State leaders break ground on new Central Oʻahu agriculture and food hub KITV Gil Cano November 14, 2025 Original Article WAHIAWĀ, Hawaiʻi (Island News) -- State leaders broke ground Friday on a new agriculture and food hub in Wahiawā, a project aimed at boosting local food production and reducing Hawaiʻi’s reliance on imports. The event, held in Whitmore Village, featured remarks from First Lady Jaime Kanani Green, Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz and other state officials. A blessing was performed before the ceremony, and local vendors showcased products that the hub is designed to support. The Central Oʻahu Agriculture and Food Hub is part of a statewide effort to increase locally sourced meals in public schools and expand the market for Hawaiʻi farmers and food producers. Officials say the project is expected to help feed keiki, create jobs and give farmers the infrastructure they need to grow and scale their businesses. First Lady Jaime Kanani Green thanked lawmakers for setting statewide goals for local food sourcing, saying the hub will help Hawaiʻi move closer to meeting them. “Mahalo to our legislators, not only for their vision calling for 30% of locally sourced school meals by 2030 and aiming for 50% locally procured food by 2050, but also for providing the resources we need for the infrastructure like this food hub to achieve our goals,” Green said. “We can create local jobs, pathways for our students, help expand exports — so many compounding effects that will revitalize the community,” Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz said. The hub is also intended to help reduce dependence on imported foods by supporting more locally grown fruits, vegetables and value-added products. Speakers at the event said they hope the project will inspire innovation and strengthen rural communities statewide.

DOE Gets An F: Hawaiʻi Schools Miss Their First Local Food Target Honolulu Civil Beat Thomas Heaton January 10, 2025 Original Article The Hawaiʻi Department of Education bought just 5% of ingredients for school lunches from local producers last year, failing to hit its first state-mandated farm-to-school target of 10% for local foods. And that counts purchases of local bottled water. This translated to roughly $4.5 million of the education department’s $82 million in food spending during the 2023-2024 school year for local produce, dairy, ground beef and poi among other staples, according to a report school officials will present Friday to the House Finance Committee. The department’s failure does not come as a shock to many in farm-to-school circles who have for years criticized the approach and speed of the agency’s work to integrate locally grown food into school meals. The mandated increase in spending was intended to ensure children received more nutritious meals and to give an economic boost to Hawaiʻi farmers and ranchers. “I’m really saddened and frustrated but definitely not surprised,” former teacher and farm-to-school advocate Rep. Amy Perruso said. Locally sourced and cultivated dairy accounted for 0.51% of the state Department of Education’s food spending during the 2023-2024 school year. (Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2022) The state tasked the department with increasing its local food spending incrementally, starting this year at 10% and ending in 2050 when it is expected to spend 50% of its food budget on local produce. But the department backslid since the goals were set. In 2022, local food accounted for 6.2% of the state’s food purchasing, 0.8% higher than the latest school year. The report to state lawmakers shows ground beef made up the lion’s share of the department’s total spending on local food, accounting for 3% during the 2023-2024 school year. Fruit and vegetables accounted for 1.83% and less than 1% for poi, dairy and locally sourced bottled water. The bottled water, from Hilo, is offered a la carte for students purchasing school meals in the cafeteria and is deemed a “local processed product,” DOE spokeswoman Nanea Ching said in an email. It is a “creative stretch” to include bottled water in the report to the Legislature, Hawaiʻi Farmers Union advocacy director Hunter Heaivilin said, one that he is certain Hawaiʻi farmers did not benefit from. The department spent more than $40 million on imported processed foods in the 2023-2024 school year, accounting for 56.75% of its ingredients, the remaining 37.82% was spent on imported meat, fresh produce and dairy. DOE officials have in the past blamed local food industry's weak supply, price point, and flimsy supply chains for the lack of progress. Agriculture and farm-to-school advocates have largely rebuked that idea, saying the DOE's School Food Services Branch has been too opaque and inflexible to sell local food to. The department has consistently shown "reticence to pursue public will that has been embodied in state law," said Heaivilin, a food systems planner. To be sure, there are products that Hawaiʻi farmers will not be able to grow competitively or affordably enough for the department, such as apples, potatoes and rice. So the DOE should alter meals to better suit the local food system, Heaivilin said, or it should consider changing the way it reports its progress, so food producers have a greater understanding of what they could grow. "Some of these could be automatic import replacements, some of these could require changing menus," Heaivilin said. Hawai‘i Grown This ongoing series delves deep into what it would take for Hawai‘i to decrease its dependence on imported food and be better positioned to grow its own. Read More Ching said the DOE plans to host forums with vendors to guide them on the department's procurement laws, among other things, to help farmers, ranchers and other food producers better negotiate deals with them across the islands. The department has nevertheless failed to meet its mandated goal this year, casting doubt over the program's success. Lawmakers will have to resolve a discrepancy in laws by 2030 because two different laws — 2021's Act 175 and Act 144 from 2022 — show different targets, one being 30% and the other 18%. Perruso said she's