Hikers who trespass might pay for search, rescue costs Star Advertiser By Talia Sibilla and Dan Nakaso January 22, 2025 Original Article 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.’”

Hawaii senators push bipartisan bill for new state holiday Star Advertiser Andrew Gomes March 10, 2025 Original Article The list of annual state holidays in Hawaii could grow by one under legislation that easily passed a milestone last week. State senators voted 25-0 to approve and send to the House of Representatives a bill that would make Nov. 28 La Ku‘oko‘a, or Hawaiian Independence Day, as Hawaii’s 14th official state holiday. The Legislature in 2023 passed a bill to designate Nov. 28 as La Ku‘oko‘a to celebrate a historical recognition of the kingdom of Hawaii’s independence dating to 1843. But that measure, which became Act 11, did not make the day a state holiday. Now state lawmakers, via Senate Bill 614 , are considering elevating La Ku‘oko‘a to an official holiday. “We celebrate Fourth of July, American Independence Day, as an official state holiday,” Sen. Kurt Fevella, a Republican who introduced the bill with two Democratic colleagues, Sens. Stanley Chang and Carol Fukunaga, said in the Senate chamber preceding Tuesday’s vote. “It’s a day when 13 American colonies separated from Great Britain,” said Fevella (R, Ewa Beach-Ocean Pointe-Iroquois Point). “But why haven’t we celebrated when Hawaii became a sovereign nation as a state holiday? … Colleagues, let’s stand together for the Independence Day of our Hawaii nei.” Testimony on SB 614 has been near-unanimously supportive, with written comments from about 35 people, the state Office of Hawaiian Affairs and the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs. Reese Flores, a Native Hawaiian student at the University of Hawaii, told two Senate committees during a Feb. 13 public hearing that La Ku‘oko‘a is an important part of Hawaiian history that deserves recognition. “We should be reminded that our ancestors fought and sought independence to keep our nation sovereign,” she said. On Nov. 28, 1843, Great Britain and France formally recognized, under a joint Anglo-Franco Proclamation, the kingdom of Hawaii as an independent nation — 50 years before the 1893 overthrow of the monarchy that preceded Hawaii’s 1898 annexation by the United States. The intent of SB 614 is stated to “recognize the compelling history of Hawaiian independence and memorialize the injustice of the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom.” According to OHA, La Ku‘oko‘a, which literally means Independence Day, was celebrated as a national public holiday under the kingdom of Hawaii and then later by a provisional government, the republic of Hawaii and the territory of Hawaii. OHA said in written testimony that La Ku‘oko‘a merits joining Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalaniana‘ole Day, celebrated annually on March 26, and King Kamehameha I Day, observed annually on June 11, as Hawaiian cultural state holidays instituted by Hawaii lawmakers. Hawaii also observes Statehood Day as an official holiday annually on the third Friday in August to mark its 1959 admission as the country’s 50th state. Beighlee Vidinha, a Native Hawaiian student at UH, said during the Feb. 13 hearing that La Ku‘oko‘a is part of the identity of Hawaiians as sovereign people before identities as American citizens. “If we can honor Statehood Day and American Independence Day as state or federal holidays, we can honor La Ku‘oko‘a, an important indication of our independence and sovereignty as people,” she said. Kimmer Horsen testified at the same hearing to say in part that La Ku‘oko‘a as a state holiday would help educate children, newcomers and tourists about Hawaii’s history. “A bill for terminating Statehood Day would also be wise, as a suggestion,” she said. “This is a step in the right direction for true Hawaiian kingdom independence.” The only person to testify against the bill was Kenneth Conklin, a longtime opponent of the Hawaiian sovereignty movement. Conklin, in written testimony, characterized the bill as using a “182-year-old historical footnote” to give a small boost to “Hawaiian pride” at a large cost in money and undelivered government services. Luis Salaveria, director of the state Department of Budget and Finance, said in written testimony for a Feb. 28 Senate committee hearing on the bill that the loss of state labor and productivity for one day is valued at about $18.3 million from payroll expenses, including Social Security, Medicare and pension costs. Wilbert Holck, chief negotiator with the state Office of Collective Bargaining, said in written testimony that enacting a law to make La Ku‘oko‘a a state holiday would have no effect on public workers unless such a day off work were negotiated and agreed upon mutually. Nov. 28 is already a state holiday every five to six years when it aligns with Thanksgiving as the fourth Thursday in November. That happened in 2019 and 2024, and will happen again next in 2030. Current official state holidays >> New Year’s Day >> Martin Luther King Jr. Day >> Presidents Day >> Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalaniana‘ole Day >> Good Friday >> Memorial Day >> King Kamehameha I Day >> Independence Day >> Statehood Day >> Labor Day >> Veterans Day >> Thanksgiving Day >> Christmas Day

