House Standing Committee on Higher Education

Good afternoon, everyone. Calling to order. The House Committee on Higher Education Today is Wednesday, February 12, 2025. It is a few minutes after 2pm on our agenda today we have 246 bills along with the decision making only on a Bill that we previously heard. Up first, we have House Bill 970 relating to chiropractic.

This Bill allows chiropractic students to engage in clinical practice as part of their college instruction if directly supervised by a licensed chiropractor. Up first, we have the Hawaii Board of Chiropractic providing comments.

Good afternoon, Chair. Vice Chair. My name is Rachel Araki, Executive Officer for the Wahi Board of Chiropractic. The board stands on written testimony offering comments. Thank you.

Okay, thank you very much. Up next, the Hawaii State Chiropractic Association testifying in support.

Aloha and Chung testifying on behalf of Dean Shivers for the Hawaii Chiropractic Association. We stand on our written testimony in strong support. Thank you.

Okay, thank you very much. That's all that we have scheduled to testify in person. Is there anyone in the room wishing to do so? Anyone? Via Zoom Seeing? None. Members, please note that we have testimony and support from a few dozen individuals. Members, questions, hospital 970. I have one for the Hawai'I Board of Chiropractic, please. Ms. Araki.

So just referring to your testimony, you are asking for a delayed implementation date of July 2027 to promulgate rules.

Yes, that's correct.

What is the tip? How long does it typically take to do that?

Well, currently the board meets every other month only. And so that is why we're asking for the delayed implementation of two years so that the board can adopt the rules that to clarify on how to implement the statute.

Okay, so best case scenario is two years. Okay. And then how many chiropractic schools are there now in the state?

We have none here.

None here. Okay. Yes. Okay. Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Okay, up next we have House Bill 1185 HD1. This bill is relating to agriculture. Establishes a plant based building materials working group to study and report on how best to grow plants and develop plant based building materials in Hawaii. Appropriates funds with an effective date of 7/1/300.

Up first, Ted Bohlen, Climate Protectors Hawaii and Hawaii Reef and Ocean Coalition testifying in support.

Thank you, Chair. Vice Chair. Ted Bohlen, Hawaii Reef and Ocean Coalition and Climate Protectors Hawaii. We think this bill presents an opportunity that's kind of exciting for Hawaii, which is to have a new industry that provides green jobs both in growing and producing materials.

Currently, almost everything we build with steel and timber, concrete, really high greenhouse gas emitting. On the other hand, the plant producing materials and there's several that I mentioned in my testimony. Clumping bamboo, hempcrete, and bio cements are carbon sequestering.

So in addition to supplying a lot of green jobs, especially I think on the big island where we have the advantage of a. Hawaii has the advantage of a long growing season and a lot of water in some parts of the state which is perfect for some of these plant materials.

We can not only have materials grown here, produced here, they can be shipped at lower cost because a lot of shipping comes here and then leaves empty.

So if you build for example bamboo plywood sheets, you can fill up a container and send it off at fairly low transportation costs and saving all the transportation of bringing in trees and other and steel from the mainland. So this is a great opportunity. I urge the committee to adopt this. I'm available for questions.

Thank you for the opportunity to testify.

Okay, thank you. That's all that we have scheduled to testify in person. Anyone else in the room wishing to do so? Seeing none. Via Zoom, none either. Members, please also note we have testimony and support from the Hawaii Farm Bureau as well as 350Hawaii. Any questions? Vice Chair.

Thank you. Question for Ted. So, Ted, growing the materials is one thing. What about processing? I mean we shipping it over time gets expensive. It'd be much nicer if we could process these products in state. Are there plans in the work to look at these facilities that you're aware of?

I am aware of the bamboo, clumping bamboo people have already put pretty substantial industry in the Philippines where they not only grow it, but process it and ship it. And that's the plan that I've heard from people in this business is to do the same hemp crete.

I don't know what their plans are as well, but I think it could be produced locally and I think it should be for local use as well as for shipping out. And you know, not just shipping out the raw materials, but growing and then producing here because that's where some of the jobs are as well.

Thank you for the question.

Okay, you're welcome. Thank you. Up next we have House Bill 1337 HT1 relating to endemic plants. This bill requires UH CTAHR to establish an endemic Plant seed bank pilot program to preserve and promote the planting of plant species that are endemic to Hawaii.

Bill has a 7- 1- 3000 defective date up first we have UH CTAHR, Dean Grewal testifying with color comments.

Thank you Chair and Vice Chair for the opportunity. We do support this bill and we do have comments about this that we would we have the facilities in terms of land, but we would need to create a large scale storage facility for seed because this is not for just maintaining genetic material. This is to reforest, to reinvigorate.

So it's a kind of large scale operation. There has to be seed production occurring. So we would need some support on that. That's what I would say. For now we are supportive of this effort.

We would need to do collaboration with all the organizations that are working in this area and then envision develop a large scale storage facility and an operation to continue to grow the seed and be ready whenever it's needed. Thank you.

Okay, thank you Dean. Up next, DLNR testifying in support.

Aloha. Matt Keir, botanist with DLNR DOFA and I believe we have submitted written testimony and I'm in support for questions. Thank you.

Okay, thank you. That's all we have scheduled to testify in person. Anyone else in the room wishing to do so? Seeing none. None via Zoom as well. Members, please also know we have testimony and support from the Hawaii Farm Bureau, the Big Island Invasive Species Committee and one individual. Any questions, Members?

I have one for Dean Grewal, if you don't mind coming back up. Do you have a cost estimate to build this lab, greenhouse, storage facilities and how many FTEs you might need to effectuate this?

We haven't figured out how many people we might need, but overall we are thinking that it might be on a conservative basis, just on One Island. Around 6 million would be the cost of creating this large scale storage facility that must be refrigerated so that the seed can stay viable.

And every so often seed germination tests would need to be done. And then all those people who will be producing on different stations in different locations, they seed and then transporting them and putting them into the storage facility. Okay, so approximately 6 million to start.

