House Standing Committee on Higher Education

Good afternoon, everybody. We are now convening the House Committee on Higher Education. Today is Wednesday, March 12th. It is a few minutes after 2:00 PM. We have, let's see, five bills today, Members.

Just in terms of how we're going to run the Committee between now and second lateral, we will have a hearing obviously today, another one this coming Friday, which was noticed yesterday, and then we will have one more next week, Wednesday. We're anticipating a Bill to come over from the Water and Land Committee and we're also targeting that date for potential resolutions. That Vice Chair will run that hearing.

So, just a heads up on our schedule for the next week or so. So, with that, let us go ahead and begin. First Bill up today is Senate Bill 1146, SD 1, relating to the Ala Wai Canal.

This bill appropriates funds to, UH for the development of an action plan and pre-engineering concept plan to help with debris management and water quality control in the Alawai Watershed. Effective 7312050. Up first we have the University of Hawaii System.

Dean Moraoka, Chair, UH stands on its testimony support.

Okay, thank you. Standing in support. DLNR.

Hi, Chair.

I'm sorry, if you don't mind just coming up to the microphone just because people on YouTube aren't going to be able to hear.

Hi, Chair Garrett. I'm Gason Ching from the Department of Land Natural Resources. I'm the Acting Chief Engineer right now and DLNR stands on our testimony.

Thank you.

Okay, thank you. Thank you very much. That's why you can support. Is there anyone else in the room wishing to testify? Seeing None. Anyone via Zoom? None as well. Okay. Members, please also note we have testimony and support from the Waikiki Neighborhood Board, the Waikiki Beach Special Improvement District Association and three individuals. Members, any questions?

If not, I have one for dlnr.

Hi.

Hi. You know, in your testimony you referenced the cost every time there's a major weather event that you folks have to pay. Where does that money come from? I assume you don't have special funds right now. Sorry, what fund? Boating. Boating. That's a special fund.

Yeah, they're special funds, operating funds. So these funds can be used for other improvements at the boat harbors and stuff. So it does cost them a lot of money. Again, we. We're responsible for the Alawai Canal, but the debris comes from the upper watershed that DLNR is responsible for cleaning.

So using our special funds on this type of cleanup is a big impact to them.

Okay, understood. Thanks for the explanation. Members, may I ask. Sure. I'm sorry, DLNR, if you Come back up.

Question from Vice Chair. Do you happen to know the current balance of that special fund?

No, I don't have that information with me.

I'm just curious how much when one of these events occurs, how much of a a hit it really is to this fund. I see how much it costs but like what does it leave you with? Does it wipe you out every time one of these events occurs?

Yeah, if you need that information I could get it from our voting people.

Just curious. Thank you. Thank you. Chair, I have a question for DLNR.

Sorry, could you come back up please? Question to your right, sorry. So I heard you say you know in rains and stuff you guys have to go clean it up and that takes out of the boating fund. Is there a way you guys can maybe be compensated by going after the owners of the, you know, up upstream?

That is a hard thing because of Manoa Palolo Makiki streams this surrounded by communities and that stream is jointly owned by private, state and county. So there's no pinpointing where the debris exactly comes from.

This bill will allow UH to identify sources and possibly joint efforts with the county to you know, help address where these debris and non I guess vegetated degree comes from.

So. So this bill might actually help you folks identify some of the perpetrators.

I believe so Brandon can go into detail about what their scope will be and that's, that's one thing that's important about this bill is we having someone organization or some. The school identified a source of these pollution coming down. Again we're DLNR is responsible for more the Aleway Canal and small boat harbor. Okay.

So that's why this project will assist us in identifying maybe have a joint effort, maybe county, state and possibly federal help on this.

Chair, if I may for.

Zero yeah please Dean, if you don't mind. Coming up. Thank you. Mr. Chang.

Hello. Brennan Morioka with the University of Hawaii.

Pretty close. Chris Moraoka. So same question. I mean because if we're going to throw money at it and all we're going to do is all clean up. Will this help identify the perpetrators and then go after them and hold them responsible?

Well, the enforcement side is going to be a different conversation.

But part of what we would be looking at doing and our full scope is still yet to be determined because we would have to meet with all of the different stakeholders, including dot, dlnr, city, dfm, city, DPP and identify what is it that's going to be their most useful tool and that's what our students would work on as part of Student projects with our faculty.

