House Floor

Will the house come to order? Mr. Clerk, please call the roll.

[Roll Call]

Thank you. Let's go on to item number two. Reading of the journal. Representative Morikawa.

Madam Speaker, may this matter be deferred.

So ordered. Item number three. Messages from the Governor. Mr. Clerk, are there any messages from the Governor?

Madam Speaker, there are none.

Thank you. Item number four. Senate Communications. Mr. Clerk, are there any Senate communications?

Madam Speaker, there are none.

Let's move on to introductions. Members, are there any introductions? Representative Tam.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. In the gallery today we have our friend from common cause, Cameron Hurt. Cameron, please stand and welcome to your House of Representatives.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, we are honored to welcome five distinguished guests. Guests, please stand as I call your name to be recognized. First, from the Republic of the Philippines, Department of Foreign affairs, we are joined by Ms. Maribel Balajai, the head Diplomat Ambassador serving the San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte area.

To provide some context, Hawaii shares a deep historical and cultural connection with Ilocos Norte. Many of our first Filipino immigrants who worked in the Hawaii plantations came from this area, and a majority of the population are their descendants.

Also joining us in the gallery we have the United Sun Nicolanians USA, a national hometown organization dedicated to preserving and strengthening their cultural heritage. At this time, I'd like to recognize Ms. Rosemary Kayanan Aquino, Public Relations Officer, Ms. Kathy Marcos Kayanan, Board of Directors, Ms. Pamela Espejo, Member, and Ms. Mary Jane Sales, guest from Maui.

Lastly, thanks to the support of the chairs of the Filipino Caucus, we invite everyone to a meet and greet at 1pm in room 423. Members, please join me in giving them a warm welcome to your Hawaii House of Representatives. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'd like to acknowledge and welcome one of my constituents, Eduardo Hernandez, who's also the policy advocate. I'm sorry, Advocacy Director for the Hawaii Bicycling League. Thank you. Welcome to your House of Representatives.

Are there any further introductions? If not, we're going to call for a recession.

It's.

We're going to go to the order of the day. Item number five, reports of standing committees. Representative Todd.

Madam Speaker, I move to adopt Standing Committee reports numbers 183 through 247 as listed on pages one through. And that the accompanying House bills, as amended, pass second reading and be referred to their designated committees.

Representative Morikawa. Madam Speaker, I second the motion. Any discussion on these items beginning with HSCR number 183.

Madam Speaker. Recession.

We're at standing Committee report number 183. Standing report 184. Next page, top of page two. Standing Committee report 185.

Madam Speaker.

Representative Pierick, the previous measure. No vote on 184. No vote for Representative Pierick. We're on standing Committee report number 185. Representative Belatti.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. With reservations. Brief comment, please proceed. Thank you. Same reservations is those that I raised with hospital. 139. House draft one stand income report number 65 yesterday. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you.

SCRN. 186. 187. Representative Garcia, no vote. Representative Pierick.

Sorry. For the previous measure. 186, no vote.

Okay, we're on 187. So for 187, you're talking about 186. Okay. 186. No vote for Representative Pierick. 187. 188. Top of page three.

Madam Speaker.

Representative Peric.

For 188. No vote.

Okay. Representative Pierick, no vote for 188. We're going to. 189. 190. 191. Representative Garcia, no vote. 192. We're on the top of page four. Standing Committee report number 193. Representative Pierick, no vote. 194. 195. Top of page five. Standing Committee report number 196. Representative Pierick, no vote. Representative Garcia, same request. 197. 198.

197. No vote.

Representative Souza, for 198.

I would like to make a disclosure. Madam Speaker.

Please proceed.

My brother is the Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees and the chair of the Committee on Investment and Land Management of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. And this bill appropriates monies to the Office of Hawaiian affairs to facilitate the hiring of necessary staff and the purchase of equipment and professional services.

On behalf of the Public Land Trust Working Group.

Thank you. Thank you. And no, no conflict as mentioned earlier. Thank You. We're going to go on to the top of page six. Standing Committee report number 199. 200. 201. 202. Representative Garcia, no vote. Top of page seven. Standing Committee report number 203. Representative Pierick, no vote. 204. 205. We're on the top of page eight.

Signing Committee report 206. Representative Pierick, no vote. Representative Garcia, with reservations. Representative Shimizu.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. No vote. Please.

Signing Committee report number 207. Representative Pierick. Representative Garcia, no vote. Signing Committee report 208. 209. Top of page nine. Standing Committee report 210. Representative Amato.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. With reservations.

