Hawaii’s governor signs legislation to bolster judiciary Hawaii News Now HNN Staff June 26, 2025 Original Article HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Hawaii’s governor signed new legislation in support of the state judiciary into law Thursday. The governor’s office said that the bills fund the judiciary for the next two years and ensure it has the resources to fulfill its mission. House Bill 400 , Act 227, appropriates $214 million for fiscal year 2026 and $212 million for fiscal year 2027. The funding includes a new district court judge and support staff in Kona, and funds the permanent establishment of three specialty courts on Oahu: Women’s Court, Driving While Impaired Court, and Truancy Court and Early Education Intervention Court." “By expanding key programs like the Adult Client Services Branch, Community Outreach Court, and Women’s Court, we are building a more effective justice system that helps keep our communities in Hawaii safer and stronger,” said Senate Judiciary Committee chair Karl Rhoads. House Bill 727 , Act 228, builds off the Mohala Wahine pilot program from 2022 and expands access to trauma-informed, evidence-based practices. The Women’s Court recently celebrated its first six graduates at a special ceremony at the Hawaii Supreme Court. The court aims to help individuals who have been touched by the criminal justice system turn their lives around with drug abuse treatment, counseling, and help to find stable housing and employment. Act 228 also establishes a two-year Women’s Court pilot program in the Third Circuit Court in Kona. “Many of these women are mothers and caregivers, and with personalized, supportive care focused on healing rather than punishment, we can help them rehabilitate,” said Rep. Mahina Poepoe. “Expanding this program to Hawaii Island will strengthen families and communities across our state.” “We have a long-term goal of incarcerating far fewer people and helping many more people get access to health care and some form of healing as they come through their challenges,” Green said. In support of the judiciary, Green also signed: HB 280 , Act 229, relates to the community outreach court. HB 398 , Act 230, relates to compensation for court-appointed representation. HB 399 , Act 231, and HB 401 , Act 232, relate to district court judges. Senate Bill 304 , Act 233, relates to the judiciary.

Students honored for voter registrations The Garden Island Dennis Fujimoto August 14, 2025 Original Article LIHUE — Six high school students and a Department of Education Complex Area resource teacher were honored for their efforts that increased the list of registered voters by more than 300 voters. Indivisible Kauai, a group dedicated to fighting for democracy, joined Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami and Senate President Ron Kouchi in congratulating and recognizing the students from Island School, Kspaa, and Waimea high schools, as well as resource teacher Darlene Muraoka from the Complex Area office. “These students have shown that civic engagement starts early,” Kawakami said. “They’ve set an example for the whole community.” Waimea High School, with support from social studies teacher Lisa Davalos-Wade, registered 135 voters through the efforts of Bystin Nagamine, Stanley Kimmel, and Naia Lewis. Khloe Graves, who is on track to be a middle blocker for the Kapaa High School girls volleyball team, worked with Muraoka to register 106 voters, the most of the student registrars. Island School, with the support of High School and College Counselor Renate McMullen, saw the team effort of sisters Violet and Ruby Swartz register 77 students during a May 5 drive. Muraoka said voters can register when they are 16 years old. They cannot vote until they turn 18. Muraoka, a key organizer for the recent Back to School Bash, where 2,500 backpacks of school supplies were distributed, was assigned to the initiative to select student leaders, arrange training, and ensure campus rules were followed during the voter registration drives. Indivisible Kauai member Mary Lu Kelley said, “Building on this success, additional student-led registration drives are planned for the Fall 2025 and the Spring 2026. We hope to get participation from the Hawaii Technology Academy and Kauai High School, joining the current roster of Waimea, Kapaa, and Island School.” The voter registration initiative started in the summer of 2024 when Kauai voter registrar Bevin Parker-Evans and Kelley met with then-DOE Complex Area Superintendent Daniel Hamada to discuss increasing civic engagement in high schools. The Kauai Indivisible ladies proposed student-led voter registration events supported by training and materials from “The Civics Center,” a national nonprofit dedicated to empowering youth participation in democracy.

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.

