Senate Floor

Will the Senate please come to order? Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

[Roll Call] 24 present, one excused.

Thank you. The Chair has read the journal from the preceding day and approves the same. Are there any introductions this evening? If not, Madam Clerk.

Beginning on page one, governor's message numbers 13 to 20, transmit proposed conference drafts to fund the tentative agreements for various collective bargaining units. Beginning on page three. House communication number 813, informs the Senate that the House has agreed to the amendments made by the Senate to various House bills and that said bills passed final reading in the House.

House communication number 814 informs the Senate that the House has reconsidered its action in disagreeing to the amendments made by the Senate to House Bill 622, Senate Draft 1. And House communication numbers 815 and 816 inform the Senate that the House made changes to conferees for various bills.

Beginning on page five. Conference Committee report numbers 103 to 114 for 48 hour notice. On pages six through eight. Standing committee report numbers 2001 to 2009, for one day notice. Beginning on page nine. Advise and consent.

If there are no objections from the Members, we will be taking advice and consent on consent.

Standing committee report numbers 1976-1999 on governor's messages for adoption.

Is there any discussion? If not, do we have unanimous consent? Any reservations? Any no votes?

24 ayes.

Thank you. The nominees for said governor's messages have been confirmed.

Mr. President. Late introduction, please.

You could proceed.

Thank you. In the gallery we have with us newly confirmed members. GM 72 is Ken Kawahara. He is the new member for the RCUH for the Board of Regents.

He's about to walk in the door now, Senator Kim.

Okay. And we also have our new student regent that has also been newly confirmed, Joshua Faumuina. And he has been serving on the board since July of this past year, and he will serve until 6-30-2026. And we just had Ken Kawahara of RCUH. Thank you very much. We appreciate all of your service.

And he's with his wife, Wendy. Madam Clerk.

On page 17, final adoption of resolution. Senate Concurrent Resolution 121, House Draft 1, for final adoption.

Senator Wakai.

Mr. President, I move for the adoption of said House Concurrent Resolutions.

Senator DeCorte.

Mr. President, I second the motion.

It's been moved and seconded. Is there any discussion? Senator Moriwaki.

Thank you, Mr. President. I will be voting no. I have written remarks that I'd like insert into the journal.

We are on House Concurrent Resolution 96.

Oh, I'm sorry. I thought it was 121. Sorry.

Oh, you know, you are correct that it will be so noted. The Clerk told me she flipped the script on me and read in a different order than what I have written. No vote for Senator Moriwaki on Resolution 121. For the discussion. Senator Inouye.

No vote on SCR 121.

So noted. Senator DeCorte, then Senator Fevella.

Please note my no vote for SCR 121, SD 1.

Thank you. Senator Fevella.

Senate President, also register my no vote. At this time, I don't think Hawaii is ready. We have other things that we should be taking care of, and right now we're not taking care of it in the Department that this is supposed to be designed to go to. Because there's a lot of things that is falling apart, like our movie industry and our tourist industry. So we need to figure this thing out and as our economic development moving forward. Thank you.

Thank you. Any other no votes? Senator Ihara.

No vote for me on SCR 121.

Thank you. Senator Awa. No vote on 121. Any other no votes? Any reservations? Reservations Senators Kim and Gabbard. With 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 no votes. Resolution is carried. The said resolution has been adopted.

Madam Clerk.

My apologies for skipping over. On page 17, Standing Committee Report 2000, adoption of resolutions. House Concurrent Resolution 96 for adoption.

Is there any discussion? Oh, I'm sorry. Senator Wakai, I need to get a motion here.

Here's your motion. I move for the adoption of said House Concurrent Resolution.

Senator DeCorte.

Mr. President, I second the motion.

It's been moved and seconded. Is there any discussion? Any objection? Hearing none. The motion is carried. Said resolutions have been adopted.

On page 17, final reading.

If there are no objections from the Members, we will be taking final reading on consent.

Conference Committee Report number 1. Final reading of Senate Bill 1296, Conference Draft 1, relating to disaster recovery.

Is there any discussion? If not, do we have unanimous consent? Any reservations? Any no votes?

24 ayes.

Thank you. SB 1296, CD 1 passes final reading.

Conference Committee Report number 2. Final reading of Senate Bill 1318, Conference Draft 1, relating to water pollution.

Is there any discussion? If not, do we have unanimous consent? Any reservations? Any no votes?

24 ayes.

Thank you. HB 1318, CD 1 passes final reading.

Referrals and re-referrals.

Referrals and re-referrals are made in accordance with the supplemental orders of the day that may be filed later today.

On page 18, miscellaneous business. Senate Bill 1448, House Draft 2.

Senator San Buenaventura.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the Senate reconsider its previous action in disagreeing to the amendments made by the House and agree to said amendments for SB 1448, SD 2.

Senator Wakai.

I second the motion.

It's been moved and seconded. Any discussion? Senator San Buenaventura.

The only amendments the House made were technical in nature and it made a clean date.

Any further discussion? Any objections? If not, the motion is carried. One day notice is hereby given for final reading of SB 1448, HD 2.

Turning to the supplemental order of the day. Number one, we have miscellaneous communication. Miscellaneous communication number one from the Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi, President of the Senate, and the Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura, Speaker of the House of Representatives, dated April 25, 2025. Transmitting a legislative communication extending the conference negotiation deadline for fiscal bills from 6:00pm to 6:30pm. No further business, Mr. President.

Are there any announcements this evening? If not, the Chair has one. The decking deadline for all fiscal bills in conference is 11:30pm tonight. Senator Wakai.

Mr. President, I move that the Senate stand in recess, leaving the journal open until midnight for the receipt of Conference Committee Reports recommending passage on final reading. And I further move that the Senate reconvene at 9:30am on Wednesday, April 30th.

Senator DeCorte.

Mr. President, I second that motion.

It's been moved and seconded. If there are no objections from the Members, the Senate will stand in recess, leaving the journal open until midnight, and will reconvene at 9:30am on Wednesday.