Okay. And then undetermined FTEs to support it.

Oh, correct.

Okay, understood. Thank you. Just stay there. I noted in DLNR's testimony, they said Lion Arboretum at UH already has one endemic seed bank. Do you know of any other facilities in the community?

Correct. There are actually four. We learned yesterday there are four separate facilities, but they are all focused on small scale germ plasm, you know, so that we never lose the species, but they are not prepared or they don't have capacity to do the reforestation.

Understood. Okay. Thank you, Dean. Thank you Members, any other questions? House Bill 1337. Seeing none, we'll proceed on to the next bill. House Bill 1300 HD1. This bill is relating to cancer.

This Bill appropriates funds to the UH Cancer Center to conduct a multi-ethnic cohort study focusing on the social determinants of health, lifestyles, environmental exposures, and resilience factors of Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and Filipinos. Including an analysis of the health effects and risks of individuals living close—in close proximity—to landfills in Nanakuli, Oahu.

Requires the UH Cancer Center to seek federal funding to complete the study and is effective 7-1-3000. Up first, the UH System, via Zoom.

Good afternoon.

Sorry. Go ahead.

Chair, Vice Chair. Sorry, I have a cold today.

No, no.

My name is Lonnie Park. I'm a Researcher at the University of Hawaii Cancer Center, here to represent the University. We stand by our testimony in support of this Bill and are here to address any questions that you may have.

Okay, thank you very much. Up next, is the Queens Health Systems here? They registered to testify. Not seeing them. Testimony in support. Anyone here from the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network? Oh, Cynthia. Testifying in support.

Yes. Thank you, Chair, Vice Chair, and Committee Members. Cynthia Au, on behalf of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, or ACS CAN. Cancer is the leading cause of death among Asian Americans and the second leading cause among Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islander individuals. It is becoming more evident that health outcomes are impacted by social determinants—your household income, how far you are from the closest clinic, if you can take time off from work to go to a preventative screening.

But there are even more layers over where you live or where you work and whether or not you live in like a multi-generational household.

Cultural stigmas on talking about health problems and fears of going to the doctor to get checked if you live in the vicinity of a landfill, for example. These are a few factors that contribute to the disparities that we see in health outcomes and especially, cancer outcomes here in Hawaii.

Collecting data on social determinants and environmental factors of the populations of Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and Asians, including Filipinos, will help to provide much needed information on why these groups have higher rates of cancer in our state, and we need to help to find the gaps in cancer prevention and care delivery for these individuals.

Thank you for the ability to support this Bill.

Okay, thank you very much. Up next, Iron Worker Stabilization Fund, testifying in support.

Hello, Chair, Vice Chairs, Members of the Committee. My name is Cody Sula with the Iron Workers Stabilization Fund. We are in support of HB 1300. We did submit written testimony, but we just wanted to highlight a few points on our testimony. A lot of our members live on the west side, in the affected area.

And we just want to remind everyone that just a couple years ago, the CDC did do a small area life expectancy study, and they found out that people who live in that one zone near the landfills, they actually had a lot of—very susceptible to different cancers. All right.

So, we did a lot of work to create the Buffer Zone, Act 74, to make sure that we don't have that kind of hazardous waste around our communities and our schools.

So, we are in favor of this because a lot of people that live in that area not only are our members, but they are our families as well. We also believe it's not only going to help the Hawaiian Waianae coast communities, but it's also going to help underscoring the urgent need for the—sorry.

Not going to only help Waianae communities, but it's also going to inform interventions for other communities facing similar environmental challenges. So, we are in support. Thank you.

Okay. Thank you, Cody. We also have Mr. Mel Kahele scheduled to testify. Okay. Mr. Lavoy, please. Testifying in support.

Good afternoon, Mr. Chair—Mr. Chair and Committee Members. Mel Kahele couldn't make it today, so I'm here to help him out. We do—we highly support House Bill 1300. What I wanted to share with you guys today, we stand by our Bill, but I just needed you guys to understand, we just came from a Building Trade Council meeting.

We got 17 unions who have members living in the west side of the island being affected by the landfill at Nanakuli. CDC on 2018 did a study and they found that the landfill—living close to the landfill will shorten your lifespan by 10 years.

I don't know if you guys got this, but anyway, I just wanted to go through a list of the unions that supporting this Bill. We're talking about the electrical unions, elevators, the plasters, insulators, bricklayers, plumbers, sheet metals, IBEW boilermakers, ironworkers, painters, glazers, floor layers, drywall, tapers, roofing, and operating engineers.

We're talking about 35,000 people, not counting spouses and other family members. We're looking at about 140,000 people. We urge you to please pass this and thank you for your time.

Okay, thank you very much. We also have Dwayne Bautista scheduled to testify in person. Not present? Okay. Okay. He does—he does support. Thank you. Nope, not a problem. Okay. Is there anyone else in the room wishing to testify? House Bill 1300, HD 1. Okay. If not, anyone via Zoom? Okay. Seeing none.

Members, please also note we have testimony in support from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and a handful of individuals. Members, any questions? House Bill 1300, HD 1. Yes, go ahead, Vice Chair.

Is there anyone from UH, perhaps still on Zoom or from the Cancer Center?

Yes, I—I'm available for any questions.

Okay.

On Zoom, yeah.

Okay. So, you know, we—I see that federal funding will be needed to finish the study. Now, given that funding is being cut at the federal level across the board for so many critical areas, is there a contingency plan in place in the event that you are unable to get that federal funding to complete the study?

So, there are contingency plans. We will be continuing, one, we—one, we will definitely be applying through the NIH and through other mechanisms such as private funding sources, private foundations.

I know that times are different now, but we have been quite successful in being able to have continuous funding for a previous cohort and we hope to be able to use that experience for this.

Okay, so you have—so you're confident that you'll be able to get the necessary funding to complete the study then, with state support?

We are confident that we have the abilities to put in applications, in order—I'm only reluctant because the, everything changes day by day.

I understand.