Part of the initial conversations is, yes, we would look at the entire watershed because right now DLNR primarily just gets the end of it, right? They get everything from everywhere else and they're the ones responsible for cleaning.

So if we can start to identify potential sources of where all this debris is coming from, whether it's man made or natural debris, we can start coming up, number one, with better management plans on how to manage the entire watershed, including, you know, cutting of Albizia or whatever it is on a more regular basis, but also identifying pinch points where we might be able to work with DLNR and DOT on where we might do better collection more further upstream.

And so this is more of trying to prevent everything from going down rather than the enforcement side. I think the enforcement side would come afterwards once we do identify, okay, where are these places and is there private property owners that might be contributing to the source of this debris?

All right, thank you.

Thank you, Dean. Members, any other questions? Seeing none, we'll move on to our next Bill, Senate Bill 1232, SD 2. Members, we heard a similar Bill, House Bill 736, I believe, earlier this session. This Bill is relating to wastewater systems.

Establishes a three-year new wastewater technology testing pilot program within UH Water Resources Research Center to test and evaluate new wastewater technology systems, in coordination with UHC grant, UH College of Engineering, Department of Health, Department of Hawaiian Homelands, and appropriate county agencies. Requires a report to the Lej. Appropriates monies and is effective 7-31-2050.

Up first, we have the Department of Health, testifying in support.

Thank you. Chair, Vice Chair, Members of the Committee. John Nagato, Department of Health. The Department stands on its written testimony in support. Thank you.

Thank you. Okay, thank you. Up next, Department of Hawaiian Homelands, also in support.

Aloha, Chair, Vice Chair, Members of the Committee. Oriana Leo Dicho. The Department stands on its written testimony in support. Mahalo.

Thank you. Mahalo. Up next, the Hawaii Reef and Ocean Coalition.

Good afternoon, Chair, Vice Chair, Members of the Committee. Ted Boland, on behalf of the Hawaii Reef and Ocean Coalition. This Bill is part of a package of bills that we've designed this year to make cesspool upgrades more affordable.

They're very expensive, especially in some locations, and we need to find ways to make it less expensive so that people can afford it.

This one is important because it will provide some money to the University of Hawaii to study different new technologies that might be cheaper and that will help the Department of Health certify new technologies and hopefully bring down the cost. So, this is an important Bill. We hope you will pass it. I'm available for questions. Thank you.

Okay, thank you, Ted. Up next, we have the Nature Conservancy, also testifying in support.

Aloha, Chairs. My name is Kim Flinsky with the Nature Conservancy. Thank you for hearing this. We're standing here in strong support of this Bill. I'm also Affiliate Faculty at the Water Resources Research Center and a graduate of the program at UH Manoa.

He—historically worked in this space, and I would be confident that they'd be able to execute this project. And so, thank you for your support.

Okay, thank you. Up next, Wastewater Alternatives and Innovations Hawaii, also in support.

Aloha, Chair, Vice Chair, Committee Members. My name is Stuart Coleman. I'm the Executive Director of WAI, Wastewater Alternatives and Innovations, and I helped work on this Bill and just—we'll stand in strong support with a written testimony but just give you a little background. Roger Babcock, who's now with Honolulu City ENV, used to run this program.

And it was very beneficial because this was the way that new technologies could come into the state. And we worked with him, and we got a new technology into the state. We did the pilot project, and it's able to bring down the cost significantly because we showed higher rates of treatment. And so, this was a win, you know.

And so, since he left, we haven't been able to do that. This is also one of those just very rare circumstances where the program will basically, after we set up the pilot project, basically pay for itself. Because technology companies that want to come in here, they pay and they're eager to do that.

They contact us all the time saying we want to test, but the Department of Health doesn't have the time to do it, so this outsources it and it pays for itself. And so, once the testing is done and then DoH has the information they need, they can approve it.

And we have many more options, more competition, bringing down prices for homeowners. Mahalo.

Thank you. Is there anyone else in the room wishing to testify on Senate Bill 1232, SD 2? Seeing none. Anyone via Zoom? No. Members, please also note we have testimony in support from the, UH system, the Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission, the Climate Change and Health Working Group, Public Access to Sunscreens, the Surfrider Foundation Hawaii Region, and three individuals.

