HONOLULU, Hawai‘i – Members of the Hawai‘i State Senate began the 2016 Legislative Session with a renewed commitment to create a better life for those who call these islands home. Today’s Opening Session included an invocation by Pastor Matt Higa of New Hope, Kaua‘i. and the National Anthem and Hawai‘i Pono‘i being performed by Ms. Nalani Brun. Among the honored guests in the Senate gallery were government officials from Fukuoka Prefecture, Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald, and State Schools Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi. “The function of the democracy is to embrace dissent and minority opinion to ensure that someone who has a differing opinion is not afraid to come forward and express those points of view,” said Senate President, Sen. Ronald D. Kouchi. “But at the end of the day, the primary function of the democracy is that the majority of us carry the day and move forward. So let us hope as we move forward in the 2016 Session we will be able to achieve those goals.” Remarks on the floor were also made by Senator J. Kalani English, Senate Majority Leader and Senator Sam Slom, Senate Minority Leader. #JKALANIENGLISH #RonKouchi #PastorMattHiga #NewHope #NalaniBrun #MarkRecktenwald #KathrynMatayoshi #SamSlom

Senate President, Sen. Ronald D. Kouchi offered the following statement on Sen. Gil Kahele who will not be in attendance at today’s Opening Session: “Senator Gil Kahele is currently in Queen’s Hospital where he is undergoing medical testing. Our thoughts and well wishes go out to Senator Kahele and his family. His family requests privacy at this time. Senator Kahele would like to say ‘Mahalo nui loa’ for the support, thoughts and prayers and he looks forward to returning to his Senate duties.”

“Hawai‘i State Senators open session with “business as usual” HONOLULU, Hawai‘i – Hawai‘i State Legislature Opening Day for the Twenty-Eighth Legislative session will be held on Wednesday, January 20, 2016 at 10 a.m. in the Senate Chambers. This is the second year of the legislative biennium and the Legislature will hold a modest opening to the session with a business as usual approach. Floor proceedings will not include entertainment, and family members, friends and guests will not be seated on the chamber floors. Following the floor session, legislators have the option to host guests in their individual offices. The public is welcomed to attend the opening floor sessions. Chamber galleries will open at 9:45 a.m. and seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. “We will continue to adhere to the recent custom of not having any ceremonies or fanfare in this second year of the biennium as the Senate is poised to undertake the task of the people’s work,” said Senate President, Sen. Ronald D. Kouchi. The Opening Day schedule in the Senate Chambers will be as follows: Moment of Contemplation by Pastor Matt Higa of New Hope, Kauai Singing of National Anthem and Hawai‘i Pono‘i by Nalani Brun Gavel in Roll call Senate President’s and Minority Leader’s Remarks Business Adjournment Opening Day will be broadcast live by ‘Ōlelo on channel 53. Neighbor islands will also be able to view the broadcast either live or tape delayed through the following public access organizations: Kauai: Ho’ike Community Television (www.hoike.org), phone (808) 246-1556 (no web-streaming). Maui: Akaku: Maui Community Television (www.akaku.org), phone (808) 871-5554 (web-streaming available). Big Island: Na Leo O Hawaii (www.naleo.tv), phone (808) 935-8874 (Hilo) or (808) 329-9617 (Kailua-Kona) (web-streaming available). The public can access more information on hearings and session activities on the Legislature’s website at www.capitol.hawaii.gov