Housing bills vie for state lawmakers’ attention Maui Now Brian Perry January 22, 2025 Original Article 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.

State leaders announce digitization of Plants and Animals Declaration Form Maui Now February 24, 2025 Original Article State leaders today announced the launch of “Akamai Arrival,” a pilot program that will digitize Hawaiʻi’s Plants and Animals Declaration Form, streamlining the process for travelers arriving in the islands. The initiative, authorized under Act 196 (2024), marks a significant step toward modernizing Hawaiʻi’s biosecurity efforts, by improving form completion rates and strengthening protections against invasive species. Beginning March 1, 2025, the pilot program under the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture (HDOA) will roll out on select domestic flights in partnership with major airlines, including Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines. Participating airlines will integrate the digital form into their arrival processes, giving passengers a more efficient way to submit required agricultural declarations before landing in Hawaiʻi. “Protecting Hawaiʻi’s unique environment from invasive species is critical to our way of life, our economy, and our future. The ‘Akamai Arrival’ program is a forward-thinking approach that modernizes our biosecurity efforts while making it easier for travelers to comply with our agricultural protections. This initiative is another step toward preserving our islands for generations to come,” said Governor Josh Green, M.D. This concerted effort to modernize and adapt technology is an important step to further protect Hawaiʻi’s natural heritage. Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke, together with legislators, HDOA, airline partners, and stakeholders, developed the digital agriculture form pilot program. “This is what government should be doing — utilizing technology to improve our state processes and better serve the public. Every one of us, whether coming home or traveling to Hawaiʻi, is very familiar with filling out the paper agriculture form. By digitizing this form, we’re making compliance easier for travelers while using technology to protect what makes Hawaiʻi so special,” said Luke. Airlines participating in the pilot have discretion over flight selection and implementation methods. The ʻAkamai Arrival’ website will serve as a hub for passengers, providing access to the digital form, flight information and an FAQ page to assist travelers. “US airlines play a critical role in connecting travelers to Hawaiʻi, and the transition from paper to digital agriculture declaration forms is a significant step toward modernizing the travel experience. We’re proud to support the Akamai Arrival program, making the arrival process more seamless and efficient for travelers,” said Sean Williams, Airlines for America vice president of State and Local Government Affairs. “The Department of Agriculture has been addicted to paper for nearly 60 years. Five years ago, I advocated for the digitization of the declaration form, but was met with resistance. Lawmakers had to pass a law last year to encourage the migration from paper to an app,” said Sen. Glenn Wakai, who chairs the Senate Committee on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs. “The ʻAkamai Arrival’ program will inform passengers about what’s not acceptable to bring to Hawaiʻi BEFORE they board the plane, rather than when they’re scrambling for a pen over the Pacific.” “Enhancing our state’s biosecurity efforts and protecting our islands from invasive species requires modern solutions, and the implementation of a digital form is long overdue,” said Rep. Kirstin Kahaloa, chair of the House Committee on Agriculture and Food Systems. “I appreciate the collaboration among stakeholders to streamline the screening process and strengthen our state’s ability to ensure safe arrivals.” The pilot program will run from March 1 through May 31, 2025. Monthly progress updates will be shared with participating airlines and data collected will help determine potential expansions of the program in the future. For more information about the digital declaration form and the Akamai Arrival initiative, visit: https://akamaiarrival.hawaii.gov/

Senate bill advances to strip county council approval of state-funded housing projects Maui Now Brian Perry February 14, 2025 Original Article 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.

