House Floor

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

[Roll call]

[Roll call]

Madam Speaker, 49 Members are present. Two are excused.

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. 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.

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

Yes, Madam Speaker. We're in receipt of communications transmitting the noted Senate bills, all having passed third reading in the Senate.

Representative Morikawa.

Madam Speaker, I move that the Senate bills laying on the Clerk's desk pass first reading by title. Representative Garcia.

Madam Speaker, I second the motion.

It has been moved and seconded the Senate bills laying on the Clerk's desk pass first reading by title. All those in favor say aye. All those opposed say no. The motion is carried. Introductions, Members, are there any introductions? Let's move on then to Representative Shimizu.

Thank you. Madam Speaker. I. I'd like to introduce some Members from my staff. I have my office manager, Carol Kapu, and my session help that she's actually a intern. Volunteer. Kylie Higashi. Would you stand and be recognized? Welcome to your House of Representatives, Madam Speaker. If I may, I have another friend that I'd like to recognize.

Linda Miyata. Would you like to stand and be recognized? Welcome to your House of Representatives.

Representative Kila.

Malo. Madam Speaker, on behalf of the west side Representatives, it is our pleasure as we don't get to often welcome residents from the west side of Oahu. Resident of Maili and lifelong resident of the west side of Oahu, small business owner, Uncle Kekai. Welcome to your House of Representatives.

Representative Kahaloa.

Mahalo. Madam Speaker. I would like to introduce you and the Members of the House to self advocates and advocates of the State Council on Developmental Disabilities. And they're sponsoring the 25th annual day at the Capitol event in celebration of the contributions people with developmental disabilities make to our community.

March is Development Disabilities Awareness Month, a national campaign to raise public awareness about the abilities and and strengths of individuals with developmental disabilities. This year, the self advocates from across the state created their own theme to commemorate DD Awareness Month. Respect yourself and all people with disabilities.

Today we're happy to welcome some self advocates if they did not miss their flights this morning. I know there were delays across the state and from West Hawaii, we have with us in the gallery today Members from the arc of Kona, Rory Corpus, Caitlin Loreno, Lois Philip. If they're here, please stand.

Shannon Solis, Noel Trim and Zach Trim from the Full Life Hawaii, Danette Sonoda and Auntie Cookie Ford. Are they here today or they did miss their flights? While we do have advocates in the gallery today, so if you will stand for those representing the Developmental Disability Day, which is mostly tomorrow, but some are here early.

So thank you for being here today and welcome to your House of Representatives.

Representative Shimizu, for the second time.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Thank you for your patience. I'd like to recognize another supporter that I saw, Cheryl Toyofuku. Would you stand and be recognized? Welcome to your House of Representatives.

Representative Poepoe.

Thank you, Speaker. I also wanted to welcome self advocates that may have come over from Molokai this morning. I don't know if they made it on their plane. I think I see Natalie Greenleaf. Hi, Natalie. Also Rebecca Wright, Henry Freitas, Brandon Rennie Wong, Ernest Kapu and Lindell Kaupu. Welcome to the House of Representatives.

If you're not here, but they will be here for tomorrow's event. Thank you.

Representative Perruso.

Madam Speaker, I'd just like to welcome Kat Brady and Henry Curtis to your House of Representatives. Welcome and thank you for joining us.

If there are no further introductions, let's move on to the order of the day. Part one consent Calendar. Members, we are on part one of the consent calendar.

Representative Morikawa. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules of the House in order to consider certain House bills for the third reading by consent calendar. Representative Garcia.

Madam Speaker, I second the motion.

Any questions? All those in favor say aye. All those opposed say no. The motion is carried. We're going to move on now to 5A unfinished business. Third reading. Representative Todd.

Madam Speaker, I move to adopt the Standing Committee reports listed on pages 2 through 18 and that the House bills listed on pages 2 through 22 as may be amended past third reading Representative.

Morikawa Madam Speaker, I second the motion. Members, there will be no discussion as these are items agreed to by this body for placement on the consent calendar. Representative Morikawa for the vote.

Madam Speaker on the measures before us, all majority Members vote aye.

Representative Garcia on the measure before us. All minority Members vote aye.

Have all votes been cast said House bills passed? Third reading Members, please remember to submit to the Clerk the list of House bills on the consent calendar for which you will be inserting written comments in support or or in opposition. This must be done by adjournment of today's Floor session Members.

We have a short recess prior to convening the ordinary calendar recess subject to the call of the Chair.

Will the House come to order? Members, we are on page 23, part 2, ordinary calendar item 5B. Unfinished business. Representative Todd.

Madam Speaker, I move to adopt the Standing Committee reports listed on pages 23 through 28 and that the accompanying House bills as may be amended, pass third reading.

Representative Morikawa. Speaker, I second the motion. Any discussion on these items beginning with HSCR number 1006. Representative Iwamoto, you with reservations. So ordered. 1007. Representative Iwamoto.

With reservations.

So ordered. 1014. Representative Shimizu.

Thank you. Madam Speaker. I rise in opposition to this bill with brief comments. Please.

Please proceed.

I want to thank the introducer of this well intended bill. I totally agree with on principle. My opposition is based on testimony from the counties of Maui and Hawaii island which expressed the unresolved problems they would have if this bill is passed and their inability to comply with the requirements of this bill.

So to protect their interests, I am opposing this bill. Thank you.

That was 1014-CR-1014.

Yes.

Thank you. Any further comments? Moving on to standing Committee report. 1015. Representative Cochran. Thank you, Speaker.

Sorry. Going back to SCR 1014.

Okay, let's finish up. SCR 1015. Representative Amato.

Thank you. Madam Speaker. I rise in opposition. Please proceed. This bill will pass along wildfire negligence costs from HEI and HICO to consumers. That is a disservice to commute a community already injured by fire that has the highest electric rates in the nation.

The electric company wanted to meet with me about why we should pass on all of these costs to our ratepayers. Our constituents. They want to make sure that we're all ready to pay their bill. Yet. Scott Siu, the CEO of Hawaii Electric Industries, earned $958,333 in salary and his total compensation is $5.4 million.

And Shelley Kimura, the President and CEO of a Hiko subsidiary of HEAI, earned 575,000 in salary with the total compensation of 1.47 million. The House has spent hundreds of millions of dollars already because of the wildfire. I can't vote YES to let a for profit entity pass along its debt to the public it serves.

Given our current Administration and controlled by rich corporate owners and CEOs who I am told I should not call out as influential donating oligarchs. We must stand up for the rights of the middle class and vote no on utility securitization belts. To do anything less is to support the oligarchy. My constituents are being ravaged by corporate interests.

We must not Rubber stamp this or any bill for the powerful spell special interests. And I refuse to let a for profit entity pass along its debt to the public it's supposed to be serving.

Thank you, Representative Iwamoto.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise in opposition and I do so on behalf of the ratepayers and the future claimants who may suffer injury and damage from the next fire that might come.