Senate Majority commits to program based on Hawaiian values HONOLULU, Hawai‘i – The Hawai‘i Senate Majority today unveiled its priorities for the 2016 Legislative Session, which begins January 20, 2016. The Senate Majority, whose members are Democrats, is committed to a vision and future for Hawai‘i that is economically viable and sustains our communities for generations to come. This is the second year of the legislative biennium. “This is an opportunity to build upon the achievements of the 2015 Regular Session,” said Senate Majority Leader, Sen. J. Kalani English (Dist. 7 – East and Upcountry Maui, Lāna‘i, Moloka‘i). “We are working under the theme ‘Mālama No Ke Ola Pono’, which means ‘creating a better life.’ As we move forward this session, we will be mindful of the options in which we can improve our livelihood and the well-being of our State.” The Hawai‘i Senate Majority has adopted four priorities for legislation that embrace Hawaiian values and aim to improve the quality of life for our keiki, kūpuna, and nā ‘Ohana who are most in need. The Democratic Majority of the Senate will focus on the following areas during the 2016 Regular Session: Mālama ‘Ohana (Providing for our Families) Housing – We will focus on strengthening our communities by identifying the State’s affordable housing supply and prospective housing alternatives for individuals who are experiencing homelessness or transitioning from homelessness. We will also identify and prioritize strategies to supply sufficient levels of housing for Hawai‘i’s residents. Resources – We will commit to allocating specific financial resources intended to increase the supply of housing for certain homeless individuals and families within the next twelve months. We will explore options to support nonprofit providers and state and county initiatives to quickly rehouse homeless individuals and families, while minimizing the dislocation of homeless individuals, families, and communities. Health and Social Services – Since homelessness is a multi-faceted issue caused by social, economic, educational, and health factors, addressing this issue will require a creative coordination of several social service and educational strategies. We will support efforts that prioritize the empowerment of homeless individuals through social services that specialize in mental health, employment, housing, and other critical needs. We will also explore alternatives that facilitate and enthuse our public high school students to enroll in college. Education – We will support ways to make education accessible for our keiki from pre-school through higher education. We will explore alternatives that facilitate and enthuse our public high school students to enroll in college. Mālama Honua (Nurturing the Earth) The Democratic Majority of the Senate will aim to set specific benchmarks for satisfactory levels of local food production and consumption. We will also ensure that Hawai‘i is well-prepared for any disaster, economic disruption, or other external factor by encouraging the production and consumption of locally grown and locally raised food through good agricultural practices and support of local farmers. Ensuring a sustainable future for Hawai‘i will continue to be a priority. Improving energy resiliency and continuing progress in food self-sufficiency will have positive effects on our local job market and economy. We will continue to focus on renewable energy alternatives that are practical and economical and take into account Hawai‘i’s unique geographical and topographical characteristics and environment. As Hawai‘i makes progress in this area and with our overall clean energy goals in mind, we will further encourage the availability of renewable energy, facilitate processes for the development of renewable energy, and advance projects to improve energy efficiencies. Mālama Kaiāulu (Sustaining our Communities) We will strengthen our social safety net to ensure that our keiki, kūpuna, and family care givers are healthy, safe, and supported, while continuing to use the community development process to address housing, agricultural, environmental, and health concerns that arise during proposed development. We believe that relying on smart growth principles will lead to development that balances competing interests for land and maximizes the use or preservation of various types of land. We will further explore opportunities to protect Hawai‘i’s natural resources through preservation and protective measures, such as improving agricultural practices, mitigating climate change impacts, and alleviating zoning concerns. Hawai‘i’s unique geographical features, including coastline, volcanoes, and watersheds, open doors to innovative processes and procedures, as well as new technologies and applications to existing systems, to accommodate Hawai‘i residents. We will focus on efforts to create a holistic overview and understanding for community development in the State, such as transit-oriented development. Because comprehensive community development presents an opportunity for the State to solve many socio-economic challenges, understanding the issues from various perspectives will further synergize the development to meet housing, critical infrastructure, and community needs. Mālama Aupuni (Good Governance) We will support efforts to enhance the provision of safe, fair, and effective government services. We will work toward greater efficiency, security, and accountability for government leaders and also for those serving to protect Hawai‘i residents. We will encourage effectiveness, transparency, and accountability across all branches of government by insisting on high standards of conduct, proper training, and fair and reliable systems and procedures. The Democratic Majority of the Senate will strive to infuse the Hawaiian culture throughout government by fostering the use of the Hawaiian language on certain government documents and records. We will strengthen and protect government infrastructure by upgrading technology and services to meet the demand of Hawai‘i’s residents and visitors. We will continue to promote the enhancement of the State’s information technology services and incentivize the use of technology to potentially create revenue streams. We will continue to focus on the establishment and expansion of the State’s critical technology infrastructure, including broadband. It is our sincere hope that we can work collaboratively with the House of Representatives and the Governor to achieve all the goals outlined in this Program.

HONOLULU, Hawai‘i – Senate Ways and Means Committee Chair Jill Tokuda and House Finance Committee Chair Sylvia Luke announced that qualified nonprofit and other organizations will again be able to apply for State Grants-in-Aid (GIA) that may become available and will be under consideration during the 2016 Regular Session. Previous grants were appropriated to nonprofit and other organizations for various public purposes that were recognized as priorities and seen as complimentary to state government functions, including health, educational, workforce development, and social services and cultural and historical activities. In order to allow the Legislature time to thoroughly review applications, the deadline to submit grant applications will be 4:30pm on January 22, 2016. Last year, the Legislature awarded nearly $30 million in grants to non-profits across the state. Information on the GIA process will be made available on the Legislature’s website (www.capitol.hawaii.gov) next week. Any questions, contact the Ways and Means Committee at 808-586-6800 and the Finance Committee at 808-586-6200.

Honolulu, Hawai‘i – Senator Tokuda’s Art Review (STAR) Program will once again be displaying the artwork of students from Windward O‘ahu at the Hawai‘i State Capitol. The artwork from students studying at Kamehameha Preschool at He`eia, Kaneohe Elementary Head Start, Pali View Baptist Preschool, and Rainbow School Kaneohe can be viewed in the chamber level of the State Capitol throughout the months of December and January. “As we take time to celebrate the holidays with family and friends, the artwork of our keiki remind us what is most important,” stated Sen. Tokuda. “Heading into the 2016 Legislative session, their creations will be an ever present reminder of who we represent, even our youngest constituents, and the values and priorities that are important to them.” The STAR Program was established by Senator Jill Tokuda (Dist. 24 – Kāneohe, Kailua, He‘eia, ‘Āhuimanu) in 2007 with the goal of showcasing the artistic expressions of students from Windward O‘ahu and providing them with an opportunity to share their art with the community. Since the spring of 2007, the STAR Program has displayed the artwork of over 2,000 Windward students, rotating annually between public and private schools on the windward side. These schools include ‘Āhuimanu Elementary, ‘Aikahi Elementary, Ben Parker Elementary, He‘eia Elementary, Ka‘elepulu Elementary, Kāne‘ohe Elementary, Ke Kula ‘o Samuel M. Kamakau, Kapunahala Elementary, Le Jardin Academy, Maunawili Elementary, Mōkapu Elementary, Pū‘ōhala Elementary, Hakipu‘u Learning Center PCS, Le Jardin Academy, St. Mark’s Lutheran, Windward Nazarene Academy, King Intermediate, Kamehameha Preschool at He‘eia, Olomana School- Hawai‘i Youth Correctional Facility, Castle High, Kailua High, Kalāheo High, and Windward Community College. The public is welcome to view the artwork at the Hawaii State Capitol, Chamber Level, during normal building hours Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (excluding holidays) and from January 20th, Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. For more information, call 587-7215.