Special $50M state fund authorized to help Hawaii nonprofits Star Advertiser Andrew Gomes July 10, 2025 Original Article Hawaii nonprofits affected by federal funding cuts should get ready to apply for grants from a special $50 million state fund created by a bill signed into law Wednesday. Gov. Josh Green authorized the new fund by signing Senate Bill 933, which he said will help prevent fraying of the social safety net that nonprofits help provide largely in areas of health care, food security, housing support, child care and emergency relief. “These organizations are the heartbeat of our community,” Green said. “They’re quiet and consistently standing in when we have crises … and if they don’t have enough resources, the safety net dissolves.” To be eligible for grants, nonprofits must provide documentation that they have lost federal funding, or that the work they do primarily serves a population that has been negatively affected by federal funding cuts. Under the new law, Act 310, four state lawmakers — two picked by House Speaker Nadine Nakamura and two picked by Senate President Ron Kouchi — will decide as a committee how much to give out and to which applicants. Processing and distributing grants will be handled by Aloha United Way with support from the Office of Community Services within the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. AUW may receive up to $500,000 for its work, while the Office of Community Services is to receive $130,000 to hire the equivalent of two full-time personnel plus $10,000 for office equipment and furniture. It is uncertain when program operators might be ready to begin accepting applications, followed by approvals and fund distribution. Green said he expects Nakamura (D, Hanalei-Princeville-Kapaa) and Kouchi (D, Kauai-Niihau) will appoint committee members later this month, and that the grant consideration and distribution process will begin as soon as possible. State lawmakers realized shortly after the 2025 legislative session began Jan. 15 that their normal procedure for providing annual grants in aid to nonprofits would not align well with needs after the session ended on May 2, given evolving efforts by the Trump administration to slash federal funding in many areas including support for social service providers. Sen. Troy Hashimoto, who helped shape the final somewhat controversial version of the bill, said a lot of his colleagues were nervous about how they could best help nonprofits this year, and wanted to give out more than $30 million through grants in aid decided before May 2. “But when we started to see what was happening at the federal level, we kind of knew that it was going to throw everyone off because a lot of the nonprofits would not know what their budget outlook would look like,” Hashimoto (D, Wailuku-Kahului-Waihee) said at Wednesday’s bill signing ceremony in Green’s office at the state Capitol. “I think this will go a long way for our community.” It is expected that some nonprofits not approved for grants in aid earlier this year, and some that sought more than they were granted, will obtain grants from the special fund. About 400 applications were filed by nonprofits seeking $192 million in aid this year, and $30 million was approved for 121 applicants. Kayla Keehu-Alexander, vice president of community impact at AUW, called the new fund critical to counteract pullback in federal funding for nonprofits. “This has been a turbulent year for Hawaii’s nonprofits who have been navigating through precarious waters for the last six months,” she said during the ceremony. “This is a powerful acknowledgement that our nonprofits deserve the same kind of stability that they offer our community every single day.” Rep. Daniel Holt, chair of the Legislature’s Subcommittee on Grants-in-Aid, said nonprofits facing reduced federal funding or effects of such reductions deserve relief, which was a simple goal that took what he described as creativity and difficulty to craft the final version of the bill. “This is what happens when we work together and when government listens and leads with intention,” he said. There was some reluctance in the 76-member Legislature with having four lawmakers determine grant awards with no public meeting requirements for a special legislative committee of sorts. Three Democrats in the House voted to approve the bill with reservations, including Rep. Dela Au Belatti, who called it “constitutionally deficient.” Voting against the bill were five of eight Republicans in the House: Reps. David Alcos, Diamond Garcia, Lauren Matsumoto, Christopher Muraoka and Elijah Pierick. In the Senate, the bill passed 23-2, with two of three Republican members voting no: Sens. Brenton Awa and Samantha DeCorte. Green said he doubts that anyone will challenge the legality of the new law because it would harm nonprofits serving residents in need. “I think if we do see lawsuits against this bill, it would be pretty cynical,” he said moments before signing the measure. “Because these $50 million are going to ultimately go to people who are hungry, people who are suffering from domestic violence, people who are losing their health care coverage, people who don’t have a health center available to them.”

Honolulu City Council ‘reaffirms’ opposition to landfill over aquifer Honolulu Star - Advertiser Ian Bauer January 11, 2025 Original Article Over 20 years ago a prior Honolulu City Council passed a resolution that stated municipal solid waste landfills should not be located in proximity to Oahu’s underground drinking water sources. In 2003, Resolution 9 was adopted to safeguard Oahu’s important water resources. At the time, the policy was supposedly prompted by concerns that even with the best landfill technologies, the risk of hazardous materials contaminating the island’s freshwater aquifer could, over time, potentially harm public health and safety. The city’s policies, however, also can change over time. On Dec. 10, Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s administration announced its intent to site the city’s next dump on active agricultural land owned by Dole Food Co. Hawaii near Wahiawa. The site — west of Kamehameha Highway and north of Paalaa Uka Pupukea Road — is also about 800 feet above Oahu’s freshwater aquifer, according to Board of Water Supply Manager and Chief Engineer Ernie Lau. To that end, Lau has expressed opposition to the planned landfill site’s location, due to its proximity to the island’s primary supply of drinking