But we will be trying our very best and I'm confident that we have the right team that will try.

Excellent. Okay, thank you. Please come up.

Director of the University of Hawaii Cancer Center. So, the commitment to this project is something that, as a cancer center, is a high priority because it has drove us in terms of how we—it's not just about research but leading to policy. So, and going to the next level is something that we are committed.

Yes, indeed, there is an issue from the federal side, and we recognize that, and I wish I have a cash in front of me, but that is not the case. But it is from the perspective that it's a high priority project. So, we are confident that we're able to support this continuously. So, that project will not, you know, default.

Thank you. I'm sorry, Dr. Ueno, could you come back up please? I think a prior version of the Bill requested $500,000 a year over a two-year period. Does that number sound about right in terms of the state share? Or, Dr. Park, if you want to.

Yes, yes, I will confirm it's the same amount. Thank you, Dr. Ueno. That is the same amount. $500,000 per year for a tw-year period.

Okay. And then, how much of a federal contribution would you need on top of that to succeed in this?

So, there was a NOFO that was out that would allow us to apply for $10 million over a five-year period. Whether or not that will continue is different, but there are other options that will allow us to apply for at least a $500,000 per year.

Okay. And would you need additional FTEs to do this study, or would that come with—or could you do it with your current staffing?

We could do it with our current staffing, as well as additional FTEs, depending on how quickly recruitment in enrollment goes.

Okay. Thank you, Doctor. Anything to add? Good? Yes. Is there anything you wanted to add to that? No. Okay. Thank you. Members, any other questions? House Bill 1300, HD 1. Scratching your head? All right, next Bill, Members. House Bill 736, HD 1, relating to wastewater systems.

This Bill establishes and appropriates funds for three year new wastewater system and individual wastewater system technology testing. Pilot program within the UH Water Resources Research Center. Requires interim and final reports to the Legislature. It has an effective date of 713000. Up first, we have the Department of Hawaiian Homelands not present. Submitted testimony in support.

The Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission in support.

Aloha, Chair, Vice Chair, Members of the Committee, Leah Laramie with the Hawai'I State Climate Change Mitigation Adaptation Commission. We send on our written testimony and support and available for any questions. Mahalo.

Thank you. Up next, Hawaii Reef and Ocean Coalition testifying in support.

Thank you, Chair Garrett, Vice Chair Amato and Members of the Committee, Ted Bolan for Hawaii Reef and Ocean Coalition and strong support. Cesspools are the most largest source of pollution, water pollution in Hawaii. Unfortunately, upgrading cesspools is very expensive. So this year we have focused on a number of ways to make upgrading cesspools more affordable.

And this is one of the key. This Bill is one of the key ways. We need new technologies that are cheaper than the existing ones and we're trying to get them in, but they need to be certified first and the Department of Health lacks the personnel and the expertise to do that certification.

So this Bill would supply some money for the University of Hawaii Water Resources Research Committee to investigate and to provide the Department of Health with the information they need to to make decisions on certification, evaluating the affordability, feasibility and efficiency of treatment technologies, performing tests and studies and submit results to the Department.

So this is an opportunity to have new technologies more affordable and perhaps to get More cesspools in at lower cost. So I strongly urge you to pass the Bill. Thank you for hearing it and for putting it in. Thank you.

Okay, thank you. That's all that we have scheduled to testify. Anyone else in the room wishing to do so? Sorry, Department of Health. Okay. Sorry. Testifying in support.

Yes. Chair. Vice Chair. Committee Members, this is John Nagato. Department of Health. Department stands on its written testimony support. Thank you.

Okay, thank you. Anyone else in the room? Yes, please just identify yourself, please.

Hello, Chair. Vice chairs. My name is Dr. Kim Folinsky. I'm an affiliate faculty Member at Water Resources Research center. And I'm very excited to see this Bill. Get to this point, please. I stand in strong support. Thank you very much.

Okay, thank you. So you work with Dr. Yan who submitted testimony? Correct. Okay, thank you. Okay. Anyone else in the room wishing to testify? Seeing None. Anyone via Zoom? None either. Members, please note we have testimony in support from Water Consulting Inc. The Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party.

Why Wastewater Alternatives and Innovations, and several individuals in support. Members, any questions? House Bill 736 HD1, if not. Mr. Bolan, if you wouldn't mind coming up, please. Can you just describe to the Committee some of these technologies that might be out there that haven't been certified that we might be able to incorporate one day?

Yeah, they run the gamut from individual wastewater systems to cluster sewers. Individual wastewater systems, there are different types of things that also involve plants, for example, and smaller size package systems. The current system we have is mostly septic systems. Those are very expensive, largely because you have to dig a big hole in the ground.

So you gotta get an excavator. If you can make this hole smaller or avoid excavation altogether with something on the surface, that's really great. The types of things we're talking about, do some treatment of the waste before it goes into the ground.

And so you need less of a leach field, which is another part of the expense we have. Sewers are very expensive. They're a good form of treatment, but unless you're very close to the sewer, that's very expensive. So we're looking into things that will work in neighborhoods with cluster systems.

So you have a group of homes in an area remote from the municipal sewer, but big enough to have the density to justify the expense. Another thing we're talking about on the individual wastewater system I should have mentioned is perhaps being able to use, in some instances, reuse the cesspool hole.

And if it's structurally sound and big enough, then you don't need to do the excavation there. So these are some of the things. And Stuart Coleman of Wastewater Alternatives and Innovation could tell you more.

He put in testimony I think and you could address the questions to him offline if you have more that I haven't been able to answer. Thank you for the question.

I appreciate that Nona. Thank you very much. Members, any other questions? House Bill 736 HD1. Seeing none, we'll move on to our next bill. House Bill 531 HD1 relating to special number plates. This bill authorizes the issuance of special number plates to recognize the uh, Cancer center has a defective date of 7/1/3000. Up first, Dr. Ueno with the uh, Cancer center testifying in support.

Yes, dear chair and Vice Chair and the community Members. So we stand on this testimony. This license plate will provide us one to really.

