies rely on 2,600 different federal “accounts,” acting Gov. Sylvia Luke told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. But state officials do not know whether the list of 2,600 federal accounts used by various state agencies — including the state departments of Health and Human Services and the University of Hawaii — was complete, including how many state workers’ salaries are funded by the federal government, Luke said. She asked anyone who hears about or experiences disruptions in programs to contact their state legislator so the state can get a better picture of the situation. Luke hopes state legislators provide more funding for critical programs that rely on federal funding to continue services across Hawaii. But of the state’s $17 billion budget, Luke said half comes from special and federal dollars. “We don’t have the funds to supplant all of the federal funds that can be lost,” she said. In a statement Tuesday, state Senate President Ron Kouchi (D, Kauai-Niihau), said, “These programs — spanning healthcare, education, infrastructure, housing, and more — are lifelines for our Hawai‘i residents as well as millions of Americans, and the temporary suspension of these funds will only exacerbate challenges that are already straining our communities.” House Speaker Nadine Nakamura (D, Hanalei-Princeville-Kapaa) issued a statement saying, “This freeze is deeply concerning as it could jeopardize critical services that Hawai‘i’s communities depend on, including education, healthcare, social services, wildfire recovery, and essential federally funded programs. Furthermore, it undermines the progress we have made in ensuring representation and support for our Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities.” The Hawaii Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations said in a statement that Trump’s call for a “temporary” pause on all agency federal grants and loans “will have immediate and devastating impacts to nonprofits that receive federal funding and for our communities at large. The shock waves of this unprecedented action are reverberating throughout the country and our local communities. HANO joins in your concerns and your fears, and we believe this unilateral action taken by President Trump is unconstitutional.” Luke said that in her 10 years as House finance chair before being elected lieutenant governor in 2022, “We have never seen this type of directive out of the White House.” Even more concerning, she said, Trump’s actions are aimed, in particular, at critical issues for Hawaii, including addressing climate change, embracing diversity, culture and inclusion — and at specific communities such as immigrants like herself, various ethnicities, lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders. “They have an agenda,” she said of the Trump administration and his supporters. Luke hopes Trump’s threats to dismantle the Federal Emergency Management Agency do not jeopardize future federal funding to rebuild Maui after the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfires, which killed 102 people and all but wiped out Lahaina. And she also worries that Trump might target the Compact of Free Association, which gives residents from the Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Republic of Palau access to the full range of federal benefits available to lawful U.S. residents, including food aid from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Temporary Aid for Needy Families. The agreements were made after U.S. nuclear weapons tests killed, maimed and caused health issues for the people of their islands. On Monday the U.S. Office of Management and Budget issued a directive to federal agencies to pause “all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all federal financial assistance” starting Tuesday to conduct a review of whether government spending “aligns with Trump’s agenda,” Schatz told his Senate colleagues Tuesday. The OMB later clarified that programs would be spared from review that provide direct benefits to people who receive Medicaid, SNAP or Social Security benefits. Gov. Josh Green said in a statement that Trump’s directives have “caused a great deal of chaos, confusion and uncertainty.” “The presidential order seeks to prevent the people of Hawaii from receiving crucial services funded by the millions of dollars they pay to the federal government each year,” Green said. “This cannot stand. My administration is currently assessing the impact of this pause on essential state programs and services, including education, health care, social services, and wildfire recovery.” The immediate aftermath of Trump’s flurry of directives will equally effect Republican and Democratic states, U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz and U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda said separately Tuesday. Schatz rose on the floor of the U.S. Senate and said: “I also would like to select the federal funding, which I agree with and fund that, and select the funding that I disagree with and defund that. But I’m not a monarch and neither is Donald Trump. “We’re hearing from so many constituents across the country, and I had a bit of a time delay because it’s earlier in Hawaii, but all of my colleagues were getting incoming texts and calls and panicked people,” Schatz said. “This isn’t about some arcane government program. This is, like, basic stuff.” Schatz, Tokuda and others including the Hawaii Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations called Trump’s “temporary” pause on all agency federal grants and loans unconstitutional, chaotic and creating confusion across the country, including in red states. Tokuda said Trump “decided in his head that he was just going to do it. And that’s resulted in an onslaught of executive orders. He was just going to put out his mandates, throw noodles to the wall and see what would stick, to see if Republicans in Congress would bow down to him, ultimately making this a government of one and removing the separation of powers that protects all Americans.” Just as the cuts were to take effect Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan ordered the Trump administration not to block funding to existing programs until Monday after nonprofit and public health organizations filed lawsuits. AliKhan has scheduled a hearing in Washington, D.C., for Monday. However the judge rules, it remains to be seen whether the losing side will appeal — or Trump will simply ignore a decision against his directives, claiming they are the result of executive orders, Luke said. “We really don’t know,” she said. “We won’t know if this will continue a week from now, a month from now, a year from now. But we have an obligation to be ready for the worst-case scenario.” Strengthening Hawai'i's Food Security: A Call To Action Original Article Honolulu Civil Beat Lauren Zirbel Jan 28, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Carol Fukunaga Senator Lynn DeCoite Senator Stanley Chang Senator Angus L.K. McKelvey Senator Mike Gabbard Hawai‘i is the most remote populated place on the planet, making it one of the most vulnerable locations in the world when it comes to food security. The food insecurity crisis has already reached a critical level, with nearly one in three residents experiencing food insecurity. On Hawai‘i island, this rises to an alarming 40%. A single natural disaster or global economic shock could disrupt access to food and essential supplies, underscoring the urgency of addressing our lack of food supply chain resilience. The Legislature must prioritize bold initiatives in 2025 to tackle this crisis before it is too late. One essential step toward resilience is supporting local food production, processing, and storage through targeted tax incentives and streamlined regulations. Proposed legislation focuses on: Establishing refundable tax credits for businesses that invest in food and beverage supply chain infrastructure, such as storage facilities, processing plants and distribution systems. Streamlining permitting processes to reduce unnecessary delays and costs for critical food system projects. These measures are designed to reduce Hawai‘i’s dependence on imports, stabilize food costs and ensure the state is prepared for emergencies. Local businesses already face steep challenges, including some of the highest electricity, shipping and labor costs in the nation. Many companies have opted to shift production to the mainland due to Hawai‘i’s crushing regulatory and tax burdens, leaving the state without critical local food infrastructure. Addressing these barriers will empower local producers, improve food security, and generate economic growth. The vast majority of states already recognize that taxing groceries is regressive. Hawai‘i is one of only a handful of states that still taxes them at the full rate, disproportionately impacting low- and middle-income households. Families here face some of the highest living costs in the nation, and taxing essential items like food only worsens the financial strain. Research highlights the impact: A 1% increase in grocery taxes raises food insecurity among low-income families by 0.84%. States that exempt groceries see lower rates of food insecurity, creating a fairer and more equitable environment for families. Georgia’s elimination of its grocery tax in the 1990s shows the potential economic benefits of such a move. By 2021, the policy had saved households $691.4 million, created over 18,000 jobs, and generated $1.45 billion in economic activity. Hawai‘i can follow this model to provide relief for struggling families while driving economic growth. Food insecurity affects nearly one in three residents in Hawai‘i, with rates climbing to 40% on Hawai‘i Island. Regular delays and high taxes increase operational costs and drive up prices. If the state is serious about doubling local food production, bold action is required. Under the current system, many businesses are opting to leave the state. Eliminating grocery taxes and investing in local food infrastructure would: Provide immediate financial relief to families. Enable local farmers, processors, and distributors to expand their operations. Build a resilient food system capable of withstanding natural disasters and economic disruptions. These critical initiatives are championed by a dedicated coalition of leaders. In the Senate, Sen. Carol Fukunaga, Lynn DeCoite, Stanley Chang, Kurt Fevella, Angus McKelvey and Mike Gabbard are driving these efforts. In the House, Reps. Kirstin Kahaloa, Greggor Ilagan, Rachele Lamosao, Della Au Belatti, Cory Chun, Tina Grandinetti, Jeanné Kapela, Darius Kila, Lisa Kitagawa, Nicole Lowen, Tyson Miyake, Dee Morikawa, Ikaika Olds, Amy Perruso, Mahina Poepoe, Sean Quinlan, Jeanna Takenouchi, Chris Todd, Elle Cochran, Trish La Chica and Adrian Tam are leading the charge. Addressing our food security crisis isn’t just about solving today’s challenges — it’s about safeguarding Hawai‘i’s future. Removing grocery taxes will ease the financial burden on families, while targeted investments in local food infrastructure will make the state more self-sufficient and disaster-ready. These measures reflect the values of aloha and community that define Hawai‘i. Mahalo nui to the legislators who are taking bold steps to create a stronger, healthier Hawai‘i. Your leadership is critical to ensuring that our islands can thrive in the face of future challenges. Hawaii Senate Bill Would Create New Top Tax Bracket Original Article Law360 Jaqueline McCool Jan 28, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Karl Rhoads Hawaii would create a new income tax bracket to impose a higher rate on joint income over $1.9 million beginning in 2030 under a bill that passed first reading in the... Competing bills seek to define power of Mauna Kea Authority Original Article Star Advertiser Michael Brestovansky Jan 28, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Lorraine Inouye Senator Herbert " Tim" Richards III Hawaii lawmakers will battle it out this session with competing bills dictating the powers of the Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority. Hilo Sen. Lorraine Inouye has reintroduced this year a measure she acknowledged would neuter the power of the state authority, which will take over management of the Mauna Kea Science Reserve from the University of Hawaii in 2028, by making it subservient to the state Board of Natural Resources. That measure, Senate Bill 6, follows up on a similar one she introduced in 2023, which failed to pass. The 2023 bill would have added minimal language to state laws clarifying that all powers and jurisdiction over state conservation district land, which includes all of the science reserve, will remain with the BLNR. While SB 6 goes into more detail than the 2023 bill, it serves a similar purpose. It states that the MKSOA will be “the principal authority for the management of state-managed lands within the Mauna Kea lands; provided that the natural resource management enforcement and emergency response over these lands shall remain the responsibility of … the Department of Land and Natural Resources.” “Conservation land should remain in the control of the BLNR,” Inouye said Thursday, explaining she considers the matter a public land trust issue. Inouye noted she was “the only naysayer” when the Legislature passed a measure in 2022 to form the MKSOA in the first place. At the time, she expressed concerns about the ability of the Mauna Kea Observatories to renew their leases with the state between the transition of power in 2028 and the expiration of UH’s master lease in 2033. In 2023, Inouye also was concerned about what she saw as ambiguity in MKSOA’s jurisdiction. The wording of its powers, she said in 2023, could suggest that the MKSOA has authority over nearly 56,000 acres across Mauna Kea instead of just the 11,000-acre science reserve. Inouye said Thursday she believes there was no problem with UH’s land management before 2022, and that the bill forming the MKSOA was railroaded into passage for political reasons and without consultation with UH’s Center for Maunakea Stewardship. But while Inouye said she hopes some of her colleagues in the Legislature have come around to her way of thinking since 2023, she has opponents this time around. Two bills, House Bill 143 and Senate Bill 769, would clarify the MKSOA’s powers following the 2028 transition, allowing it to approve or deny conservation district use permits and ensure lessees’ compliance with permit requirements. Kohala Rep. David Tarnas, who introduced HB 143, called his bill “an important refinement” of Act 255, the 2022 law that established the MKSOA. He said Inouye’s bill is an attempt to fundamentally change the purpose of the MKSOA beyond the terms of Act 255, and that he would prefer to keep moving forward with the authority instead of going backward. HB 143 and SB 769 also specify that the current conservation district use permits for every one of the summit telescopes will not be transferred from UH to the MKSOA in 2028. Hamakua and Kohala Sen. Tim Richards, co-introducer of SB 769, said where those permits would go is yet to be determined by the MKSOA. John De Fries, MKSOA board member, said that question is still a hotly debated one. “But I’m confident we can resolve the issue,” De Fries said. “We’ve got experts in the field working on it and talking about it.” De Fries said he met with Inouye on Thursday and has “agreed to disagree” about her measure. He said Act 255 has as its central tenet the concept of “mutual stewardship,” whereby representatives of diverse groups including UH, the Mauna Kea Observatories and the Hawaiian community can make decisions about the mountain, which would be undermined by SB 6. “Sen. Inouye would like the return decision-making power back to BLNR … which would reduce the authority to only an advisory capacity,” De Fries said. Ultimately, De Fries said, the mutual stewardship concept is what drew him to join the MKSOA board, and he hopes the board can continue to operate as intended. “What attracted me to this board was this new way of resolving issues this complex and critical to Hawaii’s future,” De Fries said. Richards said he was not wedded to the specific solutions of SB 769 and that there may well be better solutions for the authority yet to be developed. But, he added, “we’ve got to get something in the pipeline now because we’re running out of time. We have three years, and if we can’t get something started now, we’ll be a year behind.” All three bills — SB 6, HB 143 and SB 769 — have been referred to multiple committees in their respective chambers, but no hearings have been scheduled for any of them. Ala Wai cleanup underway in preparation for heavy rain forecast to start Thursday Original Article Spectrum Spectrum News Staff Jan 28, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Sharon Moriwaki On Tuesday, the Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation worked with the state Department of Transportation and the City and County of Honolulu to clean up the mud and debris that had collected in the Ala Wai Canal following heavy rains over the weekend. In addition, the agencies are preparing for another episode of heavy rains that the National Weather Service is predicting for the rest of the week with flash flooding, high south to southwest winds and strong to severe thunderstorms preceding a cold front. In an effort to reduce the amount of rubbish that flows into the canal following heavy rains, a DOBOR contractor worked to clear a “trash trap” located permanently at the outflow of the canal just beyond the Ala Moana Boulevard bridge at the entrance to Waikiki. The trap is used to keep trash from flowing into the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor and out into the ocean, but DOBOR Administrator Meghan Statts said the trap booms only catch about 20% of the debris. On Wednesday, a temporary second trash trap was installed to divert any rubbish flowing down the canal into the permanent trap located on the opposite side of the Ala Moana Bridge. Statts said, “We are trying to mitigate some of the debris coming down the canal with the big storm that’s predicted to hit us shortly.” The trap will augment the work being done upstream by HDOT. DOT officials were on-site Tuesday afternoon discussing mitigation measures that could be placed in the canal before the predicted rains begin. Additional measures were expected to be put in place by Wednesday morning. State and county officials encourage people who live along the Ala Wai Canal, as well as along streams that flow into the canal, to secure items that could end up in the canal since weekend rains had carried large coolers and a variety of debris into the trash trap. HDOT, DLNR, the University of Hawaii’s College of Engineering and area legislator Senator Sharon Moriwaki are discussing a long-term solution to the chronic problem of reducing trash buildup in the Ala Wai Canal, something that Statts said has been discussed for over 30 years. Statts says “over the years, tons of debris have flowed out into the Pacific unchecked over the years.” This becomes a problem for boaters and recreational users of the Ala Wai Canal, the small boat harbor and the ocean. When the Ala Wai Canal was built as a flood control measure, Statts says people probably thought little about the consequences of storm debris. “I think people need to remember that if you have trash, any kind of ‘ōpala, throw it away properly. Don’t drop it into streams or the canal because much of this stuff ends up in the ocean.” Editor’s note: The article has been updated with information on the second trash trap and the chronic problem of trash buildup. (January 30, 2025) State legislature hear proposed bills advocating for Hawaiʻi's keiki Original Article Kauai Now N/A Jan 28, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Joy A. San Buenaventura Hawaiʻi state legislators and community advocates joined together to present the 2025 Keiki Caucus Bill Package and priorities dedicated to improving the lives of Hawaiʻi’s children and families. The Keiki Caucus, established in 1994, is a collaboration between Hawaiʻi state legislators, community leaders, and youth-centered organizations who come together to propose, draft, support, and implement policy changes that will improve the lives of Hawaiʻi’s young people. The Keiki Caucus is co-convened by Sen. Joy A. San Buenaventura representing Puna, Rep. Lisa Marten representing Waimānalo, Keolu Hills, Lanikai and parts of Kailua, and Rep. Ikaika Olds representing McCully-Mōʻiliʻili. Legislators identified five top priority issues impacting Hawaiʻi’s youth and families for the upcoming legislative session. They include: Tax credits for household and dependent care services; Funding for community schools; Paid family leave; E-cigarette regulation; Universal free school breakfast and lunches. “During the interim, we collaborated with community advocates to develop proposals that address top-of-mind issues such as the rising cost of childcare, which significantly impacts the cost of living for Hawaiʻi’s keiki and families,” said Keiki Caucus co-convenor and Representative Lisa Marten. “We also identified ways to support our youth in schools, ensuring they receive a quality education while feeling empowered and supported to succeed.” The 2025 Keiki Caucus Bill Package consists of the following measures: HB753 – Relating to the Household and Dependent Care Services Tax Credit Increases a taxpayer’s applicable percentage of employment-related expenses that is used to calculate the household and dependent care services tax credit. Extends the sunset date of the temporary increase in maximum employment-related expenses that are used to calculate the household and dependent care services tax credit, established by Act 163, SLH 2023, to 6/30/2030. Sunsets 6/30/2030. HB754 / SB821 – Relating to Community Schools Appropriates funds to the Department of Education for community schools and a program manager position. HB755 / SB852 – Relating to Paid Family Leave By 1/1/2028, requires the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to establish a family and medical leave insurance program and begin collecting payroll contributions to finance payment of benefits. By 1/1/2029, requires the Department to start receiving claims and paying benefits under the program. Specifies eligibility requirements and employee protections under the program. HB756 / SB972 – Relating to Health (E-Liquids) Prohibits the sale of flavored nicotine products and the mislabeling of e-liquids as nicotine-free, Establishes penalties for violations, Authorizes the Department of Health to appoint, commission, or contract for services of inspectors, Establishes two full-time equivalent program specialist positions and one full-time equivalent hearing officer position. HB757 – Relating to Education Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, requires the Department of Education to provide free breakfast and lunch to all students enrolled in department schools. Community advocates from Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Ceeds of Peace, Hawaiʻi Afterschool Alliance, Hawaiʻi Appleseed, and Hawaiʻi Children’s Action Network Speaks! rallied their support for the bills outlined in today’s press conference. The Keiki Caucus, established in 1994, is a collaboration between Hawaiʻi state legislators, community leaders, and youth-centered organizations who come together to propose, draft, support, and implement policy changes that will improve the lives of Hawaiʻi’s young people. Editorial: Reevaluate landfill site restrictions Original Article Star Advertiser N/A Jan 28, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Mike Gabbard The search for a new Oahu landfill site, an issue that has roiled city leadership for years, is still unsettled, and lawmaking underway at the Legislature should be aimed at finding a path to a solution. So far, a collection of bills at the state Capitol is not close to achieving that goal. Legislation seems more aligned with the Honolulu City Council’s adamant opposition to placement of a landfill above an aquifer, a noncontroversial and politically safe move. Given the recent history of threats to water supply — the disastrous leak of fuel from the Navy’s underground Red Hill storage tanks leaps to mind — it’s easy to understand why. The city is currently considering acquiring 150 acres of agricultural lands near Wahiawa, located over an aquifer. On Wednesday, the City Council is expected to weigh Resolution 3, which would reaffirm a 2003 Council policy barring siting a dump near sources of fresh groundwater. Members are not expected to reverse that position now. However, Oahu is confronted with a reality check: Strict regulations that seek to safeguard the aquifer have made squaring that circle all but impossible. Keeping guardrails is rational, but the time has come for some reform to Act 73, the state law that put those guardrails in place. Or at the very least, open discussions for reform. Act 73 was passed in 2020 as Senate Bill 2376, which established that “no waste or disposal facility shall be located in a conservation district except in emergency circumstances where it may be necessary to mitigate significant risks to public safety and health.” Even with such circumstances, under the law, the emergency would not be authorized for more than three years. It would be hard to argue with that. If there is any give within Act 73, it may be within the law’s second section, which defines buffer zones that must separate a facility such as a landfill from the conservation district. At least one of the measures introduced this session, House Bill 748, would reduce the buffer zone from one-half mile to one-quarter mile around the landfill. Lawmakers should consider that seriously, among other proposals that could reasonably improve the chances of finding an acceptable landfill site. By contrast, the Senate seems headed in the opposite direction. Senate Bill 550 would add a restriction against siting a landfill “near or above” an aquifer, as determined by state health officials in consultation with county boards of water supply. That makes sense, but the bill also would enlarge the buffer zone set in Act 73 to a full mile away from conservation lands. None of the bills had been scheduled for a hearing as of Monday, but whenever they do come up, lawmakers need to examine what elements of Act 73 could be relaxed and whether that would yield further possibilities for a landfill location. In addition, legislators should seek a public appearance by military representatives to address the issue. In the past, military officials have not shown enthusiasm for making any Department of Defense property available when approached by Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s administration. It is worth a reevaluation now. State Sen. Mike Gabbard rightly is insisting on more precise figures from the Navy specifically about the acreage of its Oahu land holdings, and how much of that is not over an aquifer. Good questions. And even if state lawmakers can’t convince officials to change policy, voters need to know the reasons — particularly given the past history of Navy stewardship of natural resources. Before the city proceeds with the purchase of the Wahiawa site, better used in active farming, it is essential that every landfill alternative site is reviewed — as well as constraints that might be reasonably eased. The public deserves no less. State lawmakers plans for homeowners insurance relief faces hurdles Original Article KHON2 Stephen Florino Jan 28, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Jarrett Keohokalole HONOLULU (KHON2) — State lawmakers say they’re looking at all they can to help homeowners deal with sky-rocketing insurance rates. But experts say it’s a tough road ahead. Because of massive disasters like the Lahaina wildfire and the fires in Los Angeles, insurance experts are predicting a grim future for insurance rates. “I foresee the rates will stay high and depending on how the rest of 2025 goes, if we continue to see disasters that are worse than expected, then we will probably see higher rates in the future as well,” said insurance agent Kendrick Nishiguchi. One plan that lawmakers have to help is to resurrect the Hawaii Property Insurance Association and the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund. But that admittedly has some hurdles. “HPIA is not set up to write condominium insurance,” said Matt Chun, HPIA board chair at a joint committee hearing at the state capitol. “It’s a new, developing event, emerging event. I believe some of the catalyst is the Lahaina, Maui fires because what it did is, it made a lot of our standard carriers gunshy, re-evaluate what they’d like to write, and started to not wanna write some of these buildings.” HPIA is already operating but needs to be re-structured to help the current situation. But the Hurricane Relief Fund is starting from scratch and is still finalizing contract details with consultant AON. “There’s been no firm timeline,” said Ed Haik, HHRF board chair at the same hearing. “We’re still in the contracting phase which really is not incumbent on hid or the board so far.” “If you guys are not under contract yet, can you also start looking for a different company to contract with? Because this is, I mean, getting a little ridiculous I think,” said Rep. Scot Matayoshi, House Consumer Protection & Commerce chair. “It’s a difficult problem,” said Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole, Senate Commerce & Consumer Protection chair. “It’s scary. You know if the state of Hawaii just started providing insurance to all homeowners statewide and we have another catastrophe, we could go bankrupt.” Lawmakers are looking at at least 10 insurance bills this session. While even they admit there might not be a silver bullet to the problem, they are looking at anything and everything to help. “I think people need to temper their expecations a little too,” Matayoshi said. “I think people are expecting us come up with a silver bullet, but with the LA wildfires, with other natural disasters around the world really, the re-insurance market is gonna go up and I want people to just be prepared that the solution may not as immediate as they’d like.” “Nothings gonna come quickly enough,” Keohokalole said. “And we’re not likely be able to reduce prices back to what people remember, but we can try and provide some relief and stabilize the market.” Major Reform Bills Are Still On The Table. Will This Be The Year They Pass? Original Article Honolulu Civil Beat By Patti Epler, Richard Wiens, Chad Blair Jan 26, 2025 Senators Mentioned: On Election Day, voters on Oʻahu waited hours in line to cast their ballots in person at one of the only two voter centers operating that day. The centers had to stay open well beyond the mandatory 7 p.m. deadline, delaying the first election results until after midnight . It wasn’t the first time. Since transitioning to all-mail voting in 2020, state and county officials have routinely short-changed the system for those who want to vote in person. The painful process of standing in line to cast a ballot has repeated itself for at least three election cycles. Now, state lawmakers have responded to the public frustration and introduced at least five bills this legislative session to require counties, particularly Honolulu, to open more centers on Election Day. More than 200 of the 3,000-plus bills filed this session — the deadline was Thursday — are again seeking ways to make government more accountable and transparent, or at least work more efficiently. As with the push for more voter centers, lawmakers are responding to public outcries on a number of headline-grabbing issues — from problems with allowing money to influence state contracts to government seizure of assets before being convicted of a crime to cracking down on allowing kids to bring cell phones to school. This year we are continuing our effort to track measures that work to improve — or in some cases back away from — government accountability, transparency and ethical leadership. “Let The Sunshine In ” started two years ago when a special House Commission to Improve Standards of Conduct proposed more than two dozen improvements to laws relating to ethics, campaign finance, elections and other government practices. Much has been accomplished, but, as this year’s raft of proposed legislation shows, there is still a lot left to be done. The Foley commission, as it came to be known because it was headed by retired Judge Dan Foley, was appointed after two veteran state lawmakers and a couple of Maui County officials were convicted in federal court of charges related to accepting bribes from a Honolulu businessman. For years, he had been paying them to sway legislation and, in Maui County’s case, steer lucrative contracts for wastewater management to his company. Then the FBI got wise to it, setting off a political drive to put in place the kinds of accountability measures other states have had for decades. In 2023, lawmakers passed many of the Foley commission recommendations, including strengthening the investigation of and penalties for government fraud, reforming key areas of the political process like lobbying practices and campaign financing and generally reducing the power of money in politics. But a number of the toughest reform measures — stopping pay-to-play practices by government contractors, full public financing of elections, prohibiting campaign contributions during legislative sessions, more transparency of political relationships, among others — were left on the table . The same proposals surfaced again in the 2024 session and again failed to pass. Rep. David Tarnas, who chairs the House Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Committee which has jurisdiction over most of the political and government reform measures, said in a recent interview that lawmakers have made significant progress in the last two years. He ticked off the list of Foley commission measures that got through the first year and called that “a very useful guide.” He pointed to a handful of recommendations that have been a tougher sell politically, such as applying the state’s open meetings law, called the Sunshine Law, to the Legislature, which exempted itself years ago. Reducing the cost of providing public records, eliminating campaign contributions during session and using public money to help candidates run for office are other measures he hopes to revisit this year. Tarnas said he has been eyeing a Connecticut law that regulates political donations, especially campaign contributions from companies that are seeking to do business with the state — the classic pay-to-play situation. He planned to introduce a bill that builds on the Connecticut model. Several other measures also have been introduced that seek to control influence by contractors and nonprofits that rely on the state for grants and business. The problem gained new urgency after an investigative report by Civil Beat and The New York Times detailed tens of millions of dollars that have flowed from contractors to candidates over the past decade, and the blatant soliciting of political money through late-night parties and other fundraising efforts. Other issues that got no traction in the last couple years are coming back this year not only as bills but also as proposed constitutional amendments, which would give the public the ability to vote directly on an issue. Lawmakers generally have refused to allow any significant public policy measure to go to the ballot and Hawaiʻi is the only Western state without a statewide citizens initiative process. A Special Commentary Project Yet numerous legislators have signed on to ask voters to weigh in on term limits, legalizing marijuana, a year-round Legislature, the retirement age of judges, abortion rights and even the right to a clean environment, among other issues. When it comes to good government bills, Democrats and Republicans are often on the same side. And the list of accountability measures this year includes many that are co-sponsored by members of both parties. In the House, a new bipartisan Good Government Caucus has been organized and members have teamed up to push for improvement in legislative and political practices including paying to hire an investigator for the Campaign Spending Commission and tightening restrictions on money flowing into candidates and campaign committees. We’ve pulled together a list of the 200-plus bills and their sponsors that we’ll be tracking this session, organized here by subject matter so it’s easier to follow. The brief descriptions are just that — shorthand for what the bill is basically about. Please use the highlighted link to go to the bill for the details. We plan to update this list periodically so save this story and check back to see what progress, if any, has been made. Some are already set for hearings in the coming week so check the committee hearing schedule for both the House and the Senate for times. Civil Beat’s List Of Sunshine Bills ELECTIONS Increasing the number of voter service centers HB 259 – Requires each county council district to have one voter service center and have it open on election day. —Alcos, Iwamoto, Matsumoto, Olds, Reyes Oda, Ward HB 297 – Requires each county council district to have one voter center and the center is open on election day. —Pierick, Alcos, Garcia, Matsumoto, Muraoka, Reyes Oda, Shimizu, Ward HB 601 – Increases the number of voter centers and funds them. —Garcia, Pierick, Ward SB134 – Counties with populations of more than 500,000 to get three more voter service centers. —Kim, Aquino, Chang, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Kanuha, Keohokalole, Kidani, McKelvey, Moriwaki, San Buenaventura SB 1240 – Increase the number of voter service centers. —Awa, Chang, DeCorte Voter registration HB 408 – Office of Elections package: extends time to register for voting by mail to 10 days before primary rather than 30 days. —Nakamura SB 275 – Elections Commission package: Extends time to register for vote by mail to 10 days before primary rather than 30 days. —Kouchi HB 473 – Creates voter registration program to automatically preregister or register youths 16 and older in public, charter and private schools. —Lee, Amato, Belatti, Hashem, Holt, Hussey, Iwamoto, Kahaloa, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kila, Kusch, La Chica, Marten, Miyake, Olds, Pierick, Poepoe, Sayama, Takatama, Takenouchi, Tam, Tarnas, Todd SB 78 – Makes an application for voter registration part of certain state agency application processes. —Rhoads, Chang SB 81 – Requires the Department of Human Services’ Med-QUEST division to automatically transmit applicants’ voter registration information to the Office of Elections and clerk of the county of the applicant’s residence. —Chang, Rhoads, Moriwaki HB 322 – Requires the Department of Human Services to automatically transmit voter registration information for any Med-Quest applicant. —Kapela, Belatti, Grandinetti, Iwamoto, Kusch, Miyake, Perruso, Poepoe, Tarnas, Todd Elections and election practices SB 114 – Establishes presidential preference primary elections for the 2028 election cycle. —Rhoads, Chang, Lee, Fukunaga SB 335 – Requires a political party’s objection to a candidate nomination to be determined by the Office of Elections. —Chang HB 104 – Challenges to election nominating papers by party officials to be determined by the Office of Elections. —Tam, Iawamoto, Kitagawa, Marten, Perruso, Takayama SB 176 – Changes the criteria for mandatory recounts. —Rhoads SB 780 – Requirements for disqualifying candidates from the ballot and challenging them. —Rhoads, Chang, Richards HB 134 – Requires elections officials to provide an electronic system for filing nominating papers. —Quinlan, Chun, Iwamoto, Kahaloa, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kila, Kitagawa, Kusch, La Chica, Lamosao, Marten, Matayoshi, Olds, Pierick, Poepoe, Reyes Oda, Souza Voter issues SB 435 – Voter guide: Requires Elections Office to notify voters about voter guide and make it available 21 days before primary and 50 days before general. —Rhoads, Chang, Gabbard SB 1030 – Specifies that voter fraud and intimidation includes carrying a gun at a voter center or polling place. —Lee, Chang, Rhoads, Wakai, Ihara HB 767 – Expands ballot curing period from five to 13 days. —Souza, Amato, Belatti, Grandinetti, Hussey, Kapela, Marten, Matsumoto, Perruso, Poepoe, Reyes Oda Legislative vacancies HB 1078 – Provides governor with discretion to not fill a vacant legislative position if the vacancy occurs 120 days or less from an upcoming primary. —Nakamura SB 5 – Governor can fill a legislative vacancy by appointment for the rest of term and the next term. —Inouye, Chang, Fukunaga, Hashimoto, McKelvey, Fevella SB 300 – Governor has to fill legislative vacancies by a certain deadline or Senate president or House speaker can do it. —San Buenaventura, Chang, Fevella, Moriwaki SB 1397 – Provides governor with discretion to not fill a vacant legislative position if the vacancy occurs 120 days or less from an upcoming primary. —Kouchi Elections Commission and oversight HB 141 – Elections Commission members to be confirmed by Senate. —Tam, Belatti, Grandinetti, Iwamoto, Marten SB 948 – Would make members of the Elections Commission subject to Senate approval. —Chang SB 1515 – Replaces the boards of registration with on-call circuit judges to hear elections disputes. —Kouchi HB 1435 – Replaces the boards of registration with on-call circuit judges to hear elections disputes. —Nakamura SB 1555 – Adopts the Code of Fair Campaign Practices that candidates may use as a guide for their election campaigns. —Ihara HB 23 – Elect the Insurance Commissioner. —Ilagan CAMPAIGN FINANCE State contractor donations HB 371 – Campaign Spending Commission package: Restrictions on donations from contractors and grantees, company and organization officials and their family members. —Nakamura SB 257 – Campaign Spending Commission package: Restrictions on donations from contractors and grantees, company and organization officials and their family members. —Kouchi SB 809 – Campaign Spending Commission package: Contractor and grantee donations restrictions. —Rhoads, Fukunaga, Gabbard, Moriwaki, Richards HB 765 – Prohibits contributions from contractors, officers, consultants and family members. —Belatti, Grandinetti, Hussey, Kapela, Marten, Matsumoto, Perruso, Reyes Oda HB 1336 – Amends the prohibition against contributions to a candidate committee or noncandidate committee by state and county contractors to include state and county grantees and the owners, officers, consultants, and