Members, any questions? Okay, seeing none—then we'll move on to the next bill, Senate Bill 119, relating to nursing. Members, you'll recall we heard a similar bill earlier this session. This bill appropriates funds to establish the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program at UH Maui College, has an effective date of 7/31/2050, via Zoom. Ms. Nagel, the UH system in support.

Yes, we stand on our testimony. I'm here on behalf of Della Teraoka.

Okay, thank you very much. Up next, Aloha Care. Are they available via Zoom? Not present. Okay—testifying in support. Is there anyone else in the room wishing to testify? Senate Bill 119—seeing none.

Members, please note we have several pieces of testimony in support from the Hawai'i State Center for Nursing, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Hawaii Nurses Association, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Hawaii Public Health Association, Hawaii Chapter of the American Nurses Association, and five individuals, along with Maui Health System. Members, any questions? Senate Bill 119—seeing none.

We will move on. Next Bill is Senate Bill 865 relating to agriculture. This Bill appropriates funds to establish a permanent educational support associate position within UHC TAHR's Kona Cooperative Extension, effective date 7/31/2050. Up first, Hawaii Farm Bureau.

Good afternoon, Chair, Vice Chair, Members of the Committee, Brian Miyamoto here on behalf of the Hawaii Farm Bureau. You have a written testimony in support of. We absolutely support the original intent of the Bill and many of the testifiers, including the extension agent in Kona's request for this APT position.

But upon reviewing the the Dean's and the provost testimony, requesting that it instead be an additional extension agent position, we support that also. In fact, we support a new extension agent position. Along with creation of the apt position, we want to build backup our extension service.

This would focus on some of our iconic crops like coffee, macadamia nuts and other orchard crops. Again, we want to grow the industry and in order to do that, we need our partners at ctahr. Extension service plays a valuable role for our farmers ranchers. So we are requesting chair that you consider two positions.

The apt position of the original Bill and as the Dean requested, another extension position also. Thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony.

Okay. Thank you, Brian. My apologies to UHCTAHR for missing you folks. Is Dean on Zoom? Associate Dean.

Hello. This is Walter Bowen. Okay. I'm Associate Dean for Research, Chair, Vice Chair and Members of the Committee, thank you for this opportunity to stand on our testimony in support of the intent of this Bill.

And after Brian having stolen my thunder, I can also say we stand in strong support of the intent that just expressed by Brian by the Farm Bureau. We think that it would be important, of course, to have an APT position.

But we feel like we're under invested in terms of our extension agents who can support our orchard crops and that being macadamia coffee and Cacao, principally. Thank you.

Okay. Thank you very much. Is there anyone else in the room wishing to testify on Senate Bill 865 SD1? Seeing none. Anyone else, via Zoom? Seeing none. Okay. Members, please note we have testimony from several agricultural entities from Hawaii Island. Just name off a few here. Island Harvest, Inc.

Bee's Knees Farm, HC Farms, Hawaii Coffee Association, Hawaii Coffee Growers Association, Maui Coffee Association, Kau Coffee Growers Cooperative, Hala Tree llc, Ahualoa Family Farms, Greenwell Farms, Heavenly Hawaiian Farms, Rusty's Hawaiian, and several individuals. Several. A few dozen individuals, actually. Members, any questions? Senate Bill 865 SD1. Do you have a question for Associate Dean Bowen?

If you had to choose between the second extension agent and a single APT position, which would you pick? If we had to pick between the two?

If we had to pick between the two, I would go with an extension agent, primarily because extension agents drive our program and they're the leaders, and we do need more leaders, particularly with our orchard crops.

Okay, thank you. And I'm sure Andrew would appreciate the help as well. Members, any other questions? Okay, seeing none. We'll move on to our last bill for this agenda: Senate Bill 1487 SD 1, relating to the University of Hawaii revenue bonds. We heard a companion earlier this session.

This bill authorizes the Board of Regents of UH to issue revenue bonds for the purpose of financing qualifying priorities, capital improvement projects, appropriates funds with an effective date of 7/31/2050. The only testifier we have on this bill is the UH system, testifying in support.

Good afternoon. Amy Kunz, Associate Vice President Comptroller here for Kalbert Young. Uh, yes, we stand on testimony in support. Here for any questions you have. Thank you for hearing this measure.

Okay, thank you. Members, any--is there anyone else in the room wishing to testify? I assume no one via Zoom as well. Okay, members, questions for UH?

Yes, please. Just a quick one. Hi. Do you have an itemized list of what these funds would potentially be used for?