It's a fundraising system but not only that it's about visibility and it will help us to really provide let people know that the existence of University of Hawaii Cancer center as well as the person who is donating through this system allows to show the support to the cancer center.

So one is a visibility but the other is really about showing the kind of the will to really make a difference in our cancer community. So thank you very much and we strongly support this bill.

Okay, thank you Dr. Ueno. Up next, ACS can also testifying in support.

Chair, Vice Chair and Committee Member Cynthia Al on behalf of American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network or ACSCAN. Uh, Cancer center is the only national cancer Institute designated in the Pacific Area and the top 4% of cancer centers in the U.S.

specialty plates would allow supporters of the cancer center to publicly do so and create additional funds for the cancer center. Thank you.

Thank you. Is there anyone else in the room wishing to testify? No one Via Zoom. Members, please note we have two testimonies from individuals in support. Members, any questions? House Bill 531 HD1. Okay. If not. Dr. Ueno, since you came all the way over here, might as well ask you a few questions.

Do you have any projections how much money you might be able to raise with this kind of a special plate?

So it's probably less than 100,000 or plus minus in that area. Okay, thank you.

Members, any other questions? Seeing none, we'll move on to our last Bill of the day. House Bill 1494 actually proposed HD2. Members, if you'll just indulge me before we go into this. I did receive prior concurrence from the Water and Land Chair to essentially undo his amendments that were made in the Water and Land Committee.

I just wanted to, as the introducer of this Bill, just kind of explain where I'm coming from in terms of introducing this. There might be some misinformation or people might misunderstand why I did so.

My interest in introducing this Bill was just to make sure that UH Football's interests were protected in the event that the NASAD project, for whatever reason might not proceed. Just to make it clear, I'm not rooting for NASAD to fail, but I think it's important and prudent that we have a backup plan.

Backup plan in the event that it doesn't go through. So, UH again, UH's Football program's interests are protected. So with that up first. I'm sorry, I should read out the description again. This is a proposed HD2. It's a little lengthy, but bear with me.

This Bill lapses appropriations of GO bonds previously authorized for the planning, design and construction of a stadium in Halawa by the Stadium Authority. Transfer certain special Fund monies earmarked for the development of a new stadium in Halawa to the General Fund.

Authorizes the issuance of GO Bonds for a new stadium at the University of Hawaii at Manoa campus. Renames the Stadium Authority as the Halawa Redevelopment Authority and the Stadium Development District as the Halawa Redevelopment District. Amends the powers and duties of the Halawa redevelopment authority. Effective 7/01/3000. Members, again, that's the proposed HD2 that we're debating today.

So with that up first, we have DBEDT testifying in strong support.

Strong. The second word is a little different.

Testifying in opposition.

With. With all due respect to the Chair and the Committee, yes, you have my testimony. We have. We're in opposition. Strong opposition to this Bill. But we still want to work with you to figure out how can. And hopefully we can come to some direction.

Because as I said in the last Committee, you know, everybody probably remembers, if they were old like me and some of these guys are old like me when, UH played BYU and the stadium was rocking and its 50,000 people. We know that we won't build a stadium that will have 50,000 people.

But we need to come close because I think, we think, the people of Hawaii deserve something of that stature. And so for that and other reasons, and you have my testimony, we're in opposition. But Chair, we would really appreciate the opportunity to work with you going forward on how we come up with solutions.

So thank you for this opportunity.

Of course. Thank you, Director. Up next, comptroller also testifying in opposition.

Chair, Vice Chair, Members, Keith Regan, Comptroller for the State of Hawaii, Department of Accounting and General Services. We stand on our written testimony in opposition to this measure and look forward to answering any questions that you or the Members may have. Mahalo.

There might be one or two. Up next, the Stadium Authority also testifying in opposition.

Good afternoon, Chair, Vice Chair and Members of the Committee, Chris Sarayasu, interim stadium Manager with the Stadium Authority. We stand in our written testimony in opposition. Thank you.

Okay, thank you. Up next, University of Hawaii system providing comments.

Thank you. Chair, University of Calvert Young, Vice President for Budget and Finance for the University System. University has provided comments in our testimony on the proposed HD2. And you know, we reiterate, we support the NACED project.

We are expecting and relying on the state to be able to deliver on the NACED project timely and to reduce the impacts that have already been felt to the University. And, uh, football. Thank you.

Okay, thank you. Mr. Young, is there anyone else in the room wishing to testify? Seeing none. Anyone via Zoom? None. Members, please note we have testimony opposition from the General Contractors Association of. I'm sorry, General Contract Contractors Association of Hawaii in opposition and one individual testifying in support. And I promise I had nothing to do with that.

Okay, Members, questions. House Bill 1494. And Members, just remind everyone that the scope of this Committee is higher education. So if you could narrow your questions to. To that. To the jurisdiction of this Committee Members. Any questions? You're. Let me have all the fun. Okay, Mr. Young, please.

Okay, can you just talk me through the impact of the closure of Aloha stadium back in 2020? Was, uh, given any advance warning about that?

I don't believe so. Certainly not advanced to the point where the University was able to plan for scheduling or anticipating a new venue. So the contests and the location of the contests are determined. You know, we're talking years in advance.

So closing Aloha Stadium as quickly as it happened affected a lot of state programs that utilize the stadium. But for the University of Hawaii, because of these planned contests into multiple seasons forward, that was a significant impact. Yeah.

Okay. And then did the state give any money to, uh, to come up with this temporary stadium at Chingfield?

So to start in 20 in order to. The University was notified In January of 2020, I believe, that Aloha Stadium was no longer going to be available. But that was roughly eight months before the start of the 2020 season.

And that was also, you know, trying to get whatever needed to be done to put Ching Field into a condition to hold contests was very Short. The Legislature was in session, but that session, the 2020 session was cut short because of COVID and also did not result in any funding to the University for Ching Field.

Okay, and then how much did it cost to construct this temporary bleachers and whatnot to make Qingfield playable?