joint account holders of a state or county contractor or state or county grantee. —Iwamoto, Amatto, Belatti, Cochran, Perruso, Souza, Matsumoto HB 894 – Prohibits state contractors from donating to or soliciting donations for noncandiate committees and political party committees. —Tarnas, Amato, Evslin, Iwamoto, Kahaloa, Kapela, Kusch, La Chica, M. Lee, Lowen, Marten, Olds, Perruso, Poepoe, Reyes Oda, Souza, Takayama, Tam, Todd Other campaign contributions HB 372 – Campaign Spending Commission package: Prohibits campaign contributions to elected officials during session. —Nakamura SB 258 – Campaign Spending Commission package: Prohibits campaign contributions to elected officials during session. —Kouchi HB 149 – Requires corporations to provide shareholders with a report of independent expenditures and political contributions. —Tarnas, Belatti, Iwamoto, Marten, Perruso, Poepoe, Quinlan, Souza, Tam HB 369 – Campaign Spending Commission package: Return excess campaign funds or they go to the state. —Nakamura SB 255 – Campaign Spending Commission package: Excess campaign contributions to go to state if not returned within 30 days. —Kouchi SB 1593 – Unused campaign funds couldn’t carry over to subsequent election and would go to the state after a certain period of time if not used. —Awa, DeCorte HB 769 – Creates a Democracy Dollars program to provide vouchers for voters to be able to spend on candidates. —Belatti, Grandinetti, Hussey, Kapela, Perruso, Souza HB 662 – Repeals exemption for use of the candidates own funds, makes contributions by family members subject to limits, amends loan amount from candidate or family. —Kila, Evslin, Lamosao, Takenouchi HB 772 – Disallows use of campaign funds to buy two tickets for fundraisers. —Belatti, Grandinetti, Hussey, Matsumoto, Perruso, Pierick, Reyes Oda, Souza HB 1190 – Repeals the authority for campaign funds to carry over to subsequent elections. —Iwamoto, Perruso, Pierick HB 1478 – Establishes new requirements for identifying certain top contributors for election campaign purposes. – Belatti, Cochran, Grandinetti, Marten, Muraoka, Perruso, Souza, Amato SB 1202 – Allows candidates to spend campaign funds for child care. —Kim, Aquino, Chang, Fevella, Hashimoto, Kidani, McKelvey, Rhoads, San Buenaventura, Dela Cruz, Richards Public financing of elections HB 370 – Campaign Spending Commission package: Revises partial public financing with increased amounts for each office. —Nakamura SB 345 – Campaign Spending Commission package: Partial public financing increases cap on matching funds and amount that can be spent. —Rhoads, Chang, Fukunaga, Kidani SB 256 – Campaign Spending Commission package: Revises partial public financing with increased amounts for each office. —Kouchi HB 308 – Increases partial public financing of elections. —Poepoe, Amato, Belatti, Evslin, Grandinetti, Iwamoto, Kahaloa, Kila, Perruso, Tarnas SB 51 – Establishes a comprehensive system of public financing for all candidates seeking election to state and county public offices in the State of Hawaiʻi, to begin with the 2026 general election year. —Rhoads, Chang, Fukunaga, McKelvey, San Buenaventura, Fevella, Ihara, Moriwaki HB 766 – Full public financing of campaigns beginning in 2026. —Belatti, Amato, Grandinetti, Hussey, Perruso, Souza PACs HB 771 – Campaign Spending Commission package: Establishes new requirements on super PACs including fees and fact-checking of messaging. —Belatti, Grandinetti, Hussey, Marten, Matsumoto, Perruso, Reyes Oda, Souza SB 1032 – Requires business entities contributing or spending money in an election to disclose their foreign influence and requires independent expenditure committee donors to disclose their interests. —Lee, Kidani, Moriwaki, Rhoads, Fevella, Fukunaga SB 1173 – Imposes a fee on noncandidate committees based on amount of money spent. —McKelvey, Rhoads Campaign Spending Commission HB 691 – Appropriates money to Campaign Spending Commission for new positions. —Kapela, Grandinetti, Iwamoto, Perruso, Poepoe, Tarnas HB 768 – Good Government Caucus – Funds more investigators for Campaign Spending Commission. —Belatti, Grandinetti, Hussey, Marten, Matsumoto, Perruso, Quinlan, Reyes, Oda SB 118 – Creating and funding an investigator for the Campaign Spending Commission. —Rhoads, Chang ETHICS HB 411 – Ethics Commission package: Uniform provisions for penalties under lobbying law. —Nakamura SB 289 – Ethics Commission package: Uniform provisions for penalties under lobbying law. —Kouchi HB 412 – Ethics Commission package: Expands definition of lobbying to include high government officials when involving procurement. —Nakamura SB 290 – Ethics Commission package: Expands definition of lobbying to include high government officials when involving procurement. —Kouchi HB 413 – Ethics Commission package: Clarifies restriction on lobbyist contributions. —Nakamura SB 291 – Ethics Commission package: Clarifies restriction on lobbyist contributions. —Kouchi HB 493 – Applies state ethics laws to legislators. —Iwamoto, Belatti, Perruso, Pierick, Ward SB 1583 – Authorizes legislators to use state equipment for community initiatives within their own districts. —Awa, DeCorte PUBLIC RECORDS HB 130 – Caps fees on public records and includes a public interest waiver. —Tarnas, Belatti, Chun, Grandinetti, Iwamoto, Kapela, Kitagawa, Marten, Perruso, Pierick, Poepoe, Reyes Oda, Souza, Takayama, Ward SB 406 – Caps the cost of reproducing a public record at 5 cents per page. —Rhoads SB 863 – Cap on search and redaction costs for public records and a waiver when in the public interest. —Rhoads HB 131 – Allows records to be released for research purposes. —Tarnas, Belatti, Grandinetti, Iwamoto, Kapela, Kitagawa, Marten, Perruso, Pierick, Poepoe, Souza, Tam SB 353 – Prohibits governor from suspending requests for public records during an emergency and allows Legislature and county councils to terminate governor or mayor’s state of emergency. —Rhoads, Elefante, McKelvey SB 786 – Requires public records be made available in a disability-accessible format. —Rhoads, Chang, Fukunaga SB 571 – Designates all federal ICE records pertaining to detained individuals are public. —Aquino SB 1255 – Clarifies that public records subject to disclosure under UIPA includes information created and maintained by private contractors. —Kim, Chang, DeCoite, Fevella, Hashimoto, Kidani, Dela Cruz SUNSHINE LAW HB 724 – Brings the Legislature under the Sunshine Law. —Hussey, Iwamoto, Matsumoto, Perruso HB 494 – Applies Sunshine Law to the Legislature by repealing exemption. —Iwamoto, Pierick HB 144 – Allows two or more members of the Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority to meet together during transition period as long as no commitment to vote is made and no decision-making. —Tarnas, Garrett, Kahaloa, Kila, Matayoshi, Takayama SB 770 – Allows two or more members of the Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority to meet together during transition period as long as no commitment to vote is made and no decision-making. —Richards, Aquino, Chang HB 403 – Kauaʻi County Council package: Allows any member of a board to attend an informational meeting as long as it’s not directed at that board. —Nakamura SB 270 – Kauaʻi County Council package: Allows any member of a board to attend an informational meeting as long as its not directed at that board. —Kouchi HB 1412 – Designates the neighborhood commission as the appropriate oversight authority for application of the Sunshine Law to neighborhood boards. Authorizes neighborhood boards to discuss official government reports without placing it on the agenda, provided that no decision-making can be made. —Reyes Oda, Alcos, Garcia, Kusch, Matsumoto, Pierick, Tam, Todd SB 405 – Allows neighborhood boards to discuss items not on the agenda if brought up by a government official. —Rhoads HB 686 – Defines community outreach boards and brings them under the Sunshine Law similar to neighborhood boards. —Kapela, Kahaloa, Perruso SB 869 – Defines community outreach boards and brings them under the Sunshine Law similar to neighborhood boards. —Kanuha, Chang, McKelvey, Gabbard, Ihara SB 381 – Requires that selecting heads of public agencies or divisions be done in open meetings through an open public process. —McKelvey, Chang, DeCorte, Gabbard, Fevella HB 50 – Authorizes boards and commissions to make decisions about employees without approval of the affiliated department. —Garrett SB 444 – Authorizes boards and commissions to make decisions about employees without approval of the affiliated department. —Dela Cruz, Chang, Hashimoto, Kidani, Kim, Moriwaki, San Buenaventura SB 1556 – Establishes a Trusted Public Representative Program within the Office of Information Practices under which the office assigns a volunteer Trusted Public Representative trained in the requirements of the Sunshine Law and observes public agency meetings closed to the public. —Ihara SB 1651 – Requires that board packets for public meetings be posted at least two full days in advance of meeting. —Rhoads HB 329 – Exempts the School Facilities Authority Board workgroups and subcommittees from the Sunshine Law. —La Chica, Amato, Iwamoto, Kahaloa, Kitiagawa, Marten, Olds, Poepoe, Quinlan, Reyes Oda, Souza, Todd SB 580 – Exempts the School Facilities Authority Board workgroups and subcommittees from the Sunshine Law. —Hashimoto, Aquino, Chang, DeCoite, Fevella, Gabbard, McKelvey, Ihara ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY Legislative procedures HB 296 – Require fiscal notes on all bills. —Matsumoto, Alcos, Garcia, Muraoka, Pierick, Reyes Oda, Shimizu, Ward HB 1199 – Requires fiscal notes on all fiscal bills. Prohibits a committee from making a decision on a fiscal bill without a fiscal note. —Reyes Oda, Garcia, Iwamoto, Matsumoto, Olds, Perruso, Pierick, Todd, Ward HB 568 – Requires fiscal notes for legislation. —Shimizu HB 792 – Clarifies the office of the legislative analyst. —Yamashita SB 1081 – Establishes the Legislative Budget Office to produce fiscal reports on bills and legislation. —Inouye HB 793 – Requires House Speaker and Senate President be notified within 10 days of the state receiving any federal monies available for spending. —Yamashita HB 875 – Appropriates funds for a State Capitol tour guide position within the Public Access Room. —Lee, Chun, Kahaloa, Kapela, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Lowen, Matsumoto, Morikawa, Olds, Perruso, Poe, Souza, Takayama, Tam, Tarnas, Ward, Kila, Reyes Oda HB 1465 – Establishes a housing allowance for legislators from neighbor islands who come to Oʻahu for session. —Amato, Iwamoto SB 1031 – Allows Legislature to put non-binding advisory questions and referendum on the ballot to ask voters their opinion on matters. —Lee, Chang SB 1545 – Repeals language in the State’s Code of Ethics that exempts the Legislative Branch from prohibitions against nepotism in public employment. —Kim, Chang, Fevella, Gabbard, Kidani, Richards, Wakai SB 1611 – Requires appointments to certain state agency jobs be approved by the Senate, including the governor’s homeless coordinator, the senior advisor for mental health and the deputy human services director. —San Buenaventura, McKelvey SB 711 – Requires Senate confirmation for state employees whose salary is larger than the governor’s if it’s an employee in the governor’s office or if larger than the head of the agency the person is working in. —San Buenaventura, Chang, Fevella, Hashimoto, McKelvey HB 1320 – Requires the University of Hawaiʻi system to collect, analyze, and publicly report certain graduate outcome data. —Garrett, Amato, Belatti, Iwamoto, Kila, Lamosao, Marten, Miyake, Perruso, Poepoe, Tarnas SB 741 – Establishes an external audit committee within the University of Hawaiʻi to audit the UH System and the Board of Regents and report annually to the Legislature. —Dela Cruz, Chang, Elefante, Hashimoto, Kidani, Richards SB 747 – Establishes an audit office within the Department of Education to audit the DOE and report to the Legislature. Creates six positions for the audit office and provides funding. —Dela Cruz, Hashimoto, Kidani, Richards SB 798 – Establishes a Child Welfare Oversight Commission to review practices of CWS and issues raised in the 2024 auditor’s report and make recommendations to reduce child harm and death and propose legislation for reform. —Rhoads SB 375 – Governor Package: Establishes a government restructuring commission. —McKelvey, Chang, Gabbard, Kidani, Fevella, Hashimoto HB 1425 – Establishes a temporary working group to study the feasibility of transitioning the Hawaiʻi State Legislature’s regular session from one that meets for 3.5 months from mid-January to early May, to one that meets on a year-round basis. —Nakamura SB 1514 – Establishes a temporary working group to study the feasibility of transitioning the Hawaiʻi State Legislature’s regular session from one that meets for 3.5 months from mid-January to early May, to one that meets on a year-round basis. —Kouchi SB 1618 – Establishes a Journalistic Ethics Commission overseen by state government including establishing a code of ethics and a board to hear complaints and levy penalties for violations. —Kim, DeCoite, Dela Cruz, Fevella, Hashimoto, Richards, San Buenaventura, Wakai Asset forfeiture and other policing issues HB 126 – Hawaiʻi Omnibus Criminal Forfeiture Act: Increases transparency and accountability around asset forfeiture. Clarifies what property can be forfeited. —Tarnas, Amato, Belatti, Grandinetti, Iwamoto, Kitagawa, Lamosao, Marten, Perruso, Poepoe, Souza, Takayama HB 492 – Civil asset forfeiture occurs only after conviction. —Iwamoto, Grandinetti, Perruso SB 320 – Restricts asset forfeiture to after conviction of felony. —San Buenaventura, Chang, Lee, McKelvey, Rhoads SB 722 – Makes civil asset forfeiture only for felony convictions and other changes. —Rhoads, Aquino, Chang, Fevella, Gabbard, Inouye, Kidani, McKelvey, San Buenaventura, Wakai SB 1029 – Asset forfeiture applies to felony convictions. —Lee, Chang, McKelvey, Rhoads SB 1126 – Asset forfeiture upon conviction only. —Wakai SB 813 – Requires a law enforcement officer to report criminal misconduct by other officers and specifies the officer can be decertified if they don’t report. Also requires psychological screening before becoming a police officer and prohibits chokeholds. —Rhoads, Chang HB 595 – Establishes the right to record law enforcement. —Belatti, Grandinetti, Perruso SB 307 – Establishes right to record law enforcement. —Rhoads, Chang HB 610 – Establishes a cold case unit within the AG’s office for investigation of missing and murdered Indigenous peoples. —Souza, Amato, Cochran, Iwamoto, Perruso, Poepoe HB 291 – Stand Your Ground law established. —Garcia, Alcos, Matsumoto, Muraoka, Pierick, Reyes Oda, Shimizu, Ward HB 390 – Increases penalties for bribery, under certain circumstances. —Nakamura SB 775 – Prohibits state and local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement except in limited circumstances. —Rhoads, Aquino, Chang SB 1149 – Requires law enforcement to report all possible hate crimes. —Lee, Hashimoto, Rhoads SB 1156 – Makes it a crime to create a sexually explicit deepfake. —Gabbard, San Buenaventura HB 278 – Requires county police agencies to collect data on arrests, stops, use of force and complaints and provide to the AG which would produce a report. —Tarnas, Belatti, Grandinetti, Iwamoto, Kila, Kitagawa, Marten, Perruso, Poepoe, Sayama, Souza, Takayama HB 61 – Requires county mayors to appoint medical examiners. —Souza, Perruso Media literacy and civic education HB 100 – Authorizes school complexes to incorporate media literacy in their standards-based curriculum, including content that prevents negative impacts of misinformation, disinformation, digital discrimination, and online hate speech. —Perruso, Belatti, Grandinetti, Iwamoto, Marten, Poepoe, Tam, Chun SB 772 – Media literacy and digital citizenship curriculum in schools to prevent misinformation and online hate speech. —Rhoads, Chang, Gabbard, Kim, San Buenaventura, Fukunaga, Hashimoto, Richards SB 844 – Requires digital citizenship and media literacy curriculum in the schools. —Chang HB 763 – Promotes civic education in public schools including two full-time positions. —Perruso, Belatti, Garrett, Grandinetti, Hussey, Kapela, Matsumoto, Olds, Pierick, Poepoe, Quinlan, Reyes Oda, Souza, Takayama HB 1210 – Requires the Department of Education to provide and disseminate its procedures for dealing with bullying. —Templo SB 1631 – Establishes the Aloha Civics Collaborative to promote civics and perpetuate the Aloha Spirit. —Ihara Cell phones and social media HB 289 – No cell phones or social media in schools and requires social media education program. —Shimizu, Alcos, Garcia, Matsumoto, Muraoka, Pierick, Reyes Oda, Ward HB 623 – Requires the Board of Education to adopt a policy that bans the use of phones and related devices by students during school hours. —Woodson, Evslin, Garcia, Garrett, Grandinetti, La Chica, Lowen, Marten, Olds, Perruso, Pierick, Poepoe, Quinlan, Takayama, Tarnas, Ward HB 1195 – Requires the Department of Education to prohibit cell phone use during the instructional day, prohibit student access to social media through the school’s internet, and implement a social media education campaign. —Shimizu, Alcos, Lowen, Muraoka, Pierick, Ward HB 1224 – Requires the Department of Education to prohibit cell phone use during the instructional day, prohibit student access to social media through the school’s internet, and implement a social media education campaign. —Matsumoto, Alcos, Evslin, Garcia, Kila, Kusch, Lamosao, Matayoshi, Muraoka, Pierick, Reyes Oda, Ward HB 1303 – Requires each public school to implement a policy to prohibit students from using cellular phones and other wireless communication devices during school hours. —Kila, Evslin, Kahaloa, Lamosa, Poepoe HB 1343 – Requires the Board of Education to adopt a policy that bans the use of phones and related devices by students during school hours. —Woodson, Amato, Chun, Evslin, Garcia, Garrett, Grandinetti, Holt, Kahaloa, Kila, Kusch, La Chica, Lamosao, Lowen, Marten, Matayjoshi, Matsumoto, Morikawa, Olds, Perruso, Pierick, Poepoe, Quinlan, Sayama, Souza, Takayama, Tarnas, Templo, Todd, Ward AI and Internet HB 487 – Provides funds to Legislative Reference Bureau to procure AI to streamline state law and regulations. —Muroaka HB 824 – Gives funding to the Legislative Reference Bureau to procure AI to streamline state laws and rules. —Muraoka HB 546 – Establishes the Aloha Intelligence Institute within UH to develop, support and advance AI initiatives. —Garrett, Kapela, Kila, Olds Sayama SB 1622 – Establishes the Aloha Intelligence Institute within UH to develop, support and advance AI initiatives. —Kim, Chang, Inouye, McKelvey, Richards, San Buenaventura, Wakai HB 639 – Requires anyone engaging in commercial transactions to make it clear the customer is interacting with an AI chatbot if it is mimicking a human. —La Chica, Grandinetti, Iwamoto, Lowen, Marten, Perruso, Pierick, Todd, Ward SB 640 – Requires anyone engaging in commercial transactions to make it clear the customer is interacting with an AI chatbot if it is mimicking a human. —Keohokalole, Chang, Fevella, Fukunaga, Hashimoto, Moriwaki, San Buenaventura, Wakai HB 1384 – Establishes the Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council. —Garrett, Amato, Belatti, Chun, Kapela, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kila, Lamosao, Miyake, Morikawa, Perruso, Poepoe, Quinlan, Souza, Takayama, Ward Neighborhood boards and community meetings HB 944 – Authorizes neighborhood boards to solicit ideas for capital improvement projects and budget priorities and county mayors to respond. —Hussey, Amato, Belatti, Iwamoto, Matsumoto, Olds, Perruso, Pierick, Reyes Oda HB 1395 – Requires counties to ensure neighborhood board members’ terms don’t exceed one year and residents can vote for board members with electronically or in person. —Pierick SB 1558 – Applies the campaign finance laws to candidates for the neighborhood boards. —Ihara HB 1329 – Requires government agencies planning a major project to give notice to communities that are affected and hold public hearings —Cochran, Amato, Belatti, Grandinetti, Iwamoto, Perruso, Pierick, Poepoe, Ward HB 1453 – Prohibits boards from beginning or continuing meetings after 9 p.m., excluding county council meetings. —Tam, Kila, Templo, Matayoshi SB 1617 – Prohibits boards from beginning or continuing meetings after 9 p.m., excluding county council meetings. —Chang SB 1253 – Clarifies rules regarding boards and commission members who are holdovers. -—Kim, Chang, DeCoite, Fevella, Hashimoto, Inouye, Wakai, Dela Cruz, Moriwaki CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS Changes to the Legislature, elections and campaigns HB 770 – Establishing a continuous legislative session with restrictions on outside employment. —Belatti, Amato, Grandinetti, Hussey, Kapela, Perruso, Reyes Oda, Tam SB 733 – Establishing a continuous legislature that meets at least once a month. Restricts outside employment. —Chang, Gabbard, McKelvey, Fevella SB 311 – Provides that right of free speech does not include spending money to influence elections. —Rhoads, Chang, Fukunaga, Inouye, Kidani, McKelvey, Moriwaki, San Buenaventura, Gabbard, Richards SB 1225 – Majority of votes means all yes votes and doesn’t include spoiled, blank or over votes. —Rhoads, Chang, Fukunaga, Gabbard, San Buenaventura SB 1238 – Incumbent legislators would be ineligible to serve based on the size of the Native Hawaiian population. —Awa SB 1284 – Proposes a constitutional amendment to prohibit discrimination against a person because of ethnicity, age, disability, religion, national ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes. —Lee, Kidani, Rhoads, San Buenaventura SB 1557 – Proposes a constitutional amendment to provide for a citizens’ assembly and to authorize the citizens’ assembly to propose to the Legislature constitutional and statutory revisions or amendments to the laws governing elections, political campaigns, campaign finance, ethics, referendum, reapportionment, legislative process, and public access to information. —Ihara HB 140 – Making reapportionment based on the resident population rather than the permanent resident population. —Quinlan SB 124 – Making reapportionment based on the resident population rather than the permanent resident population. —Rhoads Term Limits HB 298 – Term limits – Maximum 12 years in each chamber starting in 2026. —Ward, Alcos, Garcia, Matsumoto, Muraoka, Pierick, Reyes Oda, Shimizu HB 488 – Term limits on elected officials plus bars criminally convicted elected officials from office. —Muraoka, Pierick HB 495 – Term limits in Legislature of 16 years. —Iwamoto, Matsumoto, Perruso, Pierick, Ward HB 570 – Term limits of 12 years for legislators. —Shimizu HB 764 – Term limits for legislators starting in 2028. —Belatti, Amato, Garrett, Grandinetti, Hussey, Matsumoto, Perruso, Pierick, Poepoe, Reyes Oda, Souza, Ward SB 1594 – Legislative term limits of 16 years. —Awa, DeBorte, Ihara Changes to the judiciary SB 175 – Increase mandatory retirement age of judges to 75. —Rhoads, Chang, Gabbard, San Buenaventura HB 1216 – Requiring the election of state justices and judges. —Pierick SB 121 – Giving the Senate more time to consider and confirm judges. —Rhoads, Kanuha, Kidani Changes to public schools HB 930 – Requiring the public school system to be thorough and efficient. —Perruso, Grandinetti, Pierick, Poepoe, Ward HB 287 – Proposes a constitutional amendment that would establish local school boards throughout the state to be elected by the voters. —Reyes Oda, Alcos, Garcia, Matsumoto, Muraoka, Pierick, Shimizu, Ward Right to abortion and contraception HB 728 – Right to reproductive freedom including abortion and contraception. —Grandinetti, Amato, Belatti, Cochran, Evslin, Ichiyama, Kahaloa, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kusch, La Chica, Lamosao, M. Lee, Lowen, Marten, Morikawa, Perruso, Poepoe, Sayama, Souza, Takayama, Takenouchi,Tam, Tarnas, Templo, Todd SB 297 – Abortion rights. —San Buenaventura, Chang, DeCoite, Kanuha, McKelvey, Moriwaki, Rhoads, Richards, Kidani SB 350 – Right to contraceptives. —Rhoads, Chang, Richards, San Buenaventura, Moriwaki Legalize marijuana HB 519 – Legalize recreational use of cannabis by those 21 and older. —Ward, Iwamoto Environmental health HB 597 – Establishes right to clean environment. —Poepoe, Amato, Grandinetti, Iwamoto, Kahaloa, Lamosao, Lowen, Marten, Perruso SB 559 – Right to a clean environment. —Rhoads, Gabbard SB 702 – Right to a clean environment. —Gabbard, Chang, Fevella Internet privacy SB 170 – Exclusive property right to the data you generate on the internet. —Rhoads, Chang, Fukunaga, Lee, San Buenaventura, Gabbard Bills seek to legalize betting on pro sports Original Article Hawaii Tribune-Herald John Burnett Jan 24, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Angus L.K. McKelvey Senator Lorraine R. Inouye Senator Joy A. San Buenaventura Senator Glenn Wakai At least two bills have been introduced in the state Senate with the intent of cashing in by legalizing limited forms of sports wagering — which is still illegal in Hawaii, despite numerous attempts that have gone bust in recent years. Senate Bill 373 has been referred to the Economic Development and Tourism Committee, where a favorable vote would forward the measure to a joint session of the Ways and Means and Judiciary committees. The legislation, introduced by Sen. Angus McKelvey (D-Maui) and co-sponsored by Sens. Joy San Buenaventura (D-Puna) and Glenn Wakai (D-Oahu), the majority floor leader, would establish an online fantasy sports contests registration and monitoring program under the Department of the Attorney General. The measure also would impose an online fantasy sports contests tax on the gross revenues of registrants. “We’ve been such an outlier state,” McKelvey told the Tribune-Herald on Thursday. “And as I say in the preamble of the bill — and I point to that — there’s no law actually on the books against it. It’s the opinion, rather, of a former attorney general’s office.” McKelvey was referring to a 2016 opinion issued by then-Attorney General Douglas Chin, which stated that daily fantasy sports contests, such as those run by FanDuel and DraftKings, constitute illegal gambling under existing state laws. “Gambling generally occurs under Hawaii law when a person stakes or risks something of value upon a game of chance or upon any future contingent event not under the person’s control,” said Chin at that time. “The technology may have changed, but the vice has not.” “They say it’s gambling. I say it’s not,” opined McKelvey, who pointed to a 2018 study by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which also is included in the measure’s preamble. “The studies that were done show that online daily fantasy — not sports book, very important, sports book is gambling — but online daily fantasy is at a same level of skill or greater than solitaire, which is in Hawaii a game of skill,” McKelvey said. McKelvey noted that Utah is the only other state banning online daily fantasy sports contests, and that his measure, if passed, would provide Hawaii with a revenue stream already realized by 48 other states. “I thought it was a way to bring us up to speed with all the other states of the nation, allow us to tap into unrealized tourist revenue, and provide — especially with the federal government conditioning aid now to all sorts of things — trying to create a way for extra investment or extra monies for the Lahaina rebuild which, of course, affects everybody across the state,” he said. “That was the idea. And after that was done, the fund could be used to fund other worthy programs in education and infrastructure and potential tax relief.” McKelvey lost a home in the Lahaina wildfire of Aug. 8-11, 2023, which killed more than 100 people and devastated the historic former whaling town. “My understanding is because of the California wildfires, Maui’s concerned they aren’t going to have the rebuilding ability for Lahaina, because they expect the price of building supplies to skyrocket,” said San Buenaventura. “I support taxing what the federal government has allowed the states to be able to do. And I generally support the idea because people are already gambling online, and I want to be able to regulate and tax it.” The measure would legalize online daily fantasy wagering on professional sports, but not on collegiate or high school sports or sports involving animals, such as horse racing and dog racing. “I’m trying to align this with what’s on online daily fantasy sites,” McKelvey said. The bill, which passed first reading, does have a provision for allocating start-up funds for the registration and monitoring program, but the amount is left blank. The other measure, Senate Bill 1572, introduced by Sen. Lynn DeCoite (D-Maui, Molokai and Lanai) and co-sponsored by Sen. Donna Mercado Kim (D-Oahu), would establish the Hawaii State Sports Wagering Commission within the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. The commission would codify licensing requirements for sports wagering operators, as well as penalties for violations. In addition, the measure would specify that sports wagering shall not be considered games of chance or gambling. Under the bill, the commission would be allowed to conduct background checks on applicants for a sports wagering operator license and persons in control of applicants for a sports wagering operator license. It also would require tax revenue collected from sports wagering to fund certain initiatives, including 50% for public education programs and 25% for affordable housing. In addition to “online qualified gaming entities,” the bill also would allow sports wagering “in-person at a retail sports betting location approved by the commission.” The bill, like SB 373, would permit wagering on professional sports but prohibit bets on collegiate and high school sports, as well as sports involving animals. The fee for an initial sports wagering operator license would be $250,000. The fee for renewal of a sports wagering operator license would be $100,000. As of Thursday afternoon, SB1572 passed first reading but hadn’t received a committee referral. Hikers who trespass might pay for search, rescue costs Original Article Star Advertiser By Talia Sibilla and Dan Nakaso Jan 22, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Lynn DeCoite Senator Donna Mercado Kim Two Senate bills seek to recover the hefty cost to search for and rescue trespassing hikers who venture onto illegal or closed trails across the state. Senate Bills 130 and 508 do not specify a dollar amount that hikers would have to reimburse any agency that rescues them. Both bills say trespassing hikers who ignore a warning notice or sign of closure would have to pay all or a portion, but not less than half, of all search and rescue expenses, which typically involve county firefighters, helicopters, pilots, ambulances and medical crews. SB 508 specifies that trespassing hikers would be fined if they act with “intentional disregard.” It also proposes that the penalty for criminal trespass rise to a misdemeanor from a petty misdemeanor. The Honolulu Fire Department conducts most search and rescue hiking operations on Oahu and has consistently disagreed with every previous bill that resembles the efforts of SBs 130 and 508. Requiring “payment for certain rescues may cause lost or injured hikers to hesitate or not request assistance from first responder agencies,” Louise Kim McCoy, HFD spokesperson, wrote in an email to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. “Such a delay in requesting assistance may exacerbate the situation, further endangering the lives of persons involved and their potential rescuers.” HFD helps anyone who calls for rescue and worries that charging them would push them to “make an attempt to self-rescue, further endangering themselves and potentially making a rescue more complex,” McCoy said. Twelve senators introduced SB 130, and most referred questions to state Sen. Lynn DeCoite (D, East and Upcountry Maui-Molokai-Lanai). She did not respond to repeated requests for comment. SB 508 offers illegal hikers a way to avoid paying for the cost of their search and rescue by purchasing a proposed “hike safe card” before going on a hike. The hike safe card would protect hikers even if they were rescued from an illegal site, unless the search and rescue response was caused by behavior that “any reasonable person would consider to be reckless.” Under SB 508, hike safe cards would “cost no less than $25 for an individual and no less then $35 for a family.” The cards would be valid for one year. Proceeds from the sale of the cards would go into a new statewide search and rescue special fund, which would be created by another bill, SB 1177. SB 1177 also would create a new position — Office of the State Search and Rescue Coordinator — to serve as a centralized authority statewide for search and rescue operations. It would be part of the new state Fire Marshal’s Office. The bill also seeks to address a “lack of funding, tools, and technology for state-wide searches.” In 2024 the Diamond Head Summit Trail near Waikiki represented the top site for HFD hiker rescues, followed by Lulumahu Falls, Koko Crater Stairs and Lanikai Pillbox. They’re all legal and popular hikes, especially among tourists. But HFD also regularly rescues hikers from illegal trails including the Stairway to Heaven, which leads to the top of the Koolau Mountain Range above the H-3 freeway in Kaneohe, and Sacred Falls State Park in Hauula, which has been closed since the fatal Mother’s Day 1999 rockslide that killed eight people and injured dozens more. Data collected by HFD between 2022 and 2024 showed 510 rescues from “legal trails” based on a list of trails pulled from the state Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of State Parks “Na Ala Hele” trail website. By comparison, there were 282 rescues for hikers on illegal or unlisted trails. But McCoy said that the data may not be a true representation because “there isn’t a complete list of all trails (let alone legal or not) on the island. There are also trails that aren’t technically illegal, but may not have made any state or city lists as ‘legal.’” Housing bills vie for state lawmakers’ attention Original Article Maui Now Brian Perry Jan 22, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Stanley Chang Senator Troy N. Hashimoto Senator Sharon Y. Moriwaki Senator Joy A. San Buenaventura With a bill introduction deadline looming on Thursday, state lawmakers already have nearly 150 measures to consider as ways to address Hawaiʻi’s dire housing shortage, a problem even more acute on Maui after the August 2023 wildfires destroyed thousands of homes. Here’s a sampling of some of the measures, all of which have passed first reading in either the state House or Senate and have been referred to committees for further review: House Bill 489 and Senate Bill 1214 would establish a Vacant Homes Special Fund under the Hawaiʻi Housing Finance and Development Corp. for rental assistance programs. Under the bill, residential property owners who allow their property to remain vacant for 180 days, or more than a year, would be subject to an annual general excise tax surcharge. It also requires people who own residential property but don’t live there to obtain a general excise tax license. The bills also require the counties to disclose a list of unoccupied residential properties to the state Department of Taxation, and it requires the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism to calculate average annual rental value for the basis for the surcharge amount. The House measure takes aim at owners of second homes in Hawaiʻi, pointing out that the state’s infrastructure enhances property values and development opportunities, but that owners of second homes, who leave them vacant throughout the year, “fail to contribute proportionately to the local economy that sustains their value.” Surcharge income would be used by the state for a rental assistance program similar to the federal Section 8 tenant-based housing assistance program, according to the bill. The amount of the surcharge would be equal to the estimated amount the housing unit would generate in excise taxes if it were rented to a tenant in a comparable real property size and area, indicated by ZIP code. The task of figuring out how to implement such a law would fall to the director of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, who may adopt, amend or repeal rules to carry out the property vacancy surcharge. The bill was introduced by Oʻahu House Reps. Kim Coco Iwamoto and Amy Perruso. Central Maui Rep. Tyson Miyake is co-introducer with Kaua’i Rep. Luke Evslin for House Bill 739 , which proposes to establish a Kamaʻāina Homes Program that would provide funding to the counties to purchase voluntary deed restrictions from eligible homeowners or homebuyers. Established within the Hawaiʻi Housing Finance and Development Corp. at a time when the median single-family home sells for nearly $1.4 million, the Kamaʻāina Homes Program would be modeled after the Vail InDEED program in tourist-Mecca Vail, Colo. According to the bill, Vail implemented in 2018 a voluntary program to allow the town to buy and place deed restrictions in perpetuity on local homes from willing buyers that limited occupancy to owner-occupants or resident tenants who live and work in the town of Vail. Since it began, the program has set aside more than 1,000 deed-restricted residences for local working residents and helped provide more attainable housing for residents. Miyake, Evslin and Oʻahu House Rep. Rachele Lamosao of Waipahu have introduced House Bill 525 , which would clarify that dwelling units eligible for the Rent-to-Own program shall be units that are for sale in fee simple or leasehold on state or county land under a lease with an initial term of no less than 99 years. The bill would increase amount of time that the sales price of dwelling units under the Rent-to-Own Program shall remain fixed from five years to 10 years after the rental agreement is executed. At least a couple of measures would tie the hands of county councils in some cases. For example, Senate Bill 27 would exempt state-financed housing developments from the requirement to obtain approval from the applicable county council. The bill was introduced by Senate Housing Committee Chair Stanley Chang, with support from Vice Chair Troy Hashimoto, of Central Maui. Other senators backing the bill include Republican Kurt Fevella of Ewa Beach, Sharon Moriwaki of urban Honolulu and Glenn Wakai of Central Oʻahu and Senate floor leader. And, Senate Bill 38 would prohibit the legislative body of a county from making modifications to housing development proposals that would increase the cost of the project. That bill was introduced by Sens. Chang, Fevella, Hashimoto and Joy Buenaventura of Puna, Hawaii Island. Calling for a change in Hawaiʻi’s landlord tenant laws is House Bill 464 . For tenants residing in rental units for more than 90 days, the bill would require a landlord to notify a tenant of any intent to raise the rent for any subsequent rental agreement or any intent to terminate a rental agreement 60 days before the expiration of the original rental agreement. It would also mandate a 90-notice to terminate a tenancy for tenants of three years or more and 60 days for tenants of less than three years, with certain exceptions. It also increases the amount of time required to give notice to terminate tenancies that are less than month-to-month. The bill includes a legislative finding that working families in Hawaiʻi face increasing housing insecurity and displacement. “Many renters in Hawaiʻi lose their housing through processes that never register as evictions because they happen at the end of a lease term,” the bill says. “Landlords can decline to renew a lease, even for complying tenants, without cause. These arbitrary lease nonrenewals are highly disruptive to the lives of tenants and are a cause of poverty, financial insecurity and emotional distress.” The bill proposes finding that under the residential landlord-tenant code, fixed term leases –- for example, a one-year lease –- currently have no notice requirement. Instead, landlords are recommended to give notice prior to the lease expiration. Short notice or lack of any notice “imposes serious hardship on many tenants who struggle to locate adequate housing in Hawaiʻi’s increasingly tight rental market and face serious economic burdens to cover the costs of relocation.” Such costs include application fees, safety deposits, rent and taking time off from work to inspect units and move belongings from a former residence to a new one. “Given the realities of Hawaiʻi’s current rental market, the Legislature finds that tenants need additional time to secure adequate housing,” the bill says. The measure was introduced by Maui County Reps. Terez Amato of South Maui and Rep. Mahina Poepoe of Molokaʻi and Oʻahu Reps. Tina Grandinetti, Daniel Holt, Kim Coco Iwamoto, Darius Kila, Trish La Chica, Lisa Marten and Amy Perruso. Legislative measure would have state acquire all West Maui water systems through eminent domain Original Article Maui Now Brian Perry Jan 16, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Angus L.K. McKelvey Senator Lynn Decoite Senator Stanley Chang Senator Joy A. San Buenaventura Waterfalls could be seen in the hills above Launiupoko in West Maui. A bill introduced in the state Legislature would require the state to acquire all West Maui water systems through eminent domain. File photo (3.13.21) PC: Barbie GreenhalghThe state Department of Land and Natural Resources would be required to acquire all West Maui water systems through eminent domain and then hold them in trust for the management by Maui County, according to a bill introduced this legislative session. Senate Bill 386 has been proposed by Maui Sens. Angus McKelvey (West and South Maui, Mā‘alaea and Waikapū) and Lynn DeCoite (Hāna, East and Upcountry Maui, Moloka‘i, Lāna‘i, Kaho‘olawe and Molokini); Oʻahu Sens. Stanley Chang (Hawai‘i Kai, Kuli‘ou‘ou, Niu, ‘Āina Haina, Wai‘alae-Kāhala, Diamond Head, Kaimukī, Kapahulu), chair of the Senate Housing Committee; Republican Kurt Fevella (‘Ewa Beach, Ocean Pointe, ‘Ewa by Gentry, Iroquois Point, portion of ‘Ewa Villages); and Hawaiʻi Island Sen. Joy San Buenaventura (Puna). The bill’s legislative finding says that “West Maui’s water resources are under significant strain due to prolonged drought conditions, climate change and increased demand from private entities