South Maui to receive $3.2 million to help control deer The Maui News Gary Kubota February 17, 2025 Original Article 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.

Pearl City state senator announces retirement KHON2 Cameron Macedonio September 24, 2025 Original Article HONOLULU (KHON2) — State Sen. Henry J.C. Aquino, who represents Pearl City, Waipahu, West Loch Estates, Honoʻuliʻuli and Hoʻopili announced his retirement from the legislature, effective Nov. 30. “It has been an honor to represent residents, neighbors, supporters, friends and family in the Hawaiʻi State Senate. I’ve also had the opportunity to serve with amazing colleagues, past and present, who have worked hard to address the needs of our great state — an absolute privilege to have served with you all,” Aquino said. “I’m grateful for the senate and house staff along with the individuals who have worked in my office during my time in public service.” Aquino went on to detail that the decision to retire was not made lightly and for the best of his constituents. “It is my belief that this best serves the needs and interests of the people of Senate District 19,” Aquino said. After his retirement, Aquino plans to join a locally based consulting firm “that emphasizes non-profit organizations and association management.” Aquino has served for a total of 17 years in both houses of the legislature.

Hawaiʻi officials could borrow from New Zealand's strict, well-funded biosecurity Hawaiʻi Public Radio Mark Ladao December 6, 2024 Original Article 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.

New signs honor Purple Heart medal recipients Spectrum News Spectrum News Staff August 13, 2025 Original Article In 2024, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi signed Bill 7 into law, designating Honolulu as a “Purple Heart City,” and on Aug. 8 a special ceremony unveiled the new signs honoring Purple Heart medal recipients. What You Need To Know The Purple Heart signs will be installed at a total of eight locations around the island over time Introduced by Councilmember Augie Tulba, Bill 7 was unanimously approved by the Honolulu City Council “This is more than just a sign — it stands as a profound symbol of our aloha and commitment to honor those who were injured in the line of duty while serving our country,” said Tulba In addition, Senator Mike Gabbard (D-21) introduced Senate Resolution 93 (SR93, SD1 ) to request the City and County of Honolulu to light City Hall with purple lights on Aug. 7 each year to honor National Purple Heart Day The signs will be installed at a total of eight locations around the island — Arizona Memorial, Pūowaina/National Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl, Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, Honolulu Hale, Kapolei Hale, Fort Shafter (H-201 westbound off-ramp), Kaneohe Marine Corps Base Hawaii entrance, and Tripler Army Medical Center (H-201 eastbound off-ramp). The signs will be installed at each location over time. “The men and women who have earned Purple Heart medals deserve our absolute highest praise and eternal gratitude. They put their bodies and their lives on the line to defend this country, to uphold freedom, and to protect all of us, and that should never be forgotten.” said Blangiardi at the ceremony held on the Frank F. Fasi Civic Grounds. “We are so proud to be able to take this opportunity to install these beautiful signs, which are a meaningful reflection of the City and County of Honolulu’s unwavering resolve to eternally honor the brave men and women who are true heroes,” Blangiardi said. Introduced by Councilmember Augie Tulba, Bill 7 was unanimously approved by the Honolulu City Council. “This is more than just a sign — it stands as a profound symbol of our aloha and commitment to honor those who were injured in the line of duty while serving our country,” said Tulba in a release. “I deeply appreciate the partnership and tireless advocacy of the Military Order of the Purple Heart Rainbow Chapter #483, whose members are not only veterans but also our neighbors, friends, and family. “By placing these signs throughout our community, we take a meaningful, visible step to recognize the sacrifices of those who have served in the military, reminding every resident and visitor of the courage and dedication that define the champions who have protected our nation, Tulba said. According to a city release, the Purple Heart was created by General George Washington in 1782. Originally called the “Badge of Military Merit,” it is the oldest military decoration still in use. The ceremony on Friday also commemorated National Purple Heart Day, held annually on Aug. 7 to remember military members wounded or killed in action. In attendance were Capt. Samuel White, commander of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam; the Hawaii Air National Guard Base Honor Guard; members of the Military Order of the Purple Heart Rainbow Chapter #483; and other military dignitaries. “These wonderful new signs and today’s moving ceremony send a powerful and resounding message to our military community that they are truly recognized for their sacrifices and that they are deeply appreciated here in the City and County of Honolulu,” said retired U.S. Army Col. Ed Cruickshank. “We are enormously grateful to Mayor Rick Blangiardi, his administration, Councilmember Augie Tulba, and to the entire Honolulu City Council for their leadership and their commitment to honor the legacy of our inspirational Purple Heart recipients and their families.” In addition, Senator Mike Gabbard (D-21) introduced Senate Resolution 93 (SR93, SD1) to request the City and County of Honolulu to light City Hall with purple lights on August 7 each year to honor National Purple Heart Day. Gabbard presented a certificate on behalf of the Hawaii State Senate to commemorate Gov. Josh Green’s proclamation of Hawaii as a Purple Heart State. “It was an honor to stand with Governor Green, Representative Kong, and the Military Order of the Purple Heart Rainbow Chapter Number 483 to celebrate Hawaii becoming a Purple Heart State,” said Gabbard. “We’re making sure our state sets aside time each year to remember and mahalo our Purple Heart recipients. These heroes and their ‘ohana, have sacrificed so much for our country — we owe them our deepest aloha and gratitude.”