About the utilities, when they were questioned during the hearings, they did not set forth a clear path on how they would get their shareholders to divvy up their share or 50% of the Fund. It was mentioned that they might be able to sell some assets like to Melco or the Maui utility.

But if they did that, it would mean that the ratepayer revenue that they were also counting on wouldn't be theirs. You know what I'm saying? So yes, they might put in as a shareholder, but now they've just cut out a ratepayer portion. And I just want to end by quoting something that the AG brought up.

They said that if the funds available monies are less than 50% of the aggregate liability limit as defined in this bill, the Fund will only make payments to participating utilities, not claimants. So it would totally wipe out any claim by claimant monies would just go to utilities. For that reason I, I'm in opposition. Thank you.

Representative Cochran.

Thank you Speaker. And yes, I rise in opposition to this bill and previous last year, it's basically for me balancing you know, the bill of HICO Mico on the backs of the ratepayers, in particular the, the fire survivors of Lahaina like myself. And so I completely have a hard note on this one. Thank you.

Thank you, Representative La Chica.

Madam Speaker in opposition, please proceed. Same reason, you know, Hawaii's family is already struggling with a rising cost of living, rising food costs, skyrocketing insurance particular particularly for my communities, rising property insurance, condo insurance. And you know, to me, I can't complain.

Hawaiian Electric has really done a great job in responding to the wildfire as well as responding to a lot of the power outages and being responsive to market our community. And I do agree that we really need to Fund the Wildfire Recovery Fund. It's available, very important financial resource.

But just having the, our residents and the ratepayers being the first stop for shouldering the half $1.0 billion when there's, there's just so many folks struggling is just probably not the balanced approach that we need at this.

Okay, Representative Lowen, thank you.

Madam Speaker in support, please proceed. First, I want to request to insert comments in the Journal because I think there's a lot of misunderstanding about this bill and what it's doing. And I won't go into a lot of detail here, but so ordered, I think there's some things that need to be corrected on the record.

I will say there's a lot of work to still be done on this bill and there's a lot of answers that we still need from HICO.

But the underlying intention is to help improve the financial situation of the utility which impacts rate payers because if the utility has a terrible credit rating, they cannot access capital at a reasonable rate and that becomes rate based. That's already how rates are work.

And so the idea of this measure, if it has the intended effect, which again we're still trying to figure out whether it will or not, is that it would be less cost to ratepayers to be able to shore up the utilities financial situation, improve their credit rating and then allow them to move forward with, you know, ongoing needs they have for wildfire mitigation plan for implementing that, for other infrastructure improvements to increase resilience at a cost that won't be punitive to ratepayers if I guess as a worst case scenario.

Again, there's a lot of uncertains and a lot of moving parts, so it's certainly a work in progress. But there is a scenario where we don't pass this.

There's still a need for capital, capital to be accessed and money to be borrowed and that costs rate payers more because they are not able to get a good interest rate on it. And so I think it's hard to know the what the impact to ratepayers is against sort of a counterfactual that we can't really predict.

And that's the trickiness in trying to figure out this bill. But I want people to understand the fundamental, you know, reason why we're considering it and what we're trying to do.

Any further comments, Representative Perruso?

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise with as in support with reservations. And I have submitted a green slip. Thank you. I had submitted a green slip. So I would like to recall that. And I am revising my position, acknowledging. The powerful testimony that was provided by previous speakers. But also considering in this time of.

Great uncertainty with the federal situation, I think that the chair of EEP makes a really important argument and for that reason I am voting with reservations. Thank you.

Any further comments? Seeing none, we're going to move back to standing Committee report number 1014. Representative Cochran. Thank you, speaker.

And I'm going to vote with reservations. There's opposition from our Maui County mayor and so that's what I wanted to revisit for. Thank you.

Thank you. Moving to the Top of page 24, Standing Committee Report 1016, 1017 Standing Committee Report 1018, 1022. Top of page 25, Standing Committee Report 1023. Representative La Chica.

Madam Speaker and strong support. Please proceed. Every year we appropriate hundreds of millions of dollars towards our capital improvement project to improve the schools in each of our districts. But currently we have no central system to be able to track these projects.

This Bill would enable us to do that, give us access to the data to track the school facilities, conditions, enrollment, capacity, as well as track the progress of various capital improvement projects in our district. It would provide us with an annual report to the Legislature as well as to to the Superintendent and the Board of Education.

This helps us make better decisions as well as grants, transparency for where taxpayer monies will go. So just wanted to mahalo the Chairs of education as well as finance for helping this Bill go through.

Okay, moving on to standing Committee report 1025, 1026, 1027. Representative Iwamoto.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise in, with reservations. Please proceed. Yeah. This Bill would provide an exemption to collecting General excise taxes is whenever a nonprofit school conducts a fundraiser.

And the various committees received testimony from many of the private schools, including many of our representing and mentioning fun activities like the Ponaho Carnival which I've been to as many of us have been to many times.

If we're going to be handing out get examined exemptions, I would prefer that we do so to needs basic need things like medical and hygiene supplies. Those should get the get exemptions, not luxury experiences like the Punahou Carnival.

Furthermore, the non profit activity like Punoho Carnival means many people don't go to the carnival and eat the food there and then turn around and then go to a movie and have popcorn. Basically those events that are being are seeking tax exemption, they are competing with businesses that actually do collect GET and are going to pay GET.

So because of that competition, I mean because it's not a necessity, I would raise concerns. Thanks.

Moving on to standing Committee report 1029. At the top of page 26, standing Committee report 1031, 1032. Representative Belatti.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. And strong support. Brief remarks. Madam Speaker, this Bill is critically important, I believe to how we continue to manage our lands. We are going to be taking up a number of measures regarding the Agricultural district. But really, this.

This Bill is the first step that we need to take to really understand what we have.

And what I appreciate about this Bill was that at the Waterland Committee it was amended to ensure that when conducting the study, the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development would clearly define and prioritize the protection of productive agricultural lands, including adopting measures to ensure agricultural lands designated for agricultural production are not compromised for short term developmental needs, and also including direct input from the agricultural community in the land use study process.

Again, this is a really critical first step as we remain concerned about issues of food security and over development. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Representative Kahaloa. Thank you, Madam Speaker, in support. Please proceed. And may I adopt the words from the representative from Mike Lee. So ordered.

Moving on to standing Committee report 1034. Representative Shimizu.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise in strong opposition and request brief comments. Please.

Please proceed.

This Bill essentially kills the current new Aloha Stadium entertainment district development, a project which has been years in the making and is set to be finalized by the end of June this year. As we know and understand, the wheels of government do turn at a slower pace with many obstacles and challenges.

And I would encourage patients to see this project through this important milestone. If this Bill passes to end the NASD project, the millions that have been invested to this point will go down the drain and quite possibly subject the state to legal ramifications and reimbursement charges from the development team in place.

I'm guessing that liability would be in the several millions as well. Additionally, I believe this would put a very ugly stain on the state's reputation. The global business and development community will view the State of Hawaii as a very untrustworthy partner which will greatly affect our standing and be detrimental for future interests.

