Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture and Environment

Hello, my kakou, and good afternoon. Mahalo for joining today's AEN HHS hearing. It's Monday, March 23rd, and we're convening Room 225 in video conferencing, which includes the audio and video of remote participants that's being streamed live on YouTube. So, in, in the unlikely event that the hearing is cut short, the committee will reconvene to discuss any outstanding business on Wednesday, March 25th at 3:05 PM in Room 224 during AEN's time slot, and a public post will be posted on the legislature's website.

And because of the sixty-minute time limit for this hearing, there'll be a two-minute time limit for all testifiers, and we'll have a virtual countdown timer on the Zoomer screen.

So, first up is HB 1730, HD 2, establishing a Cesspool Conversion Implementation Working Group to assist the DOH in the review of the Department's administrative rules and practices regarding wastewater systems and cesspools, and then, the development of proposed changes to make cesspool conversions more affordable. First up is the Department of Health.

Good evening, chair, vice chair, committee members. Kevin Eaton from the Department of Health. We stand on our written testimony offering comments.

Thank you, Kevin. Next is Mary Alice Evans from OPSD. Thank you. Brian Nelson from DLNR. Excuse me, Brian Nielsen.

Aloha. My name is Ellie. I'm standing here for Brian. He was in another hearing today. On behalf of the Department of Land and Natural Resources, we stand on our written testimony in support of the bill

Okay. And let's see. Ted Bohlen from Hawaii Reef and Ocean Coalition.

Thank you, Chair Gabbard, Chair San Buenaventura, Vice Chair Richards. Ted Bohlen, on behalf of the Hawaii Reef and Ocean Coalition, in strong support of this bill. The Department of Health faces a huge task in administering these cesspool upgrades over the next 25 years. They need additional staffing. They also need technical advice on technologies and how their rules might be amended to make things more affordable.

Cesspools are too expensive and we need to find ways to make them more effective and less expensive so that people can afford it. I applaud the Department of Health's testimony calling for a separate section on cesspool management. They need a group of people who are focused entirely on cesspools in order to do the job. And as far as the working group that's in the bill, the department had some testimony about the size of it. I would agree that it's 19 plus people.

It's too big. And I would say if they restrict the size of it, not to restrict the non, nonprofit groups and outsiders who can bring some information in toward the department that would help with this process that I've described. That's my testimony. Thank you for the opportunity to testify, and I'm available for questions, if any.

Thank you, Ted. We have Jessica Paisley from Wastewater Alternatives and Innovations, on Zoom.

Aloha, chair.

Hi, Jessica. You're Stuart. Come on. Come on.

Good to see you as well.

Surfing. What, what, what is this? Come on.

Sorry I can't be there in person with you. Jessica and I supported on behalf of WAI, Wastewater Alternatives and Innovations, and we will stand on our testimony today. But I did wanna point out with the recent floods, this really highlights the need for this kind of planning and, and more staff at Department of Health. People, I think, don't realize it, but across the islands where there are floods, they are walking around and their homes are being flooded, and part of that is sewage contamination from cesspools.

And so, you know, this, more than ever, just shows the, the kind of necessity of having—building up their, their staff and then also having these advisory committees that I think are pretty essential for forming policy going forward. And please let me know if you need any comments or questions. I'll be available. Mahalo.

Thank you, Stuart.

My pleasure.

Let's see. Anyone else wishing to testify on this measure, either on Zoom or in person? Members, any questions?

Yes. Senator, do you mind going?

Chair?

Let Ted show up and get dressed for the party.

That's right.

Ted, we've been, pardon the pun, circling the drain on this for a long time. The way forward with this is, I mean, it's been we have to change how we're thinking about getting this done because the reality of getting it done is daunting. Thoughts?

Yes. I agree with you that the reality is daunting. The need for funding is large. People cannot afford to do the cost of cesspool upgrades to a system approved by the department under current conditions. And my thoughts are that we need better technologies, as I said in my testimony, that are hopefully passive, do some of the treatment above ground, do not involve so much excavation because especially on your island, the big island, with black rock, it's a blue rock, the cost of excavation is huge.

So, the less we have to dig, the better. And if we can come up with some new technologies to treat the wastewater above ground and then discharge it in an existing cesspool, made to be, made, made sure it's safe. But you can, you can avoid the cost of digging the cesspool and the leach field, both of which are very expensive. That could bring the cost down a lot.

And then, if you had some, you—we will still need some government assistance, but critical that we get new technologies and get the department advice on how best to do that.