Big Island lawmakers to host virtual meeting on invasive beetle impacts to agriculture Big Island Now September 6, 2025 Original Article Big Island Sen. Herbert “Tim” Richards, III, will host a virtual meeting to address the increasing threat of the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle and its impact on agriculture. “The spread of the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle poses a serious threat to Hawaiʻi’s agriculture and economy,” said Richards, who represents North Hilo, North Kona and Kohala communities. “This meeting will provide important updates on the beetle’s presence across the islands and highlight the coordinated efforts underway to combat its spread.” The coconut rhinoceros beetle poses a serious threat to Hawai‘i’s agricultural and natural resources. It damages and kills coconut and oil palms, and has also been known to attack bananas, sugarcane, papayas, sisal and pineapple, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The invasive bug has been found in several locations on Hawai‘i Island. The most recent infestation was discovered in green waste piles in July at Keāhole Agricultural Park on the west side of Hawaiʻi Island. A coordinated multiagency effort took place to prevent the invasive pests from spreading. Also in attendance at the Sept. 10 meeting will be Rep. David A. Tarnas and Hawai‘i County Council Member James E. Hustace. The community meeting will feature updates from experts from the Big Island Invasive Species Committee who will provide an overview of current response measures, and opportunities for participants to ask questions and share concerns. Members of the public, especially those in agricultural communities, are encouraged to attend and learn more about how these infestations are being managed and what actions can be taken to help prevent further spread. The meeting will start at 6 p.m. Those interested in attending must register here .

Senate bill would transfer Māla Wharf and Kīhei Boat Ramp to Maui County Maui Now Brian Perry January 29, 2025 Original Article 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.