From construction and development partners, the state's options for future projects working arrangements will be significantly reduced and limited which will affect cost outcomes. To consider a relocation to the University campus, you. It is my understanding that the University is not soliciting for and is not encouraging this project.

The campus footprint and infrastructure is limited and will not accommodate the stadium requirements. The displacement caused by a relocation of this magnitude would create a rippling effect adding to the cost of the stadium project itself.

There will be a significant delay as we reset the clock and the targeted 2028 University of Hawaii football season will no longer be doable. Who knows how long it will take to get up to speed with planning, environmental impact studies, legislative agreement which might be the lengthiest factor.

Funding in addition to construction duration, I suggest we adopt the water and land chairs bold and creative amendment which redirected the project back to the Halawa site. Reappropriated funds to prevent lapsing of the current funding, authorizes the ability to sell naming rights with related signage and income stream, allows accepting other private donations.

In General Madam Speaker, this measure is untimely, counterproductive and not advantageous to the state. I ask you to please vote this down. Thank you.

Representative Garrett.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Rising in support.

Please proceed.

Thank you. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of House Bill 1494 because this Bill is both practical and necessary to safeguard the future of UH athletics. For five years, we have been promised a world class replacement for Aloha Stadium. One that would elevate UH football and serve the broader community.

And let me be clear we all deserve a world class stadium, but we also have a responsibility to live within our means and make fiscally responsible decisions. The financial reality of the New Aloha Stadium Entertainment District, or NASED, has shifted dramatically.

At a recent Senate hearing, the developer acknowledged a funding shortfall of several $100.0 million, raising the risk of this project turning into a costly boondoggle. While we hope NASA can move forward without additional taxpayer funds, hope alone is not a strategy. If this deal collapses, it it would be an unmitigated disaster for UH football.

And now the situation has become more uncertain. Today, President Trump's new 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Canada and Mexico went into effect. These are obviously critical materials for stadium construction, and rising costs will only make an already underfunded project even more difficult to complete.

Without a permanent stadium solution, UH will be forced to spend tens of millions of dollars just to replace the current temporary bleachers with yet another set of temporary bleachers, a stopgap measure that is neither sustainable nor befitting a Division I program. This isn't just about football.

It's about ensuring our student athletes and our University are not left behind due to poor planning and misplaced optimism on our part. At some point, we must face the reality of the hand we've been dealt. As the saying goes, we need to know when to hold them and know when to fold them.

And unfortunately, right now, the NASED project is looking more and more like a bad hand. One that could leave us with nothing if we don't act now. Meanwhile, the 350 million allocated for NASED is set to lapse this summer without a signed deal. If that happens, reappropriating these funds could take years. If the political will even exist.

To do so. This Bill is not about giving up hope on a new stadium. It's about ensuring that we have a responsible contingency plan before it's too late. This Bill offers a practical plan B, potentially transforming Clarence T. Ching Field into a permanent facility that can sustain uh football if NASAID's grand vision does not materialize.

I won't stand here and claim that this Bill is a perfect solution, but it is the responsible one. As stewards of taxpayer dollars, we must balance our aspirations with financial prudence to ensure UH football has a stable, sustainable future.

Madam Speaker, a vote to support HB 1494 is a vote to protect UH football, our student athletes, and our state's commitment to higher education and athletics. Thank you.

Representative Hussey.

In support.

Please proceed.

And with due respect to my colleague from Honolulu, I'd like to please request that the words from the representative from Manoa be inserted into the journal as my own.

So ordered. Representative Souza.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would. I also rise in support. And I would like to insert the words of the Representative from Manoa into the record as my own. Thank you. So ordered.

Representative Grandinetti, same request and brief comment. Please proceed. I just want to add that, you know, most large cities are willing to spend really big to attract professional sports teams. We. And even still research has shown that almost no large stadium complex is making a significant return on investments for the cities in which they're cited.

So given that we don't have a large professional sports team, I really don't see this as being a smart investment for the people of Hawaii. Thank you.

Representative Alcos.

What reservations. Please proceed. I do like that we need to give University of Hawaii a bigger stadium. Something now and waiting five years from now.

But I also believe that Hawaii should be one of the sports complex in the Pacific and to build a big stadium, bigger parks, more sports facilities and bring in more tourism to the State of Hawaii. I believe that some other states cannot make it, but Hawaii is different. I feel that when we had the Pro bowl, we.

We brought a lot of tourism here, drive our economy. I think we can do it with Hawaii being the. Sorry, looking at you.

Hawaii being the sports hub of the Pacific and maybe even get the Pacific Rim to help put the finance into the building of our sports complex doesn't always have to come straight from our state funding. But to have something to lose.

The Aloha Stadium, it was our central location for not just University of Hawaii, the swap meet, the kids in our communities to have a venue somewhere in central or on the west, someplace close by. I think it's a need. I think that we got to work on something like this. And Hawaii sells itself.

A lot of people want to come in here and train itself all year round. So that's the only reason why. For reservations.

Thank you, Representative Shimizu, for the second time.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I appreciate the comments. Are you still in support? I am still in opposition.

So ordered.

Please proceed. I appreciate the comments that were shared. And I'd like to clarify that we, as a Legislature, I was not part of this but we made a commitment to the developers, to the bidding process and the development is not just a stadium, it is an entertainment district.

So the strategy around that is to generate an entertainment district that does not rely just on sports, for sports events happening at the stadium. It is designed to attract other types of venues, concerts, a whole array. If you were to see the developer's presentation, you would see that it is not just sports centered.

There are definitely arguments for and against supporting this Bill or supporting the current NACED project. And I would argue that the comments that I previously made would have more standing and make a stronger argument for continuing with the NASED project. Thank you.

Any further comments? If not, we're going to move on to standing Committee report 1037. Moving on to the top of page 27, standing Committee report 1038, representative Shimizu.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise in support of this Bill with reservations and brief comments. Please.

Please proceed.

My reservation is based on the testimony from the State Historical Preservation Division that requested the use of third party reviews be at its discretion instead of mandated. And also they testified that complicated projects may not be appropriate to be assigned to third party reviewers and should stay with Ship D for liability issues.

So I just wanted to highlight that concern.

Thank you, Representative Iwamoto. Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise in opposition. Please proceed. Thank you. So I've been noticing that we have a tendency to underfund departments.

And we then we follow through by putting artificial deadlines on them, which then trigger the Department to hire a private third party consultant to do the work that we underfunded them to not be able to do, which actually then makes it much more difficult for the Department to fill the vacancies.

Because now everyone who would they would have gone to or who could have done the job is now getting paid much more through a private, you know, company. And so it just perpetuates this cycle. And I'd rather not see this kind of privatization of work that could and should have been Done by state workers. Thank you.

Representative Bilati.

Thank you. Just noting my reservations and based upon the representations by the representative from Moanalua and from Kakaako. Thank you.

So ordered. Representative Cochran.