Other states have done things on this front, and we should go to other states and find out what they've done and what's out there.

Okay. Thank you.

Thank you for the question.

Thank you. DOH, Kevin? Is that right, Kevin?

Yes, Kevin.

So, essentially, the same question. You know, I think everyone agrees that, you know, additional funding and expert staffing is needed to ensure that we meet the state's goals of the—by 2050. Do you feel that, even with this bill, that we can meet that goal?

There's—oh, sorry. Kevin Yihoevio with the Department of Health again. It's a very complex issue, as you guys know it, and we've been—this issue has been around for a long time. Even with this bill, one of the hardest things about this cesspool issue is the responsibility. Eventually, eventually, the responsibility is gonna be on the homeowner and, you know, the financial responsibility, unless we can find financial support.

But even the maintenance and the upkeep of this—of whatever systems are put in, there's still, there's still disposal systems. You still have to dispose of water. It's gonna be not, not pure wastewater, but you still have to dispose of it. You still have to put it in the environment. And that is the responsibility—that will become the responsibility of the homeowner.

So, with this education, outreach, funding—yeah, with this bill, it'll help. It'll help, it'll help put more perspective in, into it, for especially the homeowners. And the homeowners will have the responsibility, unfortunately, but the, the more they understand about the responsibility, the better. The better, the better chance that we'll have of people actually, you know, converting their cesspools and so on. Yeah.

Okay. Thank you, Kevin.

Chair, just a quick follow-up.

Go ahead.

Sure. I, I know this isn't Department of Health's primary focus, but cost. Big Island, when I was chairing environment there for a county, we talked somewhere around 1.5 to $2,000,000,000 for the Big Island alone. You guys talk numbers statewide as far as what you think it's gonna take to do all of this statewide. Is that something you're talking about?

Yes. And, and, again, it's you know, eventually, we can talk about where the responsibility of the funding lies. And, and that's why with these efforts, like how Ted mentioned, technologies that could make it more affordable would be, would be—would lessen—the, the financial impact on homeowners or the government or whoever—wherever we can find the funding from. Yeah. So, so, with all these efforts as moving forward, we're looking at new technologies.

Again, I just wanna stress that at the end of the day, the responsibility, overall, is gonna be on the homeowner since it's the individual wastewater system, and that's the challenging part. Yeah. So, the funding, yes, it, it does look like the numbers that you said. It does look like the numbers now, hopefully, with this working group and technical advisory groups and the, the communication that we have, hopefully, we can get the number down. I'm—I can't give you.

Okay. And, and I realized that Department of Health, the financial side is not the primary deal. And the, the tech we took at county was just because you live along the ocean, it's not just your responsibility. It's, it's collectively everybody's responsibility. So, which is more justification for public funding to get some of this stuff done.

So, but anyway, okay. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you. Okay.

Oh, sorry. Let me—yeah. Let me look. For two positions, was approximately 207,000.

Okay.

Thank you. Okay. Thank you. Okay. And moving on to the houe bill 1985 HD 1.

We're really getting into cesspools getting down deep in this particular area. I've never had one over. So okay. So, anyway, part two allows certain extensions of the deadline for cesspool conversions, establishes a goal for DOH to prioritize the upgrade, conversion, or connection of cesspools, oppose the highest risk to human health and the environment. And also, in part three, we'll authorize an appropriate funding to DOH to retain qualified consultants as necessary.

So first up oh, by the way, on this, on the last hb 1730 there were 16 testifying in support, zero opposed, one with comments. First up is DOH on this issue. 1985.

Afternoon, chair, vice chairs, good evening, vice chair, committee members. I'm Kn Yihoevio again from Department of Health.

Okay. Thank you, Kevin. OHA is next. Anyone from OHA? They're in support.

Mary Alice Evans from OPSD. I'll just stand on the testimonies. Thank you. Lindsay Garcia from Hawaii Realtors.

Thank you, chairs. We stand on our testimonies.

In support. Ted Bolin from High Rock.

Thank you, Chairs, Vice Chairs, members of this committee. Ted Bolen with the Hawaii Reef and Ocean Coalition. It might be sad, but I cesspools are my favorite topic. So thank you. Thank you today for having it very sad.

Very, very sad.

Years of it. They've done going deep in cesspools. So this one, HB95, 1985, kind of split. There are two parts of it. Part two would extend, allow extensions of the mandate by the Department of Health.