water. Others, like Council Vice Chair Matt Weyer and Council member Radiant Cordero, agree. On Jan. 2 the pair introduced Resolution 3, meant to reaffirm the city’s 2003 policy against landfills near underground freshwater sources. Weyer, whose Council District 2 includes Wahiawa as well as the North Shore, told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that he wants the city administration to revisit its landfill siting decision. “Before we spend taxpayer money, before we go down a path that isn’t workable, we just kind of want to provide the pathway to take this off the table and move on to other locations and have that discussion with the community,” he said. Weyer said he’s had “conversations with the mayor’s administration, and they know my concerns” over the landfill’s siting in Wahiawa. “They feel that they can operate it safely, and they believe it’s the only legal pathway (to have a landfill),” he said. “But when we look at the Board of Water Supply’s position, we definitely stand with them, recognizing that they do have authority to reject a potential landfill site.” Cordero, whose Council District 7 includes Halawa and Red Hill, noted the urgency in preventing more contamination from entering Oahu’s freshwater supply. “Placing a solid waste landfill over our city’s aquifer would be both counterproductive and reckless,” she said in a statement. “After the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility leak in my district, our communities across the island are still recovering.” But the city contends a new landfill on Oahu is necessary. And the Wahiawa site, the city argues, allows it to continue to handle the island’s estimated 225,000 tons of solid waste and related materials it puts into its dump each year. City officials say they hope to negotiate a purchase of about 150 acres — the amount of land needed for a solid waste landfill — out of what they described as an approximately 2,360-acre parcel now owned by Dole. Dole has publicly stated opposition to the city locating a landfill on its actively used agricultural lands in Wahiawa. However, the company has indicated to the city it has unused lands for sale nearby. At the state Capitol on Tuesday, city Managing Director Mike Formby and city Department of Environmental Services officials addressed lawmakers with the city’s reasons to have the next dump on Dole lands. City officials said it was due, in part, to a state- imposed Dec. 31 deadline to find an alternate site, ahead of the planned closure of the 35-year-old Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill in Kapolei, in accordance with a 2019 decision and order by the state Land Use Commission. That West Oahu dump is set to close in 2028, though the landfill will not reach full capacity until 2032, the city said. At the same meeting, BWS’ Lau noted a U.S. Geological Survey study conducted in 2003, which states all landfills eventually leak — often dispersing into the environment harmful chemicals like arsenic as well as PFAS, or so-called “forever chemicals,” linked to illnesses like cancer. BWS must evaluate the proposed landfill site and, based on its proximity to potable water sources, may approve or reject the proposal. Previously, BWS objected to the city siting a landfill within its so-called “no-pass zone,” an area that covers the interior of the island where Oahu’s potable water aquifer is located. During the joint meeting of the House Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection and the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Environment, state Sen. Mike Gabbard, chair of the Senate’s committee, asked, “Who has the final say, the Board of Water Supply, City Council, the mayor? Where does it end?” Formby replied the city has set out a plan “to exhaust as many options as we could, respecting the rule of law.” The city, he said, has not “formally made a recommendation for this proposed site to (BWS) yet.” He added, “Whether or not that gets challenged, and (Chief Engineer Lau) might write us a letter and say, ‘For your specific proposal, I say no,’ in which case, we would appeal that to the (BWS’ board of directors).” Formby said the board also “has the ability to actually override the chief engineer, which would then give us a green light for this proposed site.” Meanwhile, Weyer said a public town hall meeting over the proposed landfill site will be held 6-8 p.m. Wednesday at Wahiawa Elementary School’s cafeteria, 1402 Glen Ave. BWS’ Lau, state officials and Dole company representatives will be in attendance at that meeting, he said. The Council’s Committee on Housing, Sustainability, Economy and Health is also expected to review Resolution 3 at 1 p.m. Tuesday inside City Council Chambers, 530 S. King St.

Half Of Hawaiʻi Inmates Leave Prison Without The IDs They Need To Start Over Honolulu Civil Beat Caitlin Thompson February 24, 2025 Original Article Simoné Nanilei Kamaunu left prison in 2022 with a $500 check and no way to cash it. She’d lost her social security card before she was locked up, her driving permit had expired and her prison identification card didn’t count for anything outside of the Women’s Community Correctional Center. Without a state ID, she couldn’t open a bank account to deposit the money she had gotten from a nonprofit for completing her GED while incarcerated for 16 months years for a parole violation. “It’s been super hard because I’ve gotten out with nothing, no social security card, no nothing,” she said. “I had to hit the ground running and hustle myself.” The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is supposed to help incarcerated people obtain identification. But more than seven years after the state Legislature passed a law requiring that it do so, the number of people leaving prisons with the documents they need to function in society has barely budged. Almost half of people released from Hawaiʻi’s state prisons between November 2023 and October 2024 did not have a valid state ID, according to data the corrections department reported to the Legislature. About 95% of people released from jail during that same period did not have one. Tommy Johnson, the department’s director, says the inmates are partly to blame. “It’s not from our lack of trying; you can’t make them fill out the documents for a card,” Johnson told Civil Beat. “A lot of the folks don’t want to provide that information to us.” Johnson also noted that the numbers may be inaccurate because people might not have had their IDs with