New Hawaii fireworks laws take effect today Star Advertiser Andrew Gomes July 1, 2025 Original Article Hawaii’s governor and a top state law enforcement official shot off a warning to illegal fireworks users Monday, four days before the Fourth of July, announcing two new laws that took effect today. During a ceremony in his office at the state Capitol, Gov. Josh Green signed two “signature” bills passed by the Legislature in May to crack down on rampant use, possession and distribution of illegal fireworks statewide. One new law allows police officers to issue $300 civil citations for unpermitted fireworks possession or use. The law also establishes, among other things, higher criminal felony penalties for accidents that seriously injure or kill anyone, for possessing large quantities of fireworks and for repeat convictions. The other new law allows use of aerial drone images as evidence for prosecution, and there could be 10 state Department of Law Enforcement drones shooting video in the skies over Oahu Friday. “Today’s signing represents a change in the way that we view, prioritize and enforce (new laws against) individuals that recklessly place our communities at risk,” said DLE Director Mike Lambert. “No longer will we look at it as a benign activity or family fun.” Lambert said there will be “much more enforcement” of violations occurring July 4 as a tuneup of sorts for New Year’s Eve when fireworks use soars in Hawaii. Green advised the public to attend organized public fireworks shows or watch them on TV instead of risking fines, prison terms and the safety of themselves or others by using illegal fireworks. “The police are going to be able to really charge, and then have the prosecutors prosecute cases to the max because of what the Legislature did,” Green said. “And these penalties are not going to be small. These are going to be serious felonies now. … I don’t want anyone to be surprised when there’s a felony charge against them.” Green also urged people who plan to set off illegal fireworks Friday to instead surrender them to DLE at upcoming collection events to be announced later. The two bills that became law today, House Bills 1483 and 550, were part of a flurry of legislation introduced in mid-January after a bomb-like fireworks cache explosion during a New Year’s Eve party at an Aliamanu home killed six people, including a 3-year-old boy, and injured dozens of others. Some people involved in the incident were charged with crimes under then-existing laws that the Legislature and many community members consider insufficient. Other residents have been frustrated for decades at the widespread use of fireworks, including aerials, that can cause fires, respiratory issues and often rival commercial-grade pyrotechnics that produce house-shaking booms. “When the community and our constituents gave us a call to action, we responded and delivered by passing these bills to deter the use of illegal fireworks,” said Sen. Brandon Elefante, chair of the Senate Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs. Elefante (D, Aiea-Pacific Palisades-Pearl City) also noted the Legislature passed two other fireworks-related bills that Green signed Monday. HB 806 appropriates $500,000 to DLE in the fiscal year beginning today and the same amount next fiscal year to conduct fireworks sting operations on Oahu. Senate Bill 222 extends for five years an illegal fireworks task force that was established in June 2023 within DLE and was scheduled to disband Monday. The state budget bill also appropriates about $5 million for an Explosive Enforcement Section in DLE with eight staff positions to disrupt the illegal fireworks trade in Hawaii. Rep. Scot Matayoshi, chair of the House Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce, said he was personally concerned for the safety of his own family after the tragic event in Aliamanu, in part because he has a 3-year-old son. “After that incident happened, we didn’t know if our neighbor had a bomb in their house that was about to go off to threaten our families, our kids sleeping in their beds,” said Matayoshi (D, Kaneohe-Maunawili) during Monday’s ceremony. “It was a really scary time, and I’m really glad that the Legislature came together with the help of and support of Governor Green and the attorney general’s office to craft a bill, to craft legislation, to proactively take a stand on this.” Matayoshi, the lead introducer of HB 1483 , which is packed with all kinds of new violations and penalties related to illegal fireworks covering 88 pages, said the goal of the new law is to deter use. “You know, we don’t sell a lot of fur coats here in Hawaii. There’s just no market for it,” he said. “What I want is for fireworks to be a fur coat. I want it to be harder to sell a fur coat on the beach in Waikiki than it is to sell an illegal firework here in Hawaii because so many people are afraid of the consequences of using and buying them, and afraid of the harm it’s going to cause to both themselves and their families.” Penalties under the new law include up to one year in jail and/or up to a $2,000 fine for illegally setting off aerials within 500 feet of a dwelling. The offense can rise to a Class C felony punishable by up to five years’ imprisonment and/or up to a $10,000 fine for anyone with a fireworks conviction in the prior 10 years. If the fireworks cause substantial injury to someone, the offense rises to a Class B felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and/or up to a $25,000 fine. And if someone is seriously injured, it rises to a Class A felony punishable up to 20 years in prison and/or up to a $50,000 fine. The same range of felony penalties in instances of repeat convictions and injuries also applies to distributors of illegal fireworks. Another part in the new law establishes felony offenses for purchasing or possessing large quantities of illicit fireworks. “Don’t run the risk of being the first person prosecuted with a Class B or Class A felony for blowing up some child,” Green warned. “You don’t want to be the person that goes to jail for 20 years. … We’re not trying to take the fun out of life at all. I love fireworks. We all love fireworks — but when they’re done safely, that is the key.”