That's 25 years out. It's very premature to have something in a bill this year when we're not even looking at a mandate that goes into effect until 2050. So I would strongly oppose that part of the bill as premature. The other part of the bill I would strongly support, which is outreach and education. As the Department of Health testified a little while ago, a successful cesspool upgrade program needs to tell the public what's what's going on.

They need to have information both for the homeowners and for the professionals who are doing it. And so outreach and education is a very important part. This bill would fund a little bit of that and has, you know, get started on that big piece of the cesspool, upgrade effort. So part two, opposed. Part three, support strongly.

Thank you very much.

Thank you. Next is, Wai, Stewart. Are y'all still online?

Aloha, chairs, vice chairs, committee members. Stewart Coleman from Wai. I will stand on a written testimony. And just, to kind of echo what, Ted Bolen just said, the we don't support, part two because, actually, in the cesspool conversion working group, one of our top recommendations was to make certain parts, of the the priority areas, one and two, earlier deadlines. So anything to extend that deadline is really just kind of premature, but, also, it thwarts the whole process.

Because when people are like, oh, we've got more time to do this. We've already been kicking the can down the road, you know, for decades, and we're the last state to to deal with this. So, you know, we we support the outreach efforts in part three, but strongly oppose the extensions in part two. Mahalo.

K. Thank you.

Thanks.

Anyone else wishing to testify on this measure? Yes.

Aloha. Thank you, chair, vice chair, and members of the committee. Ellie Jones. On behalf of the Department of Land and Natural Resources, we stand on our written

Okay. Thank you. So we had four in support, one opposed, and four comments. Members, any questions? I have a question for, Stewart with WAI.

Yes, sir.

So, Stewart, you know, each Cesspool conversion, we we know it's how it's gonna be very costly to homeowners. And in your testimony, you mentioned, quote, innovative wastewater solutions, unquote. So what are some of these innovative solutions? I know vermic vermicomposting, right, toilet systems?

Yeah. We have all kinds from inside the house to outside the house and then concerning the leach field. But as Ted mentioned earlier, the ones we're kind of most supportive of are not only ones that are coming down the pike in the future, but ones that already exist now. And so there are passive systems that don't require moving parts, and inspection annual inspections that can do denitrification.

And if when we succeed and then we we, you know, we think we will with revising and updating the rules, you can reduce the size of the leach field, which is the most important expensive part rather, and that will bring down the cost.

And that's one of our main concerns. So better treatment, but bringing down the size of leach field to go with that better treatment. But there are also above ground options that people are working on across the country. And then also retrofitting the existing cesspool and making it into a seepage pit.

So that if you do a higher level of treatment before and it's basically clean water, then we should be able to use the you know, if it's structurally sound, use the the cesspool as a retrofitted seepage pit.

That will save lots of money, especially in homes where there's not enough space for a full leach field. So there's a whole suite of, you know, possibilities for reducing the cost and and updating the regs, which we we really are confident that we'll bring down the price.

How about composting toilets?

You know, I think, besides the the the smell, that some people have complained about, I think that is definitely a solution, especially in areas that are off grid. I don't think Department of Health is crazy about people, you know, managing their own waste, but it's been done, you know, for a long time. And and I think if it's managed properly, it can be done well, especially again in in remote areas that are off grid.

Okay. Thank you.

Mahalo.

All right. Let's see. Moving on. HB 1749 HD 2, beginning January 1st, 2027, requiring sellers to provide buyers with a cesspool disclosure form before the execution of a real estate purchase contract. Requires the Department of Health and Real Estate Commission to develop a standardized cesspool disclosure form by November 1st, 2026. Okay. First up is Department of Health.

Evening, Chair, Vice Chair, committee members. Kevin Ihu from Department of Health. We stand on our written testimony in support of this measure, and I'll be available for any questions.

Thank you, Kevin. Next is DCCA, Hawaii Real Estate Commission. Neil Fujitani, is he here? They offered comments. OPSD.

OPSD stands on its written testimony, in support.

Support. DLNR?

Aloha, Chair, Vice Chair, and members of the committee. DL-- Ellie Jones, on behalf of the Department of Land and Natural Resources. We stand on our written testimony in support of this bill and we'll be available for any questions. Thank you.

Thank you. Lyndsey Garcia from Hawaii Realtors.