I'm going to look over to Jango via. So my understanding or recollection on the order Magnet. So there was three phases, right. In 2020 it was to expand Qing Field from its permanent configuration which was once there was concrete seating if you will, that was like 2,500 seats, but only on one side of the field.

So the initial, the first year was to add another 2500 temporary bleachers as seating to bring that number up to 5,000 or 7,500. No, the first, the first initial year, 10,000.

And I think the order of magnitude for that was in the neighborhood about 14 million, a portion of which came from philanthropy or donors and then the other portion was from University funds. Then in the second year it was to expand it to 15,000 and that was by growing the.

Primarily in the sideline, I'm sorry, in the end zones. That was another 15,000 around there. 15,000, I'm sorry, $15 million.

Yeah.

And then the last has been, you know, all the other additions for the amenity scoreboards, the know, all the other type of support and the maintenance that is required to maintain what was constructed as a temporary facility.

So Ching Field always was anticipated as a temporary facility because uh, and the state was committed that Aloha Stadium was going to get rebuilt for, in time for the 2026 contest when it closed in 2020. Right. Or 2024 contest. 2024 contest when it closed in 2020.

So uh, we really only was targeting that this was a temporary arrangement that we only needed to construct for a temporary situation. So that's, I would say the amount of money that was put into it was, you know, very Low because we didn't want to make that large investment.

But now we fast forward, you know, it's been just about four or five years and Aloha Stadium is now. Brendan has promised me it was 2028. I think that's like currently the status of the official delivery date. 2028. Fall, fall 2029. So let's say 2029 for the 2029 contest. So we're, we're in that 48 month window.

So you know, that's long, that's a longer window than what we've had to deal with at Ching Field currently so, yeah.

Okay, so how much shelf life is left in the temporary bleachers? You said. About, well, five more years. From today or from the time it was installed. Yes, sorry. If you could just identify yourself for the record and just.

Jan Govea, Vice President for Administration at the University of Hawaii. So that the original shelf life is 10 years. So we're already into five year five. And we've only got really about five more years left of the bleachers. The hospitality suites had a five year shelf life, so the hospitality suites will need to be replaced.

If not this year, then next year. I should also add that other impacts to the University have been on our track team. Our track field had to be displaced. Our track team got displaced. And so we are.

In addition to the funding that was already invested by the University, an additional 15 million has been invested to deliver a new track and soccer stadium. And that's just the CIP impact. There's been a lot of operational impacts to existing staff that had to take this on, take on large events as additional duties.

Okay. So even in the best case scenario of a 2028 opening for the new stadium, uh, would still need to invest additional monies to replace at least the hospitality suites.

Okay.

Do you have a cost estimate for that?

I'd say anywhere. Be 750,000. Probably right around there.

It's a relatively Low amount.

Yeah, less than a million.

Okay, thank you. Mr. Young, if I could ask you to come back up. So I know publicly the stadium authority has said in the past that they would give a better deal. Deal to, uh.

Because I believe the prior arrangement at the old Aloha Stadium was that uh, didn't really get a cut of the parking, the revenue, I'm sorry, the concessions and whatnot. Um, to what extent have there been discussions with uh, and the stadium authority on what a new deal might look like?

Um, I, I am not aware of what those discussions would look like. Our, the University's expectation is that in addition to having a venue to play, that the conditions to play there would be favorable to the University and the state to afford us the ability to play there. So.

But I haven't been involved in any of those discussions if they have been occurring.

Mr. Morocc, is there anything you wanted to add to that as a stadium authority chair? Understood. Yeah. Chris, if you don't mind coming up just. If you could just share to what extent you've had discussions with the University on what that arrangement might look like.

Sure. And thank you. So they. We have put in the RFP Some of the initial terms of the license agreement, which would be no worse than what they had before, which is no rent. They pay operating expenses like security, parking, staff, that type of thing, and cleanup.

But part of the deal would be revenue sharing, which is advertisements and the like. But parking was being paid for, but they could resell. Uh, could. And then also all ticket receipts would go to uh, for. For the game. So that would continue, but no rent would continue as well. Got it. Okay, thanks for clarifying.

Let's see here. Sorry, Mr. If you come back up. Sorry. We only have one microphone there. No table either. I think everyone assumes that uh is going to play at this stadium. Is there any scenario at which, uh decides, you know what, this doesn't make sense for us to leave Chingfield and to play at the new stadium?

Or basically, what would uh, need to guarantee that they would play their games at the new stadium?

Um, so athletics is not my area. But thinking about from like a business, operations, financial perspective, I would. I would expect that there are things that need to be worked out and there could be a potential scenario, while remote, where uh, it wouldn't make sense for uh to go back. So financially, if the arrange.

If the deal that is to be constructed costs the University more money or cost the athletics program more money than it currently playing at Ching Field, you know, Ching Field was the base case. That would be a hard.

That wouldn't be that sensical to go to a situation where we would lose more money or intend knowingly to lose more money. Availability is another thing. Availability of the stadium. The expectation would be that the University and its opponents would have unfettered use of the stadium to prepare for the contests.

I think that that is really the day of the contest itself and one or two days prior to the contest. So we're talking eight contests a year. What is that? Like maybe 24 days of the year. But it's always the. It's a Saturday. The games are always a Saturday. And then you're talking about Thursday, Friday.

So having the availability, that would be an issue. And then the overall, you know, again, coming back to the finances, the overall, like revenue structure. So there's a lot of the licensing, the advertisements, the ticket sales, the concessions, the parking, all the operational support, the contest costs, they go on.

So putting all that together, again, that's like the finances about what would make sense. And the stadium authority only controls a portion of that. The stadium operator, if it's a private entity, they will control a different one. And they both have different aspects of the business deal and the University would have to work through with both of.

Them because ultimately the uh would strike a deal with the operator, not with the stadium authority.

So I, I, I don't know how this, how the arrangement will eventually be structured, but that's potentially one arrangement if, if there is a private entity that's operating.

Yeah.

