Hearings

Senate Standing Committee on Government Operations

March 19, 2026
  • Angus McKelvey

    Legislator

    Okay, everybody. Welcome back. Reconvening Thursday, March 19, 2026, 3PM for decision making on measures previously heard on March 17. Please close the door. Thank you. We're convening in Conference Room 225, and the meeting is being streamed live on YouTube. Kind of important with the weather that we note that should we have to cancel or this hearing is interrupted due to tech difficulties, we'll reconvene and discuss any outstanding business at 3PM, Tuesday, March 24, 2026 in this room.

  • Angus McKelvey

    Legislator

    We'll also have a public notice on the legislature's website. And we will start off with the first bill on the agenda, which is HB 812, relating to agriculture. This is a good bill. Department of Education says that they could do this and would provide flexibility for them. So with that, I think we're just gonna re-defect the date to 2525 to create a Senate Draft 1 to send this to conference for more discussion and keep it moving. Members, questions or comments? If not, Vice Chair. 812, HD 1, SD 1.

  • Mike Gabbard

    Legislator

    Passing with amendments. [Roll Call]

  • Mike Gabbard

    Legislator

    Measure's adopted.

  • Angus McKelvey

    Legislator

    Okay, thank you very much. House Bill 1414 House Draft 1 relating to procurement.

  • Angus McKelvey

    Legislator

    Members, a great conversation about the past performance database arose over this bill. So in discussing it, we'd like to defer this time certain. March 24 at 3 p.m. in room 225, so we can amend the measure to help try to get that going again and to make it more effective because that will address the aims of the bill as introduced. And as you noted, the actual bill, the way it's drafted, there's a lot of concerns.

  • Angus McKelvey

    Legislator

    Next up, House Bill 2388 House Draft 2, relating to public notice.

  • Angus McKelvey

    Legislator

    This one is the one that allows government agencies to satisfy public notice requirements by posting notices on official state or county websites. There was a lot of concern about this measure from government transparency groups, insofar as a statewide application of OPI.

  • Angus McKelvey

    Legislator

    Because this is needed on Maui, since we lost our only daily publication newspaper, we're gonna return it to the senate position by having the contents reflect SB 2929 Senate Draft 1, and then, with a defective date of 2525, which I believe was also in the Senate Draft 1. Members, questions? Comments? If not, 22388 House Draft 2, Senate Draft 1.

  • Mike Gabbard

    Legislator

    Passing with amendments. So with all, all members present except for Senator Moriwaki. Any nos or reservations? Hearing none, the measure is adopted.

  • Angus McKelvey

    Legislator

    Okay. HB 322, House Draft 2, relating to voter registration. The Senate has sent over a version of this bill as well, which addressed many of the issues that were brought up by the AG and others. And so given that, we're gonna defer this measure indefinitely and let the Senate Bill be the vehicle for this discussion. Next up is House Bill 2469, House Draft 1, relating to a regular session review working group.

  • Angus McKelvey

    Legislator

    Members, with your indulgence, we'd like to work with the author on this measure to address concerns about the measure. And so with your indulgence, we'll bring it back time certain, March 24 at 3PM in Room 225. And I believe that brings us to the end of the DM agenda. So thank you for being here, and thank you for your votes.

  • Angus McKelvey

    Legislator

    Aloha, everybody. Welcome to the hearing of Government Operations and our friends from Public Safety Military Affairs. Two bills on the agenda. We're up on the first one, House Bill 1577, House Draft 1. Requires 911 Board to establish a statewide emergency safety profile system pilot program and convene a working group. First up, we have 911 Board.

  • Royce Murakami

    Person

    Good afternoon, Chair, Vice Chair. I stand on my written testimony. My name is Royce Murakami, Executive Director.

  • Angus McKelvey

    Legislator

    Okay. Thank you very much. Appreciate it. Next up, we have Kristy Luke, Department of Health. Written in... They say in person, written in support. We have, let's see, Hawaii Council for Developmental Disabilities.