them when they were arrested, and those documents are being held for them by someone on the outside. He also cited challenges coordinating with other government agencies and obtaining the equipment necessary to collect inmates’ photos and signatures for their IDs. It took Kamaunu about three months after her release to get the identification she needed to cash her $500 check, just in time to buy Christmas presents for her baby. “The prison system,” said Kamaunu, “is setting us up to fail.” The slow implementation of the law means that every year hundreds of people are being released without the identification they need to find work, secure housing or open a bank account. More than a dozen states have laws requiring corrections agencies to help inmates obtain identification prior to release. Hawaiʻi’s 2017 law requires the corrections department to inform people in prisons and jails that they can receive help getting identification documents while behind bars, including a state ID, birth certificate and social security card. Corrections staff ask during intake and assessment whether they would like that assistance, Johnson said. But implementation has been full of false starts , stymied by slow-moving conversations between government agencies and a drawn-out process to acquire equipment. It took several years for the corrections department to work set up a game plan and sign the necessary agreements with the Department of Transportation, the Department of Customer Service and the Social Security Administration, said Johnson. Hawaiʻi requires that people apply in person for a driver’s license or state ID — and that’s a big problem for prisoners. It wasn’t until June 2022 — more than four years after the law went into effect — that Halawa Correctional Facility became the first prison to process inmates’ applications for state IDs with a machine on site. In the first year and a half after that machine was installed, the department helped 150 people get IDs, according to a report that the corrections department sent to the Legislature in December 2023. Since then, the agency also has released more than 750 people from all the state prisons without one, according to data that the department sent to lawmakers in 2023 and 2024. In 2022, the Legislature appropriated $100,000 to put ID machines in four other correctional facilities. So far, none have been purchased. Inmates at prisons other than Halawa Correctional Facility can’t get their IDs until they are released or go on furlough, at which point they can leave the facility to go to a DMV appointment. Johnson said the department hasn’t been able to buy the machines for the past few years because it had to wait for The Department of Customer Services’ Division of Motor Vehicles to upgrade its system. “The satellite machines we purchase have to be the exact same with the same specifications as the city and county so the machines can talk to each other for processing ID cards,” he said. Until then, Johnson said the department is helping people get other documents like a birth certificate or social security card, which they’ll need to apply for an ID once they’re released. But there’s been a delay in getting people social security cards too. More than half of the people who left prisons between November 2022 and October 2024 didn’t have one, according to data presented to the Legislature. It wasn’t until early last year that the corrections department signed an agreement with the Social Security Administration to help incarcerated people get social security cards. Johnson attributed the slow process to “hiccups” dealing with the federal agency that lasted two and a half years. The local office was closed during the pandemic and faced a long backlog of work when it reopened, allowing inmates to start getting cards last fall. Tsofit Ohayon entered the Women’s Community Corrections Center with nothing — no driver’s license, no social security card, no documents to prove that, despite being born in Israel, she’s an American citizen. Ohayon knew it would be complicated to get those documents, and she soon realized she wasn’t going to get enough help while she was incarcerated for credit card theft and related charges in 2020. Despite her best efforts, she wasn’t able to get her proof of citizenship until she was on furlough. That set back her timeline for getting other documents that she needed. She wanted to tutor students in math at the community college where she’s now getting an engineering degree. But until she got her ID, she wasn’t able to work. “I was very irritated because I knew that I was going to come out exactly in the same predicament as I went in,” said Ohayon. “I’m going to have to figure out a way to move mountains to get these people to do anything.” Johnson said that part of the reason people leave prison without an ID card is because it takes a long time to get all the necessary supporting documents, like a birth certificate or social security card, especially if they’re starting from scratch. “This process takes months and months,” he said. That means some people start applications while in prison but don’t actually get their IDs until they leave. A proposed bill in the Legislature is meant to address that problem. Senate Bill 224 — introduced by 10 lawmakers including Senators Brandon Elefante, Henry Aquino and Stanley Chang — would launch the process of getting vital documents earlier in a person’s incarceration. The current law requires the agency to start the application when someone is a year or less out from their release. Senate Bill 224 requires that the department begin working on obtaining inmates’ identification as soon as possible. The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation supports the legislation, but Johnson said his staff is already doing this in the state prisons. However, he said starting earlier in jails won’t make much of a difference, since most people are there for weeks, rather than years. That isn’t sufficient time, according to Johnson. “It’s a really tough nut to crack to try to get them ID cards,” he said. “There’s very little we can do with respect to trying to get it. We can get the application in, and then we need a forwarding address where to send the document when it comes in.” For people who have been incarcerated, the situation remains frustrating. “Why even pass a law if you guys aren’t following it?” said Kamaunu. “You expect us to have integrity and be on it, but … what kind of example are you leading by?”