Chris, is there anything you wanted to add to that? If that's correct. So if you could just come to the microphone so people on YouTube can hear you.

It would be with the operator, but the stadium authority would be ultimate be responsible as well working with them. So it'd be like a tri party agreement.

So you would sign off on the. Yes. Okay, thank you. Thanks for confirming that. Mr. Young. Again, if you don't mind coming back up playing musical chairs there. You know, some of the testifiers did say that they believe an EIS would be needed to make a new stadium at uh.

Is that your understanding if the new stadium so to, so to speak at the campus was just basically fortifying Ching Field, would an EIS be triggered for that?

I think the depending on the extent of the improvements that need to be done at the facility would need to. Is part of the analysis of determining whether or not there should be an EIS done or not.

So it's not, I would say it's not an automatic that there are factors that get taken into consideration primarily around I would think traffic, any impacts to the community that depending on the extent of what those impacts are, would then become part of the analysis of whether an EIS needs to be done.

Okay, thank you. Again, just as a hypothetical question, you know this current proposed HD2 does redirect the 350. 350 million to the University. Have you folks done any planning as to what that might get? If this is, if that is a sufficient amount to make Ching Field permanent or to. Sorry, go ahead.

Yeah. So our within the University are assessment which is. I wouldn't say it's scientifically precise but our assessment is that for if hypothetically. If hypothetically uh got to put. Got put to constructing a Stadium and 350 million as appropriated in this Bill was the number it is possible to complete a Stadium for 350 million.

However, as I mentioned in a testimony, I'm going to caveat that right before everybody gets too excited about it. We know we cannot construct what is being contemplated at nasaid with the 350 million at UH Manoa.

When I say that we could, we, we guarantee that we can construct a stadium that's pretty Much all the guarantee is I'm making no commitments that this is going to be 15,20,25,000, that it's going to have individual seating, rooftop.

You know, there's Nothing that for 350 million we can conclude a stadium that would meet UH's football, NCAA needs. That's it. And it could be available for other, you know, football contests, high school or whatever, but it's not everything that is being contemplated at NASA is, Is far greater than just that basic utility.

Yeah.

Okay. And then if you were, again, hypothetically speaking, would that require the closure of Ching Field and then you would renovate this at once, or do you envision a scenario where you could possibly do this in phases where games could continue on?

I think that's one of the concerns is that it would take 10 years or so to build a stadium from scratch.

Well, I think depending on the approach, it wouldn't take 10 years. I mean, but it would take multiple years and it. It would span across multiple seasons. So it would have to be in phases. One approach, the cheapest approach we think is to harden the existing Ching Field configuration.

So where there's temporary bleachers, Harden that so that they become permanent or semi permanent. That might be the cheapest alternative. But it may not result in the same number of seats that currently exists there. And it would also require additional amenities. Right. So locker rooms, concession stands, you know, toilets, you know, all that, other physical plants. So.

But can it be done? We believe it can be done for the price, but again, it's not going to be the same level of expectation for a stadium.

Okay, thank you for all that. Again, just acknowledging that's a hypothetical scenario, but I'm glad you've at least done some contingency planning just as a backup plan. Just last question. If, for again, whatever reason the NASA project does not go through, the money would lapse 6:30 of this year, June 30th.

What would the impact of that be on, uh.

Yeah, so from a athletics operation and a business operation, that would be detrimental because we would be left on July 1st with no plan or vision as to what is supposed to be the stadium solution for, uh.

So it has already been said that the University of Hawaii football complex, the Ching Field State, is literally the worst venue in the entire Division 1A. We're talking about 200 schools. So it is the worst. But again, it was only intended to be temporary.

But if we are left come July 1 without at least the prospect of having a solution by 2028 or 2029. That means we will go 10 years into what is a temporary, what was already originally a temporary arrangement. That is not a good. It's not good for NCAA.

It's not good for UH's competitiveness in the conference, the, the sports, conferences that UH plays in. We already know there's a lot of conference alignments happening, realignments happening nationally. It is absolutely not good for recruitment and it is not good for current student athletes safety. So recruitment wise, I already know that it's been. It.

It has increased the difficulty and the challenge to recruit for uh, because frankly, I think some high school stadiums in Texas are better than, or show better than Chinkfield. Right. So it's hard. That comparison is just. Just hard. So again, that's why uh, we are relying on the state executing, they said, because it is the quickest path.

It is also the farthest along milestone. If we have to start on July 1, it's not that it couldn't be done. And we certainly, uh, we would try to beat 10 years easily, but that's a very bad scenario if NASA does not get ignited by July, by July 1st.

Okay, thank you, Mr. Young. Members, any other questions? And thank you for indulging my line of questioning. zero, yes, go ahead. Representative Morocco.

Hey, Mr. Young. Thank you. Lifelong, uh, fan. I thank the chair for introducing this Bill. I, I just wanted to make a comment that I, I have been there at the BYU game. I was all the way back as a, you know, when Glenn Freitas was our quarterback and even before that.

But I still go to the games now, and I, I personally feel like Ching Complex is a much more electrifying experience. I mean, the students are there, the seats are full. When you go to the stadium on an average year, it's so empty. It's almost like, as a coach myself, it's almost like a morale killer.

So just comments. You know, when I go to Ching Complex and you see those seats full, the players on the field, they react to that? Yeah, no, no.

And to be clear, there definitely have been positives that this exercise has, you know, shown. And your comments are not alone. I mean, I don't go to football games. I previously haven't, but I have heard from a lot of season ticket holders and students that do, and they echo some of the same comments.

It's a more intimate experience for the amount of money that we did spend on Ching Field. It actually shows very nice on TV. I guess until you go there in person, you see the whole thing. But, you know, definitely there are.

There are positives and some of those things are, you know, we hope we wouldn't lose that in going back to Aloha Stadium. But I do know that we struggled to get students to go to Aloha Stadium.