not sure there are consequences either way for the department failing to meet the targets. The department has banked on the development of a centralized mega-kitchen model , based on mainland school food operations and local chain restaurant Zippy's , which prepares food in a central location to distribute throughout each island. The DOE signed a contract for the first kitchen's construction late last year, worth almost $30 million, to be built in Whitmore Village on Oʻahu. With the kitchen, strongly supported by Senate Ways and Means Chair Donovan Dela Cruz , the DOE hopes to iron out kinks in the supply chain on its way to reaching mandated goals. Perruso said the Legislature is also partly to blame for the department's failure to meet the goal, having left the department with just one position dedicated to the task. That role was not filled until August last year, after being vacant for three years. Randy Tanaka, DOE's former facilities superintendent, said he was doing the job himself until he was fired in late 2023. "It's not going to be possible for one person to effectuate that change," Perruso said, so the state needs to intervene to help the department achieve the goals. " Hawai‘i Grown " is funded in part by grants from the Stupski Foundation, Ulupono Fund at the Hawai‘i Community Foundation and the Frost Family Foundation.

Bill to construct more ohana units passes Senate committee Star Advertiser Mia Anzalone March 12, 2025 Original Article The state Senate’s Housing Committee deferred a bill Tuesday that would have paid Hawaii homeowners and homebuyers to restrict occupants to locally employed residents, instead approving a bill to promote the construction of more accessory dwelling units, commonly known as ohana units, for workforce housing. House Bill 740 would establish the Accessory Dwelling Unit Financing and Deed Restriction Program to provide funding to the counties to distribute grants to eligible homeowners or homebuyers to construct ADUs with the condition that occupants of the property, including those living in primary or secondary units, must be employed, or use to be employed, at least 30 hours per week at a local business. The amended version of HB 740 defines ADUs as a “second dwelling unit that includes its own kitchen, bedroom and bathroom facilities, and is attached or detached from the primary dwelling unit.” The Senate’s approval of the measure ended the momentum for HB 739, which would have established the Kama‘aina Homes Program allowing counties to pay homeowners or homebuyers a sum of money under the condition that the home be occupied by at least one owner-occupant or tenant who works, or used to work, at a local business for at least 30 hours a week. Sen. Stanley Chang (D, Hawaii Kai-Kahala-Diamond Head), who chairs the Senate Housing Committee, told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Tuesday that HB 740 will be the “vehicle” for advancing the goals of both bills to increase the inventory of affordable workplace housing. At Tuesday’s public hearing, Chang said he appreciates the efforts to encourage more ADUs in Hawaii and wants the state to focus on the construction of new units rather than converting existing ones. “We need to shift away from a model where the state gives away money and never gets it back,” Chang said at the hearing. “The state needs to act as an investor that realizes a gain, an appreciation on the investment of its funds, which are, after all, taxpayer funds.” While both bills worked to enable the creation of more housing for the local workforce, Chang told the Star-Advertiser that HB 740 is one potential solution to creating low-cost financing for ADU construction statewide. “If the state spends a lot of money and no new housing is built, then I don’t think we’re getting any closer to solving the housing shortage,” he said. Chang noted during the hearing that similar grant programs already exist, citing Maui County’s ‘Ohana Assistance Pilot Project, which launched in July and provides grants of up to $100,000 to homeowners to design and construct attached or detached ADUs with a 10-year deed restriction to provide workforce housing. HB 740 is supported by a number of organizations, including the Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice. In written testimony the center’s director of housing policy, Arjuna Heim, said the bill addresses financial barriers to constructing ADUs, which typically cost about $250 to $350 per square foot to build. The deed restriction, which was also a feature of the deferred HB 739, is a key aspect of HB 740, according to Heim. “The deed restriction requirements ensuring occupancy by local workers, maintaining employment within the county, demonstrate a thoughtful approach to preserving housing for Hawai‘i’s working families,” Heim said in written testimony. “This helps prevent the conversion of these units to vacation rentals or investment properties and help establish a locals-only market.” Joshua Wisch, president and executive director of the nonprofit Holomua Collaborative, which focuses on making Hawaii more affordable for working families, was a staunch supporter of HB 739 and said he was disappointed the bill was deferred. “We’ll have to see what was retained in the Senate draft before we can determine any future support,” Wisch said in a statement to the Star-Advertiser. “We still believe (the Kama‘aina Homes Program) can help create a dedicated and permanent housing supply for local working families, and are already exploring ways to lift the program up at a county level, come back to the Legislature next session or find other avenues to pursue it,” he said. A 2023 report by the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization found that 20% of Hawaii residents had enough income to afford a single-family home costing $875,000. Another recent study by Holomua Collaborative, which surveyed 1,500 local workers with middle- to upper-middle incomes, found that 70% of respondents said they will or might relocate to a less expensive state in the coming years, with housing costs a major issue. Twenty-seven percent said they would move out of Hawaii within the next five years.