  • Daintry Bartoldus

    Person

    Thank you, Chair, Vice Chair, Committee Members. My name is Daintry Bartoldus. I'm the Executive Director for the Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities, and we're in strong support of this head station. We are really, particular we have been using Smart 911 on Oahu and in parts of Maui. It's been really working well for individuals with disabilities who do not have access to a smartphone.

  • Daintry Bartoldus

    Person

    The van lines have been working, and this is something we felt that would be a benefit to state statewide. We do understand through talking with the Smart 911 Board that there are some glitches, that it may not be as good as we think it is, and so they're telling me that the working group, they already have that within the 911 Board already, and that's something that they could address and be we could be a part of that.

  • Daintry Bartoldus

    Person

    They could even do, like, a permitted inter agency group if needed or an advisory. So we really do appreciate this, and we wanna do it, because we get nervous when someone says, oh, we could do that, but then three months later, it doesn't happen. But it sounds, that's where I'm at right now.

  • Angus McKelvey

    Legislator

    They are committed, just to let you know. And just to let everybody, the public know, there is a system already that's been adopted. I encourage everybody to go ahead and to download the apps. Here's the directions, Android and for the Macintosh. And so this is already being done at the county level, and I think though the issues that are still outstanding can definitely be addressed with the 911 Board. And so so we're committed to ensure that they work with you guys through any remaining issues.

  • Daintry Bartoldus

    Person

    I appreciate that. Because it, yeah. Because we're really concerned about the landline people without smartphones.

  • Angus McKelvey

    Legislator

    Yes. And that is and they're then they do have, I believe, funds to expend to help assist in that as well. So I think that is really the great route for us to continue this conversation.

  • Daintry Bartoldus

    Person

    I appreciate your time. Thank you so much.

  • Angus McKelvey

    Legislator

    That's why I'm glad you came up. Okay. Awesome. Okay. We'll go through everybody else here. We have DCAB. Okay. Written in support. We have, let's see, Hawaii Self Advocacy Advisory Council. They're in support. We have comments from Kauai Police Department, noting some of the things that were said earlier. Honolulu Police Department, comments on Zoom. Are you there, sir? Ma'am. Not present. Okay. We also have Aloha Independent Living Hawaii. They are in support. Louis Erteschik from the Hawaii Disability Rights Center in support on Zoom. Louis, are you there?

  • Louis Erteschik

    Person

    Yes. I'm here, Senator. Thank you very much. I appreciate the chance to testify. Senator, I've known you and I've known Senator Fukunaga for a long time, and I know that you folks are both very technologically adept. As you may, as you may know, I am not what I would consider a techie. But I may not be a techie, but I know a good idea when I see one.

  • Louis Erteschik

    Person

    And this is a darn good idea. And as Daintry alluded to some of the issues during the Maui Fires, which obviously you're aware of. And this could save a lot of time. It could save a lot of lives. I'm concerned about the testimony of the 911 Board, and I don't doubt anybody's good faith. And I know they have they have the rapid SOS thing and I will admit that not being a techie, it's difficult for me to decipher which is the better way to go or what to do.

  • Louis Erteschik

    Person

    But I think that my main request to the committees today is to not defer the bill, so that we have a little more time to make sure, you know, maybe we're all moving in the right direction together. But when, you know, when the 911 Board comes in and says that, you know, we don't need the bill, we're already doing it. I think a lot of you Senators around long enough to know that whenever whenever somebody says that, you gotta take that with a grain of salt.

  • Louis Erteschik

    Person

    So I would hope the committees at least keep the vehicle going. It goes to Ways and Means, and we've got a little bit of time. And my office, to me, Daintry and the folks at the DD Council would not be advocating this hard if they didn't think there was a good reason to do that. So I wouldn't just I wouldn't just take the words of the 911 Board that everything can be resolved. I would hope that you could keep the keep the bill going and give us a little more time just to just to make sure. Thank you.