I mean literally give them free a bento lunch and a free ticket and a bus ride out there and we still struggled. I was gonna say that the students showing up at Chink Field because it's on campus, connecting convenience definitely is a positive and there's a different vibe to the games, I suppose. Yeah.

So yeah, that's very much appreciated. Thank you Representative.

Question?

Yes, Representative Kila. Thank you Chair. If cover let me just start and then I'll get to where I'm going. I, I, I have the position and maybe it's not the same as that.

Sports doesn't always have to operate in, in the case that it's a return on investment or breaking even because I think sometimes the money is spent, maybe money spent or lost here, but we gain it elsewhere. Right. And to the extent that I don't care if uh winning or not, but to what Rep.

Moroca and I think Rep. Chair Garrett has shared on several occasions that when you increase student morale, these students are the ones that think highly of their education expense experience at the University. They then turn into the donors that Fund many different things at the University.

And so I'm aware of maybe upfront investment but would you potentially have the same sentiment that upfront loss have a long term reinvestment that there's not necessarily a fiscal dollar you can put on?

I certainly can appreciate the qualitative values that benefit the University and the state athletics. You know most Division 1 athletic programs, whether they have football or don't lose money, I mean they're not self sustaining. UH is in that very large so I always say UH is not in athletics for uh it this is a state level issue.

So yes, I totally agree. I can find, if I had to I could find the qualitative values that benefit that make it make sense for why the University would play its contests on campus or in Halawa.

On the business side though, the reality is we are striving that UH athletics can put together the financial construct where it could be in the minority of at least being self sustaining or not rely on so much non athletic funding from the University or from the state for that matter. That's a very steep hill.

If this was the question put to a stadium in Halawa with Nasad or on campus. I'm not viewing it as money maker but it has to make sense for whatever all of these things, the quantifiable benefits as well as the qualitative benefits in the issue of. For NASA, the big value is it's the farthest along.

Where it is now is the farthest it's been the last four years. There's a chance that, you know, it can get executed, and it could get executed faster than if the University took this on starting July 1st alleged.

I mean, I hear your point, Ray, but I think my sentiment is that this is like our last breathing attempt for NASA, because if we are all stewards of taxpayer money, I think if this goes in the way that it may, there is no way the taxpayers will allow us to.

To potentially even consider this project ever again. And I think to your sentiment, as farthest along than NASA may be, if we don't have a backup plan, but also kind of just actually thinking what the possibilities are, I think we would be failing our constituents.

And I don't want to speak for everyone, but I think that's the position I would have. And when I'm meeting, I had the privilege to meet with some of your athletic coaches, and they tell me, like, how do you sell a school to a potential athlete when you tell them, hey, your stadium is seven miles away?

And they're. I mean, it plays totally into the realm of recruitment and retention. And so I can understand the sentiment that Nayset is the furthest along, but I think in the line of questioning at our last higher education hearing at the University of Manoa was when I asked your interim ad.

I mean, there is potential for, uh, to not be bleeding so much if things are kept in House, right? There's always that upfront fiscal investment that's going to occur, but the fact that there's over, I would say, smaller overhead, not total loss of overhead. There's just a better potential path forward.

So I think all your answers today have helped where I think we're trying to go. So.

Yeah, no, I appreciate your insight. I think all of us also appreciate that, you know, this has a, like a Plan B opportunity, you know, for what it makes sense.

So you don't want it as Plan A?

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

Thank you, J.

Causing trouble. Members, any other questions? Thank you for support. Okay. If not, we will recess. Thank you.

Okay. Hello, everyone. Reconvening the House Committee on Higher Education for purposes of decision making. Members, thank you for participating in today's discussion on. Let's see, it was a total of seven bills.

So starting with the first bill, House Bill 970. Members, this is a bul- bill relating to chiropractic and specifying when chiropractic studets- students can engage in clinical practice as part of their instruction. So the chair's recommendation for this bill is to pass it with an HD1 incorporating the suggested amendments from the Chiropractic Board.

Let me read that out to you. So in subsection D on page two, it will read as follows.

Not withstanding any other law to the contrary, nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit a student enrolled in a qualified chiropractic college from engaging in clinical practice under the direct supervision of a qualified licensed chiropractor as part of the student's educational program.

The board shall adopt rules to specify the requirements for a qualified chiropractic college, specify the requirements for direct supervision of a qualified licensed chiropractor and defined clinical practice.

The board did request a delayed implementation of July 2027, but what we'll do is reflect that request in the committee report and instead add a defective date of July 1, 3000 to facilitate further discussion. We'll also be making some technical, non substantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency and style. Members, any questions, comments or concerns?

Seeing none. Vice chair for The vote please. HD1.

Thank you, chair. Voting on HB 970. Chair's recommendation is to pass with amendments. Chair and vice chair vote aye. [roll call]

Thank you. Chair, your recommendation is adopted.

Okay, thank you, members. Up next, House Bill 1185, HD1 relating to agriculture. This is a bill regarding the Plant Based Building Materials Working Group. This is a bill that came over to us from the Agriculture and Food Systems Committee.

I'll note that it already has a defective date, but we will propose the chair proposes an HD2 to make some technical substantive amendments proposed by HMSO for purposes of clarity, consistency and style. Members, any discussion? Seeing none. Vice chair for the vote please. HD2.

Thank you, chair. Voting on HB 1185, HD1. Chair's recommendation is to pass with amendments noting the excused absence of Representative Sayama. Are there any members voting with reservations? Any members voting no? Thank you, chair. Your recommendation is adopted.

Okay, thank you very much. Members, next bill. House Bill 1337 relating to endem- endemic plants. This is the one that requires UHCTAHR to establish Endemic Plant Seed Bank Pilot Program. Members, this is a bill again, we've also received from the Agriculture and Food Systems Committee. Chair notes that this bill already has a defective date.

It does not have an appropriation currently, but in the committee report we will reflect that. CTAHR estimates that it would cost roughly 6 million to jumpstart this program. So the chair recommends at this point that it be passed out as is. Members, any discussion? Seeing none. House Bill 1337 HD1 as is. Vice chair for the vote please.