Standing Committee report 211. 212. 213. Representative Amato, reservations. Representative Garcia, with reservations. Top of page 10. Standing Committee Report 214. Representative Pierick, no vote. 215. 216. 217. Representative Pierick, no vote. Top of page 11. Standing Committee Report 218. 219. 220. Representative Garcia, no vote. Representative Muraoka, no vote. Representative Shimizu.

Thank you, Madam Chair. With reservations, please.

Okay, moving on to 221. Representative Pierick, no vote. Representative Garcia, no vote. Representative Muraoka, no vote. Representative Belatti.

Thank you, Madam Speaker; In strong support.

Please proceed.

Madam Speaker, this bill, now more than ever is going to be critical. And I know that it's unusual to stand up and speak on second reading, but this bill, this bill is really important.

This bill seeks to impose greater taxes on people who are selling properties that are between six and ten million dollars. Who can afford six million to ten million dollar properties? Only the uber wealthy amongst us. But that's not the only reason to support this bill with full heart and support behind it.

It's also because of what we create with the special Fund through a supportive housing special Fund where we will dedicate 8% or ten million dollars to. Why is this important to me as the chair on the Committee of Public Safety? What did we hear over the last few days? We need more supportive housing.

This is the bill that could do that. Madam Speaker, last week we experienced chaos caused by an Administration far from these shores threatening to take away funds from nonprofit organizations that provide rent to supportive housing projects. That threat is still there. We need bills like this to move for the working class local families of this state.

Who cannot afford six million dollar residential properties. Who cannot afford the ten million dollar residential properties. This measure is what Sets us apart and makes us and helps us to ensure that we protect our social safety net. So in strong support. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you. Any further comments? Representative Perruso?

Madam Speaker, in strong support. And I'd like to enter the words of my colleague from Makiki into the record as if they were my own. So noted.

Any further comments? Representative Hussey?

Madam Speaker, same request. Thank you.

So ordered. Representative Alcos.

Speaker, with reservations and please proceed. I like to see that we tax higher outside investors or foreign investors, but making it higher taxes on local families that invested their life savings to better themselves and even tax them higher. I feel that the local people should we be protecting instead of increasing taxes for them.

And thank you so much.

Any further comments? Okay.

Representative Matsumoto, with reservations and permission to insert written comments to the Journal.

In support and permission to insert writing comments.

So ordered. Okay, moving on to page 12. Standing Committee report number 222. 223. Representative Garcia Standcom.

So ordered. Thank you. Representative Souza.

222 with reservations.

Okay. Stancom report number 223. Representative Pierick, no vote. Representative Garcia, no vote. Standcom report number 224. Representative Pierrick, no vote. Representative Garcia, same request. Standcom report number 225. Representative Pyrrick, no vote. Representative Garcia, no vote. Representative Moraoka, no vote. Moving on to page 13. Stand Committee report number 226. Representative Garcia, no vote. Representative Moroka, no vote.

Stand Committee Report 227. 228. Representative Garcia, no vote. Representative Pierick, no vote. Top of page 14. Stand Committee report.

The appropriate time can go back to 228.

Sure. Let's go back to 228.

With reservations.

Thank you. 228 with reservation with reservations.

Representative Shimizu.

Representative Reyes Oda.

Thank you. Madam Speaker. 228. No vote. Please.

Okay. Representative Alcos, no vote. Moving on to top of page 14. Standing Committee report number 229. 230. 231. Representative Garcia, no vote. Representative Pierick, no vote. Representative Muraoka.

No vote.

Representative Shimizu, no vote.

Please.

Representative Alcos, no vote. Representative Reyes Oda. Reservations. We're at the top of page 15. Standing Committee Report 232. Representative.

Madam Speaker, at the appropriate time, may we please go back to 230?

Sure. Let's do that right now. Go right ahead.

Thank you. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition that this bill will pass along. Wildfire negligence costs from HECO to Consumers A tariff rider is a supplemental charge on a utility bill that is not included in the base rate.

Section B3 of this bill says the PUC may create a non bypassable wildfire discrete tariff rider recovery charge and other financing costs where the recovery charge, meaning this cost can be passed on to consumers and also via securitization would allow HECO to sell unpaid utility debt collections from broken or in debt Maui families to finance this.

There's a fundamental disconnect with having a public utility that is privately owned and operated for profit. The fiducial responsibility for profit generation is at odds with good safe service service at Low cost. Which explains why we have antiquated distribution on Maui yet the highest rates in the entire country.

Considering that in Hawaii we have the highest electric costs in the nation, I think it's time we reconsider for profit public utilities when taxpayers have to bail them out. And at a minimum, as a body, we ought not to let a for profit entity pass along its debt via supplemental charges to those it serves.