Hawaii manufacturers showcase innovation during tour for policymakers Hawaii News Now Annalisa Burgos November 12, 2025 Original Article HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - State lawmakers got an inside look today at how local grants are helping Hawaii manufacturers grow their businesses. The Chamber of Commerce Hawaii and Hawaii Technology Development Corporation hosted an “Innovation Crawl” to showcase how small businesses are thriving and navigating economic challenges, like tariff uncertainty and inflation. Pacific Allied Products’ factory in Kapolei boasts a machine that blows about 20,000 plastic beverage bottles every hour, while another fills them with water and labels them. With the help of a state grant, the 60-year-old plastics manufacturer bought new equipment to meet growing demand and reduce dependence on mainland suppliers. “One container of our raw materials that saves Hawaii from shipping in like 28 containers of bottled water,” said JB Helekahi, plant manager. Manufacturers say grants, incentives and tax breaks are needed to make them competitive -- especially when you’re in the middle of the Pacific and the state is on the brink of recession. “The logistics of the shipping coming in raw materials and just the cost of keeping the plant going is kind of our biggest challenges,” Helekahi said. Defense manufacturer North Star Scientific Corporation, also in Kapolei, says electric bills can reach $20,000 a month. “The cost of producing things over here, the real estate, electricity and things like that is a challenge,” said VP of technology John Roeder. The engineering firm designs and makes electronics and radar systems for the military, such as fighter jets and surveillance aircraft. “We have to be as efficient as possible. so in the manufacturing side, we try to automate things as much as possible just to reduce the amount of labor,” Roeder said. “We in Hawaii pay 2.5 times the national average for energy usage,” said state senator Glenn Wakai, who chairs the senate committee on energy and intergovernmental affairs. “The bad side about technology is it sucks a lot of energy. So somehow as a state when we talk about business and economic growth, we have to consider energy costs in the discussion about workforce development, land prices, all of the construction costs, all of that has to come into play with energy.” “We have the local talent we have the resources here and we want to keep them here and that’s that’s critically important to ensure that we don’t have business going away,” said Chamber of Commerce Hawaii president/CEO Sherry Menor. The HTDC offers three grant programs -- the Hawaii Small Business Innovation Research program (HSBIR), the Accelerator and Small Business Training programs, and the Manufacturing Assistance Program (MAP). Find a link to apply on htdc.org. “We really need to change away from a service economy to an innovation economy, so providing tax benefits, providing grants to help these guys get through and even more basic that doesn’t cost any money is reduce the regulations that hamper opportunities for growth for these types of industries,” Wakai added.