controlling approximately 80% of these resources, supplying water to hotels, golf courses and large estates. The 2023 Maui wildfires, exacerbated by invasive grasses and limited water availability, highlighted the critical need for improved water management and accessibility.” The measure also says that the diversion of streams for private use has negatively affected traditional Native Hawaiian agricultural practices and the ecological health of the region. According to the bill, “it is imperative to assert public control over West Maui’s water systems to ensure equitable distribution, enhance resilience against climate-induced droughts and wildfires, and uphold the public trust doctrine enshrined in the Hawaiʻi State Constitution.” Photos: Lawmakers, lobbyists and citizens kick off the 2025 legislative session Original Article Hawaiʻi Public Radio Jason Ubay, Mark Ladao, Ashley Mizuo, Sophia McCullough Jan 15, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Ronald D. Kouchi Senator Chris Lee Senator Dru Mamo Kanuha Senator Jarrett Keohokalole Senator Lynn DeCoite Senator Herbert "Tim" Richards, III Senator Troy Hashimoto Senator Henry J.C. Aquino State representatives and visitors attend opening day of the 2025 legislative session at the Hawaiʻi State Capitol on Jan. 15, 2025. Jason Ubay/HPRNew year, new legislative session. Lawmakers, lobbyists and engaged citizens gathered at the Hawaiʻi State Capitol in Honolulu this morning to kick off the 2025 session.Some of HPR's news team spent the day alongside attendees. Here's what they saw. Live mele and hula kick off the 2025 Hawaiʻi House of Representatives on opening day.Jason Ubay/HPR Visitors to the Capitol are required to go through security screening.Jason Ubay/HPR Community members gather in the open-air Hawaiʻi State Capitol courtyard on opening day.Jason Ubay/HPR Members of the United Public Workers union attend opening day.Jason Ubay/HPR From left to right: House Republicans Garner Shimizu, Diamond Garcia, Elijah Pierick, Lauren Matsumoto and David Alcos III on opening day of the 2025 legislative session. (Jan. 15, 2025) Jason Ubay/HPR First-year Rep. Matthias Kusch of Hawaiʻi Island, center, with Gov. Josh Green on opening day. Green appointed Kusch to the position after the death of former Rep. Mark Nakashima.Jason Ubay/HPR Rep. Nadine Nakamura addresses the state House as speaker for the first time on Jan. 15, 2025. Nakamura said investments into more affordable housing will be top of mind for lawmakers as they try to address the cost of living.Mark Ladao/HPR First-year Rep. Kim Coco Iwamoto cast the lone "no" vote against new House Speaker Nadine Nakamura on opening day of the 2025 legislative session. Ashley Mizuo/HPR Hawaiʻi House Speaker Nadine Nakamura speaks to the press. She is the first woman to lead the chamber. Mark Ladao/HPR Attendees wait to enter the House and Senate chambers at the Hawaiʻi State Capitol on opening day of the legislative session on Jan. 15, 2025. Senators and representatives have their offices on the second, third and fourth floors. The governor and the lieutenant governor are housed on the top floor. Jason Ubay/HPR Senate President Ron Kouchi addresses senators and attendees on opening day of the legislative session on Jan. 15, 2025. Kouchi said many of the state’s problems can be traced back to one thing: housing. Mark Ladao/HPR Senate Minority Leader Brenton Awa addresses the chamber on opening day of the legislative session on Jan. 15, 2025. Awa called for more support for locals and Native Hawaiians. He also criticized local leaders, pointing at Gov. Josh Green’s offer to house Los Angeles fire victims in hotel rooms, the Honolulu City Council’s recent 64% pay raise, and Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s “ownership” of local media. Mark Ladao/HPR Senate President Ron Kouchi, flanked by Senate Democratic leadership, speaks to the press on opening day. (Jan. 15, 2025) Mark Ladao/HPR Representatives and senators usually open their office doors and offer food to community members roaming the hallways. Mark Ladao/HPR The Hawaiʻi State Capitol building from across S. Beretania Street. Jason Ubay/HPR Tags Local News State Legislature Hawaiʻi Legislature Begins 2025 With High Hopes For Solving Our Toughest Issues Original Article Honolulu Civil Beat Kevin Dayton, Chad Blair Jan 15, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Ronald D. Kouchi Senator Donovan M. Dela Cruz Senator Jarrett Keohokalole The state House and Senate are largely on the same page when it comes to priorities for the 2025 session that officially opened Wednesday. Leading the list are stabilization of the condominium insurance market, strengthening enforcement of illegal fireworks, streamlining approval processes so developers can build more affordable housing and improving biosecurity to control and expel invasive species. But House and Senate leaders are not in agreement on issues such as recreational marijuana. And some House members clashed over rules governing their own chamber. Differences between the House and Senate — both of which are overwhelmingly controlled by Democrats — on what issues to enact and how to enact them may not have evaporated. For example, the Senate approved bills for recreational marijuana over the past two sessions but the measures died in the House — something that Senate President Ron Kouchi reminded reporters of at a press conference following the floor session. Rep. David Tarnas said he was working on an omnibus bill that would take into consideration not only recreational marijuana but also adjustments to the state’s medical marijuana program and related issues. “I think the people in the state of Hawaii really would like us to address cannabis policy in a comprehensive manner, which includes medical cannabis, which has been legal for many, many years,” he said. “It includes hemp, which is legal as well. And it includes the adult use of cannabis.” And, while both chambers are generally in sync with the priorities of Gov. Josh Green, a fellow Democrat, they are still not sold on the governor’s proposal for a fee levied on visitors through the hotel tax to pay for climate change mitigation. Rep. Kyle Yamashita, chair of the House Finance Committee, wants to be careful before considering taking interest from the state’s Rainy Day Fund to pay for climate mitigation. (David Croxford/Civil Beat/2025) Rep. Kyle Yamashita said he was cautious about embracing another idea from the governor: to use interest from the state’s Rainy Day Fund to help pay for part of climate mitigation. The state currently enjoys a healthy fund balance, but economic cycles can change, he warned. “I’m kind of hesitant to touch that because I believe we need to build the reserve up,” he said. “My concern is we had over a decade since the Lehman Brothers downturn of prosperity and then we had the pandemic and we had a drop. But the Fed just gave us so much money that it actually spiked and caused inflation.” A better option, said Yamashita, might be to raise visitor fees at popular tourist destinations such as trails, something that Kouchi said he is open to considering. Hanging over the Legislature’s to-list is a shared unease with what might transpire in Washington, D.C., when Donald Trump returns to the White House with a Republican-controlled Congress to support him. House Speaker Nadine Nakamura expressed concerns that Hawaiʻi’s share of federal funding might be reduced. Hawaiʻi’s vulnerability to events out of its control is underscored by the Los Angeles fires that are still burning. Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole, who is working on home insurance legislation, said the increase in severity of natural disasters has made crafting legislative solutions more complicated. Hawaiʻi, he noted, is at risk not only for tsunamis, hurricanes and volcanoes but also wildfires. “We are now seen as a risky state,” he said, pointing out that Hawaiʻi was not considered an insurance concern after 1992’s Hurricane ʻIniki. “But now that these catastrophes are getting so much attention, we have to deal with what’s happening in the marketplace now. So some of it is going to be our responsibility to stabilize.” Jobs Wanted For Locals The Senate plans to focus on workforce development coupled with education. The idea, said Kouchi, is to help young students not only with internships and apprenticeships but to help them find jobs in Hawaiʻi after school. The Senate’s priorities involve advancing technology integration across campuses, aligning curriculum to workforce needs, supporting career and technical education and boosting student test performance. The House is also interested in expanding training and internship programs to better prepare students for public and private sector career paths. “Additionally, we are examining strategies to recruit and retain public workers in the State of Hawaiʻi as we face workforce retirements and prepare for upcoming vacancies,” according to a House press release. Senate President Ron Kouchi made it clear Wednesday that there are a number of important issues for the House and Senate to work on. (David Croxford/Civil Beat/2025) Kouchi said Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz, the Ways and Means Committee chair, would take the lead on education and workforce development. The Senate would also seek to generate new revenue streams, possibly through innovations in agriculture. Kouchi and Dela Cruz also both favor land banking — buying and managing land with the intention of selling or developing it. Kouchi said land banking could lead to developing more housing and agriculture and even help when it comes to siting new jails and prisons. House History, And Rules In the House, Nakamura became the first female speaker in Hawaii history to take charge of a House floor session. Nakamura thanked the new House leaders and her fellow House Democrats, who chose her as speaker for the 33rd Legislature in November. The discussions in the Democratic caucus that resulted in her selection for the top job in the House were not open to the public. Nakamura said she turned to her 97-year-old mother, Mabel Maeda, for advice on how to handle the responsibility and challenges of her new role. Maeda, who watched from the House floor as Nakamura spoke, experienced the full weight of governmental power in Hawai’i during the years following the bombing of Pearl Harbor. She was orphaned at age 6, and her guardian before the war was a Tenrikyo minister who was taken away in the middle of the night and imprisoned in New Mexico, Nakamura said. When she was older, she and other students were required to work at least one day a week in the pineapple fields to support the local wartime economy. Nakamura said she reflected on those experiences because “the decisions we make in this chamber will also reverberate for generations to come.” Nadine Nakamura is the first woman to lead the Hawaiʻi House of Representatives. On opening day Wednesday, she called for her colleagues to work together. (David Croxford/Civil Beat/2025) “So when I asked my mother what advice she’d give me and my fellow legislators, she said that we should try to be humble and respect each other,” Nakamura said. “She said to overlook the faults that we all have, and find the good in each other.” Nakamura introduced the 11 freshmen House members, and called on all of her colleagues to work cooperatively on a House vision for Hawaiʻi that stresses the need for a “healthy, thriving and housed” state population. “If we work together, if we set aside grudges, if we listen to each other, roll up our sleeves, and if we direct our limited resources wisely, we can achieve this vision,” she said. “And when we disagree with each other, which might happen now and then, we do so respectfully and with civility.” Related Articles Solving Hawaiʻi’s Housing Crisis Front And Center In New Legislative Session Green Proposes Spending Another $30 Million On A New Oʻahu Jail Legislature May Take A Stand Against Decades Of Pay-To-Play Politics Will This Be The Year Hawaiʻi Charges Visitors For Their Environmental Impact? Green Says Budget Has Room For Public Worker Pay Raises, Even With Tax Cuts Hawai‘i House Finance Chair Has Plans For Big Changes In The Tax Code Legislators Look To Support Student Recovery From The Pandemic In what may be a sign of political friction to come, freshman Rep. Kim Coco Iwamoto, a Democrat, and Rep. Kanani Souza, a Republican, voted against a routine resolution appointing House caucus leaders and making House committee assignments. Iwamoto, who is a lawyer and a left-leaning Democrat, said the appointment of Rep. Linda Ichiyama as both vice speaker and a voting member of four House committees violates House rules. The most recent House rules allow the vice speaker to serve as a voting member of only one committee. Iwamoto also objected to the makeup of the House Finance Committee, which she said should have included another Democrat, according to the House rules. The committees are supposed to be composed of Republicans and Democrats proportionate to their numbers in the House, which Iwamoto said requires another Democrat on Finance. There are 42 Democrats and nine Republicans in the House. Souza, who is also a lawyer, voted against the resolution because she said there were changes made to the committee lineup and included in the resolution after the committee assignments were announced in a House memo and a news release to the public last year. She did not say what changes prompted her objection. Rep. Kim Coco Iwamoto voted against routine resolutions including committee assignments over what she said were violations of House rules. (David Croxford/Civil Beat/2025) House Democratic Majority Leader Sean Quinlan replied that proportionality is “very poorly defined in our House rules,” and the House is in the process of updating the rules. He also said there is nothing in the rules specifically prohibiting the speaker or vice speaker from serving as committee members. Republican Minority Leader Lauren Matsumoto thanked Nakamura for making an effort to reach out to the minority, and praised the new House leadership for “re-examining how we conduct the people’s work in this chamber.” She called on House members to make fiscal policy changes that include eliminating the state income tax, and eliminating taxes on tips. She also urged public disclosure of how much each bill before the Legislature will cost, a mechanism that in some states is known as “fiscal notes.” That means “we have to know how much something costs before we vote on it. Currently 44 other state legislatures already do this, and it’s time Hawai’i does as well,” she said. Yamashita, the House Finance Committee chair, said in a news conference after the floor session that the House is undertaking a comprehensive review of both state and county taxes. Nakamura noted the Legislature passed an unprecedented state income tax cut last year that will reduce state tax collections by billions of dollars in the years ahead. “I think it would be a stretch” to now entirely eliminate the state income tax, she said. As for fiscal notes, Yamashita said that has been brought up before, but “it takes resources and effort.” He added that “it’s something we, at this time, we don’t have the resources to be able to put something out there.” Gov. Josh Green is slated to deliver his State of the State address Tuesday. The Legislature is scheduled to adjourn May 2. Leeward CC cohort entrepreneurs participating in national food showcase Original Article University of Hawai'i Thomas Heaton Jan 15, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Donovan M. Dela Cruz Leeward Community College Contact: Chris Bailey, (808) 927-2025 Manager, Wahiawa Value-Added Product Development Center Tad Saiki, (808) 455-0531 Marketing Specialist, Marketing Posted: Jan 15, 2025 Senator Donovan Dela Cruz with Hawaiian Vinegar Co. Fancy Food Show, Las Vegas Mauka Meats at the WVAPDC Leeward Community College's Wahiawā Value-Added Product Development Center (WVAPDC) will be exhibiting at the upcoming 2025 Winter Fancy Food Show, the kickoff event of the food industry’s annual cycle, produced by the Specialty Food Association and offering thousands of diverse makers, buyers, brokers, distributors, and industry professionals from across the U.S. and the globe three days of delicious product discovery, networking, and business opportunities. The WVAPDC and its participating ʻĀina to Mākeke entrepreneurs will showcase a variety of innovative food and beverage products that highlight the unique flavors of Hawaiʻi. Located in the Incubator Village, a dedicated space for first-time exhibitors, these entrepreneurs will introduce their unique creations to a global audience. Visit us in Booth #IV35 through #IV82 to explore the flavors of Hawaiʻi and learn more about these pioneering businesses. The 49th Winter Fancy Food Show returns to the Las Vegas Convention Center from January 19–21 and will feature more than 90,000 specialty foods and beverages from global makers. Participants will also gain access to real-time insights from the SFA Trendspotter Panel, educational programming and panels on the Main Stage, and the new Debut District area featuring first-time exhibitors, brand-new products, incubators, and startups. “The Winter Fancy Food Show offers an incredible opportunity to showcase Hawaiʻiʻs rich food heritage and innovative spirit on a global stage. Our ʻĀina to Mākeke entrepreneurs represent the best of local creativity, sustainability, and dedication to quality. Leeward Community College is proud to support these businesses as they share their unique flavors of Hawaiʻi with the world,” says Leeward CC Chancellor Carlos Penaloza. The WVAPDC will be exhibiting with eight food entrepreneurs who have completed Leeward CC’s ʻĀina to Mākeke or University of Hawaiʻi Maui College’s Food Innovation Center’s business incubator programs. Any Kine SNAX – Any Kine SNAX is a Hawaiʻi-owned, small family business that was started in 2020 from a desire to share our fun and tasty freeze-dried candies and treats with family and friends. Galleon Chocolates – We are a Maui-based chocolatier specializing in bold and innovative chocolates that celebrate Filipino and Hawaiian flavors. Hawaiian Krunch Company – Our artisanal small batch granolas feature four of Hawaiʻi’s indigenous canoe crops: Kalo (taro), ‘Ulu (breadfruit), ‘Uala (sweet potato), and Niu (coconut). We proudly source 80% of our ingredients from local, Hawaiʻi farmers. Hawaiian Vinegar Co. – Hawaiian Vinegar Co.’s unique, artisanal vinegars and shrubs are crafted from locally sourced seasonal fruits and produce. Our unique Hawaiian flavors support sustainability by upcycling excess and off-grade produce, as well as by-products. Hometown BBQ – Our craft BBQ sauces feature Hawaiʻi-grown fruits and unique local flavors. Island Rayne Gourmet – Our craft hot sauces showcase bold, island-inspired flavors. Island Sausage – Artisanal quality salami and snack sticks with local flavors and flair by Hawaiʻi’s only salami producer. Mauka Meats – Premium, locally sourced meats, sausages and bone broth, with a focus on quality, sustainability, and supporting Hawaiian agriculture. Attendees are invited to visit Leeward CC and the Wahiawā Value-Added Product Development Center and our ‘Āina to Mākeke entrepreneurs at Booths #IV35 through #IV82 to explore these unique products and learn how we’re advancing Hawaiʻi’s food industry on the global stage. About the WVAPDC: The Wahiawā Value-Added Product Development Center (WVAPDC) is a project of the University of Hawaiʻi Leeward Community College and the State of Hawaiʻi, contributing to the growth of Hawaiʻi’s agricultural industry and entrepreneurial community through: Premier educational programming to students and community members, empowering Hawaiʻi’s entrepreneurial ecosystem for generations to come. Increased opportunities for local farmers and growers to sell their products to value-added producers. Supporting local entrepreneurs to incubate their business through access to small business resources, production kitchens and in-house product and process development. The WVAPDC is a 33,000 square foot food manufacturing facility located in Wahiawā in Central Oʻahu in Hawaiʻi. Our center is a resource for food entrepreneurship and education. We offer product development consultation services, lab testing and production kitchens. We serve Hawaiʻi’s processors, entrepreneurs, farmers and students focused on developing and creating food products. This initiative aligns with the State of Hawaiʻi and the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism’s (DBEDT) efforts to diversify the local economy. By introducing Hawaiʻi-made products to a larger audience, the WVAPDC provides a platform for entrepreneurial growth and fosters export opportunities for Hawaiʻi’s unique agricultural and value-added products. For more information about WVAPDC visit our website , or email vapdc@hawaii.edu and follow us on Instagram . For additional media contact, please contact WVAPDC Manager, Chris Bailey at crbailey@hawaii.edu. Honolulu City Council ‘reaffirms’ opposition to landfill over aquifer Original Article Honolulu Star - Advertiser Ian Bauer Jan 11, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Mike Gabbard Over 20 years ago a prior Honolulu City Council passed a resolution that stated municipal solid waste landfills should not be located in proximity to Oahu’s underground drinking water sources. In 2003, Resolution 9 was adopted to safeguard Oahu’s important water resources. At the time, the policy was supposedly prompted by concerns that even with the best landfill technologies, the risk of hazardous materials contaminating the island’s freshwater aquifer could, over time, potentially harm public health and safety. The city’s policies, however, also can change over time. On Dec. 10, Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s administration announced its intent to site the city’s next dump on active agricultural land owned by Dole Food Co. Hawaii near Wahiawa. The site — west of Kamehameha Highway and north of Paalaa Uka Pupukea Road — is also about 800 feet above Oahu’s freshwater aquifer, according to Board of Water Supply Manager and Chief Engineer Ernie Lau. To that end, Lau has expressed opposition to the planned landfill site’s location, due to its proximity to the island’s primary supply of drinking water. Others, like Council Vice Chair Matt Weyer and Council member Radiant Cordero, agree. On Jan. 2 the pair introduced Resolution 3, meant to reaffirm the city’s 2003 policy against landfills near underground freshwater sources. Weyer, whose Council District 2 includes Wahiawa as well as the North Shore, told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that he wants the city administration to revisit its landfill siting decision. “Before we spend taxpayer money, before we go down a path that isn’t workable, we just kind of want to provide the pathway to take this off the table and move on to other locations and have that discussion with the community,” he said. Weyer said he’s had “conversations with the mayor’s administration, and they know my concerns” over the landfill’s siting in Wahiawa. “They feel that they can operate it safely, and they believe it’s the only legal pathway (to have a landfill),” he said. “But when we look at the Board of Water Supply’s position, we definitely stand with them, recognizing that they do have authority to reject a potential landfill site.” Cordero, whose Council District 7 includes Halawa and Red Hill, noted the urgency in preventing more contamination from entering Oahu’s freshwater supply. “Placing a solid waste landfill over our city’s aquifer would be both counterproductive and reckless,” she said in a statement. “After the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility leak in my district, our communities across the island are still recovering.” But the city contends a new landfill on Oahu is necessary. And the Wahiawa site, the city argues, allows it to continue to handle the island’s estimated 225,000 tons of solid waste and related materials it puts into its dump each year. City officials say they hope to negotiate a purchase of about 150 acres — the amount of land needed for a solid waste landfill — out of what they described as an approximately 2,360-acre parcel now owned by Dole. Dole has publicly stated opposition to the city locating a landfill on its actively used agricultural lands in Wahiawa. However, the company has indicated to the city it has unused lands for sale nearby. At the state Capitol on Tuesday, city Managing Director Mike Formby and city Department of Environmental Services officials addressed lawmakers with the city’s reasons to have the next dump on Dole lands. City officials said it was due, in part, to a state- imposed Dec. 31 deadline to find an alternate site, ahead of the planned closure of the 35-year-old Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill in Kapolei, in accordance with a 2019 decision and order by the state Land Use Commission. That West Oahu dump is set to close in 2028, though the landfill will not reach full capacity until 2032, the city said. At the same meeting, BWS’ Lau noted a U.S. Geological Survey study conducted in 2003, which states all landfills eventually leak — often dispersing into the environment harmful chemicals like arsenic as well as PFAS, or so-called “forever chemicals,” linked to illnesses like cancer. BWS must evaluate the proposed landfill site and, based on its proximity to potable water sources, may approve or reject the proposal. Previously, BWS objected to the city siting a landfill within its so-called “no-pass zone,” an area that covers the interior of the island where Oahu’s potable water aquifer is located. During the joint meeting of the House Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection and the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Environment, state Sen. Mike Gabbard, chair of the Senate’s committee, asked, “Who has the final say, the Board of Water Supply, City Council, the mayor? Where does it end?” Formby replied the city has set out a plan “to exhaust as many options as we could, respecting the rule of law.” The city, he said, has not “formally made a recommendation for this proposed site to (BWS) yet.” He added, “Whether or not that gets challenged, and (Chief Engineer Lau) might write us a letter and say, ‘For your specific proposal, I say no,’ in which case, we would appeal that to the (BWS’ board of directors).” Formby said the board also “has the ability to actually override the chief engineer, which would then give us a green light for this proposed site.” Meanwhile, Weyer said a public town hall meeting over the proposed landfill site will be held 6-8 p.m. Wednesday at Wahiawa Elementary School’s cafeteria, 1402 Glen Ave. BWS’ Lau, state officials and Dole company representatives will be in attendance at that meeting, he said. The Council’s Committee on Housing, Sustainability, Economy and Health is also expected to review Resolution 3 at 1 p.m. Tuesday inside City Council Chambers, 530 S. King St. DOE Gets An F: Hawaiʻi Schools Miss Their First Local Food Target Original Article Honolulu Civil Beat Thomas Heaton Jan 10, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Donovan M. Dela Cruz The Hawaiʻi Department of Education bought just 5% of ingredients for school lunches from local producers last year, failing to hit its first state-mandated farm-to-school target of 10% for local foods. And that counts purchases of local bottled water. This translated to roughly $4.5 million of the education department’s $82 million in food spending during the 2023-2024 school year for local produce, dairy, ground beef and poi among other staples, according to a report school officials will present Friday to the House Finance Committee. The department’s failure does not come as a shock to many in farm-to-school circles who have for years criticized the approach and speed of the agency’s work to integrate locally grown food into school meals. The mandated increase in spending was intended to ensure children received more nutritious meals and to give an economic boost to Hawaiʻi farmers and ranchers. “I’m really saddened and frustrated but definitely not surprised,” former teacher and farm-to-school advocate Rep. Amy Perruso said. Locally sourced and cultivated dairy accounted for 0.51% of the state Department of Education’s food spending during the 2023-2024 school year. (Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2022) The state tasked the department with increasing its local food spending incrementally, starting this year at 10% and ending in 2050 when it is expected to spend 50% of its food budget on local produce. But the department backslid since the goals were set. In 2022, local food accounted for 6.2% of the state’s food purchasing, 0.8% higher than the latest school year. The report to state lawmakers shows ground beef made up the lion’s share of the department’s total spending on local food, accounting for 3% during the 2023-2024 school year. Fruit and vegetables accounted for 1.83% and less than 1% for poi, dairy and locally sourced bottled water. The bottled water, from Hilo, is offered a la carte for students purchasing school meals in the cafeteria and is deemed a “local processed product,” DOE spokeswoman Nanea Ching said in an email. It is a “creative stretch” to include bottled water in the report to the Legislature, Hawaiʻi Farmers Union advocacy director Hunter Heaivilin said, one that he is certain Hawaiʻi farmers did not benefit from. The department spent more than $40 million on imported processed foods in the 2023-2024 school year, accounting for 56.75% of its ingredients, the remaining 37.82% was spent on imported meat, fresh produce and dairy. DOE officials have in the past blamed local food industry's weak supply, price point, and flimsy supply chains for the lack of progress. Agriculture and farm-to-school advocates have largely rebuked that idea, saying the DOE's School Food Services Branch has been too opaque and inflexible to sell local food to. The department has consistently shown "reticence to pursue public will that has been embodied in state law," said Heaivilin, a food systems planner. To be sure, there are products that Hawaiʻi farmers will not be able to grow competitively or affordably enough for the department, such as apples, potatoes and rice. So the DOE should alter meals to better suit the local food system, Heaivilin said, or it should consider changing the way it reports its progress, so food producers have a greater understanding of what they could grow. "Some of these could be automatic import replacements, some of these could require changing menus," Heaivilin said. Hawai‘i Grown This ongoing series delves deep into what it would take for Hawai‘i to decrease its dependence on imported food and be better positioned to grow its own. Read More Ching said the DOE plans to host forums with vendors to guide them on the department's procurement laws, among other things, to help farmers, ranchers and other food producers better negotiate deals with them across the islands. The department has nevertheless failed to meet its mandated goal this year, casting doubt over the program's success. Lawmakers will have to resolve a discrepancy in laws by 2030 because two different laws — 2021's Act 175 and Act 144 from 2022 — show different targets, one being 30% and the other 18%. Perruso said she's not sure there are consequences either way for the department failing to meet the targets. The department has banked on the development of a centralized mega-kitchen model , based on mainland school food operations and local chain restaurant Zippy's , which prepares food in a central location to distribute throughout each island. The DOE signed a contract for the first kitchen's construction late last year, worth almost $30 million, to be built in Whitmore Village on Oʻahu. With the kitchen, strongly supported by Senate Ways and Means Chair Donovan Dela Cruz , the DOE hopes to iron out kinks in the supply chain on its way to reaching mandated goals. Perruso said the Legislature is also partly to blame for the department's failure to meet the goal, having left the department with just one position dedicated to the task. That role was not filled until August last year, after being vacant for three years. Randy Tanaka, DOE's former facilities superintendent, said he was doing the job himself until he was fired in late 2023. "It's not going to be possible for one person to effectuate that change," Perruso said, so the state needs to intervene to help the department achieve the goals. " Hawai‘i Grown " is funded in part by grants from the Stupski Foundation, Ulupono Fund at the Hawai‘i Community Foundation and the Frost Family Foundation. The Sunshine Blog: Here’s When It Pays To Be A Doctor — And A Governor Original Article Honolulu Civil Beat The Sunshine Blog Jan 10, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Lynn DeCoite Senator Jarrett Keohokalole Senator Chris Lee Senator Donovan M. Dela Cruz Senator Henry J.C. Aquino Senator Troy N. Hashimoto Senator Donna Mercado Kim Dr. Green goes to Washington: Hawaiʻi Gov. Josh Green has become the leading voice — at least for the moment — opposing the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Our very own Dr. Gov. Green was all over Washington, D.C., this week, lobbying senators and telling anyone who would listen about the time in 2019 when he led a medical mission to Samoa to fight a raging measles outbreak only to find Kennedy and his anti-vax campaign had gotten there first. The country had experienced a drop in vaccination rates before the outbreak, driven in part by fear after the death of two infants in 2018 who had received a measles, mumps and rubella vaccine that had been improperly prepared. But Kennedy has also been blamed for exacerbating the problem. In 2019, just months before an emergency was declared, he traveled to Samoa and met with prominent anti-vaccination activists on the island. And then during the height of the outbreak, when children were dying, he sent a letter to the prime minister questioning whether it was the MMR vaccine itself that had caused the public health crisis. By the time the outbreak had run its course, thousands of people were sickened and 83 died, many of them children. Green, who is passionate and articulate about the problems that come when people refuse to get vaccinated, had an op-ed published in The New York Times this week and was featured in a Washington Post story and on cable media including CNN and Fox News. And he was trending on social sites. “I have no personal animus toward Mr. Kennedy on a lot of his policies,” Green told Civil Beat’s Washington correspondent Nick Grube, who caught him as he was sitting on a plane waiting to take off back to Hawaiʻi. “I just have an absolute objection to having the secretary of Health and Human Services be against vaccines, and he is. He can say what he wants to try to mitigate the damage, but everyone knows about his vaccine skepticism.” Green met with nearly a dozen senators from both sides of the aisle, including Democrats Dick Durbin of Illinois and Ron Wyden of Oregon. He was reluctant to name anyone else, he told Grube, because they were worried about political fallout. And besides, Green told Grube, he was really there on official state business like checking on federal cash that could and should be headed our way and other things of interest to Hawai‘i. While in town he worked with two different advocacy groups, 3.14 Action and Protect Our Care, to push his message and coordinate meetings with lawmakers. Already 3.14 Action has featured the governor in one of its advertisements opposing Kennedy. Green, who The Blog has heard would really like to be the country’s health secretary himself one day, told Grube he anticipates returning to D.C. in the future to crusade against Kennedy, including testifying before Congress if the opportunity allows. He’ll even talk to Donald Trump. Check, please: Wednesday is Opening Day of the 2025 Hawaiʻi Legislature, so that can only mean one thing: state legislators will rush to hold campaign fundraisers before the opening gavel falls because they’re prohibited by state law from holding organized fundraisers during session. The Blog is referring specifically to Sens. Lynn DeCoite and Jarrett Keohokalole , who asked for donations at Capitol Modern Tuesday night. It’s conveniently located right across Richards Street from the Hawaiʻi State Capitol. On Wednesday night Sens. Chris Lee , Donovan Dela Cruz , Henry Aquino and Troy Hashimoto passed their hats at Bishop Museum. Aquino, DeCoite and Keohokalole are planning ahead — they’re not up for reelection until 2028. House bills proposing to end the acceptance of all campaign contributions during legislative sessions (not just at organized fundraisers) passed that chamber unanimously in the 2023 session but were not heard by the Senate. Civil Beat opinion writers are closely following efforts to bring more transparency and accountability to state and local government — at the Legislature, the county level and in the media. Help us by sending ideas and anecdotes to sunshine@civilbeat.org . The mysterious making of the rules: The rulebook dictating how Hawaiʻi lawmakers conduct the public’s business is a big deal. The Blog has long contended that many of the most urgently needed legislative reforms could be accomplished with simple rule changes . With the start of a new biennium Wednesday, new rules must be adopted. Actually there are two rulebooks, one for the House and another for the Senate . And how they approach the task says a lot about the differences between the two chambers. The House formed a four-member Advisory Committee on Rules and Procedures that has been reaching out to representatives for their suggestions regarding the rules. The Senate, meh, not so much. Here’s how Senate Judiciary Chair Karl Rhoads puts it: “I think the Senate tends to be a little more, what’s the word I’m looking for? You’re a senator. If you have a problem with something, you need to raise it. We’re not necessarily going to go look for you to solicit your concerns.” Rhoads says he’s heard nothing about possible new Senate rules in the lead-up to the new session. Which, come to think of it, is not so different from what the House is doing. Its advisory committee is meeting in private, much to the consternation of reform advocates like Gary Hooser. The former senator writes in his own blog that current House rule No. 20 requires that the committee’s meetings be conducted openly: “Every meeting of a committee of the House … held for the purpose of making decisions on matters referred to the committee shall be open to the public.” But House Judiciary Chair David Tarnas points out that this House advisory committee is just that — advisory. “They’re not making decisions,” Tarnas says. “They’re recommending and they’re advisory. The decision-making itself is when we vote on it.” That will presumably occur soon after the Legislature convenes. That’s when we’ll know if either chamber is serious about limiting the power of conference chairs, preventing the money committees from controlling non-fiscal matters, eliminating anonymous bill introductions and so forth. Hope springs eternal: And speaking of being serious about reform, a hui of good governance groups gathered at the Capitol Thursday to launch what they called “Good Government Lobby Day.” The goal of the Hawai‘i Alliance for Progressive Action, Our Hawai‘i, Common Cause and Clean Elections Coalition is to advocate for government reforms that will strengthen transparency, accountability and fairness in the legislative process. “Welcome to your House of Representatives,” Rep. Della Au Belatti said as she welcomed some two dozen folks to Conference Room 325. She said she had not seen such a level of reform activity in her 20 years in the Legislature, adding that a revived Good Government Caucus at the Legislature is already working on bills. Rep. Della Au Belatti at the Good Governance Lobby Day meeting at the Capitol Tuesday. (David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024) Rep. Kim Coco Iwamoto said the new energy for reform began in 2022 when two lawmakers were arrested for and later convicted on bribery charges. There had been a culture, she said, that allowed Ty Cullen and J. Kalani English to get away with corruption. But there’s a lot of new blood in the Leg today. The groups, which spent half of the day meeting with other lawmakers, are pushing for a range of reforms including making public testimony on bills available early, doing away with anonymous bill introductions, taking non-financial bills out of money committees, enacting term limits and establishing full public financing of campaigns. Women of the house: One-third (or 32.43%) of the total number of state legislators in the 50 states and territories in 2025 are women, a slight increase from just a few years ago. The National Conference of State Legislatures reports that Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada are at or above the 50% mark of women state legislators, the highest representation nationwide. How does Hawaiʻi do? Compared to many other states and territories, pretty good at 40.8%. Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia, for example, each have legislatures with less than 20% women members. The Hawaiʻi House of Representatives now has its first-ever female speaker, Nadine Nakamura. Two women have led the state Senate, Colleen Hanabusa and Donna Kim. Debate over landfill site is aired before lawmakers Original Article Honolulu Star - Advertiser Ian Bauer Jan 10, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Mike Gabbard The benefits and drawbacks of having Honolulu’s next solid waste landfill located in Central Oahu were highlighted at the state Capitol this week. Two joint Legislature committees held an informational meeting over the city’s plan to site its dump on Dole Food Co. Hawaii property near Wahiawa. That site — meant to allow the city to continue to handle the island’s estimated 225,000 tons of solid waste and related materials it puts into its landfill each year — was first announced by Mayor Rick Blangiardi on Dec. 10. At the Capitol, city Managing Director Mike Formby, city Environmental Services Director Roger Babcock and ENV Deputy Director Michael O’Keefe offered reasons to have the next dump on Dole lands. In part, the trio said it was due to a state-imposed Dec. 31 deadline to find an alternate site, ahead of the planned closure of the 35-year-old Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill in Kapolei, in accordance with a 2019 decision and order by the state Land Use Commission. That West Oahu dump is set to close in 2028, though the landfill will not reach full capacity until 2032, the city said. Conversely, Board of Water Supply Manager and Chief Engineer Ernie Lau noted a landfill not properly sited on the island posed a significant public health and safety risk, as it could affect the potable water supply of Oahu’s underground aquifer. BWS must evaluate the proposed landfill site and, based on its proximity to potable water sources, may approve or reject the proposal. Previously, BWS objected to the city siting a landfill within its so-called “no-pass zone,” an area that covers the interior of the island where Oahu’s potable water aquifer is located. The city’s proposed landfill location — identified as “Area 3, Site 2” in the city’s 2022 Landfill Advisory Committee’s recommendation report — is on agricultural land to the west of Kamehameha Highway, north of Paalaa Uka Pupukea Road, the city said. The city hoped to negotiate purchase of about 150 acres — the amount of land needed for a solid waste landfill — out of what it described as an approximately 2,360-acre parcel now owned by Dole, according to Babcock. “Ninety acres of that is the actual landfill,” he said at the Tuesday meeting. “And the remaining area is for a little bit of a buffer zone as well as storage for equipment, a place for trucks to get off the road, a scale house, etcetera.” Dole has publicly stated opposition to the city locating a landfill on its actively used agricultural lands. Still, Babcock explained that the new landfill — planned for about 800 feet above the island’s aquifer — also offered protections against leakage. He noted the dump site will have “required monitoring wells in the groundwater to detect any unlikely leak” or contamination. “And most importantly, the liner system,” he said, “and the leachate collection system, which together prevent the escape of contaminants from the landfill and prevent contamination of underlying groundwater.” He added that U.S. landfills require “a dual-liner system that consists of both a thick plastic geo- membrane … and it also includes a clay liner.” BUT THE city wants the state Legislature to change a state law, too. Babcock explained the city’s desire to “relax” restrictions under Act 73, which governs where a landfill can legally and safely be located in order to achieve a new, permanent landfill location on Oahu. The 2020 law places restrictions on locating waste-disposal facilities, particularly those close to conservation lands or half-mile “buffer zones” near residential areas, schools or hospitals, as well as near airports or tsunami inundation zones. Babcock said amending Act 73 could do one of two things: reduce buffer zones down to a quarter-mile or eliminate them altogether, thereby opening up more lands for potential city dump sites. Such a legislative change could take time, however. “If that is unsuccessful, then it would be necessary to extend the operations at the Waimanalo Gulch Landfill,” he added. But BWS’ leader expressed his strong reservations over the safety of a landfill being sited above the island’s “freshwater resources.” “Landfills contain contaminants that can enter groundwater if it leaks out of a landfill,” Lau said. “And that leachate is actually pretty contaminated” rainwater. He said “landfills, once constructed, are permanently there.” But cap rock — an area of hard, impervious rock — also rings around Oahu’s coastline like a protective barrier, he added. “The cap rock is a very important geologic feature here because that’s the basis of why the Board of Water Supply over 40 years ago decided to create a ‘no-pass’ area on our island,” Lau said. “Because that cap rock along the coastal areas helps to protect and keep the freshwater inland, and helps to keep large capacities of freshwater inland in these underground, volcanic aquifers.” “And the cap rock is where we would recommend that landfills be considered if they had to be put in,” he said. Noting a U.S. Geological Survey study conducted in 2003, Lau added that all landfills eventually leak — often dispersing into the environment harmful chemicals like arsenic as well as PFAS, or so-called “forever chemicals,” linked to illnesses like cancer. He also noted that USGS’ 1999 “Ground Water Atlas of the United States” showed that groundwater underneath the proposed Wahiawa dump site flows downward, in directions toward Waialua, Mokuleia and Kawailoa. “If leachate were to leak from this area, it might head toward the Waialua-Haleiwa area, and might impact the aquifer down there,” Lau said. “So the contaminant plumes would potentially move to the north.” During the joint meeting of the House Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection and the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Environment, legislators questioned the city’s overall plans for the new landfill site as well as potential changes to Act 73. Among them, state Sen. Mike Gabbard, chair of the Senate’s committee, asked, “Who has the final say, the Board of Water Supply, City Council, the mayor? Where does it end?” Formby replied the city has set out a plan “to exhaust as many options as we could, respecting the rule of law.” The city, he added, has not “formally made a recommendation for this proposed site to (BWS) yet.” “Right now the mayor firmly believes that the city and county can site a landfill over the aquifer safely,” he said. “Whether or not that gets challenged, and (Chief Engineer Lau) might write us a letter and say, ‘For your specific proposal, I say ‘no,’ in which case, we would appeal that to the (BWS’ board of directors).” “And the board then has the ability to actually override the chief engineer, which would then give us a green light for this proposed site,” said Formby. “We’re just not there yet.” Gabbard also asked, “I’ve heard that Dole is not real excited about selling that land. … Is that true? What’s the latest?” “Our understanding of what Dole has said is that particular, specific location that we have identified would affect their operations,” Babcock replied. “But at the same time they did say that they have other land that they have for sale … so that’s a pretty good indication that they’re interested in talking with us and to find a solution.” After the meeting, Dole Hawaii General Manager Dan Nellis said his company believes the city’s proposed landfill on its Wahiawa property is “untenable.” “Particularly because it is right in the middle of our pineapple fields,” he told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser by phone, “and it would create extreme hardship on us, operating our farm.” Nellis confirmed Dole does indeed have other parcels for sale. However, he said the city hasn’t approached his company regarding those available lands. “I just told them initially, ‘Hey, why are you asking to go into our land that we’re farming when we have other land that we’re not farming that is for sale?’” he said, adding the for-sale properties are not far from the proposed landfill site. “They’re pretty close, about a mile away.” A slew of new housing laws take effect this month to streamline building, protect tenants Original Article Stateline Robbie Sequeira Jan 9, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Stanley Chang A new row of homes is under construction in a Santa Clarita, Calif., neighborhood in 2023. The state has enacted dozens of new laws to expand housing options and protect tenants — a trend expected to continue nationally this year. (Mario Tama/Getty Images) Read more Stateline coverage of how communities across the country are trying to create more affordable housing. New state laws taking effect this month aim to confront the nation’s ongoing housing crisis in various ways, from expanding housing options, to speeding up the development process, to protecting struggling tenants from eviction. Similar bills are in store for this year’s legislative sessions. The new laws include measures to combat landlord retaliation in Illinois and Minnesota , to seal eviction records in Idaho and, in California , to streamline the process for building backyard accessory dwelling units, known as ADUs. Other states focused on the barriers preventing housing from being built by relaxing zoning laws to allow for new types of development, and put the onus on cities to make affordable housing available. Surveys show most Americans, of all backgrounds , communities and political persuasions, want to see more housing built. The need, experts say, is overwhelming. Freddie Mac estimates the current housing shortage at about 3.7 million homes. For extremely low-income tenants, that shortage is more than 7 million rental homes , according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition. “I expect that it will be a banner year for housing legislation, because many state legislators and governors ran for the first time on a platform that included addressing housing cost inflation,” said economist Salim Furth, a senior research fellow and director of the urbanity project at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. “Now they need to deliver.” Furth, who is tracking 135 housing-related bills this year, said he expects a return of last year’s popular issues: making it easier to build an ADU, allowing residential development in commercial zones, and streamlining permitting processes. Perhaps no state did more last year than California, which enacted more than 60 housing-related laws . Most encourage more development in a state with an estimated shortfall of 2.5 million homes . Among the new laws in California are measures that eliminate parking requirements for certain residential developments near transit stations, ease the development of more housing in existing neighborhoods, and strip local governments of the power to block some affordable housing in-fill projects except on the grounds of public health or safety. The state also enacted several laws to encourage more construction of ADUs . Among other provisions, the measures offer up-front transparency on ADU regulations, encourage the building of ADUs in coastal zones, and offer flexibility for ADUs on multifamily lots. Accessory dwelling units have gained a lot of bipartisan traction in state legislatures . Gretchen Baldau of the conservative American Legislative Exchange Council praised new laws in Arizona and Nebraska that allow ADUs and modular homes on residential lots, and said she sees momentum for legislation in Delaware and Georgia that could allow for ADUs. “Housing reform can be a tricky issue for lawmakers because the topic literally hits close to home,” Baldau, who is the senior director of the commerce, insurance and economic development task force for ALEC, as the think tank is known, said in a statement to Stateline. ALEC has offered legislatures model legislation that would lower permitting and construction barriers to building ADUs, she noted, along with other model bills that would eliminate discretionary review and approvals and limit most third-party legal challenges to approved developments . Tenant protections Several new laws impose checks on tenant-landlord relationships. New laws in Illinois and Minnesota, for example, prohibit landlords from retaliating against tenants who report code violations, seek repairs or engage in tenant organizing — the latter of which is robust in Minnesota . Minnesota’s law also offers protections for tenants who report issues to the media, or who call for emergency assistance. In Idaho, eviction actions filed on or after Jan. 1, 2025, are automatically shielded from public disclosure if the entire case was dismissed, is not pending appeal or if three years have passed since the filing date. Idaho was one of at least three states, along with Maryland and Massachusetts, to enact laws last year that seal eviction records, according to a Stateline review. The laws have been hailed by housing advocates who say they will prevent a person’s eviction history from being used against them, though landlords argue eviction data is relevant to leasing decisions. ‘Housing isn’t just one issue’ With 26 state legislatures back in session as of Jan. 8, housing bills are slowly trickling in. California, a bellwether when it comes to housing policy, has a few bills introduced that would ban the use of algorithmic devices to set rents , prevent local agencies from placing parking standards on ADUs , and create a new state authority to build and maintain social housing , a public community housing movement gaining momentum in some advocacy circles. In Texas, two Republican lawmakers have filed bills that would override local ordinances restricting or prohibiting accessory dwelling units. And in Maryland, Democrats say they plan to introduce legislation to speed development approvals for new housing, alongside tenant protection proposals such as a bill that would require landlords to have a legitimate cause for evicting a tenant. Affordability, homelessness, economic mobility — they all hinge on whether we can provide enough housing. – Hawaii Democratic state Sen. Stanley Chang Tim Rosenberger, a legal policy fellow at the conservative Manhattan Institute, predicts differing approaches to housing: Red states will focus on increasing supply, while blue states will prioritize rent control, he said. “With rates high and inventory priced far above what most Americans can afford, expect red states to pursue commonsense efforts to increase supply while blue states look at ways to try to curb prices,” he said. “Legislators must reject increased regulation, rent and price controls. They should jump at opportunities to reduce regulation and bureaucracy and unleash building.” In Oregon, lawmakers are considering legislation that would impose rent control on mobile home parks and require indoor cooling in apartments with at least 10 units. The National Apartment Association predicts other states might consider rent stabilization measures as well. Housing will be a chief priority for some state lawmakers going into the next sessions. One of Democratic state Sen. Stanley Chang’s goals when he heads back to Hawaii’s legislative floor on Jan. 15 is to change how quickly the state uses its rental housing revolving fund. Under the current system, Chang said, roughly $519 million the state holds in the fund might not be spent until 2038. “Housing finance reform has been our top priority for years,” he said. “This program alone funds over half of all new housing construction in Hawaii — it’s the primary way we produce housing in the state. If we tweak this program, we could get 10 buildings for the price of one.” Chang added, however, that the scale of the affordable housing problem is too complex to boil down to one or two issues or solutions. “Housing isn’t just one issue: It’s the foundation of everything. Affordability, homelessness, economic mobility — they all hinge on whether we can provide enough housing. It’s time to stop treating this as a side project and recognize it as a central priority,” Chang told Stateline. “This is a solvable problem.” Legislators consider new laws to restrict where landfills can be placed Original Article Hawaiʻi Public Radio Ashley Mizuo Jan 9, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Mike Gabbard The new Oʻahu landfill will replace Waimanalo Gulch on the leeward coast.City and County of Honolulu Legislators are considering changing laws restricting where counties can place landfills. This comes after Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s controversial announcement to place the island’s next landfill in Wahiawā . “Anger, frustration, disbelief, fear, anxiety and then circling back to anger,” is what Rep. Amy Perruso said she hears from people in her districts. She represents the areas that would be most impacted by the city’s decision. At the heart of the outrage is that the new landfill would be placed over a drinking water aquifer. Board of Water Supply Chief Engineer Ernie Lau told lawmakers that he disagrees with the Wahiawā location because of the potential threats to Oʻahu's drinking water. He said that it will impact future generations. “It's the generations that haven't even been born they're going to depend on these freshwater resources,” he said. “Right now this area in Central Oʻahu and going toward the North Shore — it's the freshwater resources that have not been fully developed yet that may be needed for the communities 100, 200 years from now.” Lau compared the situation to the Red Hill incident in 2021 where jet fuel leaked into the water system poisoning thousands of residents. “ We are at the crossroads that Red Hill was in its decision-making to place 250 million gallons of fuel storage underground fuel tanks, single-walled right over a drinking water aquifer,” he said. “ That decision was 80 plus years ago ... the question I have is, are we going to 80 years from now or 100 years from now find out that wasn’t a good decision?” Local News Wahiawā location selected for Oʻahu's next landfill site Listen • 2:07 One of the main reasons the city felt that it had no choice, but to select a landfill location over an aquifer, is because of a law known as Act 73 . The law says landfills cannot be located in conservation-zoned land or within half a mile of any residence, school or hospital. Landfills also cannot be located in a tsunami zone. Ultimately, the city chose Wahiawā because other locations under consideration were over what's called a well-capture zone, which is even more crucial to Oʻahu's water supply. A capture zone is where freshwater water naturally flows to and collects. Then, wells pump water from capture zones and deliver it where it needs to go. That is what makes it more risky to put a landfill near a capture zone. Adding to the uncertainty is that it's difficult to know what exactly is going on under the surface regarding water flow without drilling a well, which is expensive. However, Rep. Sean Quinlan said that he's working on a measure that would ban landfills from being built over aquifers. In that bill, he is considering adjusting the restrictions in Act 73 to give the city more options. “I think we are looking at all elements of Act 73,” Quinlan said. “One potential solution would be to amend it down to a quarter-mile buffer zone, which would open up certain sites. Another potential solution would be to weaken the language around certain conservation land which would also open up other sites.” Perruso, who is vice chair of the House Energy and Environmental Protection Committee, said it's crucial to make it illegal to put a landfill over an aquifer. But she's not sure that decreasing the buffer zone in Act 73 is the answer. “One is a measure that would make citing a landfill over an aquifer illegal. I think that's an important first step because we can't rely on Ernie Lau to be forever holding that position,” she said. “I do think that it's extraordinarily dangerous to engage in the practices of citing these kinds of facilities over our aquifer. I think we should have learned that lesson already from Red Hill.” The Conversation Oʻahu residents invited to learn more about proposal to raise wastewater fees Listen • 10:09 Perruso wants to give the city tools to encourage people to produce less trash. “ The Environmental Caucus will likely be introducing a measure on extended producer responsibility,” she said. “We really have to do more in the area of reducing, recycling, and reusing, and we know that we can because other jurisdictions are doing it, and our counties are just not making those investments.” Sen. Mike Gabbard, who chairs the Agriculture and Environment Committee, explained that he's open to conversation about reducing the buffer zone, but that the city should be instead considering federal lands that are not over aquifers. “I'm not convinced the military cannot spare 150 acres of land that's not over an aquifer to help us out and I want to pursue that,” he said. “The city and county seems to think it's a no-go and it's a done deal. It's not going to happen, but I want to go and pursue that.” The city was considering putting the landfill on Waipiʻo Soccer Complex, which is on land owned by the Navy. However, the Navy rejected its request in April 2024. City Environmental Services Director Roger Babcock explained that although the city did do another study on areas where a landfill could be located if the Act 73 restrictions were loosened, it still intends to pursue the Wahiawā location it selected. “ We're sticking with that plan A is that this is the best option of not a lot of good options,” he said. “ Then if that doesn't pan out for whatever reason or a law is passed that makes it not possible, which I think that legislation is going to be introduced, then we would move to plan B which is to ask the legislature to modify Act 73 so that some other sites that would be outside the no pass zone would become available.” The legislative session starts next Wednesday. County, state lawmakers to talk priorities during next Waimea Community Association town meeting Original Article Big Island Now Big Island Now Jan 8, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Herbert M. "Tim" Richards, III A new Hawai‘i County Council was seated and got to work in December 2024 with a few new faces at the table, including one who represents Kohala. Opening day of the 2025 session of the Hawai‘i Legislature is next week on Jan. 15. Waimea Community Association invites residents of the Kohala and Hāmākua communities to come learn about the priorities of their elected local and state government officials directly from them during its next town meeting. The meeting is from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday in the Jerry Nelson Conference Room of the W.M. Keck Observatory headquarters, located at 65-1120 Māmalahoa Highway, in Waimea. State Sen. Tim Richards , who represents Senate District 4 (North Hilo, Hāmākua, Kohala, Waimea, Waikoloa, North Kona), and state Rep. David Tarnas , who represents House District 8 (Hāwī, Hala‘ula, Waimea, Makahalau, Waiki‘i, Waikōloa, Kawaihae, Māhukona), will speak about policy issues and priorities, their committee assignments and how the community can participate in the state legislative process. Two members of the Hawai’i County Council are presenting as well — Hāmākua Councilwoman Heather Kimball and newly elected Kohala Councilman James Hustace. Hustace will speak in person. Kimball, chairwoman of the Hawai‘i State Association of Counties, will attend via Zoom from Washington, D.C., where she is participating in briefings with presidential and congressional leadership. There will be time for questions and answers. Community members are urged to submit questions prior to the meeting by email at waimeacommunityassociation@gmail.com . Questions can also be shared in person or on chat by those watching the livestream on Waimea Community Association’s Facebook page and will be be addressed as time permits. The spotlighted nonprofit organization for January will be Hawai‘i County 4-H Equine Council represented by Kohala educator and horsewoman Fern White. Also participating in the meeting will be South Kohala police Capt. Roy Valera and Community Policing Officer Justin Cabanting with an update about public safety news and events. Community members can attend in person or watch the meeting livestream on the Waimea Community Association Facebook page or YouTube channel . A recording of the meeting also will be available on Facebook and YouTube for later viewing. 2025 Waimea Community Association leadership Waimea Community Association recently elected new leadership for 2025. Former vice president Mary Beth Laychak was elected president and former president Nancy Carr Smith was selected as vice president. Mary Beth Laychak was recently elected president of Waimea Community Association. (Photo Courtesy: Waimea Community Association) Other officers for the new year include newly elected secretary Makela Bruno and re-elected treasurer Victor Tom. Board members are Patti Cook, David Greenwell, Lani Olsen-Chong, Riley Smith, Ryan Ushijima and Chris Wong. Email Waimea Community Association President Mary Beth Laychak at waimeacommunityassociation@gmail.com or click here for additional information about the upcoming town meeting or the association. Full-Time Criminal Investigative Unit Proposed To Tackle Illegal Fireworks Original Article Honolulu Civil Beat Chad Blair Jan 7, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Karl Rhoads A report submitted to the Hawaiʻi Legislature Friday concludes that illegal fireworks are being smuggled into the state by sea and air on a year-round and possibly daily basis. It’s sustained by a flourishing and well-established black market that local law enforcement has found difficult to disrupt and dismantle. The report from the state’s Illegal Fireworks Task Force urges the Legislature to consider creating a full-time criminal investigation unit within the Department of Law Enforcement to confront the problem on a permanent basis. “Only a full-time approach can bring the necessary cultural changes to confront the fireworks problem at-large in Hawaii,” the report states. The Salt Lake area viewed after midnight from a Honolulu Airport parking structure showed only a small portion of the many aerial fireworks ignited this New Year’s Eve. (David Croxford/Civil Beat/2025) While specific funding, staffing and equipment for the unit are not suggested in the report, it also recommends a new firearms and explosives laboratory — estimated to cost $2 million — within the law enforcement agency. Hawaiʻi has only one forensic lab, housed in the Honolulu Police Department. Sen. Karl Rhoads, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, welcomed the recommendation for a new criminal unit. “I think it’s the only really viable idea because, as they point out, there’s a lot of similarities between narcotics and fireworks,” Rhoads said. “And they’ve been using the narcotics investigators to investigate fireworks cases. That’s great in the short term, but it’s not going to work in the long term.” An ‘Alluring Attraction’ To Make Money Illegally The task force’s work was ordered by lawmakers in 2023, long before the massive fireworks explosion on New Year’s Eve in a Salt Lake neighborhood on Oʻahu. As of Monday, four people have been reported dead and around two dozen injured from that explosion, while another person was killed in a separate fireworks-related incident on Oʻahu. Now, leaders including Hawaiʻi’s governor, Honolulu’s mayor and several state senators and representatives are stepping up their demands for action. In addition to the Department of Law Enforcement, agencies taking part in the task force include the Honolulu Police Department, the Department of the Attorney General, the Department of Public Safety, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and U.S. Customs and Border Control. Their recommendations are likely to be considered by the Legislature, which convenes Jan. 15. The Illegal Fireworks Task Force, which will conclude its work in June unless the Legislature extends its mission, was required to submit a final report this month. It previously reported that 227,000 pounds of illegal fireworks have been seized . The Friday report says that two people have pleaded no contest to felony indictments and 20 others were issued misdemeanor citations. The report says there are ongoing criminal investigations, so public discussion of tactics, techniques and procedures “would frustrate legitimate government interests.” The report, though only eight pages long, offers several insights into why the illegal enterprise is so popular. It calls the marketplace “an alluring attraction” for those looking to make money illegally. Street sources, according to the report, say that the return on investment for those who smuggle illegal fireworks into Hawaii is at a rate of 5 to 1. That means that if a typical smuggling organization purchases a shipping container of fireworks for $200,000 at wholesale, that same container has a street value of about $1 million once it arrives in the islands. ‘Kingpins, Conspirators’ Run Illicit Networks During the 2023 holiday season the task force found that street prices for illegal fireworks were already “astronomically high.” The Department of Law Enforcement said prices had been expected to be higher during the 2024 holiday season because there was “heat” from law enforcement and risk of loss of investment due to bulk seizures. In short, the task force aims “to price offenders out of the marketplace,” leading to reduced demand. But it will take long-term, comprehensive investigations to not only seize prohibited explosive material but also to find and prosecute the people running the illicit networks — “kingpins, conspirators, and their associated criminal finances and assets.” To do that, a new crime unit is necessary because the task force is only part time. While claiming success from its work, the task force concept in the long term “is not sustainable” the report states. It does not call for increased penalties for possession of contraband. Nor does it accomplish two of its primary purposes: to develop a comprehensive strategic plan to stop illegal fireworks, and to ensure the safety and security of airports, harbors and other facilities from explosive discharges. The first goal requires more work, the report states, which will begin “in earnest” this year. And, while the task force says it has increased awareness and surveillance at Hawaii’s ports of entry and mail distribution systems, “a sustained full-time effort” is needed. New laws kick off 2025: Some aim to attract more nurses, doctors to Hawaii Original Article Hawaii Tribune Herald John Burnett Jan 7, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Joy A. San Buenaventura Senator Ronald D. Kouchi A number of new laws took effect starting Jan. 1. At least four of those laws are related to medicine — with two intended to facilitate the licensing of physicians and nurses, which are in short supply in Hawaii. Act 112, from a bill introduced in 2023 by state Sen. Joy San Buenaventura, a Puna Democrat, makes Hawaii a part of the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact. That affiliation will make it easier for licensed physicians coming to Hawaii from other states. The IMLC currently includes 40 states, including Hawaii, plus the District of Columbia and Guam, and three additional states have introduced legislation to join. “The interstate compact is one of the bills that (Hawaii Medical Service Association), Kaiser, and the military were all hoping would pass, because it will help them recruit more medical providers to Hawaii,” San Buenaventura told the Tribune-Herald while the Legislature was in session last year. “We also know there are doctors here in Hawaii that are retirees who would be more than willing to work part time, but don’t want to go through the effort of having to get re-licensed and re-credentialed.” The state estimates Hawaii has a shortage of 768 physicians statewide, a 21% deficit. Hawaii Island’s physician shortfall is estimated at 40%. Act 95, another new law, allows out-of-state licensed registered nurses and practical nurses who hold a multi-state license issued by another state, territory or country to apply for a temporary work permit simultaneously with an application for a license to practice in Hawaii. The act was one of 22 health care measures signed into law by Gov. Josh Green, a physician, on June 27 last year. Using federal Health Resources and Service Administration methodology, Hawaii this year is estimated to face a deficit of around 3,311 registered nurses alone, representing a 28% shortfall in the nursing workforce statewide. Big Island hospitals, including Hilo Benioff Medical Center, have turned to travel nurses to close the gap. Act 91 authorizes minors who are at least 14 years old to consent to medical care and services for sexually transmitted infections, pregnancy and family planning services, including the prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). It requires confidentiality policies and practices for insurers and health care providers. The law, part of governor’s legislative package introduced by Sen. President Ron Kouchi, closes what’s been described as a critical gap in minor access to medical services related to STIs, including HIV. For decades, Hawaii law has permitted minors aged 14 to 17 to independently consent to medical care for the treatment of STIs but not for prevention. Act 91 will permit minors 14 to 17 who are at risk for exposure to STIs to consent to medical care for the prevention of STIs. There is now medication that can be taken by an individual at risk for HIV in order to prevent infection. On Facebook, the state Department of Health said it “encourages minors to involve a parent or guardian in seeking medical care to prevent STIs.” “However, often minors who could benefit from this medical care do not involve parents or guardians out of fear of disclosing their sexual behavior or sexual orientation,” the post continues. “Act 91 will allow more teens to access medical care to help keep them safe.” And Act 104 allows licensed pharmacists to administer vaccines to persons 3 years of age or older without a prescription from a doctor, if certain requirements are met. Also taking effect on New Year’s Day are laws that: establishes kalo, the Hawaiian word for taro, as the state plant; expands the definition of “beer” to include alcoholic seltzers; requires lobbyists’ expenditures statements to include the identity of the legislative or administrative action that was commented on, supported by, or opposed by the person filing the statement; requires state legislators to include the names of lobbyists with whom the legislator has a relationship; requires public meeting notices to inform testifiers how to provide remote oral testimony allowing the testifier, upon request, to be visible to board members and other meeting participants; establishes judicial procedures to prevent and remedy abusive litigation; requires motion picture and other media productions to provide evidence of reasonable efforts to comply with all applicable requirements to qualify for the income tax credit; and expands the transient accommodations tax law to include certain shelters and vehicles with sleeping accommodations. Hawaiʻi senators point to funding and enforcement to combat illegal fireworks Original Article Hawaiʻi Public Radio Catherine Cruz Jan 3, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Glenn Wakai Senator Karl Rhoads Gov. Josh Green's office said it has helped to arrange a medevac flight to send six burn victims from the New Year’s fireworks blast in Āliamanu to the continental U.S. for further medical treatment. Hawaiʻi's only burn unit at Straub Benioff Medical Center cannot handle all of the casualties from the fatal fireworks accident. The Honolulu Department of the Medical Examiner on Friday identified two women killed as Nelie Ibarra, 58, and Jennifer Van, 23. The identity of the third woman has not yet been confirmed. At a news conference on New Year's Day, Green emphasized the need to stop firework shows on neighborhood streets and proposed holding safe firework displays in the community. "Love your family. Avoid this. Let us put on firework displays in the community. Let us spend the monies to have something special for our citizens, which is what we've been proposing," he said at the news conference. "I know that this is a deep and important cultural tradition to many people to have some celebration with minor fireworks on New Year's and Fourth of July, but it's taking the lives of young people." Sen. Glenn Wakai, who represents Āliamanu and sits on the Public Safety Committee, said he thinks Hawaiʻi does not need more laws around illegal fireworks. Instead, he said the state needs better enforcement. "I'm not a big fan of increasing penalties or making more laws. I'm a big fan of funding DLE (Department of Law Enforcement) properly and giving them the tools and resources to go after all the bad actors in our community," Wakai said. Wakai said that he doesnʻt want to ban all fireworks. However, he added that non-permitted, non-professional fireworks need to end. "I just say we need to put the right personnel and fund DLE properly, let them do their job. They've shown us that they can do a good job by taking, what, 200,000 pounds of fireworks off the street. They just need more personnel to be able to investigate as well as prosecute those scoundrels," Wakai said. Law enforcement responding to the scene on Keaka Drive. (Jan. 1, 2025)Courtesy Angelina Bagaforo Sen. Karl Rhoads, the chair of the Judiciary Committee, said that it might be more helpful to raise the penalty to a Class B felony for the importation of illegal fireworks. "There's an awful lot of people who want to buy illegal fireworks and as a result that makes it very difficult. I think there are things that we could do. There's been a number of bills introduced in the last few years... this is a whole new level of tragedy in terms of the consequences. But it's something that many of our constituents have been complaining to us about for years," Rhoads said. However, he said there have been various roadblocks to dealing with illegal fireworks. "You need resources to fight. You need personnel and you need money. I have to think that this tragedy will encourage people at all levels of government to take the issue more seriously," Rhoads said. Rhoads shared that a 2019 law pinned liability on homeowners who allow someone to use their property for illegal fireworks. Act 248 also allows photographs and videos of fireworks to be submitted as evidence in court. Hawaiian Electric sells 90.1% of American Savings Bank Original Article Spectrum News Michael Tsai Jan 3, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Jarrett Keohokalole Under pressure to secure its financial standing in the wake of the Maui wildfires, Hawaiian Electric Industries has completed a sale of 90.1% of its shares in American Savings Bank to independent investors. What You Need To Know HEI, which is responsible for roughly half of a $4 billion settlement with wildfire survivors, received $405 million in the transaction. None of the 24 investors, which includes the bank’s executive team and independent directors, owns more than 9.9% of ASG common stock. HEI also retained a 9.9% interest in the bank The transaction drew a favorable response from state Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole, chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce and Consumer Affairs HEI is proposing a $1 billion dollar fund, created by a $4 per month additional charge to its customers, to cover claims related to future natural disasters. HEI, which is responsible for roughly half of a $4 billion settlement with wildfire survivors, received $405 million in the transaction. HEI has already contributed $75 million to the One Ohana Initiative in partial fulfillment of its settlement obligation. “The sale allows HEI to enhance our focus on the utility as we work to help our state recover from the 2023 Maui wildfires and strengthen the financial and strategic position of our company,” HEI president and CEO Scott Seu said in a statement released on Tuesday. None of the 24 investors, which includes the bank’s executive team and independent directors, owns more than 9.9% of ASG common stock. HEI also retained a 9.9% interest in the bank. The transaction drew a favorable response from state Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole, chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce and Consumer Affairs. “The sale of ASB is a significant step by HEI to show that the company and their shareholders are taking responsibility for their financial situation in the wake of the Maui wildfires,” Keohokalole said in a statement released on Tuesday. “This, combined with their stock sale in September 2024, demonstrates that HEI is taking the concerns of the Legislature and rate payers seriously.” The utility previously sought approval to raise rates to help cover the cost of the settlement. The proposal was supported by Gov. Josh Green, who said it would help prevent large rate increases in the future. However, Keohokalole and other legislators resisted giving the utility what they considered a blank check without a clear plan in place for stabilizing its financial condition. HEI is now proposing a $1 billion dollar fund, created by a $4 per month additional charge to its customers, to cover claims related to future natural disasters. “Our concern last session was adding to the cost of ratepayers’ electrical bills without assurances that Hawaiian Electric’s stockholders were doing their part to absorb the costs,” Keohokalole said. “Today’s announcement appears to validate those concerns. It is especially encouraging to hear that the sale is structured to keep local jobs and operations of a local bank in local hands.” Michael Tsai covers local and state politics for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at michael.tsai@charter.com . State legislators to meet to discuss location of new Oʻahu landfill Original Article Yahoo News; KHON2 Cameron Macedonio Jan 3, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Mike Gabbard HONOLULU (KHON2) — On Jan. 7, the Hawaiʻi State Legislature will hold a joint informational briefing between the House Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection and the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Environment to discuss the proposed Oʻahu landfill and its potential impacts. The Honolulu Department of Environmental Services and the Honolulu Board of Water Supply will provide presentations to the joint committees. “Protecting Hawaiʻi’s precious water supply is essential for sustaining life and preserving our environment,” said Rep. Nicole E. Lowen, chair of the House Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection. “We aim to fully understand the implications and potential impacts of the proposed location for the new landfill.” Controversy looms over potential sites for Oahu landfill Senator Mike Gabbard, chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Environment, echoed the need to protect the environment. “Choosing the site of Oʻahu’s next landfill affects everyone island-wide, not only now, but for generations to come,” he said. “It’s important that we gather all the facts from the City and County, the Board of Water Supply and other experts before we make a final decision.” The meeting can be streamed live starting at 9 a.m. on Jan. 7 on YouTube . City, state respond to