Honolulu launches $5M grant program to support low-income rental housing Star Advertiser Ian Bauer February 7, 2025 Original Article Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s administration is offering $5 million in grant funding to stoke the creation of more low- income rental housing on Oahu. Currently, the city Department of Land Management is soliciting proposals from nonprofit entities and public agencies for funding opportunities through the Affordable Housing Fund, or AHF, which typically provides funding to develop and expand affordable rental housing for households earning 60% or less of area median income. The fund also comes with the requirement that funded housing remain affordable for at least 60 years. But in this solicitation, the city is prioritizing projects that serve extremely low-income households — or 30% AMI and below, including those experiencing homelessness — in which a person earns $29,250 a year or a family of four receives $41,750 annually, according to the state Housing Community Development Authority. “This funding opportunity is a key part of the city’s broader strategy to increase the supply of affordable housing, particularly for those in urgent need, including individuals transitioning out of homelessness,” Kevin Auger, executive director of the Mayor’s Office of Housing, said in a statement. In a statement, Catherine Taschner, DLM’s director designate, said the program encourages “organizations to bring forward projects that will have a lasting impact.” “By prioritizing projects that serve extremely low- income households, this initiative underscores our commitment to tackling homelessness and expanding affordable housing opportunities,” she said. The funding cap is $55,000 per unit, meaning the program could support at least 90 units at full funding, according to city officials. They add that the actual unit production will depend on project scope, land acquisition costs and whether funds are used for new construction or rehabilitation. City officials say they won’t know the number of affected units until the completion of the competitive selection process. And while 90 units is the estimated baseline, the final number could be higher depending on how efficiently funds are allocated and whether projects secure additional financing. The proposal submission deadline is scheduled for 3 p.m. March 18. Meantime, the city is also seeking developers willing to build or redevelop four new affordable housing projects on city-owned parcels in urban Honolulu. The properties in question include: >> 1615 Ala Wai Blvd. >> 436 Ena Road. >> 130 S. Beretania St. >> 1421 Pensacola St. Under this program, selected developers will enter into a 75-year ground lease with the city and will be responsible for designing, financing, constructing and operating affordable rental housing on these sites. DLM recently issued a “request for qualifications” to redevelop the four underutilized sites, the city said. The deadline to submit is 1 p.m. March 21. Both of these efforts correspond with the Blangiardi administration’s unveiling earlier this week of its new plan to expand construction of more housing across Oahu. Coinciding with the mayor’s second four-year term, the city’s Office of Housing released its 2025-2028 Strategic Housing Plan, which aims to partner with developers to “activate underutilized” city-owned lands on the island and involve using new types of “financing strategies” to build more housing on the island. The plan, which does not offer an overall number of new housing units the city expects to develop on the island, will supposedly lay the groundwork for such development in the coming years — or at least as long as the Blangiardi administration remains in office. The mayor’s second and final term ends in 2028. During a news conference held Wednesday at the Mayor’s office, a few “special guests” — namely, representatives from large developer firms including Kobayashi Group LLC, Stanford Carr Development LLC and Castle &Cooke Hawaii, among others — appeared. Peter Savio, a longtime real estate developer in Hawaii and president and CEO of the Savio Group of Companies, did not appear at the mayor’s news conference. But afterward, Savio told the Honolulu Star- Advertiser that the city’s approach to building more affordable housing on Oahu misunderstands the real issue at play. “We do not have a supply problem; we have a demand problem,” he said. “As we build affordable units and sales restrictions expire, they get resold at market and become unaffordable.” And most so-called affordable housing units are “unaffordable based on local wages,” he said. “Real estate markets are local in nature, and slow for the building and sale of homes in a community,” he added. “This means homes are sold tied to the income of buyers and sellers in that community.” Savio said if applied to housing in Hawaii, and tied to average wages, a three-bedroom, two-bath fee-simple home should sell for about $450,000. Instead, that home sells for more than $1 million, he noted. “‘Affordable’ projects have studios at $250,000 (and) one-bedrooms at $400,000. They are lower than market prices but still unaffordable,” said Savio. “Outside demand has pushed our market above the local sale price by over $700,000.” “Our wages do not allow us to compete for home purchases. We are priced out of our market because of our demand,” he said. “If demand is the problem, building more supply simply attracts wealthy mainland and foreign buyers.” “If demand is the issue, building more is the worst thing the government can do,” he added. To solve the problem, Savio claimed the government must establish a program to keep housing affordable in perpetuity. “This can be done by creating an affordable local market where homes are sold in a controlled market, where price is determined by increase in wages,” he said. “Wages go up 20% over 10 years, the price goes up 20%.” “All we have done is create a local market for local wage earners, which is what our market would be without the distortion of outside buyers,” he said. To that end, Savio said he supports new state-level legislation introduced by Sens. Les Ihara Jr. and Carol Fukunaga. He said the measures — Senate Bills 1632 and 379, respectively — are meant to establish “a local market” for housing as well as keep so-called affordable housing “affordable forever.” “That’s the real story,” he added. “We have a solution and it will work.” Meanwhile, according to the city and the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization, or UHERO, the median sales price of a single-family home exceeds $1.1 million, and median rents approach $2,000. In the Honolulu metro area alone, there are nearly 20,000 cost-restricted units, while West Oahu contains approximately 9,000 units, UHERO says. According to the Hawaii Housing Factbook, 58% of Oahu renters are rent-burdened, spending more than 30% of their income on housing. In comparison, 29% are severely rent-burdened, allocating over half their income to rent, the housing report says.

