House Floor

Will the house come to order? Mister Clerk, please call the roll.

[ROLL CALL]. Madam speaker, 44 members are present. Six are not present.

Mister Chun? Here. Miss Cochran?

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?

Yes, madam speaker. We are on receipt of governor's message number 1101 informing the House that House bill number 2240 House Draft One was signed into law on 03/20/2026 and designated as act one. May this matter be received and filed?

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

Yes, madam speaker. If you and the members will turn your attention to the addendum to today's order of the day. We're in receipt of a communication informing the house that the Senate has discharged all conferees to the noted house and Senate bills.

Members, are there any introductions? Representative Matsumoto.

Thank you, madam speaker. As we all know, today is women's legislative caucus Easter basket day, and we have some of the organizations here, and so I'd like to introduce them to you now. From Mohalamae, we have Gaye Johnson. If you can please stand. From Salvation Army, we have Major Kimberly Stambaugh and Letitia Bryant.

From IHS, Angie Knight. And from PACT, we have Trisha Kajimura, Sandy Whittle, and Kaho Otake. If we can welcome them to the House of Representatives.

Representative Kusch.

Thank you, Speaker. As you may know and others, I love small business opportunity. But one of the things that maybe people don't know is that, I'm a genuine tree hugger. I love our native forests. And today, I'm happy to introduce a bunch of folks, from a disparate backgrounds, the reforestation investment Hooey.

And as I say your name, if you could please stand. Jenny Grimm, from DLNR, Zach Judd from Parker Ranch, Irene Spatcher from Forest Solutions. And Jocelyn Herbert, Resources Legacy Fund. Not present. And Stephanie Dunbar, but maybe stuck on, Molokai.

Welcome to your House of Representatives.

Representative Matayoshi.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. In the gallery today, we have both of my session staff, Zach and Emily, who have been doing a fantastic job. Zach and Emily, could you please rise? Welcome to your house of Representatives.

Representative Kong.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I like, this week, I'd like to introduce three new interns, from Iolani School. First is Ming Gon Shin. Could you please stand? A senior at Iolani, James Oh, who's a junior at Iolani, and Brandon Ku, a senior at Iolani. Welcome to your House of Representatives.

Okay. I would like to make an introduction this morning this afternoon. I'd like to take this opportunity to recognize my incredible staff who are doing so much to support me and the entire house of representatives. Please stand when I call your name Nick Carson, Ben Viernes, Ren Fakada, Spencer Sakuma, Janine Kurosawa, and Kainalu Ku'u Robinson. Thank you for your hard work, the late evenings, the weekend work to keep the House's agenda and operations moving forward.

Mahalo for all you do. Representative Garcia.

Thank you, madam speaker. In the audience, I see the former chair of the Hawaii Republican Party, Sydney Godfrey. Could you please stand to be recognized? Welcome to your House of Representatives. Mahalo.

There are no further introductions. Let's move on to the order of the day. Item number five, floor presentations. Mister Clerk, are there any floor presentations?

Yes, madam speaker. We have one floor presentation today. House Resolution number 205 commending and honoring Alan Johnson for his contributions to addressing substance and behavioral health issues through Hina Mauka. This resolution is offered by representatives Matayoshi and Kitagawa.

Representative Matayoshi.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I move to adopt this resolution.

Representative Kitagawa.

Madam speaker, I second the motion.

It has been moved and seconded that the resolution be adopted. Any discussion? Representative Matayoshi

Thank you, madam speaker. I rise in support of this resolution.

Please proceed.

I am honored to recognize Alan Johnson for his thirty years of excellent service and contributions to addressing substance and behavioral health issues in the state and on his recent retirement. Alan's own family history with alcoholism inspired him to leave his successful business career in Seattle in 1965 and move to Oahu for a career change. Alan met his wife here in Hawaii who is a licensed counselor who helps the severely mental ill, mentally ill.

They married in 1997 and have been key components in addressing the substance abuse issue issues here in Hawaii. I've had the privilege and honor of working with Alan to not only address issues with the Windward community but also through legislation to address drug and substance abuse issues across our state.

As elected officials, we all have experts we trust that we can call on for specific issues. Alan is my expert to call on substance abuse and behavioral health issues. And I know that when Alan contacts me about an issue or a bill, it's always something that needs to be taken very seriously. Even though Alan is retiring, I know he will be still be deeply involved in behavioral health and substance abuse issues and I still intend to lean on him for help and advice in those areas.

Mahalo, Alan, for your contribution to the state.

When you look around this chamber, at each of these other representatives, know that your contributions have positively affected all of our constituents and that we are all very grateful for your efforts. I yield to my colleague, the other representative from Kaneohe.

Representative Kitagawa.

Thank you, madam speaker. I rise in support of this resolution. Please proceed. Hina Mauka provides residential treatment, day programs, and outpatient services for individuals who have alcohol and substance use disorders and addiction.