  • Angus McKelvey

    Legislator

    Okay. Appreciate your testimony, Mr. Erteschik. We also have Special Education Advisory Council. They are in support. James Kilgore, Full Life, in support. Self, Hawaii Self Advocacy Advisory Council, again in support by individuals. We also have individuals, Deziree Tacub, Johnnie-Mae L. Perry, Kaili Swan, Amanda Luning, Natalie Greenleaf, Alita Smith, and Paul Pascua all in support. Amanda, are you here? We have a... Okay. Is Amanda here to testify? No. Sir, you wanna come on up and testify? Okay. Thank you so much. You're gonna testify for DOH on this?

  • Garrett Hall

    Person

    Garrett Hall, Chief of Emergency Medical Services for the Department of Health. Not Kristy Luke, sorry. Not sure how that happened. She's much prettier than I am. So with this, so we do we do support this working group. And we strongly support it because we know from the emergency medical services side that the information and the public believes that they're putting information into these systems and that it's getting to the medics who are treating them in the field, and it's stopping at the dispatch.

  • Garrett Hall

    Person

    And so we really want to see a working group where the information will flow beyond the dispatch center all the way through to the individuals providing the care. And that's a big disconnect in this. And so the outreach person doesn't understand that.

  • Angus McKelvey

    Legislator

    I don't think we're going to be able to use this as a vehicle for that. That's a really, really great idea. So, yep, appreciate it. If a working group were made upon that measure, would you guys be willing to lead it?

  • Garrett Hall

    Person

    Would we be willing to lead it? Yes. I think, but it requires the 911 Board. I mean, there's an interesting dynamic because EMS oversees dispatchers, but we don't oversee the communication component of it. And that's the way the data flows.

  • Angus McKelvey

    Legislator

    Yeah. I'm just saying if if there is a formalization of a working group in the future on what we're specifically talking about, then you guys would be into leading it.

  • Garrett Hall

    Person

    I believe the 911 Board could establish a PIG and do this directly without having to have legislation.

  • Angus McKelvey

    Legislator

    That's exactly what I thought too, which is kinda what I was talking about with the director before. Thank you for being here. Appreciate it. Okay. Anybody else wishing to testify?

  • Unidentified Speaker

    Thank you. Good morning. I mean, good afternoon. My name is Michelle. I am passionate about Smart 911 because people like me need to pump the emergency team for respond. For example, for example, DJ is our friend from Maui. He has diabetes. He needs to pump the team to repair the oxygen machine to help him in his blood pressure level that electronic blood pressure.

  • Unidentified Speaker

    Will read the Blood pressure. That's help with the seizures. Has if he has seizures. And so the time. We have no time. I just hope that you can let the people know, and we wanna help other people too for 911, Smart 911 because you're gonna help them to get to know where they are and how the ambulance will respond and prepare for it. Thank you. It doesn't have time for that.

  • Angus McKelvey

    Legislator

    You're very welcome. Thank you so much for being here and testifying. Anybody else wishing to testify on this measure? Seeing none. Members, are there any questions? Yes, Senator Moriwaki.

  • Sharon Moriwaki

    Legislator

    Thank you, everyone. I have a question. Because it says 911, or you say Smart 911. But 911, what is helpful? Because when I'm hearing from 911 is they already have a system. They have a smart platform or whatever. So maybe, the 911 person can come up first. So this RapidSOS, what is that? And is that functioning, and does it have all of the requirements that the community says it wants? A disabled community, the Kupuna community, and why isn't it going out to everyone?

  • Royce Murakami

    Person

    So the Rapid SOS does have a platform. It uses iOS and Android phones as the main source of data. It's on iOS. They have the health app. And on Android, they have their public safety app. So it outlines all of the requirements stated in the bill, medical conditions, allergies, emergency contacts, additional notes that you can add. So it does meet all those requirements. It is active in all four counties as of right now. That is only for mobile users, though. So it covers about 85% of 911 calls that do come in. We're currently looking for a solution for the landline and the void guys right now.