Aloha, Chairs. Vice Chairs, my name is Lyndsey Garcia from the Hawaii Association of Realtors. So we support the intent of this bill. We do want to thank the SPEED Task Force and the introducer of this bill for coming to us early on in the interim to try to see what we can do about changing our standard forms to accommodate the cesspool disclosure notice. As an organization, we do provide disclosure requirement forms that are mandated by law for buyers and sellers.

So what we've included in our testimony is an example of what our updated forms will look like, which will include the cesspool notice that was from the original version of this bill. And then the amendments that we have provided are merely changing the languages of this bill to be a standard disclosure requirement informing the buyer of the deadline to convert.

And the reason why we've taken out the language of the notice is because, you know, as we've seen with the previous version of-- or the previous bill that was heard, if there is a change into the deadline, if it's either brought forward or moved back, we wouldn't have to have to touch this statute again in order to make sure that the notice is changed again in order to accommodate. So, that's what we're asking for and why we're asking for it, and please let me know if you have any questions. Thank you.

Thank you. Ted Bohlen from HIROC.

Thank you again, Chairs, Vice Chairs, committee members. Ted Bohlen for the Hawaii Reef and Ocean Coalition, in support of this bill, House Bill 1749. I think it's important that buyers know what they're buying and that they-- if they have a cesspool on the property, that they're informed of that and when the deadlines are. So the disclosure that this bill would provide is very important.

I would agree with the Realtors that, you need-- I mean, I appreciate what the Realtors are doing in terms of working out something for a form. I would still say that the bill should require what it has and there should be a process where Department of Health and others work with the Realtors to come up with that form.

The main thing, I think, is when you buy a piece of property, you've got all these papers, you don't want to have the cesspool buried in the package of 50 documents that you're supposed to read. It should be right up front where you can see it. So that's what I would like to see and that's what we would support. Thank you very much.

Okay. Thank you. Stuart Coleman from WAI.

Sorry about that. Aloha, Chairs, Vice Chairs, committee members. Stuart Coleman from WAI. We will stand on our written testimony in support of this bill and just add that UH is-- just recently finished a report that said the economic value of a house, with an improved cesspool, is much greater than the cost of converting it. So, again, I think it's just important that buyers know that what they're getting-- because we did have some buyers contact us about-- they didn't know it was a cesspool.

They'd spend all their money, and then they had to pay, you know, for this to convert it and to do any renovations. So just making it clear, but applaud the Realtors for kind of working on that and finding common solutions. Mahalo.

Thank you. Anyone else wishing to testify on this measure? We have 12 in support, zero opposed, and one comment. Members, any questions?

Senator Richards.

Yeah, Chair?

Lyndsey?

Aloha. Do it again for the record. Identify yourself.

Aloha, Senator.

Oh. Yes. Lyndsey Garcia for the Hawaii Association of Realtors.

Yep. Am I missing something? Because when I read through this, disclosure is disclosure. Wouldn't this be a normal disclosure? And the only reason I'm bringing it up is do we have to have another law for something that we should be doing anyway, or is there kind of a gray area here?

Well, regardless, we do intend to update-- we are in the process of updating our forms, and they should be ready to go by May 1st. If not May 1st, then definitely by November 1st of this year. So there will be a notice added into our standard seller's property disclosure requirement form of the cesspool notice saying, you know, you need to convert by the year 2050. So, if this bill passes or not, we will still have that inserted into our--

But if someone's doing private treaty, they're not gonna have your form necessarily. Is that correct?

Correct. So if you-- I'll say, most transactions do use our forms, but if you wanted to, you know, keep this bill moving along, having it as inserted into the law that there is a requirement to disclose when cesspools need to be converted by, then whoever is handling the-- you know, creating-- if they're gonna create their own forms, they're still gonna have to include that update.

No, I fully support the disclosure. I'm just a little surprised that we-- maybe it's a little gray area, so, okay. Thank you. Thank you, Chair.

Thank you.

Okay.

Alright. Moving on to the last bill on this agenda is HB 1921, allowing an existing cesspool pool that lawfully serves a single dwelling or dwelling unit in a priority level three area to continue serving that dwelling or dwelling unit and additional bedrooms constructed on the same parcel and existing dwelling or dwelling unit subject to certain conditions. Okay. And and by the way, on that last measure, we had 12 in support, zero opposed, and one comment.

And on 1921, the first up is Department of Health.

Afternoon chair, vice chair, committee members. Kevin Yihoevio from the Department of Health. The department stands on its testimony.

Thank you, Kevin. Darren Lerner. Support, Lindsay Garcia from Hawaii Realtors.

It's centerline customer. K.