Thank you. I rise with reservations. In Maui County, you know, we got a. We hired archaeologists specifically to vet through permitting, you know, to deem if it had to go to. Through. Through shpd. And so that helped kind of alleviate and, you know, push our permitting faster. So, you know, this third party, I kind of.

It's kind of sketchy to me who they are, you know, how culturally, you know, astute are they to our. You know, to our sensitivity to where we're from. And so, yeah, I see the need. But again, I want to make sure that it's done properly with the right people in mind. Thank you.

Representative. zero, Representative Peruso, with reservations so ordered. Represent. Okay, we're going to move on then to standing Committee report number one. Excuse me, Representative Iwamoto.

For the second time, actually. I'm sorry, I. If we can go back to 1037 when you're ready. Okay, sure.

So we're going to move back to standing Committee report 1037, Representative Iwamoto.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. With reservations so ordered.

We're moving to standing Committee report 1039. Standing Committee report 1040. Standing Committee report 1042 to the top of page 28. Represent standing Committee report. Are you. 1046. 1042 to 1042. Representative Garcia with reservations so ordered. Representative Matsumoto, with reservations so ordered.

Permission to insert written comments into the journal.

So ordered. Representative Alos. Reservations so ordered. Moving on to signing Committee report 10461047. Representative Garcia, reservations so ordered. 1049. Represent sign Committee report 1050. 1051.

Madam Speaker. Yes.

Reservations on 1051. So ordered. Representative Shimizu.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Arise in support with reservations and brief comments. Please.

Please proceed.

My reservation is from testimony that stated if a child is not considered abused or neglected due to poverty, then that child would not receive any help or services. If that is the case, there needs to be some careful review to see that children in need of help and services are not inadvertently overlooked because of this new assessment.

Thank you, Representative Amato.

I yield.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. With reservations so ordered.

Representative Martin.

Thank you. In strong support. Please proceed. Currently, children are not taken away from their homes in Hawaii solely due to poverty, but due to community concerns. The point of this Bill is to clarify that. I do appreciate that there were a lot of. There was a lot of thought about the wording and there were amendments that.

My colleague may or may not be aware of, made to make sure that children are not left in a dangerous situation just because the family is poor. That they are removed from any situation where they might be at risk or danger. Thank you.

Thank you. Moving on speaker.

Can we get a quick recess?

Recess, subject to the call of the chair.

It.

Will the House come to order Representative Morikawa for the vote thank you Madam Speaker.

On the measures before us, all majority Members vote I with the exception of the following on page 23 standcom report number 1015 gb number 982 hd3 the following vote no Amato, Cochrane, Iwamoto, Lachica, Poi Poi on page 24 standcom report number 1016 gb number 1295 hd2 rep Kong votes no on page 26 stancom report number 1034 hb number 1494 hd3 the following vote no Holt, Kong, Tam on page 27 stand comm report number 1038 hb number 830 hd2 rep Iwamoto votes no and on page 28 standcom report number 1046 gb number 350 hd2 rep Martin votes no Representative Garcia thank you, Madam Speaker.

On the measures before us, all minority Members vote aye with the exception of the following on page 23 scr 1006 Gb925 House draft 3 reps Garcia and Shimizu Vote no scr 1014 Hb751 Hd 2 reps.

Aukos, Garcia, Matsumoto, Moraoka and Shimizu Vote no scr 1015 hb982 hd 3 Garcia Votes no age 24 scr 1016 hb 1295 hd 2 Garcia Votes no page 25 scr 1029 hb 1171 hd 2 reps Garcia and Moraoka Vote no age 26 scr1031 Hb86 hd 2 Moraoka Votes no scr 1032 hb778 hd 2 Garcia Votes no scr 1034 hb1494 hd 3 reps.

Garcia and Shimizu Vote no scr 1037 hb741 hd 2 rep Moraoka Votes no age 27 scr 1039 hb1294 hd 2 reps. Garcia and Moro Oka Vote no scr 1040 hb1298 hd 3 rep. Moraoka Votes no and on page 28 scr 1050 hb256 hd 2.

Garcia Votes no have all votes been cast? Said House Bill passed.

Third reading Representative Todd Madam Speaker, I. Move to adopt the Standing Committee reports listed on pages 29 through 33 and that the accompanying House bills, as may.

Be amended, pass third reading Representative Morikawa Madam Speaker, I second the motion. Any discussion on these items beginning with HSCR number 1053 Representative Iwamoto reservations so ordered. Standing Committee Report 1054. Representative Aukos, reservations so ordered. 1056. Representative Matsumoto, reservations so ordered. Representative Bilati.

Madam Speaker, request for a ruling on a potential conflict. Please proceed. Thank you. In the abundance of caution, Madam Speaker, I'm requesting a determination of whether I have a conflict of interest pursuant to our House rules. Rules related to House Bill 36. In as much as the law firm.

That employs me would litigated the matter of Sheldon Halleck in this state, I was an active attorney on this case and the Halleck case is actively cited to as a reason for the introduction of House Bill 36 by the mother and family of Sheldon Halleck. The case has long since been resolved before the introduction of Hospital 36.

My firm is no longer actively retained by the family of Sheldon Halleck nor has any work been done by my law firm on House Bill 36. May I request a ruling on a potential conflict? Madam Speaker.

Thank you for consulting with our attorneys in advance of today's session. Rep. Bilati. No conflict and this will apply to the remainder of this session.

Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Representative Garcia, with reservations so ordered. Representative Alcos, Same request so ordered. Moving on to standing Committee report 1058.

Madam Speaker.

Representative Holt.

Thank you Madam Speaker and strong support.

Please proceed.

Colleagues, over the years we have dealt with many different types of labeling and truth in labeling legislation. Today I stand before you in strong support of this proposed do not flush legislation and just want to take a minute to let you know why it's important.

This is a very necessary and urgent measure to protect our always fragile ecosystem, marine life and public health. This Bill is not just about plumbing or wastewater management. It's about safeguarding the very essence of our islands, our pristine waters, our coral reefs and the well being of our future generations.

Hawaii is unique not just in its beauty, but in its vulnerability. Our wastewater systems were not designed to handle non biodegradable materials like wipes. Yet they're being marketed as flushable. People believe this and every day flushes items down the toilet leading to clogged sewer lines, costly repairs and most critically, contamination of our oceans.

One single flush wipe can tangle in pipes causing backups that release raw sewage into our environment. When these materials break down, they contribute to microplastic pollution, harming marine life and threatening our fishing and tourism industries. This legislation is not about an inconvenience. It's about a responsibility.

Across the state, across across the country, states and municipalities are recognizing the dangers of improper Flushing by enacting laws to prevent it. Congress is also looking into this And Hawaii must do the same.

By requiring clear labeling on products, increasing public awareness and improving wastewater regulations, we can prevent costly damage and protect our waters for generations to come. We have a duty to honor our islands, our ancestors, and our keiki. And passing this legislation is a step toward a cleaner, healthier Hawaii. Thank you.

Standing Committee report 1059, moving to the top of page 30, standing Committee report 1061.