In times of imminent oligarchy, I urge us to be working for the people who put us in office, not for the corporations. It is time we stand up for the rights of the middle class. Please join me in voting no on this utility securitization bill.

Point of order, Madam Speaker. Ask that you strike the word immediate oligarchy. Thank you.

Representative Garcia.

Madam Speaker. Recess Recession.

Calling us back to order. Representative Amato.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I apologize for my microphone. I would like to please change my words from-- please strike "oligarchy" and change it to "given the current administration".

Thank you, Representative Amato. We're going to move on to Standing Committee-- At the top of page 15, Standing Committee Report number 232. Representative Pierick. Please proceed.

Thank you. I had some constituents reach out to me with concerns about feral cats. And they believe that too many cats running free in the streets is a bother to them and others. And the list can go on and on about how detailed these grievances are.

And so I did a town hall with a Senator, and we had many community advocates with regards to trying to help the cats, talk about what are some humane ways we can decrease their population that are running wild. And this bill will do that.

So thank you for having this bill be heard and moved along in the process.

Standing Committee report 233. [Roll call]. 234. 235. [Roll call].

And permission to submit written comments to the Journal.

So ordered. [Roll call]. Okay, going to page 16, the top of page 16. Standing Committee Report number 236. [Roll call]. Okay, moving to Standing Committee Report number 237. [Roll call].

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Arise in support. And I want to thank the Water and Land Chair for his work in support of this bill. My bill, Right to Play, costs very little money and proposes that all state parks and playgrounds and public school playgrounds have a minimum set of special needs playground equipment for disabled keiki.

As a rough example, a $2,000 swing for those who can't walk. Given the backward and often illegal, apparently imminent changes at the federal level, excluding our disabled community-- excuse me, excluding our disabled community members and veterans, and threatening ADA law, we have a duty to uphold proper standards for our disabled keiki, so all children may enjoy their right to play.

Thomas Jefferson said it well when he said, "None of us, not one, is imperfect, and were we to love none with imperfections, this world would be a desert for our love." It is my hope that this body will move this bill forward, clearly demonstrating the compassion and ideals in society and real aloha that we all care about. Mahalo.

Standing Committee Report number 238. 239. [Roll call]. Moving to the top of page 17. Standing Committee Report 240. Representative Souza.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to make a disclosure.

Please proceed.

Thank you. My cousin is the Chair of the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission.

And this bill will extend the term of the Oversight Coordinator for the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission and authorizes the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission to review the coordinator's performance, make a recommendation to the governor as to whether the coordinator should be retained, and clarifies that the Oversight Coordinator has a general authority to inspect agencies and correction facilities without notice. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you for that disclosure. Any other comments on Standing Committee Report number 240? Moving on to 241. [Roll call]. Please proceed.

In building-- I had a privilege once upon a time to help build the international marketplace. And we built it as a Category 5. What a Category 5 hurricane--

For example, as a house, if your studs are built 16 inches on center to 24 inches on center, you would have to build it almost like 2 inches on center, increasing the strength of the building so much more.

And it will cost really high for the state for us guys to continue building and construction for a Category 5 building and make it almost like, bulletproof. And it's probably going to cost construction maybe about two to four times the cost that it's standard cost now. So for that, no vote.

[Roll call].

Thank you, Madam Speaker. No vote for the same reasons as Representative Alcos.

Moving on to Standing Committee Report number 242. [Roll call].

Moving on to Standing Committee Report 243. [Roll call]. We're now at the top of page 18, Standing Committee Report number 244. [Roll call].

Okay, Moving on to Standing Committee Report 245. 246. [Roll call].

Moving on to Standing Committee Report number 247. Representative Todd.

Madam Speaker, I move that House Bill number 1246 be recommitted to the Committees on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs and Agriculture and Food Systems.

Madam Speaker, I second the motion.

Members, there will be limited debate on the merits of the motion to recommit. Any discussion? Representative Iwamoto.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I speak against the motion to recommit. I'm opposed to the timing. I would like to have allow us to vote for second reading and delay the recommittal until the next, potentially before third reading. I never got to sit on a Committee to hear this bill debated in front of me.

I was looking forward to hearing and asking questions. I also want to-- Because this is about timing, my understanding is this recommittal then kind of defers the whole bill until next session. So I'm going to speak to that, the timing of passing a bill or considering a bill like this.

The media back in November of 2024 reported in Reuters, New York Times, many credible news sources that the current administration was in support of descheduling--

Madam Speaker, point of order.

Representative Quinlan.

Please confine discussion to the motion at hand.

This is. This is about timing, Speaker.

Please keep it to the motion to recommit this bill.