Thank you chair. Voting on HB 1337 HD1. Chair's recommendation is to pass as is. Noting the excused absence of Representative Sayama for the remainder of the hearing. Are there any members voting no? Any members with reservations? Thank you Chair. Your recommendation is adopted.

Okay, thank you members. Next bill. House Bill 1300 HD1 relating to cancer. This is the one for the UH Cancer center to conduct a multi ethnic cohort study focusing on the social determinants of health. This bill we received from the Health Committee. It already has a blank appropriation and a defective date.

We can note in the committee report that the estimates for the state share would be 500,000 per year over a two year period and it already has a defective effective date. So with that, the chair's recommendation is to pass as is. Members, any discussion?

Yes, Representative Kila.

I do want to. I just want to thank you for hearing the measure and acknowledging how important this- this- this measure is. Because I think several iterations to fund a study like this has been attempted in my last two years here at the Legislature.

Just quick comment chair.

And so to see it get as far as it has this year, acknowledging all the social determinants of health alongside the idea of folks living in close proximity to landfills on the- in the island of Nana- on the island of Oahu and Nanakuli. I- I really am thankful and I hope that we can see this measure through. So thank you.

I hope so too. Thank you. Rep. Kila. Any other discussion? Seeing none. Vice chair for the vote please. As House Bill 1300 HD1 as is.

Voting on HB 1300 HD1. Chair's recommendation is to pass as is. Are there any members voting no? Are there any members with reservations? Thank you chair. Your recommendation is adopted.

Okay, thank you members. Next bill, House Bill 736 HD1 relating to wastewater systems. This is a bill that requires or establishes and appropriates funds for a three year new wastewater system and technology pilot program within UH's West. I'm sorry, Water Resources Research Center. A lot of testimony on this one. This one came over from the EEP Committee.

You know, the testimony from members or from various individuals noted that there's roughly 80,000 cesspools and this just isn't in coastal areas. I was surprised to learn that there's actually several in my district in Manoa and Tantless. And we'll note in the Committee report that UH's estimate cost estimate is $745,325 for a three year period.

Noting that the bill already has a blank appropriation and a defective date. Chair's recommendation is to pass this as is. Members, any discussion?

I just want to say thank you chair. This is an incredibly important bill to my district with many cesspools as well. Thank you.

Understood. You're very welcome. Members, any other discussion? Seeing none. Vice chair for the vote please. House Bill 736 HD1 as is.

Voting on HB 736 HD1. Chair's recommendation is to pass as is. Are there any members voting no? Are there any members with reservations? Seeing none. Thanks chair, your recommendation is adopted.

Okay, thank you members. Next bill, House Bill 531 HD1. This is the bill authorizing special number plates for to recognize the UH Cancer Center. This is a bill that came over from the Culture and Arts Committee. You know noting Dr.

Ueno said it might raise $100,000 which isn't the highest amount but you know recognizing UH Cancer Center needs all the support it can get. And this would be a good license plate just to show support for- from the community and UH Cancer Center's mission to beat cancer.

So with that members this bill already does not have an appropriation and already has a defective date. So with that the chair's recommendation is to pass as is. Members any discussion?

Just thank you for this because you know, sometimes it's not about all the money you can bring in. Sometimes it really is about raising public awareness. So I'm excited about this one. Thank you chair.

Well said. Thank you vice chair. Any other discussion? Seeing none. Vice chair for the vote please. House Bill 531 HD1 as is.

Voting on HB 531 HD1. Chair's recommendation is to pass as is. Any members voting with reservations? Any members voting no? Thank you chair. Your recommendation is adopted.

Okay, thank you members. Last item on the agenda for today, House Bill 1494 on the proposed HD2. Again, just want to thank you folks for indulging my line of questioning. I'm the first one to acknowledge that building a stadium at UH Manoa is not the ideal solution. I recognize a lot of work has already gone into NASED.

That being said, I think it's important for the Legislature as stewards of taxpayer dollars to have a backup plan in the event, however unlikely it may be, that NASED does not go through. I think it's important that we have UH football's interest protected.

And I think this Bill serves as that off ramp to allow us to address this this session in the event that NASED does not go through again for any reason. So again, I think this bill just buys us some time and you know, we'll see what happens in next few months as the NASED project moves along.

So with that, members, any discussion? Okay, seeing none. House Bill 1494 HD2. Vice chair for the vote please.

Thank you, chair. Voting on HB 1494 HD1. Chair's recommendation is passed with amendments. Are there any members voting no? Are there any members that have reservations? Thank you. Reservations for Representative Olds. Thank you, chair. Your recommendation is adopted.

Okay, thank you members. That bill will go on to finance and we'll leave it with them to figure out the best course forward. Members, please also note we have one item from our that was deferred from Wednesday, February 5th. This is House Bill 1352, you'll recall

this is the bill regarding the Ihoanamoelelo program at the University of Hawaii. We deferred this bill because the language did not exactly specify in the bill what the money would go toward. So we did speak with Dean Osorio at the UH, Hawaiianuiakea School of Hawaiian Knowledge as well as a bill introducer to fig- to specify those positions.

So the HD1 that we did circulate to the committee a few days ago is. It did specify those positions. So for the record is for a graduate assistant, undergraduate writers and a new website domain.

So for the HD1, we will reflect those three positions or those three items, but we will blank out the appropriation and put in the amount in the committee report for the Finance Committee's consideration should they choose to schedule it. And lastly, we'll add a defective date of 7-1-3000 to facilitate further discussion. Members, any questions, comments, concerns?

Seeing none. Vice chair for The vote please. HD1. House Bill 1352. Apologies.

Thank you, chair. Voting on HB 1352. Chair's recommendation is to pass with amendments. Are there any members voting no? Any members who have reservations? Thank you chair. Your recommendation is adopted.

Okay, thank you members. This will be our last hearing for the rest of this month. We'll reconvene after first decking and we'll see what kind of senate bills come over. Meeting is adjourned. Thank you.