Sen. DeCoite Honored by Friends of the Library of Hawaii The Molokai Dispatch The Molokai Dispatch Staff February 27, 2025 Original Article Last week, Hawaii Senator Lynn DeCoite was honored as the 2024 Legislator of the Year by the Friends of the Library of Hawaii (FLH) with their Mahalo Award. “Mahalo Sen. DeCoite for all that you do to support libraries and literacy, especially your work to promote the ‘Ohana Readers program,” shared FLH in a social media post. The Mahalo Award by FLH is presented to a Hawaii State Legislator who has shown considerable support for the Hawaii state public libraries in the previous year and throughout their career. “I am truly humbled and honored to be named the 2024 Legislator of the Year by FLH. It’s a privilege to continue supporting our public libraries, and I look forward to all the exciting possibilities ahead for our community,” shared DeCoite on social media. In honor of the award, copies of DeCoite’s favorite book, Curious George, will be donated to the Molokai Public Library and Hawaii State Library.

Column: Make land trust, limited-profit developers for homes Star Advertiser Dale Kobayashi and Makana Hicks-Goo March 2, 2025 Original Article Hawaii has a housing crisis that needs no introduction. If you were born here, chances are you were born with it: mentions of our housing crisis started popping up in local papers in the 1930s. Nearly a hundred years on, we’re still trying to sort it out. These days the refrain you’re likely to hear is that it’s simply a matter of supply and demand. By which it’s always meant just supply — concerns about demand are gauche. Supply is the hot topic. Indeed our housing crisis is often described flatly as a “housing shortage.” The conventional wisdom stops here claiming that if we increase supply prices will fall. It’s true that we’ve seen the dire consequences of not building enough. In the 40 years since 1980 production has lagged and home prices (adjusting for inflation) have risen by 161%, according to Census data. But it’s hard to argue that we’ve never built enough. In the 40 years between 1940 and 1980, we built more homes than the rest of the U.S. on a per capita basis. Units per capita increased by 62%, our housing stock by 268%. The results were equally bad as when we didn’t build: home prices rose by 510%, adjusting for inflation. It seems whether we build or don’t, in Hawaii prices rise. This really shouldn’t be surprising. Everyone engaged in building homes in Hawaii benefits when prices go up, and they’re good at their job. The solution to this problem isn’t in the debate we see play out constantly between NIMBYs and YIMBYs (“not in my backyard” and “yes in my back yard”); both have had their crack at the problem. It’s instead something quite different, rooted in how property markets actually work, and our actual problems. Let’s call it LIMBY — locals in my backyard. LIMBYs know we need supply, but think it’s ridiculous to ignore the other side of pricing: demand. LIMBYs also think it’s silly to ignore how markets work and how land is priced to guarantee a return on investment determined more by Wall Street’s requirements than by local incomes. The solution that works through these tangled problems, that can better leverage public investment in housing, that can build a housing market tied to local incomes, is a land trust and limited-profit developers. Land trusts provide a ready mechanism to eliminate land speculation and thereby limit price increases. A limited-profit developer creates competition in the market to price development as a simple percentage of gross costs rather than a return on investment set by capital markets. These aren’t untested ideas. Land trusts underpin affordable housing across the globe — most notably in Vermont. Limited-profit developers are critical for housing development in Singapore and Austria. A raft of other changes are needed to shore up things now and help us build that market. State Sen. Stanley Chang has pending legislation to retool our state financing programs, which are currently giveaways to well-connected developers. Chang wants programs to direct developers toward actually affordable housing, and we agree. State Rep. Tina Grandinetti has introduced a slew of bills to make sure tenants in naturally affordable housing are protected — and they should be. State Rep. Amy Perruso and state Sen. Les Ihara have introduced legislation to study how to better create a housing market for locals, using state resources and trusts based on ideas from local developer Peter Savio. Hawaii ought to be a place where you are more likely to make it here if you were grown here. As our housing crisis has steadily gotten worse, you’re now more likely to own a home in Hawaii if you were flown here. Creating a housing market for locals is the only path forward.