Hamakua Energy Plant sold Hawaii Tribune-Herald JOHN BURNETT March 12, 2025 Original Article The parent company of Hawaiian Electric Co., Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc., has sold the 60-megawatt Hamakua Energy Plant to a subsidiary of Harbert Management Corp. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed, but HEI said the sale isn’t expected to have a material impact on company finances. The Honokaa power plant was owned by Pacific Current LLC, a subsidiary of HEI. In previous news releases, HECO has referred to Hamakua Energy as the electric company’s “largest independent power producer.” Harbert, based in Birmingham, Ala., is an investment management firm with longstanding holdings of power-generating facilities, including an ownership stake in the 208-megawatt Kalaeloa Partners LP co-generation plant on Oahu since 1997. “We believe Harbert’s depth of experience in owning and operating power plants and being a good partner with utilities, including in our state, will serve the Hamakua Energy Plant and Hawaiian Electric well in their missions to supply power for the people of Hawaii Island and support the island’s transition to an increasingly renewable energy future,” said HEI CEO Scott Seu in a statement. “This sale is a further step toward simplifying HEI’s strategy and regulatory position as we focus on our core utility business.” According to a March 3 blog entry by Henry Curtis, an environmental activist and executive director of Life of the Land, HEI — which had banking, shipping and real estate interests — has been selling off its assets and now owns only HECO, the electric utility for Oahu, Maui and Hawaii Island. In an earnings announcement last month, HECO reported a net loss of $1.4 billion for 2024, partly due to being tagged with a $1.9 billion share in payouts to victims of the August 2023 Maui wildfires that killed 102 people. The power company reported a net income of $199 million in 2023. After its credit rating plummeted to junk-bond status, HECO asked legislators this session for a $1 billion fund as a hedge against future wildfire liability, to be paid for by a small fee on its customers. One measure, House Bill 982, which has passed over to the Senate, would limit amounts customers could collect in lawsuits or administrative settlements. A companion measure, Senate Bill 1201, didn’t receive a hearing from the Ways and Means committee and missed the first crossover. The utility claims it can’t pay another catastrophic wildfire settlement without the requested fund. HECO — which said in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing that it can’t afford to pay a dividend to HEI — compensated Shelee Kimura, HECO’s president and CEO, with $1.25 million in salary and bonuses in 2024. Four HECO vice presidents collected from nearly $600,000 to more than $900,000 in salary and bonuses. The Hamakua Energy Plant, which provides about a third of the Big Island’s 180-megawatt peak electricity demand, went offline in late February 2024. A Hamakua Energy spokesperson attributed the plant’s failure to “mechanical issues with our generators.” The outage occurred at the same time HECO’s Keahole generator — which, according to Hawaiian Electric’s website, contributes 77 megawatts to the grid — was on the mainland being overhauled. On March 25, 2024, the utility asked customers to reduce their power consumption through at least mid-April, a time period that included Hilo’s signature event, the weeklong Merrie Monarch Festival. Low generation capacity forced HECO to initiate forced outages known as rolling blackouts on the Big Island on Jan. 8, Feb. 13 and March 14, 2024. Three state lawmakers wrote the PUC on March 15, 2024, calling for an investigation of HECO, noting that 21,000 customers were affected by the rolling blackouts on the Big Island the previous night and another 13,000 on Oahu who lost power a week earlier. “The lack of reliability due to insufficient energy generation, HECO’s aging equipment, unreliable oil-fired power generation, and immediate and long-term solutions should be investigated,” the letter by Sens. Glenn Wakai, Jarrett Keohokalole and Lynn De Coite, all Democrats, stated. The Merrie Monarch Festival and its signature hula competition were not impacted by outages, and HECO announced a public end to the Big Island’s power shortage on April 25. In early September 2024, former owners Pacific Current announced that Hamakua Energy — which used biodiesel to generate between a quarter and a third of its Honokaa plant’s electrical power — was converting its facility to use 100% renewable fuels. The state has set a goal of 100% renewable energy by 2045. Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com .

New mobile pantry fills gaps in access to kupuna and families The Garden Island Dennis Fujimoto June 26, 2025 Original Article Reminiscent of the “yasai trucks” of the rural plantation camps and towns, the Hawaii Foodbank Kauai held a Mobile Food Pantry blessing by Kahu Jade Waialeale Battad on Tuesday, under weather conditions that started out threatening before ending in a downpour at the Kauai Philippine Cultural Center. The Mobile Food Pantry is designed to expand access to nutritious food in rural and underserved communities across the island. With the attendance of key dignitaries, including Kauai Council Chair Mel Rapozo, Senate President Ron Kouchi, Speaker of the House Nadine Nakamura, and Hawaii Foodbank President and CEO Amy Miller, the blessing and launch of the innovative mobile unit highlights a significant step forward in efforts to reduce food insecurity and improve health outcomes for thousands of Kauai residents. “Food insecurity affects one in four households on Kauai and one in three keiki,” said Wes Perreira, the Hawaii Foodbank Kauai Director. “Filling gaps and reaching all of our families and neighbors on the Garden Island is a major priority for Hawaii Foodbank Kauai. This Mobile Food Pantry is an innovative tool in making sure no family is left behind — no matter where they live.” The fully equipped 16-foot refrigerated vehicle functions as a grocery-style food pantry on wheels, allowing families and individuals to choose the food that best meets their needs. The Mobile Food Pantry will travel to communities with limited access to full-service grocery stores or regular food distribution points, helping remove transportation barriers and ensuring equitable access to fresh, healthy food. The truck will visit partner sites throughout the island on a regular schedule, offering a wide range of food items, including fresh produce, proteins, dairy products, and shelf-stable goods. The vehicle is generator-powered and self-sufficient, enabling Hawaii Foodbank Kauai to respond quickly during times of disaster or emergency. The press release states this new effort is part of Hawaii Foodbank’s broader mission to nourish ohana today and work to end hunger tomorrow. It reflects the organization’s deep commitment to increasing access to safe and healthy foods, broadening the approach to expand food distribution in identified areas of need, and strengthening community resilience. “Food insecurity across Hawaii — and especially on Kauai — is a complex issue, and it is important we understand the challenges uniquely faced by our local families, neighbors, and communities,” Miller said. “Most immediately, this new Mobile Food Pantry allows us to expand our reach and distribute more nutritious food to areas of need. In addition to that, it is a powerful example of our community coming together to create solutions that are centered on dignity, health, and choice.” The Mobile Food Pantry was made possible through Grant-in-Aid funding from the State of Hawaii, along with the generosity of local donors, volunteers, and agency partners committed to ending hunger on Kauai.