Governor signs measures aimed at protecting agriculture in Hawaii Hawaii Tribune Herald John Burnett June 27, 2025 Original Article A pilot program to fight agriculture-related crimes in Hawaii will go into effect July 1 on the Big Island and Oahu. The program within the state Department of Law Enforcement is intended to strengthen laws relating to agriculture theft — including cattle rustling — plus trespassing and hunting without permission on private ag land. The new law — one of five ag measures signed into law today by Gov. Josh Green — is being called “Duke’s law.” It was Senate Bill 1249, which was introduced by Sen. Tim Richards, a Waimea Democrat and vice chairman of the Senate Agriculture and Environment Committee. The law’s name is in honor of Cranston “Duke” Pia, a 39-year-old Makaha, Oahu, rancher who was — in Richards’ words — “executed in front of his mother” for protecting his cattle from hunting dogs on Feb. 17, 2024. Pia died of a single gunshot wound to the head. Chantston Pila Kekawa, then 17, of Maili, Oahu, was charged as an adult with second-degree murder, first-degree terroristic threatening, firearms offenses and first-degree theft. He pleaded not guilty and has a trial scheduled for Aug. 18 in Honolulu Circuit Court. “SB 1249 is about protecting our farmers and ranchers while honoring the memory of Duke Pia,” Richards said today. “Duke was a young rancher who was tragically shot and killed while confronting trespassers on his land. “This law strengthens enforcement, increases penalties, and gives us the tools to fight rural crime. It’s about justice, safety and preserving the future of agriculture in Hawaii.” The law funds, within DLE, a full-time assistant chief position; two full-time investigator positions, one on the Big Island, the other on Oahu; and six full-time agricultural patrol officers, three for the Big Island and three for Oahu. The new law doesn’t contain the stand-your-ground component that would allow a farmer or rancher, under certain circumstances, to exercise deadly force without retreating that was in another bill Richards introduced. That bill, HB 1248, the original Duke Pia bill, died without a hearing from the Senate Judiciary Committee. The new law appropriates $949,856 for each of the next two fiscal years to fund the pilot program. Other agriculture and food-related bills signed into law today by Green include: — HB 534, which prohibits the sale of any raw processed ahi tuna by retail establishments without a label that states the country where the ahi was landed. The bill claims that the majority of raw processed ahi sold in Hawaii retail establishments as poke is “foreign-sourced, previously frozen, gas treated and imported in pre-cut cubes” and generally cheaper for retailers. It also states that local consumers of poke are “subjected to misleading advertisements and in-store terminology such as ‘prepared fresh,’ ‘freshly made’ and ‘locally made,’ while the ahi used to prepare the poke is foreign-sourced, previously frozen, gas treated and imported in pre-cut cubes.” “Due to a loophole in federal labeling laws, retailers are not required to disclose the origin of these products, leading many consumers to falsely assume they are purchasing fresh, locally caught tuna,” wrote Rep. Kirstin Kahaloa, a Kona Democrat, the majority caucus leader and former Agriculture and Food Systems chairwoman, in a committee report. “By ensuring transparency in seafood labeling, this measure empowers consumers to make informed choices, supports Hawaii’s fishing industry, and protects the integrity of the state’s premium seafood market.” The law, which goes into effect July 1, 2026, was introduced by Rep. Tyson Miyake, a Maui Democrat and majority whip, with Kahaloa and fellow Big Island Reps. Nicole Lowen and David Tarnas signing on as co-sponsors. According to Eric Kingma, executive director of the Hawaii Longline Association, the local market for fresh ahi poke sold at retail largely has been replaced by foreign-caught, gas-treated tuna imported from Vietnam, the Philippines, China, Indonesia and other countries. He added the new law “should help Hawaii’s commercial tuna fishermen statewide.” “This bill will hopefully drive consumer demand for more fresh Hawaii-landed ahi poke at retail because they will see that the previously frozen, gas-treated tuna is not from Hawaii,” Kingma said. — HB 774, which which goes into effect July 1, relates to value-added products and establishes a food and product innovation network within the Agribusiness Development Corporation. It also appropriates $385,289 for each of the next two fiscal years for two full-time positions, plus operating expenses. The development of this network is intended to facilitate the responsible use of labels such as “Hawaii made,” “Made in Hawaii,” “Produced in Hawaii” and “Processed in Hawaii,” and aid businesses in promoting their products locally and internationally. Kahaloa, who introduced the legislation, called it “transformative for Hawaii’s farmers and food entrepreneurs — empowering them to innovate, grow and proudly share their unique products with the world.” Green said the network will provide “access to facilities, equipment, certification resources — things that make a difference.” “Honestly, I believe people are more than ready to buy agricultural products from the state of Hawaii,” Green said. — HB 496 prohibits certain words and images on packaging of mamaki tea suggesting the tea is a Hawaii agricultural product unless 100% of the tea or dried leaves were cultivated, harvested and dried in Hawaii. The law, which goes into effect July 1, also appropriates $65,000 for each of the next two fiscal years for a full-time measurement standards inspector. The bill was introduced by Kahaloa, with fellow Big Island Reps. Lowen, Jeanne Kapela and Sue Keohokapu-Lee Loy among the co-signers. The measure was formerly on Green’s intent to veto list. — and HB 427 renames the state Department of Agriculture the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, and the Board of Agriculture the Board of Agriculture and Biosecurity. The legislation, introduced by Kahaloa, also transfers the Hawaii Invasive Species Council from the Department of Land and Natural Resources to the newly named department. In addition, the measure establishes a position of deputy chair for biosecurity to oversee all biosecurity initiatives within the department. The department, with the governor’s approval, may declare a biosecurity emergency in response to an outbreak of a pest or resistant organism that poses an economic or environmental threat. According to the governor’s office, the state budget allocates the highest level of funding ever for biosecurity — $26.6 million appropriated over the next two fiscal years to support positions and related expenses. “With the increasing frequency of natural disasters and growing biosecurity threats, safeguarding our resources and environment is a top priority for my administration,” said Green. “Prevention and forethought will fortify our state, and by signing HB 427, we are keeping top of mind the ways in which we can stay in the driver’s seat — actively leading the effort to protect our agriculture and our islands.”