Hawaii elections commission calls for end to mail-in voting Hawaii News Now Daryl Huff November 4, 2025 Original Article HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The state elections commission has voted to ask the legislature to ban mail-in and early voting and return to traditional in-person voting on Election Day. The bipartisan commission, which is half Democrat and half Republican, voted 5-3 over several contentious meetings to recommend voting only on Election Day in person with ID required on paper ballots that would be hand counted in precincts. Under the proposal, only military families and people with special needs would be allowed to vote absentee. Republican concerns over verification Republican commissioners said they have found discrepancies in mail-in voting and claim the movement of absentee ballots and envelopes from homes to post offices to counties for verification and to the state for counting has not been securely controlled or tracked. “No one who is outside the system can verify the results,” said Lindsey Kamm. Dylan Andrion said the commission is “going back to what works.” There was also concern that the emphasis on mail-in balloting made it more difficult for people to vote in person at limited sites. Commissioner Kahiolani Papalimu, from the Big Island, said, “being an incredibly rural island, I’d much prefer voting in our precincts, which is accessible to everyone in their area.” Democrats dispute claims Democrat commissioners and elections officials said the Republican claims are false and that there is no evidence of fraud or miscounting. “It’s just ludicrous. There’s no basis for connecting this supposed unverifiable statement, which is false, to the need to go back to in person voting,” said Jeffrey Osterkamp. Clare McAdam noted that in the 2024 election, 92.5% of voters voted by mail. “It’s 92.5% of the state wants to vote by mail, and I think that’s very important that we bear in mind all the time when we consider this,” McAdam said. Senate Judiciary chair Karl Rhoads, who would have jurisdiction over changing election law, said he believes the chances the legislature will approve the changes are zero. “I don’t even know the last time that Hawaii had one-day voting,” Rhoads said. Rhoads said he believes Republican commissioners are trying to undermine election confidence following President Trump’s lead. “I think they’re doing what they think he’s asking him to do. I think it’s from the top. The irony, of course, is that Trump himself uses mail-in voting,” Rhoads said. In addition to seeking to ban mail-in voting, Republican commissioners have repeatedly tried and failed to fire elections administrator Scott Nago and may try again Wednesday.

Could Trump run for a third term? Hawaii congressman answers state lawmakers Hawaii News Now Mahealani Richardson September 24, 2025 Original Article HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - U.S. Rep. Ed Case, D-Hawaii, says the Trump administration is abusing its power and is a threat to the rule of law. He spoke at the state Committee on Judiciary chaired by state Sen. Karl Rhoads. Case gave state senators a long list of actions by the Trump administration that are contrary to the rule of law, including destruction of federal agencies and funding already directed by law; firing of key federal officials from independent agencies; ignoring federal court orders; eroding independence of key federal agencies like the Department of Justice; and abuse of power to intimidate opponents referencing the controversy over comedian Jimmy Kimmel briefly taken off the air. “What are the chances that Trump will be able to run for a third term?” asked state Sen. Stanley Chang. “I think the chances are low, very low. There’s no plausible legal argument for it. For him to gain a third term, it would either be a complete overturning of the foundations of our country or constitution or some corruption,” said Case. “We have unfortunately observed the U.S. president mocking judges and deriding their decisions. He’s threatened judges with impeachment for adverse rulings,” said Rhoads. Republican state Sen. Brenton Awa did not attend the hearing to focus on other priorities. “For Sen. Rhoads, he’s one of those that gets triggered a lot by the president,” he said. Case said Congress is working hard to preserve hundreds of millions of dollars in funding for education, minorities, and social services. He said the rule of law is not the same as agreeing or disagreeing with Trump policies. He said ignoring rule of law is not good for the country in the long term.