Correct. If we recommit this bill, it will delay the application of this bill and I'm afraid that it will open up potentially mayhem if the current administration really deschedules and we are stuck in a situation where we have no regulation. No. Again, this is the timing.

Representative Quinlan.

Madam Speaker, we are here to speak about a motion to recommit.

Please confine your remarks to the motion to recommit, not the future of this bill.

The motion to recommit delays the process. Which I'm speaking to because if the current federal administration deschedules--

Madam Speaker, point of order.

Recess.

Representative Iwamoto.

Thank you very much. Normally, what would have happened was there would have been a second reading on the floor and votes would have been taken. I've been quiet on second reading because even though I may not agree on the bill substance, I agree to the further discussion.

So my passivity or quietness and allowing a yes vote for me doesn't impugn my position on the substance of a bill. And that's all I'm asking for is that we have a second reading so that we can just have it recorded that we supported further discussion on this matter. Thank you very much, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. So noted. Any further discussion? Representative Belatti.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I also rise in opposition to the recommittal one because I would like to get my record-- my vote on the record if there is not going to be a roll call vote.

Secondly, I think it's very important to note that it has been rare custom and practice on this floor to actually recommit a bill on second reading. And so-- in my 18 years here, so far. So for those reasons, I stand in opposition to this recommittal. Thank you.

So noted. Representative Perruso.

Madam Speaker. No vote. For many of the reasons stated by my colleagues earlier. And also I would like to share that I really appreciate the conversations and the debate and the discussion we have in this process. And for me, that's really important. And to have it cut short so early in the process is disheartening.

So for that reason primarily, I'm a no vote.

Any further discussion? Representative Amato.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. No vote on the recommittal.

Representative Souza.

Also in opposition to the recommittal, Madam Speaker, and I would also like to raise a point of parliamentary inquiry. Thank you. I would like to know the reasons why we are recommitting the bill. And so I'm not sure if you'd like to pose the question to the necessary parties.

If that is not granted, I just want it on the record that I am asking as to why we are recommitting. Thank you.

Speaker, can we get a quick recess? Thank you.

Recess.

Is there any further discussion? Representative Souza.

Thank you. I just want a response to my request or my point of parliamentary inquiry. Thank you.

So there will be no response.

Okay. So would that be considered a no to my point?

Yes.

Okay. Thank you.

Representative Cochran.

No vote to recommital.

Any further comments? Representative Quinlan.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. In support.

Please proceed.

Madam Speaker, just like last session-- similar to last session, we were unable to build consensus, and I think it is now time for us to focus on areas where we can build consensus, to focus on the bills that we are able to pass over to the Senate this year and the good that we hope to accomplish for the people of Hawaii. Thank you.

Any further discussion? If not, let's go to the voice vote. Members, we're going to take a voice vote. Vote aye if you are in favor of the recommittal, vote no if you are opposed to the recommittal. All those in favor say aye. Those opposed say no. The motion to recommit is carried. Representative Todd-- Oh, excuse me.

Let's go back to-- We're gonna take the voice vote then on all of the items we discussed earlier. All those in favor say aye. All those opposed say no. The motion is carried.

Point of order. What-- I'm sorry, Madam Speaker. What did we just vote on?

All of the 18 pages of bills that we previously reviewed. We're going back to the main agenda. Excuse me for not clarifying.

Thank you. Thanks.

So now we're moving on to page 19, HSCR 248. Representative Todd

Madam Speaker, I move to adopt Standing Committee--

I have a speech. Point of order.

Recess.

We're on page 19, HSCR 248. Representative Todd.

Thank you. Madam Speaker, I move to adopt Standing Committee Report number 248 as listed on page 19. And that House Bill 925, as amended, be recommitted to the Committee on Culture and Arts.

Representative Morikawa.

Madam Speaker, I second the motion.

Members, please note that this is a short form bill. Any discussion? All those in favor say aye. All those opposed say no. The motion is carried. Item number six, introduction of resolutions. Mr. Clerk, are there any resolutions for action?

Madam Speaker, there are no resolutions for action. May all others be referred to print.

So ordered. Announcements. Members, are there any announcements? Representative Ilagan.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I just want to remind the body that the Representative from Kalihi has organized this meet and greet. And it is for the Filipino Caucus as well as the Members. And the room number is 423, so feel free to come by. Thank you. Aloha.

Any further announcements? If not-- Representative Morikawa.

Madam Speaker, I move that this House stand adjourned until 12:00 noon tomorrow.

Representative Garcia.

Madam Speaker, I second the motion.

All those in favor say aye. All those opposed say no. The motion is carried. The House stands adjourned until 12 noon tomorrow.