And Ted Kefalas from Grassroot Institute of Hawaii. Is Ted here or online?

Not present, chair.

Okay. So we have four in support, zero opposed, one comment. Any questions, members?

Decision making.

Oh, shit. Okay. Alright. Right here. One moment.

Okay. Seeing none, we'll go into decision making.

That would be wonderful because I still have a hearing.

Oh, you do?

Yes. At two? No. Right. 135.

Oh, 135. Okay.

I'm not gonna ask one question. Please. Thank you. Thank you. Okay.

Now There you go. You have it for a tree.

Okay. Let's go back. We're ready for some decision making here. On the first item, HB 1730 and we're ready to loss wastewater systems. Let's see.

Chair's recommendation will be to pass with an amendment clarifying that the director of the Department of Health has discretion to determine the maximum number of invitations for the working group and will also make technical amendments. We'll also note in the committee report, DOH's additional appropriation request for consideration. Any discussion? Chair votes aye. Vice chair?

On HB 1730 house draft two passing with amendments, chair votes aye. Vice chair votes aye. Senator DeCoite?

Aye.

Senator Rhodes? Aye. Sarah Wa is excused. Chair, your four in favor motion is adopted.

Thank you, members. On HB 90,

I'm sorry. I gotta do other

For HHS, same recommendation. Vice chair for the vote.

Okay. Seventeen thirty, house draft two recommendations. Senate draft no excuses. Senator Fevella and all other members present. And WR for no.

Seeing none, recommendation adopted.

Thank you. HB 1985. Successfuls again. Let's see. Chair's recommendation will hear we get passed with an amendment to delete part two relating to the authorization of cesspool conversion deadline extensions.

We hear the concerns, but we still have 24 years until our 2050 deadline. And so it's too early to give out extensions. We'll also make technical amendments, and we'll note that DOH's program specialist five position request in the committee report for consideration. Any discussion? Chair votes aye.

Vice chair?

On house Bill 1985 House Draft one of the four members in attendance, anybody voting with reservations? Any no votes? Chair, you have four in favor motion as adopted.

So for HHS, recommendation is to defer. K.

Next one. Okay. Good. Next is hb 1749 hd 2 relating to cesspools. Okay.

On this one, the, chair's recommendation will be to pass with amendments to adopt the Department of Commerce for Consumer Affairs Real Estate Commission's recommendations to remove the requirement for the Department of Health and Real Estate Commission to develop a standardized cesspool disclosure form to avoid duplication and confusion. Any discussion? Chair votes aye. Vice chair?

On House Bill 1749 house draft two of the four members in attendance, anybody voted with reservations? Any no votes? Chair, you have four in favor. Motion adopted.

For HHS, same no. The same recommendation.

Okay. Recommendation 1749. HD two is a Senate draft one. Billing excuse, Senate Vavala, any WRs, and no. Seeing none, recommendation adopted.

Final measure on today's agenda one thirty agenda, HB 1921 HD 2. Recommendation will be to pass with amendments to adopt Ihome suggested amendment requiring the installation of a DOH director approved wastewater technology utilizing solid waste separation for any construction that increases the total bedroom count of a dwelling or dwelling unit.

Also, pass with amendments from UHC grant program and Water Resources Research Center to clarify that cesspool priority levels shall be determined using block level data from the Hawaii cesspool prioritization tool to ensure consistency and avoid lack of clarity. Any discussion? Chair votes aye.

On House bill 1921 House draft two of the four members in attendance, same by voting with reservations. Any no votes? Chair, four in favor, motion adopted.

For HHS, chair's recommendation is to defer. Thank you very much. And now we are gonna call up

Can I conclude? Adjourned.

Good afternoon. Mahalo. 01:40 calendar for HHS. I would like to introduce my, vice chair, Sandra McKelvey, and the others will occur, will will come when

Fire away, Kara.

Meeting is being streamed live on YouTube. Unlike the event that we must abruptly end this hearing due to technical difficulties, the committee will reconvene to discuss any outstanding business later at 01:42pm, Wednesday, Room 225, March 25. Public notice will be posted in the legislator's website, facilitate this hearing in a timely manner. We'll be enforcing a one minute limit on testimony. I'll be reading a list of individuals who submitted written testimony for each measure.

We apologize if the closed captioning does not accurately transcribe the names. If you're interested in reviewing the written testimony, please go to the legislator's website. You'll find a link on the status page for the measure. Appreciate your understanding. Remind your committee does have your testimony, and we encourage you to use your time wisely to either add, or otherwise rest on your written testimony.