They also provide support and educational programs for family members of loved ones who are experiencing addiction, as well as programs for our youth like teen care, which provides substance abuse services to adolescents and is in 18 middle and high schools across Oahu and Kauai. This field of health care is not easy, but Alan has led Hina Mauka with compassion, kindness, and integrity. Through Hina Mauka, he has been able to provide services to over 70,000 people who are seeking recovery.

There are also thousands of youth and families that have been helped through prevention services provided by Hina Mauka. Alan is accompanied by his wife, Patti, Brian Baker, who is the current CEO of Hina Mauka, as well as his long term colleagues, Doctor Toshi Shibata, the chief medical officer of Hina Mauka, and Greg Chapkis of Coalition for a Drug Free Hawaii.

Please join me in thanking them for all of their work. In the gallery, we also have Alan's friends and colleagues here to celebrate and support Alan on his recognition and retirement. Those in the gallery who are here joining us for the certificate presentation, can you please stand to be recognized? Madam speaker, I request that their names be inserted into the journal.

So ordered. Thank you very much. Representative Kong.

I rise in support of this resolution. You can sit down.

Please proceed.

I just wanna personally congratulate Alan. Wow. Long time friend and mentor. And, Patti, good to see you again. Now you're gonna have to deal with him all the time. Right? Send him on to his meditation retreats as often as possible, I guess. But thank you, and congratulations, Alan. Take care.

All those in favor of the resolution say aye. The motion is carried. Representative Matayoshi, please proceed with the certificate and lei presentation.

The Chair will call a recess to allow the members of the house to meet and congratulate the honoree.

Recess. Will the house come back to order? Item number six reports of standing committees representative Kahalua. Adam speaker

I move to adopt standing committee reports numbers 1315-26 through 1321-26 as listed on pages two and three and that the accompanying Senate bills as amended past second reading and be referred to their designated committees representative Morikawa

and speaker I second the motion

Any discussion on these items beginning with HSCR number 1315-26. 1316. Representative Garcia.

With reservations.

So ordered. Representative Moraoka.

So ordered. Representative Gideon.

Reservations.

Same request.

Same request.

So ordered. Representative Shimizu.

So ordered. Representative Matsumoto.

Same request. Thank you.

So ordered. Standing committee report, 1317. Representative Pierrick.

No.

So ordered. 1318. Representative Pierrick.

No vote.

So ordered. On the top of page 3 1319- 261320. Representative Garcia.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Shimizu.

Same request.

So ordered. Representative Pierick.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Alcos.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Gideon.

Same request.

So ordered. And, standing committee report 1321.

So ordered. Representative Matsumoto.

Same request.

Okay. Members, we will be taking a voice vote. All those in favor say aye. All those opposed they know the motion is carried. Representative Kahaloa.

Madam speaker I moved to adopt standing committee report number 1322-26 as listed on page three and that the accompanying Senate bill has second reading and be placed on the calendar for third reading. Representative Morikawa.

Madam speaker, I second the motion.

Any discussion on HSCR number 1322-26 . Okay. Members, we will be taking a voice vote. All those in favor, say aye. Aye.

All those opposed, say no. The motion is carried. Item number seven, announcements. Members, are there any announcements? Representative Matsumoto.

Today is the women's legislative caucus Easter basket drive, and that's happening immediately following session. Reminder that it's not gonna be in the Rotunda, that it is gonna be in front of the auditorium. So come on down and then you can see who this year's surprise Easter Bunny and Easter chick are. All the votes came in and we have them ready to go. So come on down, bring your baskets immediately following adjournment.

Thank you. Thank you.

Representative Matayoshi.

Thank you, madam speaker. With all the disasters happening, you and all the all the staff may be wondering what you can do. We have a blood drive coming up here at the Capitol on May 7. The sign ups are in the elevator, but my staff will also be sending out a link via email today. Always a good time to donate.

It's the day right before CNA DA, so not much is going on. Make sure to reserve your time now. Thank you.

I have a further announcement that I would like to remind members to email me a description of any urgent needs in your districts as a as a result of the recent recent severe weather events by 5PM today, March 23. This information is important as we assess the full impact of damages across our state. Representative Muraoka.

Madam speaker, in regards to your email and what you just said, is there any chance we can get an extension on that 5PM? We are going out this afternoon as many places are damaged. The road is crushed, so we're doing an assessment this afternoon. Sure. I won't be able to get that by five.

That's fine. Okay. Moving on for the adjournment. Representative Morikawa.

Madam speaker, I move that this house stand adjourned until 12:00 noon tomorrow.

Representative Garcia.

Madam speaker, I second the motion.

All those in favor, say aye. All those opposed, say no. The motion is carried. The house stands adjourned until twelve noon tomorrow.