We could come up with something. This is really a preemptive approval for us to even start that conversation. You know, right now we would use a lot of GO bonds for any project. You know, something on the near horizon could be something like student housing.

The original bill was submitted with an $800 million number on it, which I know is very large, but this going over the next five years or so, there are some substantially large projects on the horizon that would allow us to start planning that if we knew that we had this authority.

I see. Okay. So it's more like get the money first and then figure out how you want to spend it?

Well this is more get the approval to even launch that conversation and there's several steps in order to take before we launch a bond issue, including coming back to the Legislature for approval as well as the governor and the board.

Okay, that, that helps. Thank you.

Yeah, thank you.

Thank you Members. Any other questions? Seeing none. We will recess and try to get quorum. Recess.

The House Committee on Higher Education for purposes of decision making. Thank you for a fairly quick hearing. Members, five bills up today. Senate Bill 1146, SD 1, relating to the Ala Wai Canal.

This is the partnership asking the College of Engineering primarily to come up with a pre-engineering plan. Members, please note that the Bill already has a blank appropriation and likewise, a defective date. The appropriation in the Bill as introduced was for $125,000 for two grad assistants from UH to assist with this.

But for the recommendation from the hair on this Bill is to pass with an HD 1, simply with the new defective date of 7-1-3000. Members, any questions? Seeing none. Vice Chair for the vote please. HD 1.

[Roll Call]

Okay, thank you, Members. Next Bill, Senate Bill 1232, SD 2, relating to wastewater systems. Again, this is the one—we heard a very similar Bill, House Bill 736. I think last time the referral was a little different. We were the middle committee receiving it from EEP—Energy and Environmental Protection.

But it was reversed this time. I want to keep this going. It is a triple referral bill, so the recommendation is to pass with an HD 1, simply again with a new defective date of 7-1-3000. Members, any discussion? Seeing none. Vice Chair for the vote, please. HD 1.

[Roll Call]

Okay, thank you, Members. Next Bill, Senate Bill 119, SD 1, relating to nursing. We did hear the companion to this Bill, House Bill 617, earlier this session. Unfortunately, it was not scheduled by Finance.

Members, just to refresh your memory, as introduced, this Bill appropriated $680,000 to help start this new Bachelor of Science in Nursing program within UH Maui College. The Bill already has a blank appropriation and a defective date.

But to keep this going and to send it to the Fin. Committee, we'd like to pass this out with an HD 1 with a new defective date of 7-1-3000. Members, any discussion? Seeing none. Vice Chair for the vote, please. HD1.

[Roll Call]

Okay, thank you, Members. Next Bill, Senate Bill 865, SD 1. This is the Bill relating to CTAHR, the Kona Extension Center. So, Members, on this one, we did not hear the companion because there was on—this Bill was already moving on the Senate side. Please note that it already has a blank appropriation, as well as a defective date.

You know, for the recommendation for this Bill, I'd like to pass this out with an HD 1, taking CTAHR's suggestion to upgrade the position to an extension agent rather than the admin professional technical supports position. I would love to give them two positions, but I don't want to be accused of being greedy.

So, their recommendation was the second extension agent. So, we'll reflect that. As a result, we're going to delete Section 1, which is a preamble that explained the need for the support position. So, we'll just again make the recommendation to upgrade this position to an extension agent, and we'll also include a new defective date of 7-1-3000. Members, any discussion?

Yes, Chair. I'd like to make a statement, if I may.

Yes, please, go ahead.

Thank you, Chair. So, I am in strong support of SB 865. I mean, it's a great Bill and I really support our higher ed ag local businesses. This, this Bill is a win for all.

Unfortunately, CTAHR sent me a gift of Kona Coffee by mail last week, and here I am today making a decision on a measure that directly affects them. So, my personal convictions prevent me from accepting such gifts.

And the good news is, after I contacted the Dean...a man of great integrity, the Hawaii County Administrator has since counseled Kona faculty not to send me any gifts. Although I appreciate this kind sentiment, I'm forced to recuse myself from the vote for this Bill that I strongly support.

My incredibly bright and invaluable Committee Clerk, Holly, can have this exceptional Kona coffee which is undoubtedly the best in the world. Thank you, Chair.

Okay, duly noted, Vice Chair. Thank you, Members. Any other discussion? Senate Bill 865, SD 1. Seeing none. Vice Chair for the vote, please, noting a recusal.