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.”

State preschool program expands to include 2-year-olds with middle-income families now eligible to apply Big Island Now June 24, 2025 Original Article More families will have access to preschool education for their keiki starting in January. Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke, serving as Acting Governor, today signed into law Act 203 (House Bill 692 ), a major expansion of the state’s Preschool Open Doors tuition subsidy program. Hawai‘i Island Sen. Joy San Buenaventura speaks during bill signing event on expanded Preschool Open Doors program on June 24, 2025. (Photo credit: Office of the Lieutenant Governor) The new law, which takes effect on Jan. 1, 2026, expands eligibility to include 2-year-olds and removes accreditation requirements for child care providers, reducing barriers and increasing child care capacity across Hawaiʻi. “Expanding access to early learning is not just good policy but a commitment to our future, for our children, for our working families, for greater equity,” said Deborah Zysman, executive director for Hawai‘i Childrens Action Network. Administered by the state’s Department of Human Services, the program provides monthly child care and preschool tuition subsidies to qualifying low- to middle-income families. This legislation marks another milestone in the state’s Ready Keiki plan , led by Luke, to ensure universal access to early learning by 2032. In addition to the legislation, Luke signed updated administrative rules (HAR 17-799) that further expand access to the program by raising income eligibility to 500% of the federal poverty level (for example, a family of four earning up to $184,896 is now eligible). “We know that far too many working families fall into the gap—they earn too much to qualify for help but still struggle to afford quality child care. For the first time, a family of four making about $180,000 can qualify for Preschool Open Doors,” Luke said. “This expansion directly addresses that gap and brings us closer to our goal of making early learning truly accessible for all Hawaiʻi families.” The program will also grant presumptive eligibility for families experiencing homelessness or domestic violence, providing temporary support for up to two months while documentation is gathered. It also caps co-payments at 3% of income, or a maximum of $45 per month. These changes take effect Friday, just in time for the open enrollment period starting July 1. Sen. Joy San Buenaventura, who represents Puna, championed the measure in the Senate during the latest legislative session. Following the bill signing, the senator highlighted the new rule that ends annual certification fees for early childhood educator providers, which will increase the pool of providers, hopefully allowing more access. “So long as they are licensed, they don’t need additional certifications,” San Buenaventura said. These updates build on a series of recent improvements to the Preschool Open Doors program. In January 2024, new rules extended eligibility to 3-year-olds, increased income thresholds, and reduced co-pays. In July 2024, the program moved to a year-round application with designated priority and open enrollment periods, making it easier for families to apply when they’re ready. Families across the state are already seeing the real impact of Preschool Open Doors. Scott Morishige, with the Department of Human Services, said the increase in the income limit is critical for impoverished families as child care is the third highest cost behind housing and food. “This helps households make ends meet and helps them to thrive,” he said. Morishige said of the 2,484 kids approved for the 2025-26 school year, 1,357 were 4-year-olds and 1,127 were 3-year-olds. They also received 750 more applications than the department had in prior years. Luke said the increase in enrollment will not come at the cost of larger class sizes, adding: “We’re keeping class sizes low and that will encourage best learning outcomes.” To apply to the Preschool Open Doors program, click here , or request an application from PATCH by visiting patchhawaii.org , calling 808-791-2130, or toll-free at 800-746-5620. PATCH can also help families find a preschool that meets their needs.

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 .