deadly explosion in Salt Lake Original Article Star Advertiser Victoria Budiono Jan 2, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Glenn Wakai GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARADVERTISER.COM Gov. Josh Green, flanked by Mayor Rick Blangiardi, Police Chief Arthur “Joe” Logan and Fire Chief Sheldon Hao, spoke at an HPD press conference regarding the deaths and injuries suffered earlier on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025 on Keaka Drive following a massive fireworks explosion. The call for stricter fireworks laws was immediate in the aftermath of the deadly New Year’s tragedy at 4137 Keaka Drive in Aliamanu. Starting at the top with Gov. Josh Green and Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi, lawmakers and other leaders are again demanding to get a handle on contraband fireworks that each year create massive, illegal blasts that light up the skies in nearly every neighborhood on Oahu. “Right now, people are taking terrible risks with other family members and the community,” Green said at a news conference Wednesday, while also expressing condolences to the loved ones of the victims and imploring residents to prioritize safety. “Soon, you’ll probably be taking a risk with your own freedom,” Green warned. “I don’t think anybody should want to go to jail for five years or pay tens of thousands of dollars of fines.” In addition to the tragedy that killed three women and injured dozens of others in Aliamanu, a 19-year-old man suffered fatal injuries in a separate fireworks-related incident Tuesday night in Kalihi amid dozens of other reported injuries. As the toll climbed Wednesday, authorities turned their focus to tougher enforcement and stiffer penalties. State law establishes times during certain holiday periods — New Year’s, Lunar New Year and the Fourth of July — and other restrictions for the legal use of consumer fireworks such as sparklers and fountains but also allows the counties to set their own stricter rules. Since Jan. 2, 2011, consumer fireworks have been banned on Oahu. State law also prohibits possession of aerial devices, display fireworks or other pyrotechnic articles without a valid license. Unauthorized possession or use of fireworks is a Class C felony carrying a penalty of up to five years in prison and fines up to $10,000. Despite these regulations, fireworks are often set off in residential areas throughout the year, particularly during the holiday season from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day. According to Honolulu Police Department Chief Joe Logan, a preliminary review of surveillance footage, witness statements and other evidence from the fatal blast suggests that shortly after midnight, a party attendee lit an aerial fireworks “cake” containing multiple smaller fireworks packed in a box in the driveway near the carport of the home. When lit, the cakes fire a series of fireworks into the air in quick succession, creating a display of colorful explosions. In this case, the cake tipped over, causing an aerial firework to ignite two nearby crates containing additional fireworks, triggering a massive and deadly explosion. Blangiardi expressed his anger and frustration with the fireworks-related deaths and injuries, saying, “No one should have to endure such pain due to reckless and illegal activity. This incident is a painful reminder of the danger posed by illegal fireworks. ‘They put lives at risk, they drain our first responders, and they disrupt our neighborhoods. But most heartbreakingly, this tragedy was entirely preventable. New Year’s Eve should be a time of joy, not danger. Yet the growing prevalence of illegal fireworks on our island has turned it into a night of risk and devastation. Year after year, this threat persists, and it must stop.” Blangiardi said he is committed to taking decisive action on illegal fireworks for the sake of public safety. “We will coordinate with federal and state agencies to strengthen law enforcement, impose tougher penalties, explore new technologies because they exist, and implement a united effort to stop the import of illegal fireworks into our harbors and airports,” he said. The state’s Illegal Fireworks Task Force established under Green in 2023 has reported seizing large quantities of illegal fireworks, and its efforts include intercepting shipments of illegal fireworks, often from overseas, and disrupting the supply chain. In its first year, a total of approximately 93.5 tons of illegal fireworks was confiscated, followed by more than 20 tons in 2024. In early December 2023, the task force said it seized about 16 tons of fireworks from a shipping container, primarily containing aerials. Later that month, it confiscated an additional 17 tons from another container. Just before New Year’s Day a year ago, the task force reported making another significant seizure, confiscating 17.5 tons of illegal fireworks during a routine inspection. Illegal fireworks, however, continue to filter in to Hawaii. “Aerial fireworks are a part of our culture,” said state Rep. Gregg Takayama (D, Waiau-Pearl City-Pacific Palisades). “But we have to recognize that they’re also illegal, and that they’re illegal for a reason: They can be dangerous.” Takayama introduced House Bill 2193 that became Act 208, which strengthened Hawaii’s Fireworks Control Law by increasing the authority of the Illegal Fireworks Task Force. He emphasized the need for continued efforts, particularly targeting large-scale offenders. He also called for increased funding for the task force. State Sen. Glenn Wakai, who represents the Salt Lake area where deadly explosion occurred, said the carnage was preventable and urged the community to recognize the risks. “It was more than an accident. An accident would be one of those rockets going off. I mean, these guys had a stash of stuff there,” Wakai said. “So, sure, it was not meant to go off that way. But they had full intention of shooting off way more than they could possibly handle.” He noted that after decades of legislative action, the issue remains a significant problem and the community needs to recognize the problem and say “enough is enough.” However, Wakai said he isn’t confident about seeing meaningful change. “Obviously, (the seizure) wasn’t enough, and I don’t really know what it’s going to take for us as a community to wake up in the new year to see that shooting aerial fireworks is not the right way to bring in a new year. It’s the most tragic way to usher in a new year,” he said. Jordan Lowe, director of the state Department of Law Enforcement, said the seizures by the task force are still under investigation, and fireworks smugglers — and buyers — could face prosecution. “It’s very frustrating, and when you look at this group of criminals who import illegal fireworks with no regard for the community or the safety of the public just to make a profit … like I said, it’s very frustrating, very discouraging,” he said. Fireworks have long been a tradition in Hawaii, rooted in Chinese culture and local celebrations. “It is cultural. We all understand that. But I think we need to start working with the public more in terms of education, because it is dangerous,” Lowe said. “We just saw what happened. And even in the past, regularly, in Hawaii, at least one individual would die as a result of a fireworks mishap. It’s been pretty regular that you might have a house burn down because of a mishap with fireworks, an accident with fireworks. “We don’t deserve that. The public doesn’t deserve that.” Cultural tradition or deadly risk? Hawaii grapples with illegal fireworks after tragic blast Original Article KHON2 Jill Kuramoto Jan 2, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Glenn Wakai HONOLULU (KHON2) — The New Year’s Day fireworks explosion has left the community grieving and frustrated, but will the tragedy change Hawaii’s complicated relationship with fireworks? “I don’t think it’s going to have a major change in the mentality of the people that pop fireworks,” said Michael Kitchens, creator and administrator of the social media site “Stolen Stuff Hawaii” that has more than 54 thousand followers. He said what he gathers from the posted comments is one of apathy. “There’s apathy because, hey, ‘you know what you’re doing.’ You hurt yourself. I’m not going to donate to that. There’s anger to the people that pop fireworks and hurt others,” said Kitchens. Kitchens said he senses that most people are ok with legal fireworks during specific hours during the holidays, but not the house-rattling bombs at random times throughout the year. But the cultural attachment that has kept illegal fireworks thriving in Hawaii, is what others said needs to change. “When I was growing up, it was a tradition to pop the red firecrackers and hear some sounds. I never thought it was a tradition to go shoot something into the sky and illuminate the entire neighborhood. ‘That is their tradition.’ I just don’t buy that idea,” said State Senator Glenn Wakai, whose district includes Aliamanu where the fatal fireworks explosion occurred. Wakai expects numerous bills to be introduced in the upcoming legislative session to address the illegal fireworks issue, but said pursuing civil penalties versus criminal might be more effective. “So maybe that’ll be the consequence. You do that out of your house, we’re going to seize your house,” said Wakai. “I think if there’s consequences for bad behavior, you’re going to see a diminishing of interest in fireworks.” And there appears to be agreement that laws without enforcement are meaningless and need to change. “We don’t have enough law enforcement officers to cover the entire island. There’s not enough strict enforcement. And when they get these, these guys get caught, and they go to the judicial system, they just get a slap on the wrist,” said Kitchens. “There is a disconnect someplace there between the actual, you know, boots on the streets that are enforcing the law and the people are going to carry that case through prosecution,” said Wakai. Wakai said the New Year’s Day tragedy may have brought immediate attention to the dangers of illegal fireworks, but it will likely take time, community effort and a shift in public perception to see real change. Here’s How A Second Trump Term May Impact Hawaiʻi Police Original Article Civil Beat Madeleine Valera Jan 1, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Karl Rhoads President-elect Donald Trump described himself as the “law-and-order” candidate during his campaign and promised to do things like expand the death penalty, deploy the National Guard to quell civil unrest and increase liability protections for police. His pro-police, tough-on-crime stance is likely good news for morale and recruitment efforts, according to officials and experts. But civil rights activists fear that his policies could set back criminal justice reform efforts, and that his promise to deport undocumented immigrants could have a negative impact on public safety. While many policing policies are decided at the state and county levels, Trump’s decisions could directly affect issues such as the availability of federal grant opportunities for local police departments, according to Jillian Snider, adjunct lecturer at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York. His statements about police and criminal justice issues can also set the tone for the entire nation. “Right now, police officers across the country are pretty disheartened, and we’ve seen recruitment and retention are suffering,” she said. “So I think having a president in place that vocally expresses his admiration and appreciation for law enforcement will be really good for the job on the whole.” Law enforcement officials aren’t sure how local police departments will be affected during President-elect Donald Trump’s second term. While he can’t directly impact policies and procedures for local departments, his agenda and rhetoric could set the tone departments around the country. (David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024) Trump’s actions during his first term shed light on his attitude toward law enforcement. For example, he rescinded a President Barack Obama-era executive order prohibiting local police departments from acquiring military equipment and deployed soldiers to help local police quell protests. Recruitment and Retention In Trump’s “Plan to End Crime and Restore Law and Order ” released in February 2023, the president-elect said he would invest in hiring, retention and training for police officers at record levels, though he didn’t specify how much he would invest or how he would impact hiring. Members of his transition team did not respond to emails seeking comment for this story. Honolulu police Chief Joe Logan has said recruitment is his top priority as the department suffers an ongoing staffing shortage and is down around 400 officers. Honolulu police Chief Joe Logan has said his top priority is recruitment as his department deals with an ongoing staffing shortage of around 400 officers. Experts say Trump’s rhetoric and general positive attitude toward police could boost morale and attract more people to the profession, though it’s unclear if that will happen in Hawaii. (Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024) Snider, a retired New York City police officer, said it’s difficult to say if Trump’s administration will be able to help recruitment efforts, though she said his rhetoric and general attitude toward police could boost morale and interest in the profession. Since 2020, police staffing levels have dropped across the country, a phenomenon many law enforcement officials attribute in part to the Covid-19 pandemic as well as the killing of George Floyd and ensuing Black Lives Matter movement, which increased public scrutiny of police actions. Last year, staffing levels for departments nationwide were up for the first time since 2020, though only by 0.4% , according to a survey by the Police Executive Research Forum. The president can’t do much to directly impact recruitment at local levels, but, Snider said she expects Trump’s administration will be supportive of any legislative efforts to increase hiring. One bipartisan bill introduced in Congress last year, the VICTIM Act , would establish a grant program to help local jurisdictions with their clearance rates for violent crime by providing funds for them to hire more detectives and investigators, she said. Staffing levels at police departments across the country have been declining since 2020. Trump has promised to increase the hiring of police officers nationwide, though he has not specified how.(David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024) The bill was referred to the House Judiciary Committee, but Snider said she expects it to be reintroduced next session and it may advance if Trump supports it. During the campaign, Trump was endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, one of the most influential law enforcement lobbies in the U.S. He responded by pledging strong support for police and expanded use of force. “We have to get back to power and respect,” he said in September. The State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers did not endorse a candidate for president. Federal Grants Local police departments receive millions of dollars each year in federal grants, and Snider said Trump’s administration is likely to impose more accountability over the process. In fiscal year 2023, the Honolulu Police Department received around $7.7 million in federal grant money, including an $800,000 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant for a virtual reality training program on de-escalation. The Honolulu Police Department received around $7.7 million in federal grant money in fiscal year year 2023, including an $800,000 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant for virtual reality de-escalation training. (David Croxford/Civil Beat/2023) Last fiscal year, agencies around the state, including county police departments and prosecutors offices, the state Attorney General’s Office, the Domestic Violence Action Center and the University of Hawaiʻi, received $19.8 million in federal justice grants for things like substance abuse treatment for prisoners, school violence programs and mentoring for children of incarcerated parents. When asked at a December Honolulu Police Commission meeting how he thinks federal grants will be impacted under the new administration, Logan said he wasn’t sure because even though Trump seems to “friendly” toward law enforcement, the president-elect also places a strong emphasis on fiscal responsibility. Trump has said he plans to create a Department of Government Efficiency headed by Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, founder of the pharmaceutical company, Roivant Sciences, to cut government spending and restructure federal agencies, including the Department of Justice. “I don’t think we’re going to see reduced funding for law enforcement, but I just think we’re going to see more accountability for the funding that law enforcement is provided with,” Snider said. Immigrant Worries The American Civil Liberties Union Hawaii said Trump’s promise to deport millions of undocumented immigrants could push some further underground and prevent them from cooperating with police due to concern about themselves or family members. Gov. Josh Green has said the state’s National Guard will not be used to help with federal deportations and has promised to do all he can to keep immigrant families in Hawaii together. But still, the threats from the Trump administration alone can be enough to instill fear in people and drive them underground, said Carrie Ann Shirota, policy director for the ACLU of Hawaii. “The idea about community policing is to build more trust with communities that often are the most under-resourced and more likely to be policed,” she said. “So these measures at the federal level undermine the very principals of community policing.” Police Reform Criminal justice reform advocates have also expressed concern about the potential impact of Trump’s support for policies like the death penalty, longer prison sentences for convicted criminals and stop and frisk , a police practice in which an officer can stop a person and pat them down if they suspect he or she is carrying a weapon. Hawaiʻi abolished capital punishment in 1957, two years before statehood, but Hawaii residents convicted of federal crimes can still face the death penalty. Trump has promised to expand certain rights for gun owners, for example passing a nationwide concealed carry reciprocity law that would allow gun owners with concealed carry permits to travel to every state, even those like Hawaiʻi that don’t honor out-of-state permits. State Sen. Karl Rhoads, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said he doesn’t know how much further the Trump administration will be willing to go. A 2022 Supreme Court ruling known as the Bruen decision already opened the door for Hawaii gun owners to be able to carry their weapons in public. More extreme laws that would weaken background checks and make it easier for people to buy guns would be extremely unpopular with a majority of Americans, he said. “I don’t think he really wants to go any farther because it’s bad politics and it’s bad policy,” he said. Nearly 10,000 people joined a Black Lives Matter march at the Hawaii State Capitol in 2020. Civil rights advocates worry that another Trump administration will bring more police violence against protesters. (Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2020) Members of the ACLU of Hawaii are worried Trump might rescind a 2022 executive order issued by President Joe Biden aimed at advancing accountability in policing and boosting public trust in police departments. The order includes mandates to increase use of force and implicit bias training for state and local departments and restricts law enforcement from buying certain types of military equipment, such as armored vehicles, weaponized drones and long-range acoustic devices. Trump’s support of military gear for police departments as well as his use of soldiers to crack down on protesters during his first term, makes advocates nervous about the potential for police violence in the coming years, Shirota said. “The use of military weapons and equipment can certainly increase excessive force outcomes and possibly even deadly outcomes,” she said. Supporters of police and protesters faced off outside Honolulu District Court in July 2021 during a preliminary hearing for three officers charged in connection with the fatal shooting of 16-year-old Iremamber Sykap. Members of the ACLU Hawaii fear Trump’s return to office could mean a weakening of police accountability. (Ronen Zilberman/Civil Beat/2021) A bill that would have prohibited police from acquiring military gear and using certain types of equipment, such as bean bag projectiles and tear gas, on protesters was introduced in the Hawaii Legislature in 2022. It was referred to the Judiciary Committee, but it didn’t advance. Meanwhile, Trump’s own felony convictions could also undermine his purported commitment to uphold the rule of law, Rhoads said. The Senate judiciary chair said he doesn’t know of any plans to reintroduce the military equipment bill in the upcoming session, or any other bills aimed at reducing the potential effects of future Trump policies. Lawmakers may be waiting to see what his first year back in office brings before figuring out what actions to take, he said. “We don’t know what he’s going to do,” he said. “Some promises he keeps and some of them he doesn’t, and what the net effect is going to be for Hawaii and the country I just don’t know.” Plan To Bail Out HECO's Credit Rating Would Cost Customers $48 A Year Original Article Civil Beat Stewart Yerton Dec 31, 2024 Senators Mentioned: Senator Jarrett Keohokalole Senator Glenn Wakai Hawaiian Electric Co. customers would have to pay $4 more per month under a proposal to create a settlement fund meant to bolster the power company’s battered credit rating in an era of catastrophic wildfires. The proposed $1 billion Hawaii Wildfire Recovery Fund, capitalized with the new fees, would be used to pay property damage claims related to future wildfires, according to a draft bill being circulated to Hawaiʻi lawmakers, who reconvene next month. The proposal would also limit HECOʻs liability from property claims due to wildfires, even those which the companyʻs equipment starts, such as the devastating Lahaina fire in 2023. Wall Street once viewed privately owned power companies like HECO as rock solid credit risks. But lawsuits from wildfires, such as the one that killed 102 people and destroyed much of Lahaina in 2023, changed the math. HECOʻs credit rating is now at junk-bond status, in part because it is on the hook to pay out billions to victims of the fire that was started by its equipment. The risk of claims from potential future fires is another factor. HECO’s proposal is far from a done deal. Lawmakers declined to give the utility a blank check to bail it out last session. And at least one key lawmaker briefed on this year’s measure has voiced concerns about raising bills for customers who already pay three times the national average for electricity. A fire sparked by a fallen Hawaiian Electric Co. power line killed 102 people and destroyed most of Lahaina in 2023. The risk of such catastrophic fires has driven up borrowing costs for not only HECO, but scores of electric companies in the U.S. (Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2023) The trade publication Utility Dive reported in October that the credit ratings of nearly 100 utilities have been downgraded since 2020 due to wildfire risk. Another stated goal — which HECO poses as a public benefit — is to create an efficient alternative to expensive and time-consuming litigation. Jim Kelly, the company’s vice president for government relations and corporate communications, stressed the bill wouldn’t prevent people from pursuing claims in court instead of accessing the fund. “The fund has been the thing that they have told us was their highest priority to stabilize the company from the beginning,” said Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole, who held hearings on HECO-related bills last session as chair of the Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee. “Absolutely,” HECO’s Kelly said, when asked if the fund was HECO’s top priority. “It’s number one.” The Cost Of Wildfire Risk For HECO customers, the equation is simple: wildfire risk — including mitigation measures to reduce it — will invariably be baked into the cost of electricity. The question is how to keep those costs as low as possible. As HECO sees it, the first step is to rehabilitate its credit rating. After the Maui fires, corporate rating agencies tanked HECO’s credit rating, meaning the company must pay higher interest rates to borrow money. Such costs can be passed to Hawaii ratepayers, who already pay the nation’s highest electricity rates, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration . HECO is in continuing talks with the three main rating agencies — Fitch Ratings , Moody’s and S&P Global — Kelly said. While the agencies aren’t promising anything, they are providing guidance on policies Hawaii and HECO can adopt to shore up the company’s credit rating, Kelly said. “They’re more than willing to share their insight,” he said In fact, the key elements of HECO’s policy playbook for 2025 are outlined in a paper titled “Liability reform will be key to support credit quality of utilities in wildfire-prone states ,” which Moody’s published in November. The paper focuses on the problem that wildfire risks poses for utilities nationally, particularly in U.S. western states. Hawaii’s fund would be similar to a $21 billion fund established in California and a $1 billion fund proposed for Utah. Hawaii Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole says the challenge facing Hawaiian Electric Co. is simple: “Nobody will lend them any money because there’s too much risk.” (David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024) But Moody’s recommends more than merely establishing a fund. It also calls for limiting the utilities’ liability. HECO’s proposed bill would do this by limiting HECO’s liability for damages. The third element of Moody’s risk reduction outline requires utilities to establish operational measures to prevent wildfires from happening in the first place. “When a state establishes definitive fire prevention and response guidelines or certification programs, it is strongly credit positive for regulated utilities because it ensures that their actions can be assessed transparently and reduces the risk of hindsight bias following a fire,” Moody’s says. HECO is seeking to establish this by regulation. It plans to submit a wildfire mitigation plan for review and approval by the Public Utilities Commission in January. The goal, Kelly said, is to enable HECO to borrow money for capital improvements at reasonable rates. The status quo is a recipe for higher costs, he said. “If we don’t get a better credit rating, that is going to impact people negatively,” Kelly said. Keohokalole put it more simply. “Nobody will lend them any money because there’s too much risk,” he said. ‘Just, Just, Just’ Adds Up Still, establishing the fund will cost HECO customers. HECO essentially wants to borrow the $1 billion and pay it back with new fees charged directly to customers, a process called securitization. Such securitized loans wouldn’t be burdened by HECO’s junk-bond credit rating; the debt gets paid back as long as people pay their electric bills, allowing HECO to borrow at lower interest rates. “It’s like having a gold-plated co-signer,” Kelly said. Kelly noted the public utilities commission would have to approve any new fee charged to customers. Kelly also noted that the bill calls for ratepayers to be paid back the fees they had paid, possibly through a bill offset, if HECO hadn’t needed to tap into the fund during its first 10 years. However, Kelly said it was not clear how that would work. Future property damage claims also could be paid quickly, according to a formula, without the need for lawsuits. Kelly noted that a third of the $4.04 billion proposed settlement for the Lahaina fires — more than $1 billion — would likely go to plaintiffs’ lawyers, many of them located outside of Hawaii. Hawaii Sen. Glenn Wakai, who chairs the Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee, said he supports a bill to help HECO bolster its credit rating in concept, but also says, “HECO better have a clear plan on how they’re going to reduce costs for customers.” (David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024) Key lawmakers say they are willing to entertain the bill. Keohokalole helped kill a securitization bill during the last session. That was largely because the company had no clear plan on how it intended to spend the money. “Last year there were just black holes,” he said. “This time is way different.” The company’s proposed, $4.04 billion settlement is pending approval by the Hawaii Supreme Court, which could happen as soon as February. Keohokalole said he would be reluctant to support the bill if HECO can’t get the settlement finalized. But if the settlement is approved and it’s clear the new fund would be used only for future claims, Keohokalole said he would be comfortable supporting securitization. “If we’re at the 2-yard line, I might be willing to bail out HECO,” he said. Sen. Glenn Wakai, who chairs the Senate Committee on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs, also expressed conditional support for the bill, but would prefer a fund that could protect parties in addition to HECO. He also wants residential customers to get something in return. “If HECO’s going to charge $48 more a year, HECO better have a clear plan on how they’re going to reduce costs for customers as well,” he said. Wakai said he’s aware that HECO’s proposal breaks down to “just $4” a month per household. But he said such seemingly small price increases are what have created Hawaii’s notoriously high cost of living. “After a while, ‘just, just, just’ adds up to ‘big, big, big’ for ratepayers,” he said. Flags to be flown half mast to honor Jimmy Carter Original Article The Garden Island Xiomara Y. Guevara The Garden Island Dec 31, 2024 Senators Mentioned: Senator Ronald D. Kouchi LIHUE — In honor of the life and legacy of President Earl Carter, Jr. the thirty-ninth President of the United States, who died on Sunday, Governor Josh Green ordered all U.S. flags along with the Hawaii state flag to be flown at half-staff. On Sunday, Dec. 29, Governor Green ordered The Hawaii State Capitol, along with the Kauai County Building, all state offices, agencies, and the Hawaii National Guard to lower all flags at half-staff for 30 days to honor President Carter’s legacy. “Hawaii joins the nation and the world in mourning the passing of President Jimmy Carter, a leader whose life was defined by service, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to justice and peace,” said Governor Green. “President Carter’s legacy extends far beyond his time in office. His tireless efforts for human rights, global diplomacy, and humanitarian causes exemplify the values of aloha that we hold so dear in Hawaii. Through his work, he reminded us all of the power of humility, kindness, and a deep care for others. “On behalf of the people of Hawaii, Jaime and I send our aloha and heartfelt condolences to the Carter ‘ohana during this difficult time. May they find comfort in knowing that his life’s work has left an indelible mark on the world and will continue to inspire generations to come,” Governor Green said. Senate President Ronald Kouchi also released a statement on former President Carter’s death and stated; “President Carter was a man whose humility, integrity, and dedication to service shaped the course of our nation’s history. “His leadership was defined by his unwavering commitment to peace, human rights, and the betterment of the world. “During his presidency and decades following his term, he represented what it means to serve with compassion and purpose. My thoughts are with his family, and I join the nation in honoring his remarkable life,” Senator Kouchi stated on Monday, Dec. 30. President Carter died ‘peacefully’ at his Georgia home, the Carter Center confirmed. He was 100 years old. Flags are ordered to remain at half-staff until January 28, 2025, following President Biden’s proclamation. Thirty days is the longest period possible for flags to fly at half-staff, an honor typically reserved for former presidents per the proclamation. Hawaiian Electric Industries Sells Most Of American Savings Bank Interest Original Article Civil Beat Stewart Yerton Dec 31, 2024 Senators Mentioned: Senator Jarrett Keohokalole Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc., on Tuesday announced the sale of a 90% stake in its American Savings Bank subsidiary to independent investors, through a series of separate agreements, for $405 million in cash. The transaction values the bank at $450 million. The sale of the vast majority of HEI’s ownership in American Savings Bank follows more than a year of speculation about whether the holding company would sell the bank to raise money to deal with costs associated with the 2023 Maui wildfires. Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole. (David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024) The announcement comes just weeks before the Hawaii Legislature kicks off its 2025 session in January and bodes well for the company’s legislative agenda, said Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole, who held hearings on HECO-related bills last session as chair of the Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee. The company’s top priority is a measure to help it raise money by borrowing against a new fee levied on customers. Keohokalole said the deal shows the utility is doing everything it can to help itself before going to customers. He said he plans to introduce a bill on HECO’s behalf this session. “In general, one of the major questions being asked last year when HECO requested securitization authority was, ‘Has the company done everything it needs to do to shore up its position itself?’” Keohokalole said. “So I think this is a significant change.” Under the deal, each investor will have a non-controlling interest in the bank, the company said in a news release. No investor owns more than 9.9% of the bank’s common stock, including HEI, which has retained a 9.9% stake. The Investors also include all of ASB’s executive team and independent directors. “The sale allows HEI to enhance our focus on the utility as we work to help our state recover from the 2023 Maui wildfires and strengthen the financial and strategic position of our company,” said Scott Seu, HEI’s president and chief executive. “We intend to use the proceeds to reduce holding company debt, increasing flexibility for how HEI funds the HEI and Hawaiian Electric wildfire settlement contributions and key utility initiatives.” Aloha, 2024! A recap of the top 10 Big Island news stories of the year Original Article West Hawaii Today John Burnett Dec 31, 2024 Senators Mentioned: Senator Joy A. San Buenaventura Senator Lorraine R. Inouye Tribune-Herald file photo From left, Sen. Joy San Buenaventura, Sen. Lorraine Inouye and Lynne Benioff take a photo together in April after the groundbreaking ceremony for the expansion of the newly named Hilo Benioff Medical Center. From left, Mayor Mitch Roth, Rep. Mark Nakashima, East Hawaii Regional Board Chair Jerry Gray, Gov. Josh Green, philanthropist Marc Benioff, Hilo Benioff Medical Center CEO Dan Brinkman and Sen. Lorraine Inouye pose for a photo with o'o sticks after the groundbreaking ceremony to kick off a major expansion of the hospital. (Tribune-Herald/file photo) Tribune-Herald file photo In this file photo, visitors walk through the Sea Mountain Resort in Punalu'u. As part of a proposed development, Black Sand Beach LLC wants to restore the resort and nearby golf course. A view of an encampment of homeless people in June near the corner of Ponahawai Street and Kamehameha Avenue in Hilo. (Tribune-Herald/file photo) In this Tribune-Herald file photo from June 7, grass and brush is overgrown around the house that was mistakenly built on the wrong lot in Hawaiian Paradise Park. A groundbreaking ceremony was held in September for a new affordable rental housing complex in Waikoloa Village. (Courtesy/image) Tribune-Herald file photo Grant Omura receives a bento from a volunteer as she hands them out of the Salvation Army Hilo Temple Corps' Malama 'Ohana Mobile Kitchen during an opening ceremony on Aug. 30 for the 25-cot shelter in Hilo. Former County Council member Emily Naeole speaks to a large crowd gathered outside the County Building on March 7 in Hilo. Hundreds of people, many who drove up from Ka'u, showed up for a meeting of the Windward Planning Commission regarding a permit for a proposed development in Punalu'u. (Tribune-Herald/file photo) Tribune-Herald file photo Kawelle Silva-Kamei holds a sign to protest the proposed development plan for the Punalu‘u area during a Windward Planning Commission Meeting on March 7 in Hilo. Tribune-Herald file photo Mayoral candidate Kimo Alameda answers a question during a forum hosted by the Big Island Press Club on Sept. 21 at the Hilo Yacht Club. In this July photo, a temporary camp for homeless people set up by Hawaii County off of Ponahawai Street in Hilo. (Tribune-Herald/file photo) Kimo Alameda sends his signature "double shaka" during a sign waving event with his Hawaii County mayoral campaign supporters in Hilo. (Tribune-Herald/file photo) With 2025 nearly here, it’s time to review an eventful 2024. Here are Hawaii Island’s the top 10 local stories of the year, as selected by the editorial staff of the Tribune-Herald. 1. Hilo hospital undergoes $100M expansion “It’s a new beginning for health care here on the island.” That observation was made April 10 by billionaire philanthropist Marc Benioff — chairman, CEO and co-founder of the software company Salesforce — during a groundbreaking ceremony for an expansion of Hilo Benioff Medical Center that will include a new 19-bed intensive care unit and 36 additional hospital beds. Benioff and his wife, Lynne, matched $50 million appropriated in 2023 by the state Legislature and released in March by Gov. Josh Green. The $100 million project is intended to help alleviate the bed shortage at Hawaii Island’s largest hospital, which was built in 1984 and where capacity has been outstripped by East Hawaii’s population growth the past four decades. In addition, a draft environmental assessment was released in November for a $60 million outpatient clinic to be built by HBMC on about nine acres of land in Keaau. The Benioffs pledged an additional $25 million for the Puna clinic, with Green pledging to work toward securing an additional $25 million from the Legislature for construction, expected to be completed by 2028. Planners anticipate the facility will serve more than 100 patients daily. 2. Affordable housing remains a hot topic According to County Council Chair Holeka Goro Inaba, the council will continue to overhaul Chapter 11 of the County Code, which addresses housing. A study presented in July of the effectiveness of Chapter 11 — which requires that rezoned housing projects include a certain amount of affordable units, and offers some ways to fulfill that requirement — found its provisions act contrary to their intended use, and it’s not feasible for affordable housing to be built in many of the island’s districts. Affordable housing projects are, however, moving forward. The 92-unit Hale Na Koa ‘O Hanakahi housing project is slated for completion in 2025, with affordable housing targeted toward Big Island seniors and priority given to veterans and their spouses. Once completed, all of the housing complex’s units will be available to residents making less than the Area Median Income. According to move-in qualifications posted online, 10 units will be available to those making 80% of the AMI, 31 to those making 60%, 38 to those making 50% and 12 to those making 30%. Ground was broken in September for Na Hale Makoa, an affordable workforce rental housing development in Waikoloa village. The project will feature 139 one-, two- and three-bedroom units serving households earning up to 140% of area median income, as well as one resident manager’s unit. Construction is expected to take a little over a year, and families are anticipated to begin moving into the units during the first quarter of 2026, according to the county. In addition, land has been acquired or donated with the goal of building affordable housing. Marc and Lynne Benioff in June donated 158 acres near Waimea to the nonprofit Hawaii Island Community Development Corporation for affordable housing at Ouli in Waimea. The land, adjacent to 282 acres the Benioffs donated in December 2023, brings the total land they’ve given for affordable housing to 440 acres. And the nonprofit Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement announced in June the acquisition of 43.08 acres of land in Hilo to be designated for affordable housing, specifically for Native Hawaiians and other Hawaii families. The parcel, located in the Kaumana subdivision of Ponahawai, was purchased for an undisclosed sum from an anonymous landowner. 3. Lava recovery continues in lower Puna Recovery from Kilauea Volcano’s 2018 Lower East Rift Zone eruption continues. Construction began in June on a 3.64-mile section of Highway 137 in lower Puna, between the makai end of Pohoiki Road and the intersection of Highway 132 — also known as “Four Corners.” The price tag to rehabilitate the previously inundated country road is $17.8 million. The lion’s share, $13.35 million, will be funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, while the county will kick in $4.45 million. The county remains embroiled in an eminent domain battle with Kapoho Land and Development Co. Ltd. over 0.94 acres of land the county said it needs to reopen Pohoiki Road. Hilo Circuit Judge Peter Kubota on Aug. 15 issued an order putting Hawaii County — which offered KLDC $24,000 — in possession of the land. KLDC, which is the only eminent domain holdout, is challenging the order, arguing the county has violated state laws in its condemnation process. And the state Department of Land and Natural Resources has awarded a contract to dredge part or all of a newly formed beach so Pohoiki Boat Ramp can be reopened. This past month, DLNR announced it had awarded a $9.2 million contract for the dredging project to Goodfellow Bros., with work expected to begin in February 2025 and wrap in November 2025. 