House Floor

Will the house come to order? Members, following governor Josh Green's announcement that the state offices would be closed on Friday, March 13,2026 due to potentially severe weather conditions, the Senate president and I jointly decided that the legislature would also be closed. This meant that what would have been day 27 of the 2026 legislative session did not occur. As a result, today, which would have been day twenty eighth, is redesignated as day 267. Numbering of all subsequent legislative days will be adjusted accordingly.

Additionally, the president, Senate president and I agreed to move the introduction deadline for substantive resolutions from March 13,2026, to today, March16,2026. Neither the redesignation of session days nor the movement of substantive resolution introduction deadline will affect any future deadlines on the legislative timetable. Mister Clerk, please call the roll.

[Roll Call] Madam Speaker, all 50 members are present.

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. Mister Clerk, are there any messages from the governor?

Madam Speaker, there are none.

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

Madam Speaker, there are none.

Members, are there any introductions? Representative Lee.

Hi. Good morning, speaker. In the gallery today, I have the student council from Kalaheo High School. I'd like to introduce them briefly along with their teacher and student activities coordinator. Please stand and be recognized. Kylie Ademene, Kaiya Q, Malaya Bonisa, Maya Butts, Juliet Connell, Alexis Fuentes, Lena Lockard, Liana Perin, Maya Pupilis, Natalie Schwepke, Alyencia Taylor, and Kimberly Koopman, and Richard Lau. Welcome to your house of representatives.

Representative Keohokapu- Lee Loy.

Thank you, madam speaker. Today in the gallery, students from the Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy. If you all could please stand. Today is Pharmacy Advocacy Day. Pharmacists are no longer dispensers of medication. They are vital accessible providers at the forefront of health care. Whether in community pharmacies, hospitals, research labs, pharmacists will be indispensable in strengthening health systems and improving patient outcomes. Welcome to your house of representatives.

Representative Garcia.

Thank you Madam Speaker. In the gallery, there is a board member from the Kapolei neighborhood board. I'd like I'd like to introduce Sheila Maderas. Please stand. She is the community outreach and education chair for the Makakilo and Honokai Hale neighborhood board and also serves as food coordinator for the Kapolei food bank drive at Kapolei High School. Welcome to to the House of Representatives. Mahalo.

Representative Lechika.

Thank you, madam speaker. In the gallery are two individuals that we'd like to welcome this week who are joining us for House Education Week. On behalf of the representatives from Manoa who's a fellow who's also a fellow education policy maker fellow, in 2025, we have Liz Cohen, the vice president of fifty can, please rise. And joining her is Dorel Bradford, president of fifty can. Welcome to your house of representatives.

Representative Cochran.

Thank you, speaker. And in the gallery, I wanna invite I would like to mention that there we have a wonderful advocate of the minority caucus. She's come all the way over from the wonderful island of Maui, Sheila Walker. Please welcome to and to your House of Representatives. Aloha for being here.

Representative Reyes Oda.

Thank you, speaker. Today, I'd like to introduce Joshua Tom, and I'm sorry he didn't respond to my text messages when I'm asking you the names of his two friends. They're here spending their first day of spring break visiting offices doing their civic duty. Stand up and welcome to the House of Representatives.

Representative Sayama.

Thank you, madam speaker. I I would also like to recognize along with the Daniel K Inouye College of Pharmacy's, students, Corey Sanders, executive director for the Hawaii Pharmacists Association. We've worked together on legislation in the past, a very strong advocate for the community. And if there's anyone else from the Hawaii Pharmacists Association, please stand to be recognized. Welcome to your house of representatives.

Representative Kong.

Thank you, madam speaker. I'd like to introduce my student interns for this year. Will you please stand when I call your name? Brian Ku, a sophomore from Kalani High School. Doohan Lee, a junior at Roosevelt High School. Christine Kaneshiro, a senior at Roosevelt High School. And Sean Lee, a senior at Roosevelt High School, accompanied by his mom today, Hannah Kim. Welcome to your House of Representatives.

Representative Miyake.

Thank you. Thank you, madam speaker. In the gallery, I see my cousin with the pharmacist group, Leah New. Welcome to your house of representative.

Speaker.

Representative Kong.

For the second time, thank you very much. I'd like to introduce also my office manager, Yayi Narasukup. Thank you for all your work. Take care.