Gov. Green signs landmark legislation pertaining to Maui Wildfires Settlement Maui Now July 8, 2025 Original Article Gov. Josh Green, M.D. has enacted legislation to solidify the global settlement for claims relating to the August 2023 Maui wildfires and to further codify the role of Hawai‘i’s first State Fire Marshal in nearly 46 years. “Today we are re-envisioning the path forward in the roadmap of wildfire prevention and recovery,” said Green. “We are taking action from both ends of the wildfire spectrum — building a more robust fire prevention framework within the state and enacting historic legislation that will aid in timely access to compensation following disaster. This crisis impacts us on many fronts, and it is time we tackle it the same way, from multiple directions.” HB 1001: Relating to settlement of claims related to the Maui wildfires : House Bill 1001 (Act 301) establishes the Maui Wildfires Settlement Trust Fund to provide dedicated funding for those affected by the 2023 Maui wildfires. The bill appropriates $807.5 million to support the state’s contribution in the settlement of claims, which shall be deposited into the trust fund. Additional contributions to the state fund include funding from the County of Maui, Hawaiian Electric, Kamehameha Schools, Charter Communications/Spectrum, Hawaiian Telcom and West Maui Land Company. Green sought to establish this funding to provide timely compensation for survivors’ claims as an alternative to lengthy litigation, ensuring those affected do not have to wait years to rebuild their lives. Recipients of compensation from the settlement trust fund shall agree to release the state and any additional parties that contribute to the fund from all further liability arising from the Maui wildfires. “This legislation is a huge win and sets a new precedent for swift settlement of claims for wildfire victims,” said Green. “It should not take years for people to see compensation or begin rebuilding. This is about healing, restoring trust and helping families recover as quickly as possible in the place they call home.” The measure emphasizes providing meaningful compensation by specifying that property and casualty insurance companies can only recover payments made to a policyholder through a statutory lien. Green said this provision demonstrates the state’s commitment to prioritizing the individuals affected by the wildfire to receive claims directly. The settlement agreement totals $4.037 billion and resolves claims of liability against multiple defendants, including the County of Maui. The agreement aims to reduce the legal load of the judicial system while avoiding the high costs associated with litigation. HB 1064: Relating to fire protection : In accordance with the Fire Safety Research Institute’s three-phase report — developed to improve fire preparedness and response following the August 2023 Maui wildfires — House Bill 1064 (Act 302) effectuates the recommendations provided in “Phase 3” of the report. Phase 3 focuses on the forward-looking portion of the investigation and proposes improvements to the Office of the State Fire Marshal, which was originally established under Act 209, Session Law of Hawai‘i 2024. Under Act 302, the Office of the State Fire Marshal is transferred to the Department of Law Enforcement and will be led by the State Fire Marshal. The legislation further clarifies the roles, duties, and discretionary authority of both the Office and the State Fire Marshal, supporting the state’s efforts to provide coordinated, statewide fire prevention and readiness strategies. To enhance coordination between the Office of the State Fire Marshal and the State Fire Council, the bill outlines responsibilities and the organizational structure related to matters such as reporting and recommending amendments to the state fire code. The bill requires the Fire Chief of each county to investigate and maintain an annual record of fire occurrences. These records must be submitted to the Office of the State Fire Marshal for centralized analysis. The county submissions will assist the State Fire Marshal in compiling biennial statistical reports, including those made available to the public and those submitted to the Legislature. “Last month, I appointed Dori Booth as Hawai‘i’s new State Fire Marshal, reviving a critical public safety position that has been vacant for nearly 46 years,” said Green. “This appointment marks a turning point as we redefine the role — empowering the office with clear authority and resources to better protect our state through fire prevention strategies and analysis.” “My first month in office has been both eye-opening and incredibly encouraging,” said State Fire Marshal Dori Booth. “I’ve had the opportunity to meet with dedicated state and county partners, as well as private stakeholders, who are all working tirelessly to enhance fire prevention, readiness, and resiliency across our islands. These conversations have been instrumental in shaping my initial assessments and understanding the unique strengths each organization brings to the table. The feedback I’ve received has affirmed the vital role the Fire Marshal’s Office can play — not only in supporting these existing efforts, but also in unifying them to build a stronger, more resilient Hawai‘i. HB 1064 is a meaningful step forward, and I’m honored to stand with so many committed partners as we move toward a safer future together.” Lastly, HB 1064 establishes the State Fire Marshal Selection Commission and defines its roles and structure. The selection commission will be given the authority to appoint and remove the State Fire Marshal, evaluate the State Fire Marshal’s performance, and address matters of public interest. “With the State Fire Marshal position re-established for the first time in nearly five decades, this legislation gives the office the structure, authority, and support it needs to succeed,” said Senator Brandon Elefante (Senate District 16 – ‘Aiea, ‘Aiea Heights, Hālawa, Pearlridge, Newtown, Royal Summit, Waimalu, Waiau, Momilani, Pacific Palisades, and Pearl City), who chairs the Senate Public Safety and Military Affairs Committee. “It’s a significant step in building a stronger, more coordinated approach to fire prevention and public safety across Hawai‘i.” There is $2.2 million appropriated in fiscal year 2026 and an equal amount for fiscal year 2027 to support the establishment and operations of the Office and State Fire Marshal.