  • Sharon Moriwaki

    Legislator

    So how do you get the information out? So to me, the 2 things. One, access, and then the protection of privacy. Those two issues, have they been addressed so that you can can have access from all of these constituents that you have?

  • Royce Murakami

    Person

    Yes. It does answer all of the security issues. So I gave Senator McKelvey the flyer that we had. I can give you a copy as well. You actually have to slide a bar that gives consent for you to share the information with the dispatcher. So it does cover all of the HIPAA violations and landmines that you guys probably thinking of. But, yeah, that is covered though, the security issue. In regards to iOS and Android, it's physically stored on your actual phone. So it's not susceptible to data leaks and stuff like that. Think of it as, like, a hard drive. Right?

  • Sharon Moriwaki

    Legislator

    So this bill requires a pilot study, but you're saying you already have it. So you don't need the pilot study.

  • Royce Murakami

    Person

    Yes. So I believe we can probably get it done at the end of the calendar year. We're working with Rapid, RapidSOS right now to have a solution to add on the landline and void guys. So we're looking to add that. And it is a perfect time for the DD Council to be involved. We have invited them to all of our board meetings. They just attended one last week. So I think there was a misunderstanding on what the board can do. Is this something funded with appropriations or is it, can we handle that right?

  • Angus McKelvey

    Legislator

    Would you guys be opposed to a PIG to work with them on these issues that they're raising?

  • Royce Murakami

    Person

    We have several PIGs already made in the board. We have other committees too. We have an advisory committee, finance committee, and a technical committee. So something like this will probably fall under the technical committee. If the board feels like we need a PIG and we need to bring in outside...

  • Angus McKelvey

    Legislator

    I think the legislature would feel comfortable with a PIG because it means you are dialoguing with the DDC on their concerns.

  • Sharon Moriwaki

    Legislator

    So if we didn't have a pilot, but we have you executing and having all these members that are listed here on the board so that so that you can have that dialogue and actually find ways to access, have access to all these different communities, like EOA and the disability community.

  • Royce Murakami

    Person

    I did work with DD Council already. So she gave me recommendations on any other agencies that she wanted invited. They've all been invited already, DCAB, Office of Aging, and some other smaller agencies.

  • Sharon Moriwaki

    Legislator

    I guess I would feel comfortable having some kind of report that it's, you know, going ahead.

  • Royce Murakami

    Person

    Our board does provide very detailed minutes of our monthly meetings, and we also do have recordings online. I've already worked with Daintry. We have something lined up for the next month to discuss about another vendor or anything else we can do or any other recommendations and feedback. We wanna make sure that they're taken care of. We understand that.

  • Angus McKelvey

    Legislator

    That's our number one priority, which is why we're hearing the bill. So but we also wanna make sure that there's a tracking for us and the constituents. And so, you know, so then that's why we're talking about trying to, you know, PIG, whether it's done for an existing PIG or a new one just to make sure there's a process whereby there is dialogue in all the DDC, all the entities, you know, like DRC and others, you know, can be looped in if need be.

  • Royce Murakami

    Person

    Yes. They've all been invited. Yeah.

  • Angus McKelvey

    Legislator

    Questions, Members? If not, I'll turn it over to my illustrious Co-Chair.

  • Carol Fukunaga

    Legislator

    Okay. Thank you. Relating to protected community locations, House Bill 1870. On, let's see, our list of testifiers. We have Hawaii State Board of Education. They've submitted testimony in support. University of Hawaii, Debora Halbert. Please come forward.