PRESS RELEASES SENATOR KANUHA AND REPRESENTATIVE LOWEN INVITE THE COMMUNITY TO THE KAILUA BAY ADVISORY WORKING GROUP COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE LEGISLATORS TO HOST COMMUNITY RESOURCE FAIR ATMĀNANA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SENATE PRESIDENT RONALD D. KOUCHI HONORED IN THE AZORES FOR HIS LEADERSHIP AND PORTUGUESE HERITAGE MORE PRESS RELEASES NEWS ARTICLES READ MORE Union seeks raises for teachers not credited for out-of-state experience during salary repricing Original Article Hawaii News Now HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The teachers union is fighting to get pay raises for thousands of public school educators. The Hawaii State Teachers Association (HSTA) says they were denied the money because the Hawaii State Department of Education (HIDOE) said they didn’t have enough experience here in Hawaii. Before coming to Hawaii, David Reid had nine years of teaching on the continental U.S. The HIDOE had credited six of those years in the classroom, but it was not enough to get him a raise that other teachers with more experience in Hawaii received. “It was very at first confusing and then upsetting because you know no one wants to work really hard to go broke, and teachers all work very hard and our value to the workplace is years of experience and education and to have your value just erased,” Reid said. Reid and two other teachers went to the Hawaii Labor Relations Board after being excluded from the HIDOE’s salary increase in 2022. Known as the compression fix, the repricing boosted pay for 72% of teachers by an average of $6,000. “When they passed out raises, they said I didn’t have 11, because I’d been here five years at that point,” Reid said. The board sided with Reid, saying that the years of experience teaching that he and the other two teachers had on the mainland must be considered in the repricing. The HIDOE appealed the ruling, but a state judge affirmed it last month. “I’ve described it as the most frustrating thing I’ve ever done in my life. So to come out on the other side and be successful feels really good,” Reid said. After the decision, Reid’s pay was increased by $3,700 a year. “Considering the cost of living in Hawaii, that’s not nothing,” Reid said. The ruling came as the islands grapple with an ongoing teacher shortage. Hawaii ranks in the top 10 states with the lowest teacher to state population. There are more than 2,000 other teachers like Reid who were not compensated for non-HIDOE teaching experience. The HSTA is asking the HIDOE to raise their pay as well. “Hopefully this could apply to everybody,” Reid said. The HSTA is still waiting on the official written ruling from the court. We reached out to the department and are waiting to hear back. Copyright 2025 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved. December 29, 2025 Senators Mentioned: MORE ARTICLES

Opportunities to export local goods increased through passage of Act 237 Maui Now August 12, 2025 Original Article The Senate Committee on Ways and Means received a comprehensive update on Tuesday from the Agribusiness Development Corporation on the development of Hawai‘i’s food and product innovation efforts to help scale up local farmers and entrepreneurs and increase economic resilience. The ADC is administratively attached to the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. Dane Wicker, Deputy Director of DBEDT, along with other members from ADC, DBEDT, University of Hawaiʻi Community Design Center, and the Hawaiʻi State Department of Health gathered near the historic Kaua‘i Plantation Railway in Līhuʻe for a site visit and briefing on the strategic plan guiding the Food and Product Innovation Network pursuant to Act 237, Session Laws of Hawaiʻi 2025. Discussions focused on regional coordination, infrastructure development, and the launch of a pilot on Kauaʻi that integrates processing equipment, workforce training, and business support services. “Continuing to invest in agricultural production is a clear step in the right direction,” said Sen. Glenn Wakai (D – 15, Kalihi, Māpunpuna, Airport, Salt Lake, Āliamanu, Foster Village, Hickam, Pearl Harbor, and portions of ʻAiea and Pearl City), Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Economic Development and Tourism. “A month ago, I secured a partnership with Amazon Air Cargo to take Hawaiʻi agricultural products to the mainland – cheaper and faster.” “The Senate recognizes that agriculture is not just about farming — it’s about food security, economic opportunity, and sustaining our way of life,” said Senate President Ronald D. Kouchi (D – 8, Kaua‘i, Niʻihau). “We’ve supported a wide range of