Hawaii Electric rates changing now, but what about the future? KITV Paul Drewes June 24, 2025 Original Article HONOLULU (Island News) -- Hawaiian Electric said because of lower fuel costs, a typical household will now see about a $3 reduction in its monthly bill. But future rate increases for the utility company were the focus at the State Capitol. Like a report card for students, HECO's income is partly based on how well it does on certain metrics. And according to some lawmakers the state's largest utility has a failing grade. "From Oahu to the Big Island we're seeing spotty service, and the amount the system is down is increased almost threefold. We are paying three times the national average for electricity bills," said Senator Glenn Wakai. In 2018, lawmakers passed legislation that allowed rates to be set based on performance based regulation known as PBR. Which means if the company meets certain goals, for example: adding additional renewable products, or reducing power outages, HECO may get to keep more money. "PBR is like a toolbox and the performance mechanisms are your tools. Hawaii has the most tools in its toolbox than anywhere else," said PUC supervising Attorney Mark Kaetsu. Hawaiian Electric will soon enter the fifth and final year of its current PBR plan and the Public Utility Commission is already looking at rebasing rates for the next PBR plan. But some lawmakers worry that could mean higher rates without better service. "When the utility can come in at anytime and ask for more... what are we asking from them in return? We should be asking for things like prove you are saving money and running like a business," stated Senator Jarrett Keohokalole. Lawmakers are concerned the utility is dictating what it wants, rather than the Public Utility Commission telling HECO what is best for residents. Which is keeping rates from rising. "I worry that we are setting ourselves up for the largest cost increase to consumers in history," said Senator Chris Lee. Rates were not the only issue brought up at the meeting, so were whistleblower complaints about the PUC. Those claimed a certain manager has created a toxic environment, and called for leadership change. Now the PUC will have to deal with more than just utility rates in the future. "It is something mentioned in this letter that we believe for us through human resources to commence an investigation," said DCCA Director Nadine Ando.

Full-Time Criminal Investigative Unit Proposed To Tackle Illegal Fireworks Honolulu Civil Beat Chad Blair January 7, 2025 Original Article 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.

Sex trafficking civil lawsuit bill advances in state Senate Maui Now Brian Perry March 27, 2025 Original Article A House bill that would authorize victims of sex trafficking to file civil lawsuits against their perpetrators has passed unanimously in the Senate Judiciary Committee . Now, it advances to the full Senate floor for second reading. Voting in favor in committee on Tuesday were committee Chair Karl Rhoads and Sens. Stanley Chang and Joy San Buenaventura. Two committee members were absent and excused: Vice Chair Mike Gabbard and Sen. Brenton Awa. According to a report published in 2018 by Arizona State University and the Hawaiʻi State Commission on the Status of Women, 1 out of 11 adult male residents in Hawaiʻi are “online sex shoppers.” House Bill 111 calls sex trafficking a form of modern-day slavery. “The report also estimated that there were 74,362 potential sex buyers in Hawaiʻi,” the bill says. “Moreover, Imua Alliance, a victim service provider for survivors of sex trafficking and sexual violence, estimates that 150 establishments participate in the commercial sex trade in the state, increasing the high risk for sex trafficking. In addition to allowing civil lawsuits in cases of sexual exploitation or sex trafficking, House Bill 111 would extend the statute of limitations for civil claims to 10 years. Written public testimony submitted on the bill was strongly in support of its passage. Supporters of the measure said it would support victims and make perpetrators more accountable. Sex trafficking victims suffer from complex forms of trauma that can include post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety, dissociation, parasuicidal behavior, and substance abuse. House Vice Speaker Linda Ichiyama introduced the bill. It made its way through the House without a single “no” vote in committee or on the House floor.