Representative Iwamoto, I rise in opposition. Please proceed. Thank you. Madam Speaker. I couldn't find much testimony supporting why this Bill was needed. HHFDC did provide one paragraph that was. The most minimal testimony I've ever seen. But what really concerns me about this. Bill is that it exempts the potentially. The developer from complying with hrs 516 and 516d.

Both of those statutes contain many consumer protection safeguards. And I would not want to see and even though this is a hypothetical. Future, I would not want to see. The consumers who purchase housing from those developers to be without resources. Course. Thank you very much.

Moving on to standing Committee report 1065, Representative Grand.

Thank you, speaker in support.

Please proceed.

Thank you. This bill establishes a standard to ensure that tenant when tenants are displaced by 201H projects financed with state and federal funds, their needs are met and their rights are respected.

It requires that the developer provide relocation assistance or the right of first refusal in a comparable unit in the completed development, as well as ongoing communication and information.

This bill is really close to my heart because almost exactly two years ago I was involved in organizing the 130 households at Kapiolani Village Apartments who were evicted to make way for Kuile Place. Those tenants were living in aging but very actually affordable housing.

And then the second they received their eviction notice, they had to fight the developer every step of the way for the relocation assistance that they deserved.

Knowing that when this project was completed, even though it was a workforce housing project and kind of held up as a model of what development should look like, they wouldn't be able to afford a unit in the completed project. Some of these tenants were disabled kupuna, others were college students or service workers.

And I got to spend a lot of time with them, get to know them, do some really hard work together, and then watch them face the reality of being displaced. And then their homes sat vacant for almost two years until Kapiolani Village apartments were recently broken down.

Today we see a very similar fight at Kuhio Park Terrace where public housing tenants are being temporarily displaced for the mixed income redevelopment of their homes. And I really want to highlight their hard work on this bill, which is why I'm standing up now.

Some of these tenants have lived at KPT for their entire lives, and they're not against redevelopment. They just want to make sure that when it's completed, they get to return to their home. As public housing tenants, they have the right to return, but they've had to organize to make sure that this is carried out properly.

And as of today, there are still serious issues with that process. But the good thing is that with process, we can, you know, amend, develop and improve. And so they've shown up three times so far to testify and remind us that when we're talking about housing production, we're not just talking about units. We're talking.

Talking about people and communities, aunties who are, you know, keeping kids in check, kids who want to stay with their friends at school. We're talking about access to community and youth programs and an entire community that is. That is looking out for each other.

So I think we should do everything we can to make sure that we respect those relationships to place in community. And I want to acknowledge and commend this body for making really significant efforts to. To produce more affordable housing, increase density, speed up housing production.

But we also have to acknowledge that many people in our community are questioning whether this development is for them.

And I think that this bill is a good first step in showing our constituents that we are really serious about doing development without displacement and that even though we might be pushing for pretty significant changes to their neighborhoods, we don't want the communities who make them special to have to change.

This bill has a lot of support from across the stakeholder spectrum, from the tenants themselves to HHFDC to the Chamber of Commerce. And so I'm really grateful to the Chairs for helping me with this bill. And as it moves to the Senate, I hope we can continue conversation and hopefully implement even further protections for these tenants.

Thank you so much.

Representative Hussey.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Just wanted to also extend my thanks to the Chairs and to my. In support or in support? Yes, strong support. Thank you. Please proceed. Thank my colleague from Kaimuki Kapulu for her work on this bill. You know, as she mentioned, this bill.

Is very important to the people in my community in Kalihi at KPT who simply want to maintain their sense of community. So thank you very much for moving this forward.

Representative Perruso in support.

And I'd simply like to enter the words of the representative from Kaimuki and the representative from Kalihi into the Record as if they were my own.

So ordered. Representative Souza.

In support, Madam Speaker. And same request. Thank you.

So ordered. Moving on to standing Committee report 1066, representative Souza.

Madam Speaker, at the appropriate time, can we go back to 1061? Thank you.

Sure. Why don't we finish up with 1066, Representative Iwamoto.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. With reservations.

So ordered. Let's move back then to standing Committee report 1061, Representative Souza.

Thank you, Madam Speaker.

With reservations. So ordered. Representative Amato.

With reservations.

So ordered. Representative Belatti

Thank you. With reservations as well. Thank you.

So ordered. Moving on to standing Committee report 1067, representative Shimizu.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise in opposition. With brief comments. Please.

Please proceed.

With respect to the introducer, I agree that excessive speeding is a safety concern. However, from serving on the Public Safety Committee, we are trying to move from a punitive model to a rehabilitative corrections system which will better help our people and not unnecessarily overload our jail facilities. This Bill increases punitive sentencing.

As an example, a judge can currently sentence jail time from 10 days to 30 days maximum, which according to the Office of The public defender, 30 days max is hardly ever given out. This Bill would mandate a minimum 30 day jail sentence time. And this is just one example. Among other increased sentencing requirements.

I oppose because it appears the new sentencing requirements may be excessive. And I again give my regards and respect to the introducer. But those are my reasons for opposition. Thank you. I yield.

Representative Iwamoto.

Reservations.

So ordered.

Representative Perruso.

Same request.

So ordered. Okay, we're going to move on to standing Committee Report 1071, 1073 Representative Amato.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise in support. I'd like to start by thanking the Chair of Education who is also the introducer of this measure. Charter schools need to have the right to appeal directly to the Board of Education on matters regarding schools operations, governance and funding.

I support this and reaffirm my support for this Bill to help our charter schools. They provide parents with choices and fill an important role in our communities, reaching many students that are currently unreachable in the current DOE system.

It is not only my hope that this will pass all the way through the ledge, but also that we can eventually give charter schools compensation per student that is in parity with DOE run schools. Thank you.

Representative Iwamoto.

Reservations.

So ordered. Moving on to standing Committee report 1074, 1075, 1077, Representative Souza.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise today in strong support of House Bill 194.

Please proceed.

I rise today in strong support of of House Bill 184, House Draft 1, which seeks to designate May 22nd of each year as Maritime Day in the State of Hawaii.

I am proud to have introduced this bill as a part of our caucus package for our newly formed Maritime Caucus, which I have the pleasure of co chairing alongside the Senator from Hilo. This measure not only celebrates Hawaii's rich seafaring heritage, but also recognizes the indispensable role the maritime industry plays in our daily lives.

As an island state in the middle of the Pacific, we rely on our maritime workers to keep ourselves stocked and our economy moving. Hawaii's connection to the sea is profound and enduring. From our earliest Polynesian navigators who traversed vast oceans, to the modern harbors that serve as the lifeline of our state, our maritime history runs deep. Today.

Our ports remain the critical gateway for food, clothing, fuel, construction materials and countless other essentials. However, none of this would be possible without the hard working men and women who keep our harbors running.

Dock workers, port operators, ship crews and logistics personnel work tirelessly, often in challenging and hazardous conditions to ensure that goods flow seamlessly to every corner of our islands. They are the backbone of Hawaii's supply chain and their efforts deserve recognition. According to the U.S.