agricultural initiatives championed by our farmers, local business owners, and community leaders, and it is encouraging to see necessary steps being taken to expand our export capacity and provide more locally grown food on the tables for our schools and hospitals. These are the kinds of forward-thinking efforts that can transform Hawai‘i’s agricultural economy and create lasting benefits for our islands.” The Hawai‘i FPIN initiative draws inspiration from New Zealand’s public-private innovation model and includes strategic investments across the islands. Recent legislative support includes the passage of Act 237 , Session Laws of Hawai‘i 2025, establishing FPIN, Act 250, Session Laws of Hawai‘i 2025, appropriating $350,000 for program coordination, and Act 230, Session Laws of Hawai‘i 2024, dedicating $2 million for a new agricultural processing facility in Kekaha. FPIN’s vision is to enable Hawaiʻi-based entrepreneurs to develop, scale and export products that strengthen our food system, reduce import reliance, and capitalize on Hawaiʻi’s global brand. The Kaua‘i facility is part of a larger ecosystem that includes complementary projects on Oʻahu and Maui, integrating food science, equipment access and training partnerships with UH and DOH. “The Food and Product Innovation Network is a meaningful investment in Hawaii’s future—one that bridges education to export pathways by equipping our schools, colleges, and entrepreneurs with the skills and infrastructure they need to bring local innovations to the global marketplace,” said Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, Sen. Donovan M. Dela Cruz (D – 17, portion of Mililani, Mililani Mauka, portion of Waipiʻo Acres, Launani Valley, Wahiawā, Whitmore Village). “By strengthening the entire ecosystem—from classroom learning to commercial-scale production—we’re fostering regional economic development that benefits our communities statewide and elevates Hawai‘i-made products on the world stage.” “The FPIN is critical to building a resilient and self-sustaining economy for Hawai‘i,” said DBEDT Deputy Director Dane Wicker. “By investing in the infrastructure, facilities, equipment, and wraparound services our local businesses need, we are not only creating new small and medium-sized enterprises—we’re supporting existing companies, expanding our Hawai‘i Made program, and strengthening initiatives like farm-to-school and farm-to-state. This is about more than just economic growth; it’s about food security, community resilience, and reducing our dependence on imported food and emergency provisions during natural disasters.”

Kauaʻi health office releases report on 2025 public health, emergency prep survey Kauai Now July 12, 2025 Original Article Kauaʻi District Health Office — a branch of Hawaiʻi Department of Health — recently released its report on the 2025 Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response, or CASPER, survey. 📷Survey team staff assembling educational materials for participating and non-participating households. (Photo Courtesy: Kauaʻi 2025 CASPER Report/Kauaʻi District Health Office) Teams conducted door-to-door surveys from June 23-27 at randomly selected households around Kaua’i, completing a total of 186 interviews throughout the course of the 5 days and collecting valuable data about residents’ health, well-being and emergency preparedness. “This annual survey helps [Kauaʻi District Health Office] and our partners do a better job of serving our community,” said Kauaʻi District Health Officer Dr. Janet Berreman in a release about the survey’s findings and report. “It informs our program planning, our outreach and education and our priorities.” The CASPER survey is a validated, needs assessment developed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to rapidly obtain population-based estimates about the health and resource needs of a community pre- and post-disaster. This is the eighth CASPER survey conducted since 2017 on Kauaʻi. The 2025 survey asked Kauaʻi residents about their basic household demographics, emergency supplies, concerns about climate change impacts, infectious disease awareness and concerns as well as general health and well-being. A few key findings include: 81% of Kauaʻi households are aware of the recommendation to maintain a 14-day supply of non-perishable food and water, but only 17% have the recommended 14-day supply on hand. 17% of Kauaʻi households have at least one member with electricity-dependent health needs. Of those households, only 45% have a backup power supply available in the event of a power outage. 