  • Debbie Halbert

    Person

    I think it's afternoon. Good afternoon, Chairs, Vice Chairs, Members of the Committee. Debbie Halbert, Vice President for Academic Strategy. We'll stand on our testimony in support, but I wanted to highlight that we are asking for a catch all exception to the definition, and that's listed in our testimony. Specifically, we would request explicit carve out confirming that nothing in the act restricts compliance with mandatory federal employment verification, visa sponsorship, SEVIS reporting, federal contractor certifications, or other conditions tied to federal funding. Thanks.

  • Carol Fukunaga

    Legislator

    Thank you. Next, we have Hawaii State Commission on Status of Women, Llasmin Chaine.

  • Llasmin Chaine

    Person

    Good afternoon. Llasmin Chaine for the Commission on the Status of Women. I stand on our written testimony in support of this measure and thank the committees for their consideration and support. Thank you very much.

  • Carol Fukunaga

    Legislator

    Next, we have, Department of Education, Assistant Superintendent Tajima for Superintendent.

  • Sean Tajima

    Person

    Aloha, Chair McKelvey, Vice Chair Gabbard, Members of the Committee. Sean Tajima testifying on behalf of the Department of Education. The department stands on our written testimony which provides comments on this measure. This issue is extremely important to the department. Because of its importance, the department already rolled out guidance on this in March 2025. The department defers to the Attorney General on warrant verification procedures.

  • Sean Tajima

    Person

    This guidance covers all law enforcement coming onto campus and is not limited to immigration enforcement. The department knows that student privacy is already protected under FERPA. The department does have concerns about the protected perimeter extending 1,000 feet beyond campus, as the department does not have jurisdiction beyond the school campus. Thank you for this opportunity to testify. We stand by for questions.

  • Carol Fukunaga

    Legislator

    Thank you. Next, we have Healthcare Association of Hawaii. They've submitted written testimony. University of Hawaii Professional Assembly, also written testimony. I'm gonna skip down to those who may be here in person. The Legal Clinic, Christina Sablan, in person. Welcome.

  • Christina Sablan

    Person

    Good afternoon, Chairs, Vice Chairs, and Members. Christina Sablan, community and policy advocate for The Legal Clinic. We are a nonprofit that works statewide to advance immigrant justice through legal services, community education, and advocacy. We stand on our written testimony in strong support of this measure. Thank you for having this hearing.

  • Christina Sablan

    Person

    We do hope for your support. We also support the amendment that was requested by the University of Hawaii. As to the concern that was raised by our assistant superintendent, our position is that, the 1,000 foot perimeter limits state and county agencies and employees' participation in civil immigration enforcement, which is something that would that is within the power of the state to regulate. And, so we're happy to answer any questions you might have. Mahalo for your support.

  • Carol Fukunaga

    Legislator

    Thank you. We had also received written testimonies from Roots Reborn Maui, Kona Indivisible, Hawaii Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations, Imua Alliance, FACE, Hawaii Children's Action Networks, Community Alliance on Prisons. Next, we have a very lengthy list, probably among the 64 names of individuals who have submitted testimony in support. So I am gonna skip to Christine Andrews, who had submitted testimony in support and indicated that she would be here in person. All of these other testimonies are in support.

  • Christine Andrews

    Person

    Thank you so much, Chairs, Vice Chair, and Members of the Committee. I'll stand on my written testimony, and I just wanna make sure that I we recognize all the other folks here if they want the opportunity to testify. So thank you so much for your support for this important measure.

  • Carol Fukunaga

    Legislator

    Thank you. Okay. Among the remaining written testimonies that had been submitted out of at least 60 individuals, is there anyone else who would like to comment on this measure? Oh, I'm sorry. I received your testimony.

  • Liza Ryan-Gill

    Person

    It's alright. It was a little late last night. We were getting ready for the lobby day today. So aloha, Chair. It's Liza with the Hawaii Coalition for Immigrant Rights. We represent about 30 immigrant serving organizations across the āina, including many of these amazing women from Waipahu Safe Haven who will be performing in about ten minutes downstairs in the rotunda.