Department of Transportation Maritime Administration, By a joint resolution passed on May 20, 3 Congress declared May 22 to be National Maritime Day.

The May 22 date, as the resolution stated, was implemented to pay homage to the day the steamship the Savannah set sail from Savannah, Georgia on the first successful Transoceanic voyage under steam propulsion, which made a material contribution to the advancement of ocean transportation.

By designating May 22 as Maritime Day in Hawaii, we take the time to honor the contributions of those who have built and sustained Hawaii's maritime industry, from the earliest seafarers to today's port workers. This designation also serves to educate the public and raise awareness about the vital role our maritime industry plays in Hawaii.

Moreover, this recognition can inspire future generations to pursue careers in this field, ensuring the continued strength and resilience of our maritime sector for years to come. By moving House Bill 194 House Chef 1 Ford we affirm our respect for the sea and those who navigate it, ensuring that the spirit of Aloha continues to sail forward.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this meaningful legislation. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Okay, moving on to standing Committee report 1078. Representative Kila.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. In the words of Hawaii artist Sean Naowao I like my fish in poi. I'm a big boy. Lomi Salmon, pipikaula, extra large lilikoi, squid and chicken luau. And don't forget the lau lau. Madam Speaker, on January 1, Hawaii recognized Kalo as our state plant.

In its most minute form, Laulau is a value added product and we have the opportunity before us at the Legislature to recognize its significance and cultural heritage and importance.

Representative Kila in support or approval?

E kala mai. In strong support, Madam Speaker.

Please proceed.

We have the opportunity here in the Legislature to fortify and support what is known to many as not just a dish, but also a viable tool for economic development. Last year, this body passed Kimchi Day as an ode to the Korean history here in Hawaii.

And I think this year is a great opportunity to recognize the cultural significance and importance of our native Hawaiian communities and food staples. Lau lau is an enduring food that has transcended time and and place for the people in Hawaii.

When I talk about economic development, I can think of many districts across the state that have roadside vendors that sell laulau in its first iteration of a fundraiser to large businesses who sell this as a staple of food. I always talk about resistance's existence by the fact that Lau lau continues to live today,

It is a strong reminder that the Hawaiian culture lives thoroughly for the people of Hawaii to enjoy. I appreciate the Culture and Arts Chair for amending the Bill to designate Laul Lau Day as the first Friday in May every year.

So with this before us, we have an opportunity to tell our constituents, our state, what food plays in Hawaii, but also the way that it plays for constituents livelihoods.

To all the roadside vendors, the families who gather to make this tradition, and for the laul aus that are dry and for the lau laus that are wet, I stand in strong support of this measure, Speaker.

Any further comments? If not, we'll move on to top of page 32. Standing Committee Report 1080, 1085, 1089. Representative Shimizu.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm rising in regards to SCR 1085.

Please proceed.

I rise in support with reservations and brief comments.

Please, please proceed.

My reservations are based on testimony from the Hawaii Farmers Bureau and the Land Use Research foundation which stated valid concerns regarding uncertainty of water provision that would greatly affect their agriculture with no clarification or assurances to address that uncertainty, the possible overreach and unilateral control without prior coordination, among other concerns that I won't go into here.

Therefore, I comment on these reservations to highlight the concerns with hope that they will be adequately addressed on the future implementation of this bill.

I note that in Committee hearing, during testimony and questioning related to these concerns, the Director of DLNR, which stands for the Department of Labor, excuse me, Department of Land and Natural Resources, the Director gave assurances that the Department will have a process for public input. So I just wanted to put that on the record.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Any further comments? Moving on to standing Committee report 1089, 1090, 1091. We're at the top of page 33. Standing Committee report 1092. Let's go back to standing Committee report 1078. Excuse me. 1091. Representative Iwamoto.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Reservations

so ordered.

so ordered. Representative Alcos

Moving on to standing Committee report 1092. Representative Matsumoto,

reservations

Same request

so ordered. Moving on to Standing Committee report. Oh, Representative Iwamoto.

Reservations

so ordered. Representative Shimizu.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Regarding SCR 1092 HB 1159, I rise in opposition. With brief comments. Please.

Please proceed.

I agree with the intent and goal of this Bill to have coordinated procedures during an emergency to maximize efficiency and required actions. I have personally gone back and forth on this Bill and landed in opposition based on the following.

With the testimony on both sides, especially from users affected, I believe there needs to be more discussion and communication amongst all stakeholders. Excuse me, stakeholders. To properly achieve this goal and avoid unintended consequences.

Without this thorough public input and vetting, I feel that during an emergency, with fear and anxiety at a high level, in a chaotic situation, and especially with this being a new procedure, there may be a high chance of miscommunication or lack of communication. And I feel that the 10,000 a day fine is too...

Is too punitive and unfair at this point. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Any further comments? Okay, we're at. Moving on to Signing Committee Report 1093, Representative Amato.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise in opposition.

Please proceed.

Restoration of beachland sounds good, but in this bill, it can mean shoreline hardening.

Hardening shoreline significantly disrupts our natural coastal ecosystems by reducing habitat for wildlife, altering sediment transport patterns, impacting aquatic plant life, and can even lead to beach erosion in the long run, ultimately harming our overall biodiversity of shoreline area with the net loss to tourism, our economy, and quality of life for our community.

I have vowed to protect the environment and will not be supporting this Bill. And further, I urge anyone who cares about our ocean, our environment, or even tourism to vote no. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Representative Iwamoto. In opposition, so ordered. Moving on to standing Committee report 1094.

1095, 1096. Representative Muraoka.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Opposition?

Please proceed.

I recognize there's problems with putting a landfill over a significant water resource, and I support the intention of this measure. However, I'm very concerned that the city and counties testimony that if HB 969 HD1 were to become law, Act 73. Excuse me.

If it were to become Law and Act 73 was not amended, the city would have no choice but to pursue a legally prohibited expansion of the Waimanalo Gulch. The west side of Oahu has borne the burden of managing all of the island's waste for far too long.

The legislators should not continue to ask leeward residents to shoulder this responsibility just because nobody wants a landfill in their backyard. The problem may be out of sight and out of mind for some of you, but not for me and many of my colleagues. Therefore, until we can provide the city with other options, I oppose this measure.

Representative Garcia.

With reservations and brief comment, please proceed. Thank you. I think it's well for me at least, and I speak for myself, that it's common sense not to put trash above aquifers. So therefore I am supportive of the bill. But the.

The reservations is the same point that my colleague mentioned from Y and I in that the testimony submitted was if this does not pass, then or. Or if the landfill isn't allowed to be placed there, that the current landfill would be extended. Broken promises. And so for those reasons, with reservations.

So ordered. Representative Kila.

Hello, Madam Speaker in opposition.

Please proceed.

I want folks to understand my no vote is not against the concept of putting landfills above significant aquifers as defined by the Department of Health. But this really is the intent that they would then force what the county is trying to do here in the islet of Oahu, prohibiting the current landfill selection site.