67% of Kauaʻi households are very or somewhat concerned about the impacts of climate change in Hawaiʻi. Almost half of households (42%) discuss climate change at least once a month, with 5% discussing it daily, 17% weekly and 19% monthly. While most households expressed some level of concern and regular discussion about climate change, the majority (87%) have not experienced mental health impacts related to climate change. Most Kauaʻi households (71%) are very or somewhat concerned about federal cuts to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, including safe drinking water, clean air and environmental justice. Similarly, most Kauaʻi households (76%) are very or somewhat concerned about federal cuts to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Medicaid. More than a third (35%) of Kauaʻi households are very concerned or somewhat concerned about their ability to pay the next month’s rent or mortgage. A statistically signficant 15% increase was observed from 2024 to 2025, which aligns with data collected during the 2020 CASPER survey a few months into the COVID-19 pandemic. Among Kauaʻi homeowners, 5% reported loss of homeowners insurance coverage or inability to pay because of rising costs during the past year. While the majority of Kauaʻi households (57%) continue to think it is very important to stay up to date on recommended vaccines, a statistically significant 16% decline was observed from 2019 to 2025. “The Kaua‘i CASPER survey report provides us with detailed point-in-time data of the circumstances facing Kaua‘i residents,” said Hawai‘i Senate President Ronald Kouchi, who represents Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau, in the release. Hawai‘i House Speaker Nadine Nakamura — who represents Hā‘ena, Wainiha, Hanalei, Princeville, Kīlauea, Anahola, Keālia, Kapa‘a, Kawaihau and a portion of Wailua — said it’s important work to ensure that public policy is grounded in the real experiences of Kaua‘i and all Hawai‘i residents. “As a lifelong Kaua‘i resident, I know how important it is to ensure that our communities are resilient and prepared,” Nakamura said in the release. “Understanding the challenges our residents face is the first step to solving those challenges, whether that be access to emergency supplies or concerns about climate change and housing costs.” Annual CASPER surveys have served as capacity building exercises for Kauaʻi District Health Office and partner agencies, as well as increased community awareness about agencies and services available around Kauaʻi. Previous CASPER reports are available on the Kaua‘i District Health Office website .

Senate committee advances key bills on housing, agriculture, businesses and energy Maui Now February 25, 2025 Original Article The Senate Committee on Ways and Means, led by State Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz, passed several key bills this week aimed at tackling housing shortages, supporting local businesses, and advancing sustainability in Hawai‘i. “We’re continuing to take proactive steps in addressing some of Hawai‘i’s most urgent needs during this legislative session,” Dela Cruz said. “Through these measures, we are investing in Hawai‘i’s future by building a more resilient, self-sustaining economy and a higher quality of life for our residents.” The following bills were passed out of the WAM Committee this week: SB 65 SD2: Relating to housing – This bill addresses the repair and maintenance needs for Hawai‘i’s public housing units used by some of the state’s most vulnerable populations. As the Senate continues to prioritize the availability of housing, bringing existing housing inventory back online is critical to addressing the housing shortage. SB 125 SD1: Relating to State Enterprise Zones – Enterprise zones create tax incentives that can be used to provide local small businesses with incentives to develop and scale their operations. This bill helps local farmers and businesses that process local farm products stay competitive in both local and global markets. SB 448 SD1: Relating to Agriculture – Maintaining O‘ahu’s agricultural lands in production is vital for food resilience and security, especially in Central O‘ahu’s remaining agricultural heartland. This measure enables the Agribusiness Development Corporation to preserve these lands by ensuring they remain productive through a negotiated conservation easement. SB 1269 SD1: Geothermal resources – This bill allocates funds to the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to explore geothermal energy in counties with less than 300,000 residents. The goal is to use this clean, reliable, and cost-effective energy source to help the state reach net-zero carbon emissions, while still providing affordable power for homes and businesses.