  • Liza Ryan-Gill

    Person

    So I'm gonna run through this real quick. And so please come down. We also have a mariachi band that just arrived. So come celebrate with us. We, this bill is a product of of really listening very closely to those 30 organizations across the state of what would make our residents are about 20% of our community that is foreign born feel more safe to make sure that they can go take their kupuna to, for a visit to the doctor, to make sure that their keiki can go to school.

  • Liza Ryan-Gill

    Person

    It's also in the company of many bills and other protections that have been passed in other states over the last couple of months. So we have been tracking this very, very carefully and working with the Attorney General's Office to make sure that it falls within the confines of what we can do here lawfully in Hawaii.

  • Liza Ryan-Gill

    Person

    And I think the most important thing is that it's opened a lot of dialogue between HIEMA, UH, between the Department of Education to understand where the federal actions and protocols are changing. We had a bill like this last session, HB 440. We didn't move it forward at that time because we had not seen a substantive change in the way that ICE was interacting in these formerly sensitive locations.

  • Liza Ryan-Gill

    Person

    We do now see that that has changed dramatically and that they have been going into formerly sensitive locations. Now as a reminder, this bill is modeled after the Department of Homeland Security's own internal memo that they used to abide by by 20, for the last 20 years. They threw that memo out at the beginning of of the of 2025, and that memo said that they would not conduct operations in what are considered sensitive locations, health care setting, churches, courts, funerals, locations like that.

  • Liza Ryan-Gill

    Person

    We can't control all of those places like churches or other locations, but the state does have the ability to say, we are going to make sure that everybody in our state agencies and those spaces know the difference between administrative warrant and a judicial warrant and has proper protections and protocols to deal with the situation if it were to happen in one of the areas where they have jurisdiction. So we think it's well within the bounds of what we're capable of doing here at the state level, and we're happy that it has spurred lots of conversations with many state agencies. So mahalo.

  • Carol Fukunaga

    Legislator

    Thank you. Okay. I believe we have someone online on Zoom waiting to testify. Can you please identify yourself? And welcome.

  • Quentin Ryan

    Person

    Aloha kākou. Thank you, Chair, Vice Chair, for the opportunity to provide testimony. My name is Quentin L Ryan, and I'm in the final semester of my master's of social work program at UH Manoa. I did provide written testimony. I do stand by that written testimony. I just wanted to highlight that I believe that this act is a common sense public health and public safety measure.

  • Quentin Ryan

    Person

    As a future social worker, I feel that limiting the access to these non public areas benefits the well-being of all residents of Hawaii and protects their pursuit of life, liberty, and justice. And with this, I urge you to adopt HB 1870, HD 2 and prevent undue burdens from being placed on our already strained systems of community care. Thank you for the time. Mahalo.

  • Carol Fukunaga

    Legislator

    Thank you. Thank you very much. Is there anyone else who would like to comment on this measure before we open up for questions? Welcome.

  • Nate Hix

    Person

    Aloha, Chair, Vice Chair. Nate Hix with Hawaii Public Health Institute. Apologize we didn't submit testimony, but we are in support of this bill. We definitely think this is a public health measure. We have a robust system to help folks, and if they're unable to receive that, that is support that they're not getting. That needs to be made up in other ways. I do wanna share that I'm originally from Minnesota. I have a lot of friends and family still there, and the situation on the on the ground is absolutely heartbreaking.

  • Nate Hix

    Person

    We have my own family, my own friends trying to provide service to these potentially at risk residents, and they have they've been told to put the names and addresses of the people they're helping writing it in small strips of paper so that if if anybody comes to stop them while they're doing their their grocery runs or anything, that they can swallow the piece of paper because they're going after that, and they might be tracked to that location that they're trying to help.

  • Nate Hix

    Person

    They I've been on the phone with my sister in tears over the reality of the situation. It is shocked the entire state, and these people are scared to leave their doors. And so if there's anything we can do to stop this, not only hurting the immigrants in our communities, but all of us who would stand up and to support them, we absolutely must take it. This is an unprecedented situation, especially in these times, and I hope we do everything we can to protect everybody in the state. Mahalo.