First up, HB 2310 making an emergency appropriation to Department of Human Services. First up, Department of Human Services in support.

Aloha, chair, vice chair, Meredith Nichols for Department of Human Services. Happy to stand on our testimony.

Thank you. Next, we have Angel Melody Young for CARES in support. Angela, are you on Zoom?

Not present, chair.

K. Hawaii Public Health Institute in support.

Aloha, chair, vice chair. I'm Chris Kotlik from the Hawaii Public Health Institute. We just wanna take this opportunity once again to thank your committee as well as the Department of Human Services, the executive, and your colleagues in the legislature for everything that you did during the shutdown to keep, benefits rolling to SNAP recipients, and we certainly support, anything that we can do to make sure that the Department of Human Services is made financially whole for the wonderful job that it'll be having for our community.

Thank you so much.

Thank you very much. Next, we have Hawaii Children Action Network Speaks. Nicole Wu, are you present on Zoom? Please proceed. Yes.

I am, chair. Thank you very much. Like, hi, Fi, we, Mahalo, Department of Human Services, the legislature and the governor for being one of the states that made sure that our families our SNAP families didn't go hungry when the government shut down last fall. But we need DHS to be made whole again because they did put out money to do that.

More than half of Hawaii SNAP recipients are in families with children, so it's we're talking tens of thousands of children and their families being called by SNAP.

So thank you. Please pass this bill.

Thank you very much. Next, we have I see Lauren Zirbel of HFIA in support. Please proceed.

Thank you, chair, vice chair. We'll stand on our testimony and strong support. Huge to you and everyone at the legislature, DHS, and the governor's office for making sure that people were fed during the government shutdown.

Mahalo. Thank you very much. Betty Lou Larsen, Catholic Charities Hawaii in support. Eric Awe HPCA in support. Doctor Lewin Shipta in support.

Yes. Estes for Hawaii. Yes.

Thank you very much. OHA in support. Hawaii Medical Association, doctor Ignacio in support. David Kingdon in support. Nathan Dang in support.

Chair Alice Lee in support. Garrett Hall in support.

Stand on our written testimony.

For Department of Health. Thank you. Speedy Bailey of AMR in support. Anybody else? I'm sorry.

I I misread. Sorry. I misread. That was it. For for 2310.

Anybody else? Members, any questions? I apologize.

Super quick question. Do you wanna know the would this be done through could this be done through the budget as well?

Meredith, come on up. Did you hear the question? I I

we're in a rush, so I didn't wanna have

Yes or no?

a Okay.

Could it then be done in the budget? Why didn't you just ask for it in the budget instead of asking for bill?

Oh, we need an emergency appropriation to move the funding more quickly to restore so that we have enough to get through our current yeah.

They wanted it faster. Yeah. Okay. Thank you. But it hasn't really been faster.

We just got the budget from the house.

Thank you. I have a question. Have a seat. Come back. 16,500,000.0 you wanted to add on. How come you guys didn't just put it in the original bill?

The 16,500,000.0 is, again, trying to use the same pathway for emergency appropriation so that we can supplement.

But this isn't a to reimburse. This is an addition.

This isn't yes.

Because the original bill was to reimburse.

The original bill was to reimburse, and this is moving that again, and this is for time's sake to make sure because those Affordable Care Act, enrollments, those have already happened effective January 1. And in order to get the funding moved quickly

The 16,500,000.0, you guys, DHS didn't spend yet, though. Right?

No. It this is to move it.

So this is new monies?

It's new monies. Okay. This is new monies so that we can spend it now to keep people from falling off the street.

Yes. But there's no additional monies for the Medicaid disenrollment. It's only for the people who already have.

This is for the people enrolled on the ACA who might not be able to pay their premiums.

Yep. This year.

Right.

So it's only really when we when we did the informational briefing less than half of the potential disenrolled Yeah. Potentially uninsured.

Yeah. This is focusing on that silver CSR. Yes.

Yeah. Thank you.

Thank you.

Any other questions? No. Thank you. Okay. Moving on.

HB 2173. Sorry. This is you. Okay. Hold on. Shipta in support. Right?

Yes. Terry Vesparis on behalf of, Doctor. Lewin, Shipta. We stand on our written testimony in strong support.

Okay. OHAI in support. Hawaii Medical Association in support. David Kingdon in support. Nathan Dang in support.