I think the large issue that we have come to face here in the Legislature is not one with each other, but the fact that the county had several years to prepare a plan and waited until right before the legislative session to unveil their plan, knowing well enough that legislation would come out.

I also want to share that the proposed site that they did choose does impact agricultural land. And I think all of us in the Legislature want to support farming and agricultural use on agriculture zoned lands. But with us moving forward on these discussions, we are all doing our best to protect our communities.

But I will share the story of where the landfill resides in the name Waimanalo Gulch. It is on the hillside in Nanakuli, just a stone throw away. From one of the Hiko power plants that powers the entire island of Oahu.

And several miles down the road, you have what's known as the private industrial landfill that takes every construction site trash to the same area. So the mountains of Nanakuli are natural, but the hillsides that have now come before it is layers of years and years worth of trash.

Nanakuli's Waimanalo Gulch landfill also sits above a significant water table, but although not defined as an aquifer, it still sits above that. Largely, I think the biggest issue that we're facing is how we're going to manage trash.

And I think everyone could agree if everyone had their own landfills that every community was responsible for, we'd be much more involved in looking at reducing waste and management. But I think at this point, we are trying our best to exhaust resources and land sites to move this idea forward.

But I think largely the one issue that we need to find is hoping our federal partners will be able to come to the table, be a part of the discussion, and lend land that they have available to help our Oahu communities. The military plays a significant impact into the backyards of Oahu.

And I think now more than ever, amidst the land lease renewals and every issue that comes forth with that, I hope that our federal partners are willing to able to come to this table and find a solution forward so that Waianae no longer bears the landfill, Nanakuli no longer has the landfill.

We not put a landfill on ag land, and we do not put a landfill over an aquifer. So for those reasons, I'm in opposition.

Any further comments? Representative Marten.

With reservations, please. Please proceed. And I'd like to have the words of the representative from Nanakuli adopted as if they were my own.

Thank you.

So ordered. Representative Hussey.

Same request. Thank you.

So ordered. Representative Alcos.

Same request.

So ordered. Representative Shimizu.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise in support of this Bill with reservations and would like the words of my colleague from Waianae, Makaha, to be entered as my own.

So ordered. Representative Reyes Oda.

Thank you, Speaker. If I can enter a vote of reservations. And I would like to enter into the journal the words of my colleague from Kapole and Nanakuli as my own. So ordered.

Representative Lowen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Madam Speaker, in support. No one wants a landfill over the aquifer. No one wants a landfill in their backyard, and there's really no good place to put a landfill. Maybe this bill isn't the whole picture, but I think that it would be a little reckless to site a new landfill over the aquifer.

And on the flip side of this, we have to start getting serious about waste reduction and looking at alternatives for how we manage waste so that we don't continue to hope for a place that we can pile it up where it's out of everybody's view and out of everybody's backyard and out of way of causing any danger to the environment, because that is not possible.

So if we're going to continue to make waste and consume goods, it has to go somewhere.

Now we're just kind of hitting a point today where we're faced with having to grapple with the reality of this situation that we find ourselves in that's just created by an unsustainable system of waste management that, you know, we've all been existing and participating in throughout our entire lives.

So, I mean, this bill isn't the whole picture, but I still think it's a good measure and that I'm glad it's moving forward. Thank you.

Thank you.

And just to clarify, your support for this bill? Yes, I said I was in support. Thanks, Representative Quinlan.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. In support.

Please proceed.

I think we've got a long way to go when it comes to landfill siting on Oahu. There's still a process that we have to all embark on together.

I did want to thank the chairs of the committees that this bill move through and I wanted to especially thank all the Members of this body for being willing to engage on this issue. And may please have the words of the representative from Nanakuli entered into the journal as if they were my own.

So ordered.

Representative Grandinetti.

In support and.

Please proceed.

Thank you. I'd like to thank the Chairs of EEP and Transportation for kind of highlighting the bigger systemic issues that we're facing and adopt their words as my own. So ordered.

Any further comments? Okay, for the vote, Representative Morikawa for the vote.

I'm the speaker on the measures before us. All majority members vote I with the exception of the following. On page 29, stand com report number 1054, HB number 729 HD2 Rep. Kong votes no. Stand com report number 1058, HB number 918 HD2 Rep. Kong votes no. On page 30, stand com report number 1061, HB number 528 HD1 the following vote. No. Rep. Iwomoto and Perruso. Stand com report number 1071, HB number 463 HD3 Rep. Kong votes no.

On page 31, stand comm report number 1074, HB number 966 HD2 Rep Martin votes no. For stand com report number 1075, HB number 1006 HD2 Rep Perruso votes no. On page 32, stand com report number 1085, HB number 510 HD1 Rep Kong votes no. And on page 33, stand com report number 1092 HB number 1159 HD2 Rep Kong votes no. Stand com report number 1093, HB number 1137 HD2 the following vote no. Amato. Iwamoto. With stand com report number 1096, HB number 969 HD2 Rep Kila votes no.

Representative Garcia.

On the measures before us, all minority members vote I with the exception of the following. On page 29, SCR 1054, HB 729 house draft 2. Reps Garcia and Muraoka vote no. SCR 1058, HB 918 HD 2, Reps Garcia and Muraoka vote no. SCR 1059, HB1277 HD 2, Reps Garcia Muraoka vote no. Page 30, SCR 1066 HB1008 HD 2 Garcia votes no. SCR 1067, HB 54 HD 2, Rep Shimizu and Souza votes no. SCR 1071, HB 463 HD 3, Reps Alcos, Garcia, Matsumoto, Muraoka and Shimizu votes no. Page 31, SCR 1077, HB 194 house draft 1. Garcia votes no. On page 30. Nope still 31. SCR 1078, HB 957 house draft 1, Garcia votes no. Page 32, SCR 1080, HB 706 house draft 1, Reps Garcia and Muraoka vote no. SCR 1085, HB 510 HD 1, Reps Alcos, Garcia, and Muraoka vote no. SCR 1089, HB 458 house draft 2, Reps Alcos, Garcia, and Muraoka vote no. SCR 1090, HB 1162 house draft 2, Garcia votes no. SCR 1091, House Bill 226, house draft 3, Garcia and Souza vote no. Page 33. SCR 1092, House Bill 1159 house draft 2, Reps Garcia, Muraoka, and Shimizu vote no. SCR 1095, HB 1087 house draft 2, Rep Muraoka votes no. SCR 1096, HB 969 house draft 2, Rep Muraoka votes no.

Have all votes been cast? Said House Bills pass third reading Representative Todd.

Madam Speaker, I move to adopt the Standing Committee reports listed on pages 34 through 38 and that the accompanying house bills as may be amended past third reading.

Representative Morikawa.

Madam Speaker, I second the motion.

Any discussion on these items beginning with HSCR number 1097? 1099? Representative Souza.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. With reservations.

So ordered. 1100. HS Standing Committee Report 1103. The top of page 35. Standing Committee Report 110.