[Roll Call]

Thank you, Members. Last bill on this agenda, Senate Bill 1487, SD 1. We did hear the companion Bill, House Bill 1168, earlier this session and did pass it out with a blank cap for the revenue bond amount. This Bill, as received by Committee, already has a blank appropriation and a defective date.

For purposes of further discussion, we'd like to—the recommendation is to pass with an HD 1 with a new defective date of 7-1-3000. Members, any discussion? Seeing none. Vice Chair for the vote please. HD 1.

[Roll Call]

Okay, thank you, Members. We will adjourn this hearing.

Good afternoon. I'd like to call to order the Joint House Committees on Housing and Higher Education. We are joined here by our—with our—Housing Committee Vice Chair, Rep., Vice Chair Miyake and our Higher Education Chair, Garrett and his Vice Chair, Amato—representative Amato. We only have one item on the agenda today.

SB 1553, SD 2, relating to the Department of Hawaiian Homelands. And we will jump right into it. Vice Chair for the testimony.

Department of Hawaiian Homelands in support.

Aloha, Chairs, Vice Chairs, Members of the Committees. Oriana Leo of the Department of Hawaiian Homelands. The Department is deeply grateful that this these committees have decided to schedule this measure. However, at this time, DHL would like to rescind our testimony in support and also request that this Bill be deferred.

Due diligence has not been completed concerning this measure and we would appreciate more time to have dialogue with the University of Hawaii, as well as the other necessary stakeholders. If you have any questions, I'm available. Mahalo.

Thank you. University of Hawaii, with comments.

Aloha, Chairs, Vice Chairs, Members of the Committee. My name is Michael Shibata, Director for Strategic Development and Partnership for the University of Hawaii. The University has submitted written testimony providing comments. We have been in coordination with DHHL about their interest in the subject parcel.

University is the landowner of the property in question, and we have been coordinating access for them to do site assessments and due diligence. But again, happy to answer any questions, but the testimony that we did provide provided additional information for your folks' consideration. Thank you.

Thank you. And one individual in support. Anybody else in person or on Zoom want to testify on this matter before us? Seeing none, Chair.

Housing Committee Members, is there any questions? No?

Higher ed, same question. Any questions for UH, since they're the only ones here? If not, I have one. Hi. Thanks Mike, for being here. How does this particular parcel fit into UH's strategic plan?

Yeah, so the, the property was previously was acquired in like 2000 and to support Honolulu Community College for its aviation program. And so, they had that program up and running up until about 2016. That's when the, you know, due to a lack of enrollment, that is when the Honolulu City decided to discontinue that program.

And so, since about 2020, when we were able to secure the release of restrictive covenants on the property, which were related to it could only be used for education purposes, we couldn't sell, lease, or transfer the property. Up until then, you know, it was only for educational purposes.

And since the University wasn't utilizing the hangar, it was sitting vacant. And so, up until then, once we were able to get the restrictive covenants removed, then that really unlocked what we could use the property for.

So, since then, we did issue a solicitation, you know, for potential lessees to operate, you know, to own, operate, maintain the property.

And you know, again, based on last year, we did enter into a short-term agreement with the City and County of Honolulu for their Honolulu Fire Department and Hawaii Honolulu Police Department aircraft operations because their currently plan is to build a new hangar for their operations in Sand Island area.

So, it's a temporary stopgap for now, but you know, the expectation would be we do need to find a more long-term solution for the hangar.

Okay, so you don't have that long-term solution just yet?

No, I think the plan would be, you know, if DHHL would be interested or, you know, if not, then it would be—the plan was to again, once, as we get closer to the ending of the agreement with the city, which is the term ends April of 2029, so there's a few—there's roughly about four years or so, was we would do another solicitation for to try and secure a more long-term lessee.

Okay, thank you, Mike. Members, any other questions? Seeing none, deferring back to the Housing Chair.

Thank you.

All right. We will roll straight into decision making here. I appreciate the intent of the measure, and I'm hopeful that DHHL can continue to progress towards the mass production of housing for beneficiaries.

But given the recommendation from DHHL to defer the measure for the need for further due diligence and work with the University, my recommendation will be to defer this Bill.

Higher education, same recommendation as well.

With that, all right, Bill is deferred. Seeing no further business. This hearing is now adjourned.