Cultural tradition or deadly risk? Hawaii grapples with illegal fireworks after tragic blast KHON2 Jill Kuramoto January 2, 2025 Original Article 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.

Hawaii Lawmakers Propose Legalizing Adult-Use Cannabis Ganjapreneur Graham Abbott January 30, 2025 Original Article 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.

State breaks ground on agribusiness hub Aloha State Daily Michael Brestovansky November 14, 2025 Original Article State officials broke ground Friday on a long-awaited Wahiawā agriculture and food hub. The Agribusiness Development Corporation and Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism held a ceremony Friday to commemorate the start of construction for the Central O‘ahu Agriculture and Food Hub, a facility built on a 34-acre parcel in Whitmore Village that will serve to expand the state's food production base. The hub is intended to provide manufacturing and industry services at commercial scale, allowing local producers to expand and export out of state. On top of workforce housing developments, the facility is planned to include more than 60,000 square feet of greenhouses, a high-pressure processing facility for food preservation, a manufacturing facility, warehouse space and more. Meanwhile, the state Department of Education will also construct a Central O‘ahu Regional Kitchen in the hub, which will connect produce from local farms to school cafeterias, serving as a model for similar regional hubs across the state. Partners in the project — which include DBEDT, the ADC and DOE, as well as the University of Hawaii's College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience, UH Community College System, state Department of Accounting and General Services and Department of Law Enforcement — hope the hub will help fulfill a pair of mandates whose deadlines are approaching fast. In 2019, Act 151 required Hawai‘i to double local food production and exports by 2030. Then, in 2021, Act 175 established the state farm-to-school program, with a goal of using locally produced food to make at least 30% of public school meals, also by 2030. Another state deadline is further off, but approaching no less swiftly: Act 176, passed in 2021, requires state departments to use local sources for 50% of their food by 2050. State Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz said the project is a big step to make those state goals more physically real and prompt greater buy-in from the public and other stakeholders. "Depending on the commodity we're trying to scale up, whether that's rice or leafy greens or cattle ... we're going to need facilities like these to help those farmers scale up." ADC Executive Director Wendy Gady said the hub represents about $28 million in water, sewer and utility infrastructure, funded through a DOE grant. A presentation by the ADC suggests that the project has cost upwards of $120 million since the purchase of the land in 2012. "About 40% of all crops grown never make it to market," Gady said. "When it comes to the farmer's market or retail, you want to to look for the homecoming court, the beautiful fruit, the beautiful vegetables, but there's a place for the rest of us not on the homecoming court. This gives an opportunity for the bell peppers to go into chili, to go onto pizza ... and it's a huge economic boost for our farmers and our food distributors." According to a project website, the hub is anticipated to be fully completed in 2029, although individual components of the hub could go online sooner. For example, the high-pressure processing facility has a completion date of Sept. 2026.

Nearly $5 million dredging project completed at Hilo small boat harbor Star Advertiser Michael Brestovansky December 6, 2024 Original Article 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.