Madam Speaker. Sorry.

Representative Souza.

For 1103?

Yes. Please proceed.

I rise in strong support.

Please proceed.

I would also like to request permission to insert written comments into the journal.

So ordered. Standing Committee report 1104. Representative Matsumoto.

With reservations.

So ordered.

Standing Committee report 1109. 1110.

Speaker.

Representative Cochran.

Thank you. I stand in support. But I just wanted to add some comments as to why. And I see Cindy's Lei Shoppe, which I do patronize, voted in opposition. But my main reasoning is, you know, we ship in all those purple Thai orchids. And I always. I mean, Hawaii is our orchid island. Hawaii is our garden island.

And you know, every. The flowers that I wear today are hand picked, hand sewn, you know, grown by myself back on Maui. And I think if we're going to keep shipping things in, I know it's. It's cheaper, you know, due to labor costs and versus ours.

But we need to get back to right sustainability and keeping our economy home and all of that. So I'd love to pursue this, push this forward so we can get our agriculture growing back. The beautiful flowers like you see here that I'm wearing. And so that's why I'm in support and I'm happy to see this here.

Thank you so much.

Representative Matsumoto.

With reservations and permission to insert written comments into the journal.

So ordered. Representative Shimizu.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise in support with reservations and brief comments.

Please proceed.

I acknowledge the necessary promotion and support for our local suppliers and thank the introducer for this good bill. The reservation is to highlight the testimony from the local flower community stating their current situation. The state does not have the resources to fill demand.

This will place a burden on many floral businesses who rely on the importation of flowers. And farmers are currently facing workforce challenges. Therefore, I highlight these reservations to highlight these current deficits and to address and prepare for the. Excuse me.

To address and prepare for the future timetable that is targeted so that we can meet the goals of the bill. Thank you.

Moving on to Standing Committee Report 1112. We're at the top of page 36, Standing Committee Report 1113. Representative Iwamoto.

Reservations.

So ordered. 1114. 1120. Representative Reyes Oda.

Sorry. When you have time, if we can get back to 1112. Thank you.

Okay, let's finish up 1120. Okay, we will go back to 1112. Representative Reyes Oda.

Madam Speaker, sorry about that. Reservations.

So ordered. Moving on to Standing Committee Report 1121. Representative Cochran.

Thank you, Speaker. And I have reservations on this one. I agree that let's do a pilot program. We do have a land trust that started up in Lahaina in particular, but I'd like to make sure that, you know, the money is expended for these land trusts are documented and accounted for in real time.

Maybe, you know, besides just a year in report of it. So I just want to make sure that the monies are expended properly and actually going to what they're, you know, given. That it's being benefited to the community that it's given to. So thank you.

Any further comments on 1121? Then we're moving on to Standing Committee Report 1122. We're at the top of page 37. Standing Committee Report 1123. 11. Representative Chun.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Reservations.

So ordered.

Thank you.

Madam Speaker.

Representative Lamosao.

Or 1123 with reservations as well. Thank you.

So ordered. Representative Belatti.

Reservations.

So ordered. Moving on to Standing Committee Report 1124. 1126. 1127.

Madam Speaker.

Representative Holt.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. In strong support.

Please proceed.

Colleagues, I stand before you today in strong support of legalized online sports wagering in Hawaii. It's an opportunity to generate much needed revenue and regulate an already thriving underground market. Provide... Sorry, wrong one.

Okay, we will... Okay, this is one on... This is HB 606, Standing Committee Report 1127.

In strong support of HB 606.

Please proceed.

And I'd like to thank the introducer for bringing this measure forth, and it was a priority for our Hawaiian Caucus package this year. I, you know, stand here today to advocate for a long overdue commitment, which is increasing funding for the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to build homes for Native Hawaiians.

This is not just a financial decision. It's a moral obligation, a matter of justice, and a crucial step towards fulfilling the promises made by to the Native Hawaiian people nearly a century ago. Over a century ago. Noting the absence of any funding for additional homesteads in the administration's budget.

I'm really thankful that the House is passing this measure and showing our commitment to continue to address this overdue issue and end the waiting for over 20,000 on the waiting list. I'd like to special mahalo the JHA Committee Chair and Fin Chair for making sure we got to this point.

You know, the Homes Commission Act of 1920 was intended to provide Native Hawaiians with the land and opportunity to build stable and thriving communities. And yet for decades, thousands of eligible families have been left waiting. Some for decades and some never seen that promise fulfilled in their lifetimes.

Madam Speaker, many, many people have died on the waiting list. Today, there are still more than 20,000 Native Hawaiians on the waiting list waiting for homestead land. And many struggle with the high housing costs, displacement, and the erosion of cultural ties to the ancestral lands.

As we all know, it's been noted many times that there are more Native Hawaiians living on the continent than in our islands. This legislation is a necessary and urgent investment in in the future of Hawaii. By increasing the funding to DHHL, we can accelerate home construction, develop essential infrastructure, and ensure that Native Hawaiian families have access to safe and affordable housing.

It's unacceptable that in a state where land was taken away from Native Hawaiians, they now face some of the highest housing costs in the nation with little opportunity to reclaim their rightful place on the land. For a long time, the Department has received much criticism for their lack of production of the new homesteads and the growing wait list. Some may say it was unfair criticism as the Department has been historically underfunded.

From the inception of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act in 1920 to 2022, there were about 10,000 homesteads awarded in the entire program. You know, since 2022 and award of the $600 million by this Legislature, DHHL has plans to award an additional 6,000 leases upon completion of the construction with the $600 million. So that's 6,000 units currently, as opposed to the 10,000 in over 100 years.

But that still leaves a wait list of over 20,000, and thus the need for this measure and additional funding for the Department. It's not just a Native Hawaiian issue. This is a Hawaii issue. And strengthening Native Hawaiian communities strengthen the entire state.

When families have stable housing, they contribute to the economy, preserve cultural traditions, and build stronger communities for all of us. Now is the time to act. Let's honor our commitment and let's invest in the people who have called these islands home for generations. Let's pass this legislation and give Native Hawaiians the homes that they were promised. Mahalo.

Representative Iwamoto.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise in support and ask that the words of the Representative from Chinatown be entered into the record as my own.

So ordered. Representative Poepoe.

Thank you, Speaker. In strong support. I would like to adopt the words of our Hawaiian Caucus Chair into the as my own. Also a quick comment.

So ordered.

Just to add a little bit. You know, the first infusion of 600 million was so unprecedented, and we're seeing that it's going to produce incredible results and that can't have been a one time thing. We need to keep the momentum going. That's all. Thank you.

Representative Kahaloa.

Madam Speaker, in strong support.

Please proceed.

And may I also adopt the words from the Native Hawaiian Caucus Chair as well as the Representative from Molokai as if they were my own.

So ordered. Representative Kapela.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. May I also adopt the words of the Representative from Molokai... In strong support. Also the Chair of Native Hawaiian Caucus. Thank you.

So ordered. Representative Hussey.

In support. Same request.