Alice Lee in support. Garrett Hall in support. Garrett Hall with the Department of Health. We stand on

our written testimony in support.

Thank you. Stadee Bailey of AMR, also in support. Anybody else testifying 2173 relating to ambulances? K. Moving on.

HB 2088, relating to adoptions. Judiciary, in support.

Afternoon Chair, Vice Chair, Senator Fevella. Judiciary <unintelligible>. We stand on our written testimony.

Thank you very much. Director Yamane, in support. Okay. Please proceed for DHS.

Sure. Good afternoon, Chair, Vice Chair, and the committee members. I'm Kisha Raby, Child Welfare Services Program Development Administrator, and I'm representing the Department of Human Services. The department stands on its written testimony. Mahalo for your time.

Thank you very much. Anybody else wishing to testify on s HB 2088? Members, any questions? Seeing none, moving on. Hb 2093 attorney general 2093 relating to uniform probate code.

AG providing comments. Yes. I I saw your proposed amendments. Yes.

Good afternoon, chair, vice chair, and committee members. Margaret Leung, deputy attorney general. We have submitted our proposals, and I'm available for questions should you have any.

Thank you very much. Circuit court judiciary in support.

Afternoon again, chair. Scott Boone. I am a staff attorney for the first circuit family court, but I am testifying on behalf of judiciary for this bill. I just wanna note that in addition to our written testimony, we reviewed the AG's recommended amendments and we're in support of those.

Okay. Good. Good to know. Okay. Anybody else wishing to testify in HB 2093? Come on up.

Afternoon, chair, vice chair, members. My name is Eric Young. I'm a member of the uniform probate committee and probate court practices Good. Appearing on behalf of judge chief judge, Jeanette Castagnetti, who is chair of the committee. We have submitted written testimony and stand in support of the bill.

We are also aware of the attorney general's proposed amendments. We have reviewed them, and the committee stands in support of the AG amendments.

Okay. Sounds good. K. Anybody else wishing to testify in HB 2093? K.

Members, any questions? Seeing none. Moving on. HB 2619, relating to homemade food products. First up, Department of Health providing comments.

Thank you very much. Hawaii Food Industry Association in support. Lauren Zirbel, please proceed.

Thank you, chair, vice chair, committee members. Lauren Zirbel on behalf of Hawaii Food Industry Association. We'll stand in our testimony in support. Mahalo.

Thank you very much. Next, we're Brian Miyamoto Hawaii Farm Bureau in support. Glenn Kagamida in support. Ted Kapala's Grassroots Institute of Hawaii in support. Ted, not present.

Anybody else wishing to testify on HB 2126 19? Members, any questions? Okay. Seeing none, moving on. HB 2167 relating to youth homelessness.

First up, Office of Youth Services, in support. Leanne Gillespie.

Leanne Gillespie--afternoon, Chair, Vice Chair--with the Office of Youth Services. We stand on our testimony in support and also certain amendments.

Okay, thank you very much. Next, we have Office of Wellness and Resilience, in support, Tia Hartsock. Sandy Livingston, Hawaii State LGBTQ plus, in support. Sandy Livingston, are you present on Zoom?

Not present, Chair.

Okay. Michael Golojuch Jr, Pride Work Hawaii, in support. Michael Golojuch, are you present on Zoom?

Not present, Chair.

Okay. Next, Catholic Charities Hawaii, in support, Betty Lou Larson. Hawaii Children's Action Network Speaks, Nicole Woo. Nicole Woo, are you present on Zoom?

Yes, Chair. Aloha. We support this bill. There's over a thousand youth who were counted as homeless at the last point in time count, and we have-- the last time we had the highest homelessness rate in the nation. We think this pilot project for youth housing stability will help prevent some of our young people from falling into homelessness, so we think it's worthwhile to try this out. Please pass this bill. Thank you.

Okay, thank you very much. Next, we have Ku'upi Ho'aho Aloha, in support. Judith Clark, in support. Judith Clark, are you present on Zoom?

Yes, Chair, members of the committee. I'm Judith Clark. I'm speaking today as a community advocate, a youth homelessness service provider for 25 years, and a person with lived experience of young adult homelessness. I strongly support this bill. When I was 20, I was laid off from work and could not pay the rent on my apartment. It was a miserable and terrifying time.

I was hungry and cold. I was afraid of being assaulted or raped. When an elderly friend allowed me to sleep on his floor for a few nights, I knew he wasn't allowed overnight visitors and I was jeopardizing his own housing. I was fortunate. My homelessness was short-term, but rental support for a few months would have made a huge difference in my life and prevented a lot of trauma.