If there are no further introductions let's move on to the order of the day item number five reports of standing committees. Representative Kahaloa.

Representative Morikawa.

Madam Speaker, I move to adopt standing committee report number 1208-26 as listed on page one and that the accompanying House Bill as amended pass second reading and be placed on the calendar for third reading.

Madam Speaker, I second the motion.

Any discussion on HSCR number 1208-26? Representative Garcia.

In opposition.

Please proceed.

Thank you Madam Speaker. The, I will save most of my comments on this for third reading, but I just wanna say that this state budget, is being implemented with the account of the tax repeal that we just passed here on the floor, last week. And again, I'm in strong opposition to reneging on the promises to the people of Hawaii. And so therefore, I will cast a strong no vote on this state budget.

Representative Matsumoto.

With reservations.

So ordered. Representative Alcos.

Reservations.

So ordered. Representative Shimizu.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Same request.

So ordered. Representative Gedeon.

Same request.

So ordered. Representative Muraoka.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Reyes Oda.

With the reservations.

So ordered. Representative Pierick.

Thank you. No vote.

So ordered. Representative Souza.

With reservations, Madam Speaker.

So ordered.

Just a brief comment.

Please proceed.

The bill might take into consideration the tax repeal that we are currently moving through the legislature, but it also takes into consideration what is happening at the federal level with federal funding cuts. So I I just wanna make that make that very clear. Thank you.

Representative Cochran.

Thank you. No vote. And brief comment.

Please proceed.

Thank you. And I'll save the brunt of my speech, for Wednesday. But just to 1.0 is, I cannot support it in the as written due to the fact that this body had voted through an audit to be done on the Kahali initiative. The final report was to be completed and submitted to us twenty days prior to the opening of session. That has not happened.

And so that particular division, state housing state office of housing and homelessness solutions, is currently asking for multimillions of dollars again in this current budget, as written. So without a clean audit, without the completion of such audit, I cannot support this budget in its current current form. Thank you.

K. Members, we will be taking a voice vote. All those in favor, say Aye. All those opposed say no the motion is carried members please note that the 48 hour notice for HSCR number 2009-26 Item number six, introduction of resolutions. Mister Clerk, are there any resolutions for action?

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

So ordered. Item number seven, announcements. Members, are there any announcements? Representative La Chica.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. On behalf of the house education Chair, myself, and the rest of our committee, we're very excited to announce that today marks the beginning of house education week, where we get to celebrate and uplift all the wonderful work that our teachers, our educators and our, educator staffs continue to do to make sure that our kids have the opportunity to thrive here in Hawaii. This morning, we had a couple events with the policy cafe hosted by Hawaii Kids Can and also a book fair in the 2nd Floor. And throughout the week, we will be celebrating and recognizing all of these individuals through various, floor presentations throughout the week. So please join us in supporting the rest of the, events happening this week.

Thank you.

Representative Matsumoto.

Thank you, Speaker. I'd like to announce that it is time again for the women's legislative caucus Easter basket drive. This is the twenty seventh annual drive and it'll be taking place on Monday, March 23 immediately following the house session. And we wanted to let everybody know the organizations that are participating include the domestic violence action center, institute for human services, parents and children together, the Salvation Army Hawaii, and Mohalamai women's prison project. Everybody knows what to do so if you could start gathering those baskets for this year and be on the lookout the Easter bunny ballot will be coming out shortly. Thank you.

Alright. If there are no further announcements. Representative Morikawa.

Madam Speaker, I move.

Excuse me. I have one other announcement to make. If the Chair would like to remind members that today is the deadline for introducing substantive resolutions please make sure you file your substantive resolutions with the chief clerk's office by 6PM tonight Representative Morikawa.

Madam Speaker, I move to keep the journal open until 06:00pm tonight for the purpose of receiving resolutions for introduction.

Representative Garcia.

Madam Speaker, I second the motion.

Any discussion? We'll be taking a voice vote. All those in favor say Aye. Those opposed say no. The motion is carried. Representative Morikawa for the motion to adjourn. Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker. Recess.

Madam Speaker, I move the House stand in recess until 12:00 noon tomorrow.

Representative Garcia.

Madam Speaker, I second the motion.

All those in favor say Aye. Those opposed say no. The motion is carried. The House stands in recess until twelve noon tomorrow. Recess.