4. Ongoing efforts to regulate STVRs The County Council in 2024 continued its yearslong struggle to regulate short-term vacation rentals with no long-term resolution in sight. Bill 121 — under discussion for the better part of a year and amended four times — was shelved in November. After lengthy discussions about five new proposed amendments to Bill 121, Hamakua Councilwoman Heather Kimball, who introduced the bill, asked her colleagues whether the council should continue to tweak the existing bill, or if it should be scrapped and replaced with a new bill that streamlines the now 30-page-long proposal. Another measure, Bill 123, passed the council and became law on its fifth draft. The bill changed the name of “ohana dwellings” to “accessory dwelling units” and increased the number of units allowed on a residential property to three, with one allowed to be used as a STVR. While the new ordinance increases density in residential neighborhoods, the Hawaii Supreme Court ruled unanimously in September that state law doesn’t allow STVRs on agriculturally zoned land. 5. Jaggar Museum, HVO site demolished It’s been six-plus years since earthquakes associated with the 2018 Kilauea eruption damaged both Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and the Thomas A. Jaggar Museum beyond repair. The historic museum, built in 1927, stood on Uekahuna bluff in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park for nearly a century. It was razed along with two buildings used by HVO, the Okamura Building and geochemistry annex at Uekahuna, in May and June. The HVO Tower, the last building standing on the bluff, was demolished on July 26. The iconic tower, adjacent to the Jaggar Museum, provided scientists at HVO with a 360-degree vantage point for studying Kilauea and Mauna Loa until the 2018 eruption and summit collapse severely damaged all of the buildings at Uekahuna, on the edge of Kaluapele, Kilauea’s caldera. HVO’s scientists and technicians have been working in temporary digs in Hilo since. HVNP’s Visitor Center will be closed to the public in February for two years of renovations. Many functions once carried out at the Jaggar Museum will be performed at the HVNP Visitor Center, once it reopens. 6. Help for the island’s homeless The annual, federally mandated Point-In-Time count tallied 718 homeless individuals on the Big Island in 2024. That’s 28% fewer than the 1,003 counted in 2023. But the Point-In-Time is a mere snapshot of a day in the life of the unsheltered, and a casual tour of downtown Hilo and Kailua-Kona will confirm homelessness remains an issue. Two extreme incidents in downtown Hilo in January highlighted the problem. A 41-year-old homeless woman, Ashley Lum, gave birth on a sidewalk at the corner of Mamo and Keawe Streets and reportedly dragged the newborn by the umbilical cord. Fire Department medics cut the cord, sought medical attention for the baby, and transferred it to custody of Child Welfare Services. Lum, who has apparent mental health issues, was arrested for allegedly leaving the infant after the cord was severed, but was released without charges after being booked on suspicion of misdemeanor child abandonment. In the other case, a 34-year-old homeless man, Jimmy Carmichael, died at Mooheau Park Bus Terminal after being beaten. An autopsy turned up no serious skull or brain injuries as a result of the assault, but there was evidence of an “acute cardiac event” prior to his death, police said. Former Mayor Mitch Roth touted his administration’s efforts toward curbing homelessness, including $10 million in grants to organizations providing services to the homeless. The county also conducted sweeps of homeless camps, including in January at Mooheau Park and in February at Kona Aquatics Center. In addition, the county also set up at least two “Safe Spaces” homeless camps during the year — both dubbed “Mitchville” on social media. One was on Ponahawai Street next to the Salvation Army in downtown Hilo. After that camp was disbanded by the county, another was set up on Kuawa Street near the county’s Hoolulu Complex to house those who’d been at Ponahawai. It too has since been closed after most occupants found either homes or a longer-term shelter. And in August, the Salvation Army opened the Hilo Overnight Safe Space, a 25-bed outdoor tent at the Salvation Army’s Ponahawai facility. Homeless individuals seeking shelter are able to check into the Safe Space in the evenings and depart the next day. Through $1 million in state funding, and an additional $800,000 from the county, the facility should be able to operate for two years, said Sam LeMar, Salvation Army Hawaii County coordinator. He added he hopes to be able to expand the shelter into something potentially more permanent. LeMar said he believes the shelter could expand to accommodate 75 beds along with 10 parking stalls “so people can sleep in their cars safely.” 7. The county has a new top executive The Big Island has a new mayor. Kimo Alameda, the former CEO of Bay Clinic who was executive of the county’s Office of Aging under former mayors Harry Kim and the late Billy Kenoi, defeated incumbent Mitch Roth by almost 11% in November’s General Election. It was the first run for public office for Alameda, 55, who holds a doctorate in counseling psychology and also was the former leader of the Fentanyl Task Force. The 60-year-old Roth had the larger campaign war chest, by more than $100,000, and had spent upwards of $75,000 more than his challenger. Alameda, however, had the backing of the two major public workers unions — the white-collar Hawaii Government Employees Association and the blue-collar United Public Workers. They endorsed the challenger in part because Roth wouldn’t authorize COVID-19 hazard pay for public workers during the pandemic, citing fiscal concerns. 8. Punaluu project proposed, opposed A currently stalled proposal by a foreign-born developer to build a 225-acre resort development on a 147-acre parcel adjacent to Punaluu Black Sands Beach Park has raised hackles in the Ka‘u community. Neighboring residents to the proposed Punaluu Village project turned out en masse in March before the Windward Planning Commission to protest the plans of developer Xiaoyuan “Eva” Liu and Black Sand Beach LLC to develop the $350 million project. Three groups of Ka‘u residents have been granted standing in a contested case against an application for a special use permit for the project. In particular, opponents have argued the development of Punaluu Village will have significant negative impacts on the area’s public water, fire suppression and wastewater systems, which they say are in disrepair. A 2020 report about the condition of Punaluu’s water infrastructure noted several leaks and inoperable equipment — notably, six of the 17 fire hydrants in the area were found to not work. Some of the opposition to the project stems from fears it will impact fragile ecosystems and endanger wildlife, such as endangered hawksbill sea turtles. The nearby black sand beach is one of the last nesting sites for the turtles in the state, said Maxx Philips, Hawaii director for the Center for Biological Diversity. However, project consultant Daryn Arai said most of the areas planned to be developed for the project are located away from sensitive areas — and that much of the development would restore the shuttered facilities of the former Sea Mountain Resort that was built in the area in the 1960s and ’70s. 9. DHHL’s huge plan for Keaukaha More than 1,300 acres of land at King’s Landing in Hilo could be developed for Hawaiian homesteads under a state plan. In June, a draft environmental assessment was published for the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands’ “King’s Landing Kuleana Homestead Settlement Plan” — a proposal to take several DHHL-owned parcels near Keaukaha totalling 1,334 acres and allow them to be developed as homestead land. Under the proposal, a large tract of land — stretching from south of Nene Street in Keaukaha to Leleiwi and south along the Kapoho Coast Road — could be used as “kuleana homesteads,” an alternative form of land use that would allow DHHL beneficiaries to live on parcels with minimal development. According to the draft assessment, the land is largely unoccupied, with 24 Native Hawaiian residents known to be living or working on land in the area in compliance with a DHHL right of entry agreement. Under the plan, about 400 acres of the land — largely around the Kapoho Coast Road — would be set aside for kuleana lots, with another 332 acres dedicated toward community agricultural use. Much of the coastal acreage and other scattered parcels would be free for community use, and the last 240 acres would be kept as conservation land. Settlement of the area would take place in a phased process, with the first phase involving up to 38 lots between 3.5 and 15 acres in size along either side of the Kapoho Coast Road. Phase 2 would include up to 35 lots between 1 and 3 acres in size mauka of Kapoho Coast Road. Phases 3 and 4 would establish the conservation, agricultural and community lands. Because kuleana leases require residence on the land, beneficiaries would be living largely off-grid and building their own homes. Homesteads would still be subject to all relevant county and state health and safety codes, although part of the kuleana model allows for some level of grant support for lessees building their homes. 10. House lot snafu in HPP In perhaps the year’s strangest Big Island story, a local contractor for an Oahu-based developer mistakenly built a house on a Hawaiian Paradise Park lot owned by a Northern California woman. Keaau Development Partnership contracted PJ’s Construction to build about a dozen houses on lots the developer owns in the Puna subdivision. PJ’s, however, erroneously built a three-bedroom house on a lot owned by Annaleine “Anne” Reynolds, who bought the one-acre lot in a 2018 tax auction for $22,000. The home was supposed to be built on an adjacent lot owned by KDP, but no survey was done prior to construction. KDP sued both Reynolds and PJ’s, seeking to recoup more than $307,000 it paid to PJ’s and its subcontractors, plus another $300,000 in lost profits, interest, attorneys’ fees and damages. Reynolds declined KDP’s settlement offer of the adjacent lot in a land swap, and KDP rejected her counter offer of a beachfront lot in return for her property. Now-retired Third Circuit Chief Judge Robert Kim granted Reynolds’ request for PJ’s to pay another contractor to demolish the house, and Kona Circuit Judge Kimberly Tsuchiya has selected a proposal by a Hilo contractor to do so. Both KDP and PJ’s are appealing the demolition order in the Intermediate Court of Appeals while Reynolds’ attorney has filed a motion stating the ICA doesn’t have jurisdiction since the demolition order isn’t a final judgment on the lawsuit. Email John Burnett at jburnett at hawaiitribune-herald.com. Hawaiʻi Senate Ways and Means Committee releases informational briefing schedule Original Article Maui Now Maui Now Dec 28, 2024 Senators Mentioned: Senator Donovan M. Dela Cruz The Hawaiʻi State Senate Committee on Ways and Means released its schedule of informational briefings, to be held Jan. 6-28, 2025. The briefings aim to provide state departments the opportunity to present budget requests to the Committee for the upcoming biennium. “Info briefings are essential in ensuring that legislators are equipped with knowledge and insights necessary to make informed decisions that impact our communities,” said WAM Chair Senator Donovan M. Dela Cruz (Senate District 17, portion of Mililani, Mililani Mauka, portion of Waipiʻo Acres, Launani Valley, Wahiawā, Whitmore Village). “It is important that we share information with each other, especially as we rely on the expertise of those who are at the forefront of critical issues.” A full schedule of the informational briefings can be viewed here: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/hearingnotices/HEARING_WAM_2025_SUMMARY_INFO_.HTM All informational briefings can be viewed live on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@HawaiiSenate . No public testimony will be accepted at the briefings. Editorial: Eddie proof sports tourism has legs Original Article Star Advertiser Star Advertiser Dec 24, 2024 Senators Mentioned: Senator Glenn Wakai A palpable air of excitement and anticipation settled over Honolulu this past weekend, as it became likely that the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational surfing contest would be a go. Traffic jammed, cameras rolled and an estimated 50,000 people lined the shores surrounding Waimea Bay on Sunday, as monster waves curled and pounded into the bay, reaching the rare heights sufficient to trigger the contest. The Eddie’s powerful waves, and the death-defying rides taken during the contest, have become the stuff of legend. People from all parts of the world tune in to see the massive waves and to watch an elite few with the skill and courage required to ride them. On Sunday, 28-year-old North Shore resident Landon McNamara won first place, riding waves averaging at least 20 feet tall, with 40-foot wall-of-water faces. The awe inspired, athletic prowess demonstrated and numbers drawn to watch were all off the charts. Cash raked in? Maybe not so much, at least not so much as for a planned sporting event, like the Honolulu Marathon. But that’s part of the Eddie’s allure, too — wave energy this unpredictable can’t be tamed into a convenient commercial event. Because of the Eddie’s unpredictability, the in-person audience for these feats of courage, strength and agility is largely made up of locals — locals by the tens of thousands who are willing to start out for the North Shore before 3 a.m., park miles away and walk to Waimea. That’s highly visible evidence of our local pride and enthusiasm. The Eddie may not bring in the profits of a major sporting event or concert of the same magnitude. However, it certainly benefits Honolulu, as an only-on-Oahu phenomenon that intrigues millions, highlighting this island’s natural wonders and inspired by contest namesake Eddie Aikau, a Hawaiian champion surfer and North Shore lifeguard who lost his life in 1978 when he “would go” to seek help for crew of capsized voyaging canoe Hokule‘a. Tangible economic benefits arise from the Eddie, of course. There’s the publicity factor, as highlights from the big-wave contest are seen worldwide, with picturesque Waimea Bay as a backdrop. And there’s the uptick in North Shore tourism that accompanies each big-wave season, pumped to a higher magnitude because of the Eddie’s attraction. Shops do more business directly before and after surfing events — and those who visit the North Shore often return again and again, according to Carol Philips, vice chair of the North Shore Chamber of Commerce. The excitement, entertainment and publicity value, local pride and bump in local commerce are sufficient returns to justify civic resources Honolulu invests in the Eddie — deploying additional lifeguards and jet ski rescue units, ambulances and police, and adding public transit routes direct to the Eddie from park-and-ride locations. Three years ago, state Sen. Glenn Wakai pushed the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) to form a Surf Advisory Group, exploring new ways to leverage surfing’s popularity with tourists. That idea is worthy of renewed consideration, as Hawaii seeks to maximize the benefits of sports tourism. Indeed, the HTA currently is considering a two-year contract with the Los Angeles Rams, at a cost of about $3.86 million. It’s tentatively enticing: The agreement would include appearances in Hawaii, including practices, a football camp and a community day on Maui — as well as a designation as the “L.A. Rams Home in the Hawaiian Islands” and a Hawaii-themed game day in Los Angeles, with the use of Rams branding to co-promote Hawaii tourism. There’s $17 million-plus budgeted for HTA sports and signature events spending over the next two fiscal years, but the proposed L.A. contract would take up more than 20% of it, and currently, details of a Rams commitment are vague. As bargaining continues, it’s imperative that HTA be clear on costs and benefits, agreeing to a contract only if the Rams commit to deliver equivalent value for Hawaii’s spending. Parkway Village adds 400 affordable units, 2 preschools in Kapolei Original Article Pacific Business News Janis Magin Dec 23, 2024 Senators Mentioned: Senator Mike Gabbard Developers Kobayashi Group and Ahe Group, along with the City and County of Honolulu, have completed the first units in Parkway Village at Kapolei, which will have 401 affordable units, from studios to four-bedroom apartments, when complete. Parkway Village is being built on land owned by the City and County of Honolulu in a $199 million public-private partnership between the city, the developers, the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corp. and financial partners CREA LLC and Bank of Hawaii, and financed with low-income housing tax credits and Hula Mae bonds. The project broke ground in September 2023 and a blessing for the first completed units was held last week. The apartment complex is being built for residents earning 30 to 60 percent of the area median income, which equates to between $41,760 and $83,250 for a family of four. The project will also include two preschools, including Hawaii’s first privately developed public charter preschool, in partnership with Kamehameha Schools and operated by Parents And Children Together. The second preschool for residents will be operated by Keiki O Ka Aina. "Parkway Village provides quality homes, access to early education, and a focus on sustainability, health, and well-being for families in West Oʻahu," said Alana Kobayashi Pakkala, CEO and managing partner of Kobayashi Group. "Affordable housing and early childhood education play a vital role in building strong communities, and we are honored to contribute in a way that supports the well-being of residents.” Kahu Kordell Kekoa blesses Parkway Village with developers and elected leaders on Dec. 17, 2024, in Kapolei. From left: Makani Maeva of Ahe Group; BJ Kobayashi of Kobayashi Group; Alana Kobayashi Pakkala of Kobayashi Group; Gov. Josh Green; Mayor Rick Blangiardi; and state Sen. Mike Gabbard. ‘The Eddie’ surf competition stokes North Shore’s economy Original Article Star Advertiser Allison Schaefers Dec 23, 2024 Senators Mentioned: Senator Glenn Wakai The North Shore economy is projected to ride high during its winter wave season, which kicked off Sunday with the 2024 Eddie Aikau Invitational Big Wave Contest at Waimea — a massive event that Honolulu police estimated drew about 50,000 attendees. Tourists and local spectators lined every available vantage spot to see the North Shore’s Landon McNamara, 28, win first place in the event, where participants battled waves that reached up to 25 feet, with 50-foot faces. McNamara, a professional big-wave surfer who comes from a surfing family, also is a Ford model and a musician who just released an album. Part of the reason for economic boost of “The Eddie,” which mostly comes before or after the event due to the singular focus of bystanders on the bay during the contest, is that it isn’t held often. The lead-up to whether “The Eddie” will go also generates incredible buzz and worldwide news coverage. Editorial: Many budget needs, but push for Hawaii housing Original Article Star Advertiser Star Advertiser Dec 22, 2024 Senators Mentioned: Senator Donovan M. Dela Cruz Gov. Josh Green has officially released his proposed state budget, laying out would-be plans and priorities for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. The document now goes to the Legislature — which must work with Green to fulfill ambitious objectives, including adding housing, building up the state’s health care workforce and funding climate-related necessities. The governor’s plan is reasonable — and should be palatable to taxpayers, in that income taxes were reduced by notable proportions last year. Hawaii households are projected to have more money in their pockets over the next two years, while Green hopes that adding more housing will hold rental and purchase costs down. He also promised “a big push on homelessness and health care.” As he consistently has done, the governor framed his proposals as oriented toward working families and “vulnerable Hawaii residents” — two very large segments of this state’s population. It’s a warranted and urgent orientation, given that the Aloha United Way’s 2024 ALICE report shows nearly half of Hawaii’s residents are struggling: 33% identified as ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) and 11% living under the federal poverty line. To build support for the budget asks, Green said he’s engaged with Senate Ways and Means Chair Donovan Dela Cruz and House Finance Chair Kyle Yamashita in advance of the legislative session. The goal: setting up a “collaborative process.” Success or failure of the strategy is a test of Green’s persuasive pull, and will reveal itself over the next few months. If this results in a smoother session, with a measured legislative work flow and few end-of-session pile-ups, the approach would be a model for future sessions. Should logjams and intractable disagreements erupt, however, Green will share responsibility with legislators. A focus on housing is clear, with roughly a third of the spending in each budget year steered toward building affordable housing and infrastructure, and sheltering those most vulnerable to homelessness. Notably, as early indications show some legislative enthusiasm for funding workforce housing — affordable to households earning above the low-income threshold typically favored for government subsidies — the proposed budget allocates $75 million in each fiscal year for a “Tier II” Rental Housing Revolving Fund, supporting development of housing for those earning 60% to 100% of area median income (AMI). Another $50 million is directed to the Rental Housing Revolving Fund, to support housing for those earning less than 60% of AMI. Additionally, $20 million is requested in each fiscal year for the Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund, supporting infrastructure investment. The largest portion of housing funding, nearly $150 million, is requested for projects to transform portions of urban Honolulu: $56 million to redevelop the 70-year-old, 364-unit Mayor Wright public housing into a 2,448-unit, mixed-use complex that includes housing for low- and middle-income families; $30 million for the newly funded, much-debated Aloha Homes Program, which will develop workforce-housing towers built on state lands with 99-year leasehold units; and $62 million for University Village, a transit-oriented development near the rail line and University of Hawaii-West Oahu. Another $60.8 million is directed to homelessness programs: $50 million each fiscal year to continue expanding kauhale development, along with contracting for services statewide; and $10.8 million each fiscal year for Housing First and the Rapid Re-Housing programs, homelessness outreach and civil legal services. The state has become a more active partner with counties in teaming up to provide kauhale — self-contained “villages” for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness — with 16 active statewide. Student housing at the UH also gets a nod, with $25 million proposed each fiscal year “to ensure the existing dorm inventory remains active.” Watch for debate on this line item: In January, Green rejected a request for $80 million to renovate a neglected UH dorm that has been vacant since 2018. Commitment to shore up residents’ access to health care is seen in an additional $15 million proposed in each fiscal year for the Health Care Education Loan Repayment Program (HELP), touted as a cost-efficient strategy to build up and stabilize Hawaii’s health care workforce. So far, the program is pulling its weight: In its first year, HELP provided debt relief to more than 900 primary care and mental health care providers who have committed to practice in areas here with a documented shortage of health professionals. Much uncertainty remains over Green’s efforts to find revenue for climate resiliency projects and to protect natural resources; over the extent of funding ultimately needed to settle Lahaina fire litigation; and shortfalls that may develop because of changing federal priorities. It’s now up to the 2025 Legislature to demonstrate collaborative leadership and commitment to resolving this array of looming issues. Hawaii Ethics Commission plans penalty system akin to traffic fines Original Article Star Advertiser Dan Nakaso Dec 22, 2024 Senators Mentioned: Senator Ronald D. Kouchi The Hawaii Ethics Commission plans to create a uniform fine schedule — similar to standardized traffic fines — and voted unanimously Wednesday to have a bill introduced in the next legislative session that would speed up the issuance of fines, which now takes up to six months. Accused violators will still have the right to argue why they shouldn’t have to pay a penalty and later challenge any fines, said Ethics Commission Executive Director Robert Harris. But anyone accused of committing offenses would know the size of the fines they face and would have the option of paying them “faster and more efficiently.” “They can have the matter resolved pretty quickly,” he said. The commission ensures compliance with state ethics and lobbying laws. According to the commission’s website, the State Ethics Code requires approximately 1,900 state officials to file annual financial disclosures and that any state official who receives certain gifts report those gifts to the commission. Harris said not every alleged ethics offense would be found on the proposed fine schedule if there are multiple and complicated allegations with “more factors to consider.” Others, such as a simple, single offense, would. “The intent is to make sure there’s consistency between cases,” Harris said. “Some are pretty objectively the same, such as failing to file on time. The facts are pretty clear, so that’s pretty cut and dry.” More serious cases include violating rules against campaign contributions by lobbyists during the legislative session, and elected officials and state employees making social media posts for campaign purposes or in favor of a business on state time or while using state resources such as state social media accounts, Harris said. In 2023, the Ethics Commission took in 329 ethics complaints from sources or anonymous sources, launched 17 formal investigations, issued three formal charges, and assessed $9,500 in penalties, according to its annual report. The panel also closed 360 cases due to lack of jurisdiction, successful settlements or enforcement, and other factors. The commission can make the fine schedule on its own but needs legislative approval to streamline and simplify the enforcement process, Harris said. The commission currently has to approve a charge, give alleged violators time to respond, and perhaps schedule a hearing. Anyone issued a fine may request a contested case hearing to challenge their penalties. Accused violators would still be able to go through the current process. Bills the commission voted to approve Wednesday would ask Senate President Ron Kouchi and House Speaker Nadine Nakamura to introduce bills in their individual chambers that would streamline the process for those who want to resolve their cases quickly. The maximum fine for an Ethics Commission violation is $5,000. The Ethics Commission previously voted to have a separate bill introduced next session that would make it a violation for a lobbyist to request that a contract bid be issued in such a way that most likely would be written only for their client. Similar rules already are in place for the Legislature. A new bill also would apply to lobbying of the state’s executive branch and would include requests for contracts to directors or deputy directors of state agencies, members of the governor’s cabinet, University of Hawaii regents, and boards and commissions. Lobbyists would be required to disclose any attempts to request contract proposals to members of the executive branch that would be “on file in a public database,” Harris said. It would not apply to members of the public or community groups that want specific projects, as long they don’t represent a client who would benefit, Harris said. New Housing Unit Dedicated At Hawaiʻi Community Correctional Center - Big Island Video News Original Article Big Island Video News Big Island Video News Dec 21, 2024 Senators Mentioned: Senator Lorraine R. Inouye (BIVN) – The new Kaumana Housing Unit at the Hawaiʻi Community Correctional Center in Hilo was dedicated this week. More than 50 people attended the blessing ceremony on Thursday, December 19th. The new building is located on the corner of Komohana Street and Waiānuenue Avenue in Hilo, where the old jail once stood. From a news release by the Hawaiʻi Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation: Plans for the 48-bed medium-security housing unit began in 2017. Construction started in January 2022. The project cost is $19.8 million.DAGS awarded the project to contractor Nan, Inc.The 10,550 square-foot building was designed with a rehabilitative environment that includes maximum use of daylight, viewing garden, an indoor/outdoor recreation yard and modern security systems.The facility aims to house inmates at the Kaumana Housing Unit in the coming months. DCR Director Tommy Johnson thanked Governor Josh Green, M.D. and legislators for their support as well as DAGS and contractors. “This project was critically needed to address severe overcrowding that has plagued HCCC for decades,” Director Johnson said during the ceremony. In addition to the new unit, HCCC recently completed renovations to its administration building to include an intake area, visitation room, records room and administrative offices. HCCC Warden Cramer Mahoe echoed Johnson’s sentiment concerning the new housing unit. “This is a long time coming,” Mahoe said as he addressed attendees. “We are grateful for having such a building like this to help with easing some of the overcrowding.” The total population is 304 inmates, as of Dec. 19, 2024. Currently, HCCC is approximately 135 percent over capacity. In addition to alleviating overcrowding, Mahoe said the new housing unit also has space for programs and training. Sen. Lorraine Inouye, one of the event guest speakers, said, “This is one of the best Christmas presents. We can say that we finally got something that has been done to make sure that we address the needs for the (corrections) system.” Like Inouye, Prosecutor (Kelden) Waltjen said the new Kaumana Housing Unit is “a large step in the right direction,” but more resources and services are still needed on the island such as a correctional facility in West Hawaiʻi. “It’s important to prioritize investments into our correctional facilities, rehabilitation and services here on our island,” Waltjen said at the ceremony. Kept losing altitude': Witnesses describe moment plane crashed near airport, killing 2 Original Article FOX8 Nicole Napuunoa Dec 18, 2024 Senators Mentioned: Senator Lynn DeCoite Editor’s note: The above video contains footage of a deadly plane crash as taken by a driver near the Honolulu International Airport. HONOLULU (KHON ) – Two people aboard a training flight with Kamaka Air have died after their aircraft crashed into an abandoned building near the Honolulu International Airport on Tuesday afternoon, the Department of Transportation has confirmed. The Hawaii DOT, as well as the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board, are investigating the crash. Witnesses said they saw the plane going down just before it crashed at around 3:17 p.m. “I saw this plane coming from the south end and going around and losing altitude. Coming down it looked like it was like over the United Cargo and going on towards the main terminal but it kept losing altitude, kept losing altitude and losing altitude until there was a big crash. And that’s when everything was just black,” one witness, who identified herself as Sister Alicia, told Nexstar’s KHON. Hawaii State Sen. Lynn DeCoite also witnessed the crash while waiting for her husband to arrive at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, aka the Honolulu International Airport. “I’m assuming it had taken off and it was coming back around,” Sen. DeCoite told KHON. “So when it came back around, it literally passed the yellow building that is there. And it, you could just, because I heard the sound of the engine revving as it needed to climb and it just took a nosedive. It clipped the top of the building. So, at that point, we couldn’t see the top of the building because it was still behind Delta Cargo.” In video provided to KHON, thick black smoke was seen billowing out near a building in the industrial area as federal fire trucks were seen heading to the scene from the airport. Honolulu Fire Department Chief Sheldon Hao said most of the wreckage ended up on the ground, in a parking lot. Ed Sniffen of the Hawaii Department of Transportation said early reports showed that the pilot made adjustments during the ordeal, perhaps intent on placing the plane down in a safe place, and avoiding the nearby Skyline track as well as fuel storage tanks. Flight recordings also indicated Kamaka Air 689 was in contact with the air traffic control tower when the plane reportedly lost “control.” “You’re turning right, right?” an air traffic controller could be heard asking the crew. “We are, we have, uh, we’re out of control here,” came the response. “OK, if you can land, if you can level it off, that’s fine. Any runway, any place you can do,” the controller said. Kamaka Air CEO Dave Hinderland read a statement asking for privacy for the grieving families of the two pilots and vowing to assist the Hawaii DOT, FAA and NTSB in the crash investigation. “We will also share appropriate information with the media as it is confirmed over the coming hours and days,” Hinderland said, in part. Kamaka Air specializes in cargo flights throughout the Hawai’ian islands. The company also provides chartered luxury flights, per its website. State calls for pause on interisland movement of birds due to avian flu Original Article Star Advertiser Nina Wu Dec 18, 2024 Senators Mentioned: Senator Lynn DeCoite Senator Herbert M. "Tim" Richards, III State agencies have called for a voluntary pause on the interisland movement of birds in Hawaii for 90 days following the discovery of the H5N1 bird flu in the state. The voluntary pause went into effect Friday, according to a news release from the state Department of Agriculture. State Sen. Lynn DeCoite (D, Lanai-Molokai-Hana) suggested the pause as a measure to stem the spread of H5N1, also known as highly pathogenic avian influenza. DeCoite told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser she actually sought a mandatory, rather than voluntary, pause. “I thought we should be more proactive while putting out public service announcements,” said DeCoite. “I’m basically saying let’s suspend it until they can figure out what’s going on.” Prior to November, HPAI had not yet been detected in Hawaii, which was the last U.S. state to confirm the virus in wild birds. On Nov. 15 the state Health Department said HPAI had been confirmed in an outbreak among a backyard flock of birds, later identified as rescued ducks and geese from Susie’s Duck Sanctuary in Wahiawa. It was the first confirmed detection of the virus announced in Hawaii, days after the department said H5 had been detected in wastewater serving the area. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service also confirmed HPAI in a wild duck at the James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge on Oahu’s North Shore. The duck, which exhibited no symptoms, was swabbed Nov. 1, with the national lab confirming HPAI in the sample Nov. 25. More recently, health officials reported the detection of H5 avian influenza in a sample collected Dec. 2 from the Hilo Wastewater Treatment Plan on Hawaii island. Based on the type of strain found in Hawaii’s detections, officials believe the virus was likely introduced by migrating birds from northern regions around Alaska. DeCoite said she was concerned for many constituents on Molokai, including farmers and small business owners who just started participating in egg-laying programs. She wants more prevention measures in place to protect poultry farms on other isles as well as Hawaii’s endangered native birds, with more urgency on the part of the state Department of Agriculture. At DeCoite’s request the agencies are also collecting data to “assess the feasibility and necessity of a formal quarantine while carefully considering the potential economic impacts of premature restrictions on local products.” State Sen. Tim Richards expressed his support for the precautionary measure as both a senator and a veterinarian. “In light of the ongoing avian flu threat, I fully support a voluntary 90-day stop movement of birds as a precautionary measure,” said Richards in the news release. “Similar actions have been successfully implemented before, such as the voluntary halt in Hawaii’s beef cattle industry approximately 15 years ago, which effectively mitigated risks to trichomoniasis and protected livelihoods until legislation could be brought forward. By taking proactive steps now, we can prevent greater harm to our poultry industry and ensure the health of our flocks and communities.” The U.S. Department of Agriculture said avian influenza spreads through direct, bird-to-bird contact but can also spread via contact with contaminated surfaces and materials such as manure, egg flats, crates, farming equipment — and people’s shoes, clothing or hands. Avian influenza can also be detected in wild bird populations, including birds that do not appear to be sick. Officials are urging poultry farmers and other bird owners to increase their biosecurity measures to reduce the likelihood of infections. HDOA said it is working with the state Department of Land and Natural Resources and state Department of Health on a coordinated response. DOH says the public health risk to humans remains low as there has been no evidence of person-to-person spread. To date, 61 U.S. cases have been reported in humans, mostly among dairy workers. On the mainland, meanwhile, millions of commercial and backyard flocks of birds, and thousands of wild birds, have been affected by HPAI since 2022. In March, HPAI also broke out among U.S. dairy cows, and more than 800 dairy herds in the U.S. have since been infected in 16 states. Avian flu prompts state to request pause on interisland transportation of birds Original Article Hawaiʻi Public Radio HPR News Staff Dec 16, 2024 Senators Mentioned: Senator Lynn Decoite In response to the detection of the avian flu virus in Hawaiʻi, state agencies are asking the public to hold off on moving poultry and other bird species between islands for the next three months to prevent the spread. The state Department of Agriculture made the request in a news release on Friday. It said the ask for a voluntary pause was a suggestion from Moloka‘i Sen. Lynn DeCoite, who is also a farmer. The virus was first detected in Hawaiʻi last month and had not been detected in the islands prior. It is highly pathogenic and can spread between birds through contact or if birds come into contact with contaminated material. The public can report animal illnesses to the agriculture department by calling 808-483-7100. Though human cases are rare, residents can call the state Department of Health at 808-586-4586 if they develop symptoms after being exposed to sick birds. Hawaii urges voluntary pause on bird movement due to avian flu detection Original Article Big Island Times Big Island Times Dec 13, 2024 Senators Mentioned: Senator Lynn DeCoite Senator Herbert M. "Tim" Richards, III In response to the detection of avian flu in Hawaii's wastewater and wild birds, state agencies are recommending a voluntary 90-day pause on the interisland movement of poultry and other bird species. This measure is suggested by Moloka‘i State Senator and farmer Lynn DeCoite as a way to prevent the spread of the virus. Before November, Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) had not been found in Hawaii. Although this strain has been present in the continental U.S., Europe, and Asia, Hawaii was the last U.S. state to confirm infections among birds. The HPAI strain likely arrived via migrating birds from northern regions near Alaska. Transmission occurs through direct contact between birds or through contact with contaminated materials. The state's response involves several agencies working together: While human transmission risk is low, residents are advised to stay alert. Sick pets should be reported to veterinarians. Unusual illnesses in poultry, livestock, or wild birds should be reported to HDOA at 808-483-7100 during business hours or 808-837-8092 after hours. Residents who develop symptoms after exposure to sick birds should contact the DOH disease reporting line at 808-586-4586 for guidance. State experts recognize the difficulty of controlling wild bird movements but believe that limiting domestic bird movement will reduce transmission risks. At Senator DeCoite’s request, data collection is underway to evaluate the need for a formal quarantine while considering economic impacts on local products. State Senator and veterinarian Dr. Tim Richards expressed his support for this precautionary measure, stating: State responds to avian flu with voluntary 90-day bird movement pause Original Article Maui Now Maui Now Dec 13, 2024 Senators Mentioned: Senator Lynn DeCoite Senator Herbert M. "Tim" Richards, III In response to the detection of the avian flu virus in Hawai‘i’s wastewater and wild birds, state agencies are urging the public to voluntarily pause the interisland movement of poultry and other bird species for 90 days, effective immediately. This recommendation follows the suggestion of Moloka‘i State Senator and farmer Lynn DeCoite and is a proactive measure aimed at mitigating the spread of the virus. Prior to November of this year, Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) had not been detected in Hawai‘i. Although this strain has been circulating in the continental US, Europe, and Asia, Hawai‘i was the last US state to confirm infections among birds. The HPAI strain in Hawai‘i was likely introduced by migrating birds from northern regions around Alaska. Spread occurs through bird-to-bird contact or when birds come into contact with contaminated materials, equipment, or clothing from infected birds. The coordinated response involves multiple agencies: The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), which oversees the management of wild birds on state lands. The Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture (HDOA), responsible for domestic birds. The Department of Health (DOH), which monitors human health concerns related to the virus. While the potential for transmission to humans is low, residents are encouraged to remain vigilant. Sick pets should be reported to their veterinarian. The public is also urged to report multiple or unusual illnesses in poultry, livestock, or other wild birds or animals to HDOA at 808-483-7100 (business hours) or 808-837-8092 (non-business hours, including holidays). Any residents who develop symptoms of avian influenza after exposure to sick birds or other wildlife should contact the DOH disease reporting line at 808-586-4586 for further guidance. State experts acknowledge the challenges of controlling wild bird movements and agree that limiting the interisland movement of domestic birds during this voluntary period will significantly reduce transmission risks. At Sen. DeCoite’s request, the agencies are also collecting data to assess the feasibility and necessity of a formal quarantine while carefully considering the potential economic impacts of premature restrictions on local products. State Senator and veterinarian Dr. Tim Richards expressed his support for the precautionary measure, stating: “As both a senator and a veterinarian, I understand the critical balance between protecting our agricultural industries and safeguarding animal health. In light of the ongoing avian flu threat, I fully support a voluntary 90-day stop movement of birds as a precautionary measure. Similar actions have been successfully implemented before, such as the voluntary halt in Hawai‘i’s beef cattle industry approximately 15 years ago, which effectively mitigated risks to trichomoniasis and protected livelihoods until legislation could be brought forward. By taking proactive steps now, we can prevent greater harm to our poultry industry and ensure the health of our flocks and communities.” Gov. Josh Green, M.D., and DOH Director Kenneth Fink addressed the topic on the Governor’s weekly whiteboard update this morning, which can be viewed here. McKinley High School breaks ground on $24 million athletic complex Original Article Spectrum News Spectrum News Staff Dec 12, 2024 Senators Mentioned: Senator Sharon Y. Moriwaki On Wednesday, McKinley High School broke ground on a $24 million athletic complex. What You Need To Know - The concrete and masonry block athletic facility will provide student-athletes with improved training facilities - While attending games, Tiger fans will enjoy over 2,400 bleacher seats, modern restrooms, a convenient ticket booth and a rooftop press box - Concrete bleachers extend the length of the building, with a tunnel at the center of the football field that will create a processional entry to the football field for players and the marching band - Under the bleachers, the building will include a boy’s PE locker room, a weight training room, and locker rooms for male and female athletes The project is designed by G70, constructed by Nan, Inc. and estimated to be completed by Sept. 2026, according to a news release. Hawaii State Department of Education administrators, legislators and supporters of Hawaii high school athletics attended the groundbreaking. Principal Ron Okamura thanked supporters including former state Reps. Scott Saiki and Scott Nishimoto, and Sen. Sharon Moriwaki, who represents the area, for working to improve McKinley High’s athletic facilities. Kumu Kuaʻanaʻai Lewis, a McKinley High teacher and Hawaiiana educator, blessed the project with an oli. “We hope this facility will inspire student-athletes to go for gold and bring Tiger Pride to their classmates and their ‘ohana,” Superintendent Keith Hayashi said in a statement. “This stadium’s reach goes beyond McKinley. It will be a center of activity for the surrounding neighborhood to be a part of and enjoy.” A rendering of McKinley High's new athletic complex. (Rendering courtesy of HiDOE) The concrete and masonry block athletic facility will provide student-athletes with improved training facilities. While attending games, Tiger fans will enjoy over 2,400 bleacher seats, modern restrooms, a convenient ticket booth, and a rooftop press box. Concrete bleachers extend the length of the building, with a tunnel at the center of the football field that will create a processional entry to the football field for players and the marching band. Under the bleachers, the building will include a boy’s PE locker room, a weight training room, and locker rooms for male and female athletes. Also, the building will include coaches’ offices, storage, and an equipment room that will contain wiring to increase internet capacity for this and future campus buildings. “The McKinley community has been waiting a long time for this facility. It is uplifting to witness everyone’s hard work come to fruition today,” Okamura said. “We are looking forward to seeing how this new complex will enhance not only the sports program but also energize school spirit as well.” Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz praises release of 2024 Hawaiʻi Quality of Life Dashboard Original Article Maui Now Maui Now Dec 12, 2024 Senators Mentioned: Senator Donovan M. Dela Cruz Hawaiʻi State Senate Committee on Ways and Means Chair Donovan M. Dela Cruz (Senate District 17 – portions of Mililani, Mililani Mauka, portion of Waipiʻo Acres, Launani Valley, Wahiawā, Whitmore Village) applauded the release of the 2024 Hawaiʻi Quality of Life and Well-Being Dashboard. On Tuesday, the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and the Office of Wellness and Resilience under the Office of the Governor launched the dashboard, which features in-depth findings on social, economic, and health issues affecting the state’s residents. The Office of Wellness and Resilience was made possible through legislation (Act 291) that the senator championed in 2022. “The state has taken meaningful strides to make Hawaiʻi a trauma-informed state, and I am proud to have continued these efforts by advocating for legislation (Act 106, SLH 2024) that resulted in the largest statewide survey on health in Hawaiʻi ever, as well as the largest dataset using CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Worker Well-Being Questionnaire (NIOSH WellBQ) ,” said Senator Dela Cruz. “The data in this dashboard shows that we must continue to increase the economic opportunities for our residents so they can remain in Hawaiʻi. Diversifying our economy in the areas of creative industries, agriculture, and technology must be paired with investments in workforce development so our residents can fill the good-paying jobs here in Hawaiʻi.” Key findings from the report that populates the dashboard identify main economic stressors, health disparities, community strength and workplace support, within Hawaiʻi’s communities. It also provides recommendations for actions advancing health equity, economic stability, disaster preparedness and workplace innovation. The dashboard’s launch will allow people to access data as a resource for crafting strategies and improving lives. For more details on the interactive dashboard, visit health-study.com . UH study on quality of life cites housing, health care as stressors Original Article Star Advertiser Nina Wu Dec 11, 2024 Senators Mentioned: Senator Donovan M. Dela Cruz A new dashboard launched by the University of Hawaii at Manoa offers insights into the pressing social, economic and health issues affecting state residents. The dashboard Opens in a new tab , which went live Tuesday, offers data from a survey of more than 8,000 adult residents conducted earlier this year. It offers snapshots of how residents from a broad range of demographics felt about their neighborhood, workplace, housing, mental and physical health and other factors affecting quality of life. It also delves into how prepared residents are for natural disasters, and their significant sources of stress, which appear to stem mostly from the high cost of housing and living. “The 2024 Hawaii Quality of Life and Well-Being Dashboard is more than a collection of statistics — it’s a call to action,” said lead researcher Jack Barile in a news release. “By making this information publicly available, we hope to inspire collaborative efforts to tackle the challenges facing our state.” While the dashboard shows many residents are feeling economic strain and stress, he noted, it also shows Hawaii’s communities are strong and resilient. Barile, also a professor of psychology and director of UH Manoa’s Social Science Research Institute, said results also highlight the unique needs and strengths of different communities, such as those with lower incomes and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander residents. The survey results can guide policymakers, community leaders and employers toward targeted actions that can improve well-being across the state, he said. Among the dashboard’s key findings: >> Economic stress. Most significant stressors for residents include the economy (73%), personal finances (73%) and housing costs (64%), particularly for households with incomes below $50,000. >> Moving from Hawaii. Among those surveyed, 40% considered moving out of the state in the past year due to high living costs. The rate is even higher, at 47%, among Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities. >> Health disparities. Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander residents experience notably higher levels of stress and unhealthy days compared with white and Asian residents. Residents also cited challenges to accessing affordable health care, with 19% reporting medical debt over $500. >> Community strength. Despite hardships, 67% of residents said they feel safe in their neighborhoods, with a similar percentage reporting that neighbors are willing to help each other. >> Positive workplaces. 83% of employees felt respected by their employers, while 78% felt their contributions are valued. Employees looking to change jobs cited flexible work schedules, paid family leave and telework options as priorities. >> Disaster preparedness. Only 12% of respondents said they were well or very well prepared if there was a disaster in their community. In February, Hawaii became a trauma-informed state upon Gov. Josh Green’s signing of an executive order directing all state departments to collaborate with the Office of Wellness and Resilience to integrate principles of safety, transparency and peer support into workplaces and services. The UH College of Social Sciences launched the dashboard in partnership with the governor’s Office of Wellness and Resilience, which is funding the project. The surveys, to be conducted regularly, are the first step toward helping Hawaii become a trauma-informed state. The hope is that the data informs policy initiatives that address Hawaii’s unique challenges, said Barile, such as addressing barriers to affordable housing, as well as improving access to health care with a focus on NHPI communities, and the need for better disaster preparedness. “The data in this report shows that we must continue to increase the economic opportunities for our residents, so they can remain in Hawaii,” said state Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz in a statement. “Diversifying our economy in the areas of creative industries, agriculture, and technology must be paired with investments in workforce development so our residents can fill the good-paying jobs here in the state.” Significant sources of stress >> Overall: The economy (73%), money (73%), housing costs (64%). >> Medical debt: Over 81% owe $500 or less. >> Access to health care: 12% said there was a time they needed to see a doctor but could not afford it; 20% said they delayed medical care due to the cost. >> Economic stability: 44% are worried about not having enough income to pay normal monthly bills; in the previous seven days, 10% reported sometimes not having enough to eat. >> Moving: When asked whether they had plans to move out of state, 40% responded yes. Of those who said yes, 65% said cost of living is lower elsewhere, 41% cited economic concerns, as reasons. Source: Hawaii Quality of Life and Well-Being Dashboard. Find the dashboard at health-study.com Opens in a new tab . Who Should Be Trusted To Manage Remains Of Hawaiian Royals? Original Article Civil Beat Blaze Lovell Dec 8, 2024 Senators Mentioned: Senator Herbert M. "Tim" Richards, III Senator Lorraine R. Inouye Management of Mauna ʻAla, the burial place for many of Hawaiʻi’s monarchs, is at a crossroads. The state Department of Land and Natural Resources picked a new curator for the burial grounds in Nuʻuanu without consulting with key Native Hawaiian organizations or the family that has cared for the remains for the last 200 hundred years. That set off a fierce debate that will spill out into the Legislature next year. Lawmakers will propose that the state lands department step aside and transfer management of the grounds to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Meanwhile, descendants of the customary caretakers — who say the lands department broke with decades of tradition in picking the new curator — are trying to build support to hand over management to a private nonprofit. Burials in Hawaiian culture — and those of royal lineages in particular — are considered highly sacred. The debate over which entity gets to manage Mauna ʻAla is intertwined with who should be responsible for caring for those remains. Amid the debate, one thing has become clear: keeping Mauna ʻAla under the state lands department is unpopular to many involved. “I don’t think it being housed in DLNR is a good fit,” Sen. Tim Richards, who chairs the Senate Hawaiian Affairs Committee, said. Proposals to transfer management authority come with many unanswered questions, including who pays for the upkeep and what would happen to the current curator, Doni Chong. Kai Kahele, newly elected to chair the board of trustees of OHA, said his agency, established to represent the interests of Hawaiians, is the right pick to oversee the burial grounds. “We have the talent here to do it, we just have to work with the administration to bring that to fruition,” Kahele said. Sen. Lorraine Inouye, who chairs the Senate Water and Land Committee, said she plans to introduce a bill transferring management of the grounds to OHA. Inouye is worried that keeping Mauna ʻAla under the land department, whose director is a political appointee of the governor, means that policies could change with each new administration every four years. “If we leave it with OHA, that would be continuous,” Inouye said. While Inouye supports transferring management authority, she’s not sure that lawmakers would approve of giving OHA additional funds for Mauna ʻAla. Inouye thinks the office, which oversees vast trust resources worth $600 million, should be able to cover the costs for Mauna ʻAla itself. OHA has some experience managing historical sites. In 2012, the office acquired the land in Wahiawā that houses the Kūkaniloko birthing stones, the birthplace for many of Oʻahu’s high-ranking chiefs. But Inouye also acknowledged that OHA comes with some baggage. The office and its trustees have previously been criticized for mismanaging the office’s finances. An audit two years ago found possible instances of waste, fraud and abuse in OHA contracts within the last decade, which prompted the office’s leadership to tighten its internal controls. In addition to the state, the Aliʻi Trusts, whose namesakes are buried at Mauna ʻAla, have also contributed to improvements at the site under an agreement with DLNR from 2013. Three of the largest trusts — Lunalilo Home, Liliʻuokalani Trust and The Queen’s Health System — either declined to comment or didn’t respond to requests for comment on the future of Mauna ʻAla. In a written statement, Kamehameha Schools said that the care and guardianship of Mauna ʻAla “demands the highest standards from all who are entrusted with this sacred responsibility.” “We trust that OHA and DLNR will continue to work together, alongside the community, to malama this special place.” After Chong was appointed earlier this year, DLNR Director Dawn Chang said that she met with the Aliʻi trusts, royal societies, Hawaiian civic clubs and members of the family that have traditionally cared for the burials, but there was no consensus among them regarding the proposed transfer of Mauna ʻAla to OHA. There was also a proposal at one point to create a new position to deal with the cultural aspects of Mauna ʻAla. Chang said there also wasn’t consensus from those groups on what exactly that position would entail. At recent land board meetings, testifiers and board members have raised concerns that the land department planned to turn parts of Mauna ʻAla, including the curator’s house, into a sort of museum. While the department is undertaking a $325,000 renovation project of the curator’s house, Chang said the goal isn’t to turn it into a commercial enterprise. After the renovations are complete, Chong and future curators would still live on site. Chang said she believes Chong has been doing a good job. She said that Chong has been getting assistance from Kahu Kordell Kekoa on cultural protocols and recently hosted a graduating class of Honolulu firefighters. “I have not received any concerns or complaints,” Chang said. “If anything, we’ve been receiving positive comments about her work there.” Prior to Chong, a family that traced its lineage to chief Hoʻolulu had served as caretakers of Mauna ʻAla for decades. Hoʻolulu, along with his brother, hid the remains of Kamehameha I. In Hawaiian tradition, iwi, or bones, contain a person’s mana, or spiritual power. In ancient times, high-ranking chiefs would often have their remains hidden from people who sought to steal that power. Hoʻolulu and his descendants were entrusted with protecting the remains of Hawaiʻi’s aliʻi into the afterlife. Mauna ʻAla was established in 1864 to house the remains of Kamehameha’s descendants and their close advisers. It later became the resting place for relatives of David Kalākaua and other royal lineages. Now, the descendants hope to see a nonprofit established that could manage Mauna ʻAla in partnership with the Aliʻi trusts — removing the site from state government management entirely. “The OHA solution is just too political,” Mary ‘Amaikalani Beckley Lawrence Gallagher, one of the Hoʻolulu descendants, said. James Maioho, who comes from a branch of that family, is trying to get support from the Alii trusts and other royal societies to eventually transfer management to a nonprofit run by the family. “You’re giving that 3.3 acres back to Kanaka control, back as sovereign land,” Maioho said. Gallagher said that family members have already been discussing who could be the next caretaker and who should be trained to succeed them should the family take over management of Mauna ʻAla. She said the family has weathered through numerous regime changes over the years as management passed from the Hawaiian Kingdom, to the territory and now to the state. “We’ll keep our chins up,” Gallagher said, “and keep ourselves out of the monkey business.” Civil Beat’s coverage of Native Hawaiian issues and initiatives is supported by a grant from the Abigail Kawananakoa Foundation. Hawaii Senate tweaks committees, chairs ahead of 2025 session Original Article Star Advertiser Dan Nakaso Dec 7, 2024 Senators Mentioned: Senator Ronald D. Kouchi Senator Lynn DeCoite, Senator Glenn Wakai Senator Brandon J.C. Elefante Senator Herbert M. "Tim" Richards, III Senator Michelle N. Kidani Senator Dru Mamo Kanuha Senator Les Ihara, Jr. Senator Lorraine R. Inouye Senator Henry J.C. Aquino Senator Troy N. Hashimoto Senator Jarrett Keohokalole Senator Chris Lee Unlike the state House, leadership at the state Senate will remain relatively familiar for the upcoming legislative session, with some tweaks to Senate committees and chairs. Three of the Senate’s 17 committees have been refocused: >> The former Energy, Economic Development and Tourism Committee now becomes the Economic Development and Tourism Committee with Sen. Lynn DeCoite as its chair. >> Responsibility for energy now falls under a new Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee chaired by Sen. Glenn Wakai. Wakai previously chaired the Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs Committee. >> It now becomes the Public Safety and Military Affairs Committee chaired by Sen. Brandon Elefante. The new chair of the Hawaiian Affairs Committee will be Sen. Tim Richards III, after former Chair Maile Shimabukuro left the Senate at the end of the last legislative session. Otherwise, leadership of the Senate continues under Senate President Ron Kouchi. Continuing in their Senate leadership roles are Michelle Kidani (vice president), Dru Mamo Kanuha (majority leader), Wakai (majority floor leader), DeCoite (assistant majority floor leader), Les Ihara (majority policy leader) and Lorraine Inouye (majority whip). Sens. Henry J.C. Aquino, Troy Hashimoto, Jarrett Keohokalole, Chris Lee and Richards all will serve as assistant majority whips. In the three-member, minority Republican Senate caucus, the election of Sen. Samantha DeCorte enabled a tie-breaking vote that settled a leadership standoff over the past two legislative sessions between Sens. Kurt Fevella and Brenton Awa. Awa now becomes minority leader, DeCorte is the new minority floor leader and Fevella will serve as assistant minority floor leader. The changes in the Senate were far less dramatic compared with the House because of several factors. Only 13 of the 25 Senate seats were up for election this year. But all 51 House seats were up, resulting in new faces and a leadership change when Speaker Scott Saiki lost his primary election. New House Speaker Nadine Nakamura then reshuffled House leadership. Other factors in the House included resignations, retirements, other election losses, the death of Rep. Mark Nakashima and several other chairs moving up into House leadership, which prevents them from chairing committees, although some will serve as vice chairs. Nakamura also renamed several of the 18 House committees, and 12 of them will have new chairs. Six newly elected House freshmen also will serve as vice chairs. Nearly $5 million dredging project completed at Hilo small boat harbor Original Article Star Advertiser Michael Brestovansky Dec 6, 2024 Senators Mentioned: Senator Lorraine R. Inouye Boaters are in deep water at last after a months-long dredging project at Wailoa Small Boat Harbor in Hilo wrapped up last week. The harbor, one of East Hawaii’s last functioning boat launches after the Pohoiki Boat Ramp in Puna was cut off during the 2018 Kilauea eruption, has not been dredged for more than seven years and sediment had accumulated at the harbor mouth. Boats repeatedly went aground attempting to pass the mouth of the Wailoa River, and boaters quickly learned the harbor only was usable at the highest tides. The state Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation began a project to dredge the river in July, using $3.2 million in capital improvement funds. That work ended on Nov. 27, the DLNR announced Tuesday, although construction equipment including a barge will remain on site until Saturday. The total cost of the project swelled to $4.8 million, according to a DLNR news release, but the cost overrun was covered through DOBOR’s Boating Special Fund, which is replenished from statewide harbor and boating facility use fees. “We appreciate the public’s patience, understanding and advocacy as DOBOR navigated the permitting and funding hurdles to get this project completed before the end of the year,” DOBOR Administrator Meghan Statts said in a statement. ”We also appreciate the Legislature for recognizing the importance of this project and providing funding.” “It’s definitely better, it’s deeper,” said boater Antoine Debarge on Tuesday, mooring his boat directly across the river mouth from Suisan Fish Market. “This was completely dry land here a few months ago.” Hilo Sen. Lorraine Inouye, who advocated for the initial $3.2 million allocation, said she was happy East Hawaii boaters can finally safely access the ocean again from the harbor, but lamented that the problem persisted for years. “When I became District 1 senator in 2022, that was already a problem, and we embarked on making sure it got fixed,” Inouye said. “I’m happy we were able to do this, but the boaters had to deal with it for so long.” Inouye said she will continue to monitor conditions at the the harbor and will listen to boaters’ concerns to identify other potential issues that need to be addressed. She added she is working on a project to determine the accumulation rates of sediment at the harbor so future dredging operations are more timely. Inouye went on to say that she will try to make additional funds available for additional maintenance projects at the harbor during the 2025 legislative session, which begins in January. Hawaiʻi officials could borrow from New Zealand's strict, well-funded biosecurity Original Article Hawaiʻi Public Radio Mark Ladao Dec 6, 2024 Senators Mentioned: Senator Donovan Dela Cruz Hawaiʻi officials are looking to New Zealand to help shore up its own biosecurity efforts. A group of key state lawmakers and staff, including those from the state Department of Agriculture, visited New Zealand in September to learn more about how the island nation prevents and manages invasive species. At a recent Hawaiʻi Board of Agriculture meeting, Jonathan Ho, the manager for the department’s Plant Quarantine Branch, noted some of the ways New Zealand prevents pests from entering and becoming established. “To compare to New Zealand, I think per capita they spend about 10 times what we do,” he said. “They focus very heavily on pre-entry, so trying to force as much of the inspections, the treatments, compliance agreements — all of that stuff outside the border prior to entry." State Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz was one of the lawmakers who made the September trip, and in a newsletter, he noted that New Zealand has what is “widely considered to be the best biosecurity system in the world.” His newsletter said that New Zealand has a three-tiered biosecurity system that starts with cleanliness requirements for the goods — and the ships carrying the goods — before they enter the country. Detector dogs, physical inspections and disposal techniques also filter out pests and unwanted species at the border before they can spread. After that, the country has rigorous surveillance and response mechanisms in place. Ho said that additional funding would help invasive species management, but that Hawaiʻi’s dependence on imports, one of the primary ways invasive species end up in the islands, coupled with its lack of resources and inadequate regulations makes pest introduction always a possibility. “We import 90% of our goods, and I don't see that changing any time soon. And as long as there is imported goods, there is going to be risks,” Ho said. The state agriculture department only has 89 inspectors to check goods imported into Hawaiʻi, and they only check about 10% to 15% of the goods, Ho said. Pre-border requirements on goods and vessels to ensure that pests don’t even make it to Hawaiʻi would be helpful, but Ho said it’s more difficult for a state to make those rules than it is for a country like New Zealand. Requests for more biosecurity funding and policy changes are likely to come in the upcoming state legislative session. The role of regional kitchens in feeding Hawaiʻi’s students Original Article Big Island Now Big Island Now Staff Dec 6, 2024 Senators Mentioned: Senator Donovan Dela Cruz The Hawaiʻi Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism says an estimated 85% to 90% percent of the state’s food is grown, processed and imported from the U.S. mainland, which is then delivered to school kitchens. It’s a costly, less fresh and far less sustinable food model for the Hawaiʻi Department of Education, which serves 100,000-plus students a day — or about 18 million meals per school year — through its meals program. What if there was a way to change that? The Hawaiʻi Agricultural Foundation recently hosted its “Eat, Think, Drink 27: Regional Kitchens — Transforming Ag Through Strategic Investments” event on O‘ahu to discuss that issue and more. State House Committee on Agriculture and Food Systems Chairwoman Rep. Kirstin Kahaloa of Kona, state Senate Committee on Ways and Means Chairman Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz of Oʻahu and state Senate Committee on Education Chairwoman Sen. Michelle Kidani of Oʻahu attended. Kahaloa and Dela Cruz were also part of a panel of state and industry leaders in local food production to talk about the significance of the role of regional kitchens in sustainably feeding Hawaiʻi and its students. Keynote speaker Dela Cruz presented about the state’s Nourishing Hawaiʻi’s Future initiative, aimed at increasing local food production and creating locally sourced meals for students through regional kitchens. State Superintendent of Schools Keith Hayashi also was part of the discussion. “The answer to both reducing our dependence on imported food and feeding our students locally is the concept of a regional kitchen,” said Dela Cruz. “Building a future based on resources already in place and using them to create a tangible system of local agriculture, regional kitchens and [Hawai‘i] Department of Education schools is a feasible solution that will create food security and contribute to economic development.” Regional kitchens are facilities used to produce meals or individual ingredients before they are sent to different locations to serve to consumers. This model has been successfully adopted through school districts in Washington state and California and already similarly implemented in the centralized kitchen of Zippy’s Restaurants in Waipiʻo, Oʻahu. Strategic investments in regional kitchens have shown to help local farmers scale production by increasing market access and leveraging the power of public procurement. Regional kitchens use local farm products to prepare meals at public schools, said Kahaloa. “This model moves locally grown and raised products from our farms, to processing facilities, to the regional kitchens and lastly to our public schools that incorporate these ʻono grinds on our keiki’s plates,” said the Big Island lawmaker. “Students will be nourished when they can eat food grown from their communities.” Hayashi said his department continues to work toward the state’s goal of incorporating at least 30% locally sourced foods in school meals by 2030 and 50% by 2050. A highlight of the event included a menu created by four state Department of Education alumni, who are now chefs, and current students using locally sourced ingredients. Hayashi said the state Department of Education is grateful for the opportunities the event provided Hawaiʻi students to learn from alumni and professionals in the food and agriculture industry. “Including [Hawaiʻi Department of Education] in the process provides nutritious school meals for our keiki while securing local food production,” said Kidani. “It was wonderful to see alumni now as skilled chefs contributing their creations and showcasing locally grown ingredients alongside our current culinary students. Working with alumni to serve healthy, local meals will fuel our students’ success in the classroom and have a lasting impact.” Hawaii Farmers Face Risk of Crime Daily. Is A Killing Enough To Spur Reform? Original Article Civil Beat Thomas Heaton Dec 5, 2024 Senators Mentioned: Senator Herbert M. "Tim" Richards, III Senator Lynn DeCoite Cranston Pia came across intruders on the land on Oahu’s Leeward Coast where he raised his cattle. Their dogs, trained to hunt pigs, were attacking Pia’s calf in a pen. Ranchers like Pia know that hunters might kill their cattle to steal meat or sometimes lose control of their dogs. Pia grabbed his rifle and fired a single shot. A 17-year-old boy emerged from the bushes with a pistol and claimed the dogs were his, touching off an argument. Such a stand-off is nightmarish but common in Hawaii’s agricultural community. Farmers and ranchers are in constant battle with trespassers, would-be cattle rustlers, vandals and thieves who largely escape punishment with law enforcement often miles away. If offenders are caught, prosecutions are rare and the penalties are feeble. The confrontation at Ohikilolo Ranch on Feb. 17 ended with another gunshot — a fatal shot to Pia’s temple. Honolulu’s prosecuting attorney called it an “execution-style killing,” and charged 17-year-old Chantston Pila Kokawa. Pia’s death has brought the low-simmering issue of agricultural crime to a boil. After years of inaction and neglect, a handful of lawmakers and state officials now say they want to address it this legislative session. Potential responses include an agriculture-specific stand-your-ground law, allowing ranchers and farmers to defend themselves with lethal force. By one estimate, agricultural theft and vandalism cost farmers and ranchers more than $14 million, both for the cost of crime and preventing it. But that may be a serious undercount. In a 2019 U.S. Department of Agriculture survey, Hawaii farmers and ranchers reported almost 15,000 cases of trespass — yet just 970 cases of vandalism, theft and trespass were reported to the police. Only 8% of those reports led to an arrest. Hawaii’s agriculture industry, worth about $670 million, with about 12,000 producers, faces a host of challenges, including the oldest workforce in the nation and challenging economic conditions. And now farmers and ranchers say crime is on the rise, with reports of pilfered produce, rustled livestock, broken gates or fences and stolen vehicles among them. Trespassing is not as well publicized. “You can’t talk to one rancher that hasn’t been in the same situation as Cranston,” Big Island rancher Lani Cran Petrie said. “They just didn’t get shot.” Petrie has regularly faced off with trespassers on her land, and just over a year before Pia’s killing, she faced a remarkable scenario: She had the police with her when she caught trespassing hunters. The officers, flanking Petrie and husband Bill, responded to the rancher’s call in the early evening with AR-15s and kevlar vests. As the sun set, they surrounded two hunters — armed with a crossbow and rifle — deep in the ranch’s brushy thicket. This time, with the cops present, Petrie thought it was an open-and-shut case. The hunters – poachers as Petrie calls them – were caught in the act. But one year later, the day before Pia’s killing, just one of the hunters was charged with a suspended sentence for five hours of community service. Petrie says it’s scant punishment for someone she alleges is a repeat offender. She is “sure we’re going to catch him again.” Before Pia’s death, ranchers would typically confront trespassers. In Petrie’s case on the Big Island, she says she had encountered one of the hunters before and let them off with a warning. “Now our farmers and ranchers are thinking twice about confrontations,” Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council director Nicole Galase said. Part of the problem, according to both ranchers and law enforcement, is that the laws and enforcement are weak and the logistics of fighting crime in farther-flung agricultural areas are difficult. Trespassing on agricultural land is also classified as a petty misdemeanor that comes with a maximum of 30 days in prison and a $1,000 fine, for example, which officials told lawmakers had never been imposed fully in a hearing following Piaʻs death . That, according to Petrie, means many poachers will treat the fine like a payment to hunt. “You’re playing with fire. The only thing you can get these guys on is trespass. But it’s like a spark around gasoline. It escalates. Fast,” Petrie said. “Cattle are spooked – boom – they’re through a fence. Somebody says ‘F you,’ then suddenly everybody’s looking for their weapon.” Within two weeks of Pia’s killing, ranchers and farmers arrived at the State Capitol building in droves, cramming into a conference room alongside industry advocates, to share stories with lawmakers and officials about the realities of crime in the state’s agriculture. Farmer-friendly lawmakers grilled officials over why they were not paying enough attention to the issue. Pia’s death was at the top of their minds. “Hunting and trespassing in that area have just become normal,” Dustin Griffith, rancher and friend of Pia, told lawmakers on Feb. 29. “We call to get help, the police come out and say ‘Ah, it’s just trespassers, ah it’s just hunters.’ I guarantee it’s a big deal to me and I guarantee it’s a big deal to the Pia family.” Attorney General Anne Lopez told lawmakers that “we clearly have work to do” and that the new Department of Law Enforcement, formed in January, would play an integral role in that work. “Certainly the judges play a huge role in what actually happens … but that doesn’t mean that we can’t, as a group, reassess how assertive or maybe aggressive we are,” Lopez said. Since Pia’s death, senators Tim Richards of Big Island and Lynn DeCoite of Molokai have maintained pressure on those agencies to muscle up, which the Department of Law Enforcement has since said it is serious about. The department has responded positively to the call, despite not having funding for agricultural crime, because the current situation is what department deputy director Jared Redulla has called a “recipe for disaster.” Agricultural crime is more than just ranchers taking issue with trespassers. Farmers are subject to trespassers, vandals and thieves, who often case farms for expensive equipment and prize specialty crops. Less than two weeks ago, Big Island fruit farmer Ken Love once again found his trees stripped of valuable malama avocados, jackfruit and mamey sapote, despite the 6,000-volt fence surrounding them. The fence is tall enough for typical Big Island pests – feral goats or hogs – which means he now needs “a fence for two-legged pigs rather than four,” Love says. Fruit thieves arrive with the harvest of Hawaii’s seasonal fruits statewide, particularly for high-value crops like lychee or mangosteen — often found later in the state’s farmers markets. One thief was caught twice in June 2022, once with 150 pounds of lychee worth $1,200 and again with about $260 worth of mangosteen. He was sentenced to four years probation this year. But tracing stolen fruit once it makes it into the market is difficult, given they will likely be sold on as part of larger bunches. Love routinely reports thefts so that the police have agricultural crime on their minds. Has any one of those reports resulted in anything? “No. Never,” said Love, president of Hawaii Tropical Fruit Growers. “There are people who have caught thieves and nothing happened.” Piecemeal state and county initiatives have focused on the farmers markets, through the vendors who knowingly or unknowingly buy the purloined fruit. But with deep skepticism about law enforcement’s interest in ag crime, Hawaii farmers and ranchers are spending on their own security, up from $7.4 million in 2004 to $11.2 million in 2019, according to surveys. While the cost of security takes up much of the cost of agricultural crime, most farmers and ranchers think those numbers are very low and do not paint a full picture, partly due to a lack of reporting. In 2004, 17% of farms and ranches reported thefts or vandalism on their land — reported or not to police. That fell to 14% in 2019. “Those numbers are grossly underrepresented,” Hawaii Farm Bureau director Brian Miyamoto said. The lack of reporting and enforcement sparked disagreement between the authorities and farmers, with law enforcement claiming theft is either a non-issue or their hands are tied because there’s no tangible data, while farmers and ranchers say they don’t report it because nothing will come of it. Authorities have toyed with tracing produce with invisible ink, detectable with ultraviolet light, akin to how ranchers brand cattle. On the Big Island, the county hired a specialized agricultural inspector to monitor the supply chain between farms and the farmers markets as part of a state pilot study into the issue. But the initiatives tend to be pilot projects with temporary funding, and fade quickly, fueling farmers and ranchers’ frustrations. Richards, the senator and a generational rancher from Kohala on the Big Island, has faced trespassers, poachers, had horses stolen, and, less than two months ago, had one of his cowboys catch three armed hunters within a few hundred yards from his home, where his children were feeding the family’s horses. That poses a safety risk, as an errant bullet or arrow shot towards the house could have devastating consequences — as it did with Cranston Pia. Richards wants to figure out more appropriate trespass statutes for agriculture, laws that do not require fencing and “No Trespassing” signs, which are required to explicitly state that land is private. While Love’s fruit farm has a 6,000-volt fence to deter thieves, it doesn’t have placards to keep them out. “Everybody stole my no-trespassing signs. Four in the last year,” fruit grower Love said. “It’s sad but it’s funny.” Legislation has nevertheless been introduced for at least eight years, aimed at resolving longstanding issues between trespassers, poachers, hunters and ranchers. Fellow senator DeCoite pointed to each of them as a failed opportunity, saying they died because most of the Legislature’s city-dwelling lawmakers did not take it seriously. A 2016 bill would have made it easier to prosecute trespassing on agricultural land by removing a requirement for fencing or trespass warning signs. It failed in the Legislature after opposition from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, which feared it would impinge on Native Hawaiian gathering rights. Those rights are enshrined in the State of Hawaii’s constitution, allowing Native Hawaiians to gather certain goods on private lands. “Most of you believe that’s a crock of bull,” DeCoite said last month. “As a Native Hawaiian, I don’t have a problem with anyone gathering. Just ask first.” A 2018 pilot program report on the Big Island found that — in addition to providing better education for producers and law enforcement — a longstanding system for certifying ownership and movement forms of agriculture products was particularly effective in clamping down on the crimes, but only if there was enough enforcement of them. Love, the farmer on the Big Island, said the forms are still being used, though they are not very effective, despite authorities banking on them to help stem the flow of stolen produce. Now with the 2025 legislative session looming, Richards is mulling the creation of an agricultural crime commission, and is working with the Attorney General’s Office on a comprehensive bill to centralize and demystify laws that apply to agricultural theft, vandalism and trespass. The most controversial of Richards’ ideas may include a stand-your-ground law, which would allow the use of force in self defense when threatened with death. “Allow agriculture to protect itself,” he said. Stand-your-ground laws exist in about 28 states. Richards said he understands he will face significant pushback and does not want vigilantism to ensue. But Pia’s death lays the issue bare, which Richards believes his fellow lawmakers and the authorities need to take seriously. “You’re forcing it by not enforcing the current law,” Richards said. “What is agriculture supposed to do?” “ Hawaii Grown ” is funded in part by grants from the Stupski Foundation, Ulupono Fund at the Hawaii Community Foundation and the Frost Family Foundation. Charity dinner raises $50K for mediation center Original Article Hawaiʻi Tribune Herald Hawaiʻi Tribune Herald Staff Dec 5, 2024 Senators Mentioned: Senator Herbert M. "Tim" Richards, III At the 2024 Annual Recognition Dinner & Auction on Nov. 17, Jennifer Zelko-Schlueter was awarded the “Peacemaker Award” by Ku‘ikahi Mediation Center, and Judge M. Kanani Laubach was awarded the “Meritorious Service Award” by the Hawaii County Bar Association. “What a great evening celebrating two very deserving wahine,” Ku‘kahi Executive Director Julie Mitchell said in a press release. “Mahalo to all who contributed of their time, talents and treasures to make this fundraiser the most successful ever!” The event raised $50,000 for the center. “We truly appreciate our honorees, sponsors, ticket buyers, auction bidders, guests, cash and in-kind event donors, auction donors, emcee, introducers, musician, sound operator, special event committee, event volunteers, board and staff,” Mitchell said. The annual dinner and auction provides a significant portion of the funds that Ku‘ikahi needs to provide free and low-cost dispute prevention and resolution services in East Hawaii and beyond. To make a year-end charitable gift to support this local non-profit community mediation center, please visit: https://hawaiimediation.org/donate/. Harbor dredging project pau Original Article Hawaiʻi Tribune Herald Michael Brestovansky Dec 4, 2024 Senators Mentioned: Senator Lorraine R. Inouye Boaters are in deep water at last after a months-long dredging project at Wailoa Small Boat Harbor in Hilo wrapped up last week. The harbor, one of East Hawaii’s last functioning boat launches after the Pohoiki Boat Ramp in Puna was cut off during the 2018 Kilauea eruption, has not been dredged for more than seven years and sediment had accumulated at the harbor mouth. Boats repeatedly went aground attempting to pass the mouth of the Wailoa River, and boaters quickly learned the harbor only was usable at the highest tides. The state Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation began a project to dredge the river in July, using $3.2 million in capital improvement funds. That work ended on Nov. 27, the DLNR announced Tuesday, although construction equipment including a barge will remain on site until Saturday. The total cost of the project swelled to $4.8 million, according to a DLNR news release, but the cost overrun was covered through DOBOR’s Boating Special Fund, which is replenished from statewide harbor and boating facility use fees. “We appreciate the public’s patience, understanding and advocacy as DOBOR navigated the permitting and funding hurdles to get this project completed before the end of the year,” DOBOR Administrator Meghan Statts said in a statement. ”We also appreciate the Legislature for recognizing the importance of this project and providing funding.” “It’s definitely better, it’s deeper,” said boater Antoine Debarge on Tuesday, mooring his boat directly across the river mouth from Suisan Fish Market. “This was completely dry land here a few months ago.” Hilo Sen. Lorraine Inouye, who advocated for the initial $3.2 million allocation, said she was happy East Hawaii boaters can finally safely access the ocean again from the harbor, but lamented that the problem persisted for years. “When I became District 1 senator in 2022, that was already a problem, and we embarked on making sure it got fixed,” Inouye said. “I’m happy we were able to do this, but the boaters had to deal with it for so long.” Inouye said she will continue to monitor conditions at the the harbor and will listen to boaters’ concerns to identify other potential issues that need to be addressed. She added she is working on a project to determine the accumulation rates of sediment at the harbor so future dredging operations are more timely. Inouye went on to say that she will try to make additional funds available for additional maintenance projects at the harbor during the 2025 legislative session, which begins in January. Email Michael Brestovansky at mbrestovansky@hawaiitribune-herald.com. Helicopter searching for signs of invasive coconut rhinoceros beetle in Waikōloa Original Article Big Island Now Big Island Now Staff Dec 3, 2024 Senators Mentioned: Senator Herbert M. "Tim" Richards, III If you live in Waikōloa or the surrounding area and noticed a helicopter flying low overhead today, you might have wondered why. Hawai‘i state Sen. Tim Richards, who represents the Big Island’s Senate District 4 (North Hilo, Hāmākua, Kohala, Waimea, Waikōloa, North Kona), explained in a Facebook post that the Spatial Data Analysis and Visualization Labs at University of Hawai‘i at Hilo is conducting a low-altitude helicopter flight over Waikōloa until noon today. The flight, which started at 10 a.m., is part of an effort to collect aerial imagery of palm trees in the Waikōloa area to identify potential damage caused by the invasive coconut rhinoceros beetle. It’s in partnership with the Big Island Invasive Species Committee. The data gathered will help the committee improve its palm surveys and target trees that might need further inspection. What this means for Waikōloa area residents: The helicopter is flying low to capture detailed imagery. If a tree on your property needs further inspection, the Big Island Invasive Species Committee will contact you. Trees found to have coconut rhinoceros beetle damage could qualify for free treatment by the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle Response Hawai‘i team and Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture. “Thank you for your cooperation in protecting Hawai‘i’s palms!” said Richards in his post. For more information or to get on the list for a free property survey, call/text the Big Island Invasive Species Committee at 808-731-9232 or email to biisc@hawaii.edu . Kokua Line: Is Postal Service Christmas mailer correct? Original Article Star Advertiser Christine Donnelly Dec 3, 2024 Senators Mentioned: Senator Henry J.C. Aquino, Senator Brandon J.C. Elefante Question : Are the Christmas ship-by dates in the Postal Service mailer correct? I thought Hawaii was earlier. Answer : You are referring to the fold-out card titled “Delivering infinite moments of joy all season long,” which was produced at U.S. Postal Service headquarters with mainland customers in mind but also mailed to Hawaii customers. “In this case, the Priority Express Mail suggested mailing date is actually the same for mainland and Hawaii customers—Dec. 20. But our suggested mailing date for First-Class and Priority Mail for our Hawaii customers, which are the services that most local folks use, is Dec. 18 rather than the Dec. 19 date suggested in the mail piece,” Duke Gonzales, a postal service spokesperson, said Monday in an email. The mail-by dates aren’t hard deadlines for shipping to the mainland, “just suggested dates to give Christmas mail and packages the best chances of reaching their destinations before Dec. 25,” he said. Gonzales issued a news release Monday with other information about holiday shipping: >> Self-service ship and mail centers: Customers can use these kiosks to ship packages, buy stamps and handle other tasks without seeing a mail clerk. They generally are open 24/7 at all locations except for Mililani and Waipahu. Kiosks are available at the Kapahulu Safeway and at these 16 Hawaii post offices: Aina Haina, Downtown, Hawaii Kai, Hilo Main, Honolulu Main/Airport, Kailua, Kailua-Kona, Kaneohe, Kihei, Lahaina, Makiki, Mililani, Waialae- Kahala, Waikiki, Wailuku and Waipahu. >> Priority Mail flat-rate shipping: The box itself is free, while shipping up to 70 pounds to a domestic location costs $19.30 in a medium box and $22.80 in a large box. The large box holds 50% more (with the same 70-pound weight limit). >> Overseas military: Up to 70 pounds can be shipped in the military large flat-rate box to most APO and FPO locations for $26. >> Online service: Use usps.com, where you can create an online account to order free boxes, buy stamps, pay for and print shipping labels (Click-N-Ship) and participate in Operation Santa, the annual program that has donors fulfill children’s Christmas wishes. With Click-N-Ship you can have the post office come pick up your outgoing packages at no extra charge, or drop off the prepaid packages at a post office counter without standing in line. >> Peak days: “We expect customer traffic at our post offices to accelerate beginning the week of Dec. 9, and that the week of Dec. 16 will be our busiest week of the season,” the news release said. Q : How long is the new Leeward bike path? A : The 3.5-mile Leeward Bikeway follows the previous Oahu Railway and Land Co. path and “extends the Pearl Harbor Historic Trail, connecting through the West Loch Community Shoreline Path, to create an 11-mile path that wraps around Pearl Harbor and into Ewa Beach, culminating at the Hawaiian Railway Society’s train yard,” according to the Hawaii Bicycling League. Q : Regarding bird flu, can that spread to feral cats? A : Yes, and to pet cats, too, and to many other mammals, wild, stray (feral) or domesticated. “Although bird flu viruses mainly infect and spread among wild migratory water birds and domestic poultry, some bird flu viruses can infect and spread to other animals as well. Bird flu viruses have in the past been known to sometimes infect mammals that eat (presumably infected) birds or poultry,” according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In North America, H5N1 bird flu viruses have been detected in cats, dogs, goat kids (juvenile goats) and dairy cows, the agency says. It’s rare for people to catch bird flu from an infected animal, but it is possible, “especially if there is prolonged and unprotected exposure to the animal,” the CDC says. Read more at 808ne.ws/3ZhX9X1 Opens in a new tab (on the CDC website) and 808ne.ws/4fS9k3u Opens in a new tab (on the state Department of Health website). Kaua‘i County inauguration swears in many familiar faces, and a newcomer to the council Original Article Kauaʻi Now Scott Yunker Dec 2, 2024 Senators Mentioned: Senator Ronald D. Kouchi As the calendar year comes to an end, the latest iteration of Kaua‘i County government formally began Monday with the inauguration of its county council and prosecuting attorney at the Kaua‘i War Memorial Convention Hall in Līhu‘e. Longtime Kaua‘i County councilmember Mel Rapozo was confirmed as chair, and KipuKai Kuali‘i was named as vice chair, in a public hearing prior to the 1 p.m. ceremony. Rapozo promised “to tackle critical issues facing our community with boldness and with resolve.” He identified wastewater and clean water initiatives, homelessness, housing and the county’s ongoing search for a new landfill site as top priorities. “We will work aggressively — and I mean aggressively — to address the needs and challenges that matter most to our residents,” Rapozo said. Rapozo and Kuali‘i will lead a council filled with familiar faces, including Addison Bulosan, Bernard Carvalho, Felicia Cowden and Arryl Kaneshiro, who won reelection to the council in November after terming out in 2022. Fern Holland, who defeated incumbent Ross Kagawa by 108 votes in the November general election, is the sole newcomer to the Kaua‘i County Council. She received applause and cheers on Monday when Rapozo, speaking from the convention hall stage, welcomed her aboard. Kaua‘i County’s prosecuting attorney, Rebecca Like, successfully maintained her position after winning an uncontested primary election in August. Like claimed her office must not only prosecute crimes, but work to prevent them. She vowed “to address the root causes of crime” through continued collaboration with local law enforcement, agencies and community organizations. “Justice is not a privilege for the few, but a right for all,” Like said. “It is the duty of those who hold the scales to ensure fairness, protect the innocent and hold the guilty accountable, regardless of their power or position.” Oaths of office were administered by Judge Randal Valenciano. Jade K. Fountain-Tanigawa and Lyndon M. Yoshioka, who was absent due to illness, were appointed county clerk and deputy county clerk. Pastor Matt Higa of the New Hope Kaua‘i church led the inauguration’s invocation and closing word of prayer, in which he called for unity and respect. “You and I, all of us, we will never see eye to eye on every political issue,” Higa said. “But we must see heart to heart.” Jan TenBruggencate, vice chair of the Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative and member of the Kaua‘i County Charter Review Commission, served as master of ceremonies. Members of the Waimea High School JROTC served as color guard. Kumu Troy Lazaro and Sabra Kauka were present as pū kāne (conch shell blower) and mea ‘oli (chanter). Nalani K. Ka‘auwai Brun performed the U.S. national anthem and the state anthem, “Hawai‘i Pono‘ī.” Officials in attendance Monday also included Kaua‘i Mayor Derek Kawakami, Maui County councilmembers Keani Rawlins-Fernandez and Gabe Johnson, State Senate President Ron Kouchi and state House representatives Dee Morikawa and Luke Evslin. Others present included former county and state government officials, Capt. Brett Stevenson of the Pacific Missile Range Facility, William Arakaki of the Hawai‘i State Board of Education and representatives of Gov. Josh Green, U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz and U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda. Hawaii’s Medical Cannabis Caregiver Program Set to Expire December 31 Original Article Ganjapreneur TG Branfalt Dec 2, 2024 Senators Mentioned: Senator Joy A. San Buenaventura Beginning January 1, Hawaii’s network of medical cannabis caregivers will be outlawed under “sunset” provisions included in the state’s medical cannabis law, HawaiiNewsNow reports. House Public Safety Chair Rep. Della Belatti (D) indicated that the sunset provision is a mistake that lawmakers will try to address, but for now the state’s registered caregivers will be forced to stop serving patients by the start of the new year. Registered caregivers are allowed to raise up to 10 medical cannabis plants for patients who cannot cultivate the plants. The system is an alternative to dispensaries, which some say are too expensive or inconvenient. Belatti told HawaiiNewsNow that the impending shut down of the caregiver program is “a failure” that lawmakers did not address which has led to a “crisis.” State Sen. Joy San Buenaventura (D), who chairs the chamber’s Health and Human Services committee, said the deadline would impact thousands of the state’s medical cannabis patients. “Especially for Oahu patients who live in condos where they are dependent upon caregivers to grow their medical cannabis for them,” she told HawaiiNewsNow, “they won’t be able to have that access and that’s huge.”

Sen. Angus McKelvey: California Fires Mean Bad News For Lahaina Honolulu Civil Beat Richard Wiens February 16, 2025 Original Article Editor’s note: Sen. Angus McKelvey, who chairs the Senate Government Operations Committee, is a key figure in recovery efforts following the August 2023 Maui fires. In an interview edited for length and clarity, he discusses the latest obstacles to rebuilding Lahaina and talks about the government reforms he is backing. You said last May you could imagine two futures for Lahaina: Either taken over by monied outside interests, kind of becoming the Kakaako of West Maui, or restored in a way that brings back many of its former local residents and at least some of the old businesses. Which direction do you think it’s going at this point? Right now, unfortunately, I think we’re headed in the direction of the monied interests. We’re still at that fork of the road, but what’s adding unbelievable pressure is what’s happened in California and now with the federal government. This has completely changed the entire tapestry of reality for the future of Lahaina. How so? You have the issue of interruption or potential loss of future federal monies. You have the fact that you’ve got tariff wars breaking out and counter-tariffs. Most of the construction material — because of the supply chain and other issues — before the Pacific Palisades fire was being bought from China in an effort to try to start rebuilding before the insurance money started lapsing. Now you’ve got the potential tariffs coming in against China, 10% plus the additional 25% from all aluminum and steel. You’ve got potentially a lot of workers who are from the immigrant community, who have now taken off. People who, I guess it was anticipated, would do a lot of the manual, blue-collar laboring. You’ve got all of these issues. And of course, you’ve got Pacific Palisades. After that fire happened, I was hearing about how Maui’s not going to get anything. The contractors are going to sell to LA because they don’t have to put it on a barge and wait, they can go ahead and these guys are paying cash. So we’re going to see a huge diversion, or interruption, of materials coming from the West Coast because of California. Now you’ve got tariffs popping in all over the place for other materials from other places, and meanwhile, the clock is running out on so many people because of their insurance policies requiring them to start substantially rebuilding already, or before this coming August. Time is totally on the side of the outside interests. Last year you were proposing establishing a community district to oversee both state and county restoration efforts. Are you still pushing for that? It was a bill was to create a community development association that would kind of transcend the county and the state. But given everything that’s been going on, especially now with the changes with the federal government, I didn’t reintroduce the bill this year. There are a lot of people in the community who, over the summer, were talking about it. They thought it was an idea that we should keep discussing, and I was contemplating putting together a community working group. But right now, with all of this raining down on everybody’s head, even though I do believe for the future of Lahaina this could be a very powerful tool for community control over this very precious place, it would create so much disruption to an already disruptive and chaotic environment and government system that it could literally push people over the edge. So at this point, this is a discussion best had when we start to get people back into homes, we start working with local partners who are trying to develop housing strictly tailored for Lahaina people. You also proposed that the state acquire all West Maui water districts. Are you still pushing for that? I did put it in again this year. Unfortunately, the bill was deferred in the Water and Land Committee after the hearing. I know that that’s something that the county of Maui has really been pushing. When I introduced the bill last time, there was no discussion going on anywhere about it. But in the meantime, even though the bill failed last year, the Maui County Council has picked it up and is continuing to discuss it on their end. You had also said that it was essential that the state establish concessionary lending programs for the underinsured and mortgage forbearance for fire victims. Where does that stand? None of it happened. I was very disappointed. It was basically the banks won. And this is where special interests do rear their heads, despite efforts to get the executive branch and others to see that this was a way to save people. Now many of the places that are being sold are due to the fact that people can’t continue to pay mortgages, and they’re underinsured, and they’re not going to be able to rebuild. And then, of course, when they do get an insurance check, it goes to the bank for the mortgage. And so you’re watching the situation where now it looks to the people like the best thing to do is to sell, put it on the market. We do have some bills this year to strengthen the community land trust program and establish it statewide. And I’m hoping that the Lahaina Community Land Trust can get some serious support, because they’ve been working on trying to be an alternative for people who feel like they have to sell but they don’t want to sell it to an offshore interest. I’m really bummed that we didn’t do any kind of public financing. And again, the banks don’t want to underwrite these customers. There was a hearing on a bill, and I said, “why do you guys oppose every type of public financing? You don’t want these customers anyway. You won’t give them loans, you won’t give them mortgages. But yet, when the state tries to offer something to them, you come in and kill it.” And this goes for the state, the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. They have, consistently, with their regulated entities, been on the side of the industry, not the consumer. How about the tax surcharge on rental cars to help pay for the northern extension of the Lahaina bypass? That moved, and it’s moving on to the next committee. The bill also calls for diverting the Transient Accommodations Tax to building the bypass, because originally the resort areas were supposed to build the northern terminus of the bypass as the condition of the approval for their developments in Kāʻanapali, and they never did it. By using the TAT in addition to the rental surcharge, we can hopefully get them the money to get the project going, and then we can bond out the rest of it as we get moving. But this is a way to get this critically needed highway going. And I’ve got to tell you, the No. 1 legislative accomplishment of my whole career was working with (then-state Sen.) Roz Baker and Sen. Dan Inouye in getting the original bypass bill. I couldn’t imagine what that night of the fire would have been like had there been no bypass. Let’s move on to a couple of overall government reform measures. You’re the lead introducer of a bill to charge a 5% fee on independent expenditures by non-candidate committees. Where did that idea come from? It’s to help pay for public campaign financing. I absolutely loathe campaign fundraising, everything about it, and to have a public financing system where that is basically off your shoulders and you can run your race, and you know you have the resources to get your message out regardless of everything, is a good thing for democracy. More people run, and we get more talent. Getting talent on the bench has always been a struggle for neighbor island delegations. So having a public financing system, I believe, gives neighbor islanders the ability to run and to serve. The PAC (political action committee) fee is a way we can create more funding for it that we’re not taking from other things. A lot of times these PACs come in and do these independent expenditure committees against candidates who don’t have many resources to compete with anyway, and blow them out of the water. So why not create funding from their activity that these candidates can now use to get their message out? Use a fee on the PACs because the more activity they’re doing in a race, the higher fee they’re going to pay. And that, of course, will create a hopefully robust public financing system. Didn’t this bill get amended to where the proceeds of this PAC fee, if it were adopted, would actually go to the Campaign Spending Commission instead of straight to the public campaign funding? Yeah, I asked for that because they’re going to need to do structural things to effectuate the campaign financing thing far beyond money in the fund, and this way we can go ahead and structurally set up the public financing system. The candidates can report easily and qualify and get the money. We’re trying to give the commission additional resources so they can stand it up and have the flexibility to oversee it. I thought it was a good amendment. Another election measure that you signed on to would establish at least three additional voting centers on Oʻahu so we don’t end up with the long lines and delays that occurred last November. Do you think that’s going to happen? I hope so. It’s going to be an issue of money and staffing. But we can’t have long lines like this repeatedly. People should have the ability to come in and be able to vote at the last minute and not sit in long lines or get turned away or have this chaos. So I hope that we can find the revenue for these additional voting centers. You’re still sold mainly on mail balloting though? Oh yeah, it’s just so much easier and efficient. And, you know, people on Maui really took to it. And of course, most people over there basically vote by mail. But some things have to be discussed going forward because of all those ballots that were considered spoiled because the signatures did not match, and a lot of people said they were never given notification enough to go in and cure them. One issue with the mail-in is you’re signing your signature on the outside of an envelope. If I’m an identity thief, I’m having a field day with that. You were a co-sponsor of a proposal to ask voters to amend the constitution to create a 12-month Legislature . That’s been deferred for now, but the House speaker and Senate president have introduced bills to at least create a task force to study the idea of a year-round Legislature. Do you think that represents progress and that maybe something might happen there? I hope so. I mean, just look at what’s going on this year. You’ve got 30 members of the House who have two or less years’ experience. You’re asking them to literally step into a $4 billion budgetary picture. You’re expected to come in and do this all in the span of the 60 legislative days. Then on top of that, in order to promote more transparency, you’re trying to do 72-hour advance notice of hearings. This is why you’ve had weird stuff happen at the very end of the session, and you wouldn’t have this happening if you had a longer session. I like the idea that you spend the first five months of the session working on the budget bills. And then members can really sink their teeth into the policy stuff. Are you agreeable to the House speaker’s notion that you could still only have 60 days of floor sessions, but just spread them out over the year, with a lot more days for committee hearings and other business? I agree. I think we could do that. And if we had a longer legislative session, we could actually do committee hearings in the community, instead of just all in the square building. That’s one of the advantages of having more time is you could do more outreach types of things. You’re also the lead introducer of a bill to require the selection of heads of public agencies or divisions be done in in open meetings, through an open public process. What’s behind that? We need transparency because that’s a critical decision that’s going to determine the direction and fate and efficacy of these boards and commissions and that should be decided in public. I understand the concern of proprietary, confidential information, but the selection itself should be an open and transparently deliberate process. So that’s what I’m trying to achieve with the bill. It’s come up before and didn’t make it, and so I felt it was worth bringing back again, especially with these very powerful boards that exist and are growing statutorily every year.

PRESS RELEASES SENATOR LORRAINE R. INOUYE ANNOUNCES $593,500 FOR CESSPOOLS AND INDIVIDUAL WASTEWATER SYSTEM REPLACEMENTS $3.2 MILLION RELEASED FOR AXIS DEER FENCING IN SOUTH MAUI SENATE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE PASSES BILLS ADDRESSING TOP COMMUNITY CONCERNS MORE PRESS RELEASES NEWS ARTICLES READ MORE Hawaii Senate bills aim to protect farmers, boost ag theft penalties Original Article Star Advertiser John Burnett, Hawaii Tribune-Herald February 20, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Herbert "Tim" Richards, III Two agriculture-related bills moving forward at the state Legislature would increase penalties for agricultural theft and allow farmers and ranchers to use deadly force against intruders under certain circumstances. Senate bills 1248 and 1249, both introduced by Sen. Tim Richards (D-Kohala), have cleared the Committee on Agriculture and Environment. Both bills on Feb. 13 passed their second readings. SB 1248, the stand-your-ground legislation, has been referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, while SB 1249, an omnibus agricultural measure, has been referred to a joint session of the Judiciary and Ways and Means committees. SB 1248 would allow a farmer or rancher, under certain circumstances, to use deadly force without retreating. Richards calls the measure the “Cranston Duke Pia Act.” Pia was a 39-year-old Makaha rancher, who was — in Richards’ words — “executed in front of his mother” for protecting his cattle from hunting dogs on Feb. 17, 2024. Pia died of a single gunshot wound to the head. Chantston Pila Kekawa, then 17, of Maili, was charged as an adult with second-degree murder, first-degree terroristic threatening, firearm offenses and first-degree theft. He’s pleaded not guilty and has a trial scheduled for April 7 in Honolulu Circuit Court. Richards said Pia’s mother visited his office four days after the shooting. “Mutual friends brought her in with Cranston’s widow,” Richards said. “I gave her my word I would work very diligently on trying to make a difference, and not let Cranston’s murder be for nothing. That’s been my driver. “We’ve hit some headwinds, as you can imagine … but it is making progress and it is highlighting the problems of crimes against agriculture.” The measure received written testimony in support by the state Department of Agriculture, Kapapala Ranch, Hawaii Farm Bureau and Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council. In her written testimony, Lani Cran Petrie of Kapapala Ranch in Kau said that she, as president of the Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council, presented a resolution in Pia’s memory earlier this month to a National Cattlemen’s Beef Association committee. “The resolution was accepted by the committee and is moving towards its presentation to the full membership for vote at the next annual convention,” Petrie wrote, calling the response from fellow ranchers at the convention in San Antonio “humbling and overwhelming.” The Hawaii Farm Bureau testified that Pia’s death “highlighted the vulnerabilities that agricultural workers face, particularly in remote areas where law enforcement response times may be delayed.” “In recent years, the agricultural community has reported an increase in confrontations with trespassers, including incidents where farm workers and landowners have been physically threatened,” the testimony states. “In some cases, criminals have returned multiple times, emboldened by the knowledge that response times from law enforcement are slow or that penalties for agricultural crimes are minimal. Farmers and ranchers need stronger protections to defend themselves and their families when faced with imminent threats.” Pia’s father, Mike Pia, told lawmakers in live testimony on Feb. 10, “I want to see this thing pass.” “Until today, I still ask the question, why?” Mike Pia testified. “Why a young kid took my son away, my youngest son, of my four children?” “I’m still grieving today. It’s very painful,” he said. According to the FindLaw website, 29 states have some form of stand-your-ground law. A companion bill to the omnibus agriculture bill, House Bill 859, was introduced by Rep. Matthias Kusch (D-Hilo, Hamakua) and passed its second reading on Feb. 5 after clearing the Committee on Agriculture. The legislation’s intent is to establish an agricultural crime prevention program within the DOA to provide grants, education and other services to the state’s agricultural industry and to strengthen laws regarding agriculture theft and hunting on private agriculture lands. “The meat and potatoes of this bill is that it more carefully lays out penalties for agricultural crimes,” said Kusch. “Right now … (perpetrators) don’t get pursued by prosecutors because it’s sort of nebulous. There are a lot of hurdles, like you have to catch someone with a camera and they would have had to have climbed over a sign saying ‘this fruit is not free.’” “We’re talking about making it sting a little bit,” added Richards. “The perpetrators are stealing avocados or papayas, whatever. And what the attorney general is working on is to stiffen the fines to make them more expensive and changing laws from saying ‘may include jail time’ to ‘shall include jail time’ to lock these people up.” Written testimony in support has been submitted by Hawaii County Prosecutor Kelden Waltjen, Honolulu Police Department, Hawaii Farm Bureau, the Hawaii Department of the Attorney General and the state Department of Agriculture. Written testimony in opposition was submitted by the Office of the Public Defender. Waltjen told the Hawaii Tribune-Herald on Tuesday that he supports the efforts by Richards and Kusch “to aid farmers and ranchers by providing funding to protect and secure their crops and livestock, establishing more appropriate penalties to hold offenders accountable to deter future crimes, and supporting local law enforcement with additional resources.” “Agricultural crimes — including theft, trespass and poaching/hunting on private agricultural lands — have been an ongoing concern across our state,” Waltjen said. “To my knowledge, our office is the only law enforcement office in the state that conducts agriculture crime awareness and prevention efforts by visiting local farmers markets. “Our investigators educate vendors and members of the public about agriculture theft, the impact of purchasing stolen fruits, vegetables and produce, laws regarding ownership and movement certificates, document recent agriculture theft incidents for victims, and share methods farmers and ranchers can employ to protect their crops, animals, produce and equipment.” Waltjen said the measures, if passed, “will further support these types of efforts” statewide. Bill to ban algorithmic price-setting in Hawaiʻi’s rental market moves ahead in Senate Original Article Maui Now Brian Perry February 19, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Jarrett Keohokalole Senator Carol Fukunaga Senator Angus L.K. McKelvey Senator Herbert "Tim" Richards, III A bill aimed at protecting Hawaiʻi renters from algorithmic price-setting has cleared the Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee, which has recommended passage on second reading and referral to the Judiciary and Ways and Means committees. Senate Bill 157 Senate Draft 1 would prohibit the use of algorithmic price-setting in Hawaiʻi’s rental market. It would require the Department of the Attorney General to develop and undertake a public education program regarding the prohibition, and it would establish fines and penalties. A YouTube video of the committee hearing can be seen here . According to a committee report , the bill’s purpose is to prevent artificially inflated rental prices by banning the use of algorithmic price-setting, which has been used in local housing markets to share private data, including current prices, available square footage, vacancy levels and the number of applicants for a particular unit. The committee found that third-party price setters use that data to recommend rent and occupancy levels and advise landlords to hold some units off the market to raise the price of a unit, creating artificial scarcity and displacing island renters. “Because Hawaiʻi already has the highest median rent in the nation, this measure will help ensure units are filled via competitive pricing, rather than through cooperation to set prices,” the committee report says. In public testimony on the bill, Maui Chamber of Commerce President Pamela Tumpap said that while the chamber agrees that Maui rents were inflated by post-wildfire rental support practices of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the bill might be “challenging to enforce effectively.” “We would encourage the consideration of additional proposals and innovative ideas to address the broader issue of escalating rental prices,” she said. “We share this concern and are increasingly witnessing residents being forced to sleep in their cars due to the lack of affordable rental options,” Tumpap said. Jordan Hocker, education and outreach coordinator for the Maui Housing Hui, a grass-roots organization formed after the 2023 Maui wildfires, said that rents in Maui County have gone up 44% in the last two years and were climbing even before the wildfires disaster. “The rate of houselessness in the state of Hawaiʻi has grown by 87%,” she said. “We acknowledge that renters, those making 70% area median income and below, are most at risk of becoming unhoused and face the greatest challenges under our housing crisis.” Hocker said a forward-thinking bill such as Senate Bill 157 is needed “to protect Hawai’i’s renters from the unrelenting condition of corporate greed and price-fixing to the detriment of our community.” “Hawaiʻi’s renters cannot afford any additional compounding factors,” she said. Michael EKM Olderr also supported the bill, saying: “These algorithmic, AI-driven rent pricing schemes prey on vulnerable tenants and exploit those who are struggling to have enough money to support themselves. They are driven not out of necessity to cover damages, mortgages, or upkeep costs but as a lazy attempt to satisfy a landlord’s greed.” Lyndsey Garcia, director of advocacy for the Hawai‘i Association of REALTORS®, noted that in August 2024, the Department of Justice and eight states (not including Hawaiʻi) filed a lawsuit against software company RealPage . The department alleges an unlawful information sharing scheme that allowed property managers to increase apartment rental prices through the use of RealPage’s algorithmic pricing tools. The lawsuit, which is still ongoing, does not currently target the property managers who utilize the tool, according to Garcia. Hawaii bill would subsidize fencing to control ungulates Original Article Star Advertiser Michael Brestovansky Hawaii Tribune-Herald February 18, 2025 Senators Mentioned: Senator Herbert "Tim" Richards, III Senator Joy A. San Buenaventura A proposal to help subsidize the installation of animal control fences is the only survivor of four bills in the state Legislature aimed at controlling pigs, goats and sheep. Senate Bill 523, co- introduced by Kohala Sen. Tim Richards and Puna Sen. Joy San Buenaventura, would require the state Department of Agriculture to establish a biosecurity fencing cost-sharing program that would reimburse farmers up to a certain percentage of the cost of installing animal control fences. As currently written, farmers who can demonstrate their active agricultural operations and have developed an “approved conservation plan” can apply to have “not less than 50%” of fencing expenses reimbursed. The bill currently has a blank spot where an upper reimbursement limit per person would be established. Similarly, it does not yet specify what the program’s total yearly budget would be. “People are afraid to go into their own backyards,” said San Buenaventura. “But the fencing cost per acre is huge.” Bob Duerr, commissioner on the Big Island Game Management Advisory Commission, said the cost of fencing can reach $1 million per mile in some places. He added that fences have proved to be effective for animal management, driving problem animals from areas with fences to areas without. “Large swaths of mauka lands in the hands of federal, state and private landowners are fenced and game animals eradicated,” Duerr said. However, Duerr said, this also has interfered with hunters, who can no longer rely on access to their common hunting grounds. “Hunting game animals for food is an effective population control that is disappearing,” Duerr said. “Fencing with access corridors is a must for game management.” Other pig-related bills have failed to move through the Legislature. Another San Buenaventura bill, SB 315, died Wednesday when two Senate committees deferred the measure. That bill would have expedited the Department of Land and Natural Resources’ permitting process to allow for the destruction of feral pigs on private land, if the animals have caused or are likely to cause substantial damage to crops. House Bill 347, which would have prohibited the DLNR from establishing bag limits for goats in public hunting areas, also was deferred earlier this month, and a companion bill in the Senate hasn’t moved at all since being introduced. Finally, Senate Bill 568 would have designated the DLNR as the state’s primary agency for trapping feral goats and sheep, and would require it to establish a program to humanely manage feral animal populations. That bill also has failed to move at all since its introduction, to Duerr’s chagrin. “Though looking like having no chance of passing, this bill puts its finger on the game animal problem’s pulse,” Duerr said. “No one is responsible for the conservation and control of game animals in the state of Hawaii. At GMAC we have only seen DLNR talk about eradication, which means fencing tens of thousands of acres and killing all the ‘invasive’ game animals within. “For years now at GMAC, we have not seen DLNR nuisance animal population studies or game management plans for problems beyond fence and kill.” MORE ARTICLES