Lawmakers rush to pass new law following disturbing animal abuse incident: 'Existing laws did not go far enough' The Cool Down Sam Westmoreland July 12, 2025 Original Article Hawaiʻi has tightened its laws on harming wild animals, after a native hawk was found badly injured on the island of Hawaiʻi in the archipelagic state. According to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser , Governor Josh Green signed Senate Bill 849 into law as Act 98, which will impose fines of up to $20,000 and jail time on each offense against indigenous species, "including aquatic life, wildlife, and land plants." It also makes repeat offenses into Class C felonies, where previously all violations had been misdemeanors. The law came into being due to the discovery of an ʻio, a species of hawk native to Hawaiʻi on the Big Island, which had been badly maimed by an unknown person. According to the Star-Advertiser, the ʻio was found in a chicken coop with a significant portion of its top beak missing, which allowed the bird to hunt and kill prey, but not eat it. It was extremely emaciated as a result of the injury, and the investigation by the Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources revealed the ʻio's injuries were done intentionally, likely with the hope of selling the bird. Cutting the beak is often done to deter attacks on livestock or people when keeping birds like this as a pet. "We got a report that somebody was trying to give a hawk away on Craigslist," Raymond McGuire, a wildlife scientist with the DLNR, said, while noting the hawk was found "a few days later." After the incident, Democratic state senator Dru Mamo Kanuha introduced the bill. "We recognized that existing laws did not go far enough to deter harm to our indigenous species—particularly the ʻio," Kanuha wrote. "This is a critical step forward in holding bad actors accountable and deterring future harm. Our ʻio — the Hawaiian hawk — are keystone species in the forests across Hawaii, and especially within my Senate District on Hawaiʻi Island." Hawaiʻi isn't the only state imposing tighter restrictions on cruelty towards animals; Wyoming is debating stricter punishments against people who harm wolves, while New York has imposed stricter punishments against those who face multiple counts of animal cruelty. But the island state clearly takes protecting its beautiful and unique wildlife seriously, and it can now back that up with more severe punishments for those who don't.

Green signs bill aimed at helping kupuna with dementia Hawaii Tribune-Herald Kyveli Diener July 4, 2025 Original Article Gov. Josh Green signed three bills on Thursday to enhance protections for vulnerable citizens in Hawaii, including one measure focused on helping kupuna living with dementia. “We’re working to strengthen our medical workforce by providing extra dementia-informed care,” Green said at a press conference in Honolulu. “On a personal note, my stepmom has very advanced dementia, and this year, my father received a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and is in the very early stages. (He’s a) brilliant man, so it’s very difficult to see.” Both Green and one of the senators supporting the bill shared first-hand stories about elderly family members being impacted by Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Green said that longer lifespans are causing a “Silver Tsunami” that will bring about the largest elder population in history by the 2030s. “The number of kupuna who are going to experience dementia is going to triple in the next 35 years,” said state Sen. Stanley Chang of Oahu, who shared that his father passed away from dementia after his mother served as his primary caregiver for over a decade. “It was very difficult to find help for her … that’s why expanding the workforce capacity of our medical infrastructure here in Hawaii is so critical to addressing this issue.” The senate bill, SB 1252, requires the University of Hawaii to establish a specialized training program to deepen the education for health care providers caring for patients with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. The bill appropriates $525,000 in both 2026 and 2027 to the John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawaii at Manoa to elevate training and education for improved support and care for kupuna with dementia-related challenges, while also adding to the state’s workforce. Additionally, the bill enables UH Manoa’s Department of Geriatric Medicine to add positions to develop and update curricula. This will allow the school to offer training in enhanced care through new comprehensive programs focused on the needs of patients afflicted with Alzheimer’s and dementia. “With the onset of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia on the rise, there are cutting-edge treatments that are becoming available that can actually slow the disease. The key to this, though … is early detection and prevention,” said state Rep. Cory Chun of Oahu at the press conference. “Our kupuna are so important for us: they are our family members, our neighbors, and our friends, and are vital to our communities.” The other kupuna support bill signed at the press conference Thursday was HB 703, which extends the sunset date of the state’s rent supplement program for kupuna from 2026 to 2028 and offers additional housing support for kupuna at risk of homelessness. “SB 1252 strengthens our health care system by investing in dementia training and education, and this helps ensure our aging population will continue to receive compassionate and informed care,” AARP Hawaii Advocacy Associate Director Audrey Suga-Nakagawa said as she commended the dementia care and rent supplement bills. “Together, these bills honor the dignity of Hawaii’s older adults and build a more resilient age-friendly community.” The third bill signed Thursday was SB 1221, also known as “Sharkey’s Law,” which requires increased safety measures and regulation of retention and detention ponds in an effort to decrease the number of drowning deaths among Hawaii children.

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.