In Hawaii, the gap between what young adults can afford and the actual cost of housing is huge. One unexpected medical bill or car repair can be the tipping point into homelessness. Thank you for your opportunity to testify.

Thank you. Okay. Next, we have Bonnie Kahakui, State Procurement Office, providing comments, Leelynn Brady of Aloha Independent Living Hawaii, in support, Charlotte Ann Holding, in support. Anybody else wishing to testify on HB 2167? Members, any questions? Gillespie, I have a question. All up from OYS.

The 370-- come on up. Where is that? My question is the $375,000 you requested, is that for the five-- for all five years, or is that-- the original bill was only for two years.

Yes.

We're looking for the entire five-year pilot.

The 375,000 is for the entire five years?

Yes.

But not-- it's not per year?

If you can do it every year, that would be great, but no.

Okay. Thank you. Oh, one other question.

Yes.

Procurement Office. They're concerned about exempting you folks from procurement.

We've written in the bill for us to abide by all procurement rules.

Oh, okay.

So I missed the latest version that's in there?

Their proposed amendment.

Oh, proposed amendments.

Proposed amendment was put in HD 1, I believe.

Yeah. Proposed amendment. Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you very much. Any other questions? Seeing none, are we ready for decision-making? Okay. We have everybody. Thank you very much.

We do. All right.

Okay. First up, HB 2310. We're gonna pass this, but we're just gonna gonna put in a different defective date of 01/30/2050. If the governor wants additional monies, he can go ask for another bill. So other than that, as is Yep.

Except for different defective date. And we're gonna note the original requested amount in the committee report and not the additional monies stated in Department of Human Services proposed amendment to the bill. Okay. Any comments, questions, concerns? Seeing none, vice chair for the vote.

Okay. Pass with amendments.

2310 HD 1 recommendation is an SD one original money new defective date. And all members present in the WRS? No. Seeing none. Recommendation adopted.

K. For HB 2173, we're also gonna pass this with amendments. We're just gonna change the defect, the defective date to 01/31/2050. Because we're gonna note there's a blank appropriation. Okay.

We just wanna make sure that we don't pass a bill with a blank appropriation. Any comments, questions, concerns passed with amendments.

Okay. Recommendation 2173 HD one is a new defective date as an SD one. Noting members all present. Any WRS? No.

Seeing none. Recommendation adopted.

Okay. For HB 2088, judiciary should be happy. We're gonna pass it as is. Any comments, questions, concerns? Easy bill.

Pass as is. Thank you.

Alright. Recommendation HB 2088 is as is. Noting presence of all members. Any WOs? No.

Seeing none. Recommendation adopted.

For HB 2093, we're gonna pass this with Attorney General's proposed amendments, which everyone seems to be in agreement with. Any comments, questions, concerns pass with amendments.

Okay. Recommendation 2093 is Senate draft one, incorporating AG's amendments with all support, noting all presenters, members, any debarance, noticing none. Recommendation adopted.

For HB 2619 we're gonna pass this with Department of Health's proposed amendment. Any comments? And we're gonna make it effective as of upon approval. Okay. Any comments, questions, and concerns passed with amendments?

Okay. Regulation 261982 is Senate draft one. Noting the amendments and the new clean date, any WRS and noes of all members present. Seeing none, recommendation adopted.

For HB 2167, we are gonna pass this with amendments. We're just gonna accept, OIS's proposed amendments. We're gonna note in the committee report their request of 375,000 which is a modest amount for the blank appropriation. And other than that, that's it. Pass with amendments.

The procurement?

Oh, yeah. We're going to ensure that the.

The SSPO is asking for the change in their testimony.

They didn't propose any language. They just said no. They know it. So we have a defective. So we can fix it.

We'll work towards conferencing. Okay. That's fine.

We can fix that going forward because that could be resolved. Don't

No. No, don't worry about it. We're gonna defect the date and keep it moving on because of the time constraints. But we're just flagging the issue for the record right now. Okay?

And you can note, for the next committee. Yeah. Exactly. Any any of the more proposed changes. Okay.

Any comments, questions, concerns? Seeing none passed with amendments, we're just gonna accept OIS' amendments.

Alright. Recommendation on HB 2167, HD 2, Senate Draft 1, with OHS’s amendments. All members present? Any WOs? Seeing none, the recommendation has been adopted.

And with that, we are adjourned. Thank you very much.