  • Carol Fukunaga

    Legislator

    Thank you. Okay. Members, open for questions. Oh, I'm sorry.

  • Garrett Licata

    Person

    Sorry. This is my first time here. I'm a little nervous. My name is Garrett Licata. I'm a PhD student in marine biology. But before this, I served as a federal employee at FEMA for about four years. Part of my employment at FEMA was to develop a contact tracing program for the federal agency and also to serve as a contract manager as a contracting officer's representative.

  • Garrett Licata

    Person

    Part of my service, I worked with CBP and ICE during the so called migrant crisis during the Biden administration, and I wanted to relate to you what I observed while working there. What I would, what I observed is what I would describe as a flagrant disregard for the law, even under the Biden administration.

  • Garrett Licata

    Person

    And I was asked personally to, I have some notes here. I was consistently surprised by the agency leadership's either ignorance or contempt for the basic principles of contracting law and was witness to multiple instances of behavior which would have led to, at minimum, dismissal for myself working at FEMA.

  • Garrett Licata

    Person

    ICE had contracted medical services, doctors, nurses, and staff to ICE detention facilities as obligated under the law, but the vendor had failed consistently to meet the staffing density requirements as outlined in the statement of work for over a year. The ICE contract officer in charge of enforcing this contract have pursued no avenues of remediation. A cure notice is the first step for contract remediation, which is non punitive and can be done by a federal government in a short time frame.

  • Garrett Licata

    Person

    This avenue had not been engaged at all by contracting staff at ICE. Instead, a new emergency supplemental contract was written, completed on a rapid time line, ultimately awarded to the very same company that failed to meet the terms of their previous contract. Doctors for migrants in detention facilities became the subject of a tight lipped internal investigation by the agency with a price tag to the tunes of billions by US taxpayer dollars, which ultimately concluded no wrongdoing for the agency.

  • Garrett Licata

    Person

    What I wanna leave you with is this. I support this bill, but it's not nearly enough. The state of Oregon, whose government I have also worked for, passed similar legislation in 1987. And despite this, there have been multiple records such as the Ashland Police Department working with immigration officials in contradiction to their state law. So I urge you to pass more stringent legislation. And, you know, thank you.

  • Carol Fukunaga

    Legislator

    Thank you very much. It's, it was very helpful that you were able to complete that within two minutes. Yes. Okay. Members, questions for any of our testifiers?

  • Angus McKelvey

    Legislator

    Question for University of Hawaii, if they're still here. Well, the other person was from DOE. Yeah. No. No. Yeah. DOE too, both of you guys. Because, actually, there's two concerns or two issues that I've seen come up. One is, and I've seen this in other states, is your proposal looks like you're gonna create an exception that will swallow the rule. You've got all sorts of universities allowing ICE activities and collaboration, sharing of information because of the fact that their federal funds or university funds will not be released.

  • Angus McKelvey

    Legislator

    If we adopt your amendments, we might as well just throw this bill out the window, I think, because you guys will turn around and continue to do it because your federal funds are at risk. You might be out of federal compliance. So how will you address the concerns of the proponents of this bill that if we were to adopt this amendment that the fears that they've seen played out in other states won't happen with the university?

  • Debbie Halbert

    Person

    It's a very good question. And as you have noted, we do end up between a rock and a hard place for many of these issues in terms of the federal funding that the university would receive versus the kinds of things that we may want to do on the ground. I would I would, and I might have to think about that question in a little more detail to give you a better answer, but my initial...

  • Angus McKelvey

    Legislator

    Take it to the regents because I think that there's a lot I mean, there would be a lot of, I guess, disconcertion In the community to know that in an effort to support university, an amendment was adopted that now created a situation that this bill was trying to not have.

  • Debbie Halbert

    Person

    Yes. Yeah. And I would say, much like the DOE, FERPA does give students protection on our campus, and we would not be disclosing information about students to any agents that showed up on the campus without the appropriate protocol. So at the baseline, I think that the university has that obligation to all of its students. And that's different from making sure that we follow the rules in terms of making sure students have the appropriate visa when they come to campus and etcetera. The other kinds of pieces of the puzzle that allows us to stay in compliance.

  • Angus McKelvey

    Legislator

    But that bill wouldn't prohibit you from doing that.

  • Debbie Halbert

    Person

    Sorry. What was that?

  • Angus McKelvey

    Legislator

    That bill wouldn't prohibit you from doing that.

  • Debbie Halbert

    Person

    No. Exactly.

  • Angus McKelvey

    Legislator

    Yeah. The thousand foot thing, you know, I do share your concerns. You know, the person said this isn't about protecting private places or properties, but I think it kinda is. Because am I wrong that the thousand foot buffer would now put this into areas where there's businesses and there's a lot of homes that are not part of the state facility at all?

  • Sean Tajima

    Person

    Correct.

  • Angus McKelvey

    Legislator

    Okay. Yes. That's a concern of mine because we are now going beyond the protection of the state facility itself in the areas where you have private property interests that are now as well. And then there could be liability flowing from that as well.

  • Sean Tajima

    Person

    Exactly. We have homes right across the street and next door to our schools too.

  • Angus McKelvey

    Legislator

    Right. Thank you, Chair. Appreciate you allowing me to ask this.

  • Carol Fukunaga

    Legislator

    Okay. Thank you very much. Questions, Members? Okay. If not, Chair would like to recommend that we take a brief recess. And we'll go into decision making.

  • Committee Secretary

    Sorry, Chair.

  • Angus McKelvey

    Legislator

    Hello?

  • Committee Secretary

    Oh, you're good to go, Chair. Sorry.

  • Angus McKelvey

    Legislator

    I know. We—okay. Well, I'll just go then. Okay. We're convening back on these two measures together with our good friends in Public Safety. First up, SB 1577, House Draft 1.

  • Angus McKelvey

    Legislator

    Great conversation. There is a system in place. However and I'm very happy to know that E-911 is gonna work with the opponents of this measure. However, I think the legislature would feel comfortable about formalizing the request of a PIG to work with and address these issues.

  • Angus McKelvey

    Legislator

    So, we're gonna take a resolution that's within our—either of our committees—and we're gonna replace the contents and post up preparing, calling on the E-911 Board to create a PIG to work with the, the DDC community on the various issues that may not be addressed in the overlying architecture rollout of existing technologies beyond VoIP and landline adoption.

  • Angus McKelvey

    Legislator

    That good with everybody? Okay. With that, I'll turn it over to my chair for the next bill.

  • Carol Fukunaga

    Legislator

    Okay. Recommendation for House Bill 1870, House Draft 2, relating to protected community locations. We do have a number of concerns regarding the university's proposed amendment and DOE's 1,000-feet. So, for now, the Chair is recommending that we pass the bill with amendments that includes a savings clause and that we note some of these areas that have been brought up in our discussions in our committee report, and that we continue working to address the concerns raised by the various institutions.

  • Carol Fukunaga

    Legislator

    I know the 1,000-foot boundary kind of would place us far beyond the contours of some of our state and school facilities and other facilities.

  • Carol Fukunaga

    Legislator

    So, with that, chair will recommend that we pass House Bill 1870 with amendments for PSM Committee. I vote aye.

  • Carol Fukunaga

    Legislator

    [Roll Call]

  • Angus McKelvey

    Legislator

    Okay. Committee on Government Operations, same recommendation. 1577, HD 1—Senate Draft. I'll vote yes.

  • Mike Gabbard

    Legislator

    [Roll Call]

  • Carol Fukunaga

    Legislator

    Okay. Thank you. We are adjourned.