House Standing Committee on Finance

Aloha. We're opening the House Committee on Finance for our Thursday, April 2, 2PM agenda here in Conference Room 308. Just some brief housekeeping. If you are on Zoom, please stay muted, until you are called upon for your respective measures. Because we have an extraordinarily long agenda today, and we wanna be conscious of staff resources and also just, you know, not burning everyone out.

As much as possible, please stand on your testimony. But if you do feel like you need to provide some color or some context, as much as possible, we're gonna keep people to a two minute time limit. So stay brief. Keep in mind, like, you know, I don't wanna I don't wanna overpromise. For the most part, if it's here, it's because it has value.

We're not trying to, you know, pull people's pull people's heartstrings here. The other thing is due to the size of the agenda, we're gonna be planning on building in a couple small breaks, but we'll see how it's going. So just for perspective, we would plan on a short break after SB3233 relating to agricultural workforce housing. That would be prior to SB2360 relating to state enterprise zones.

And a second one likely opening up just prior to SB3140 relating to the state fire council.

But if things are going really fast or really slow, we may have to reassess. But that's the plan. If we're gonna open up with SB2969 and then we'll move on to the, NIL bill, SB3263. After the NIL bill, we'll give a brief recess, to allow a lot of our interested folks here, time to head out. Unless you guys wanna stay for the next three to six hours.

Three is optimistic. We'll see. But we'll get into SB2969 first. That's relating to the Maui wildfire exposure study at Maui Health Registry.

Hey. First, we have the State Health Planning and Development Agency, SHPDA, in support. Doctor. Gerson is not here. We have Roots Reborn in support on Zoom. K. Or

I'm, I'm here. Sorry. I wasn't sure. It was fine. Hi, everybody.

My name is Evelyn. I grew up here on Maui, and I worked with support in immigrant status families in behind us. And I am here in strong support of sc 2969. Programs like Maui wildfire exposure study and the Maui health registry are critical because we provide trusted community based screening and connect people to care. For many families, especially those affected by the fire directly, this is the first time we've been able to access this kind of services in a way that feels safe to them.

Continuing this work ensure ensures that our community is not forgotten and the health concerns are caught early before they become more serious. I respectfully urge you to support at 2969. For your time and consideration.

Thank you. Bruce reborn, Maui, in support on Zoom.

Hello. That that would be me. My name is Stephanie Villalobos. I am a Maui resident, a community member, and a community care navigator with Root Reborn. I am here, today in strong support of SD2969.

I wanna share my experience not just as a professional, but somebody who personally was impacted. I participated in the Maui wildfire exposure study, and it was honestly an eye opening eye opening for me. Like many people in our community, I was focused on helping others and trying to get through each day. I didn't realize how much the stress and heartbreak especially from losing friends in the wildfire had affected my own health.

Through the study I learned things about my physical and mental health that I would have not learned through a regular doctor's visit.

The mental mental mental health portion especially pushed me to have a conversation with my doctor that I had been avoiding. It made me realize that healing isn't just about rebuilding the homes and the community, it's about taking care of ourselves too. And through my work, I see that every day that I'm not alone in this. Our team continues to work with residents who are experiencing ongoing health issues like breathing problems, anxiety, depression, and concern about the long term exposure to smoke and toxin.

These issues did not end in August 2020, August 2023.

They're still very real today. One of the biggest challenges we see is access to care. Many of the people we serve don't have insurance or they have coverage but still can't realistically access care because of the cost or other barriers. That's why this program is so important to fund. The Maui wildfire exposure study is just more than just research.

It's for many people. It's a chance it's a chance for them to have receive full comprehensive health screenings. It gives people answers. It connects them to care and helps them feel seen. At the same time, the data collected through this program is critical.

It helps decision makers like yourselves understand what our community is truly going through so that resources are directed where they are needed most. It also ensures that communities are who are often left out, like uninsured individuals and working class residents are included in recovery efforts. This is not about equity. This is about long term recovery, and this is about making sure that our community is not forgotten after the immediate disaster response ends.

I respectfully urge you to support SB2969 so that we can continue this work and ensure Maui residents receive the care, monitoring, and support that they deserve.

Thank you so much.

Thank you. American Lung Association in Hawaii in support on Zoom. Not present. Kaiser Permanente in support.

We've got it over to testimony in support.

Thank you. We have Alika Mauna Kea in support on Zoom.

Yes. Aloha.

Aloha, Chair, Vice Chair, and Members of the Committee. I'm Malika Monakea, professor at the Johnny Burns School of Medicine and co director of the Maui Waqara exporter study or Maui West and the Maui Health Registry. I provided with some more detailed testimony and strong support of this bill, but I wanna briefly add that I hope everyone here and across the communities you represent are we call it very well after the recent Kona storm.

Events like this remind us that disasters don't end when the winds stop or the waters recede. They often leave behind environmental exposures and health impacts that may not become visible for months or even years unless we are actively studying them.

After the Maui wildfires, we launched Maui West because we recognized that without rigorous community based monitoring and early intervention, many of the long term health consequences of disasters go undocumented and, therefore, unaddressed. As Hawaii faces more frequent and more severe environmental events, investing in this unique public health infrastructure becomes essential for protecting the health and well-being of our communities. Mahalo for the opportunity to testify, and I'm happy to answer any questions the committee may have today. Mahalo.

Thank you. Ruben Juarez in support on Zoom.

Aloha. I summon my written testimony, and I'm available for any questions.

Thank you. We have Christopher Nightbridge in support on Zoom.

Hi, Committee. I'll be so quick. So my name is doctor Christopher Nightbridge. I lead the mental health outreach and research portion of the study. I also treat patients every single week in Lahaina.

I fly off from Oahu to do so. So point number one, we are not just research. The houses have received mental and medical screenings, consultations, and then they get placed directly into care by us to our many partners. The second point is we need about $4,000,000 optimally to expand. The whole point of expansion the next fiscal year or as soon as possible is to get more children into the study.

There is no other form of aggressive outreach taking place. I would argue there's really no outreach period taking place in Lahaina anymore anymore. No one else is really looking at Lahaina. So you want another 800 kids into our study. I can promise you personally that we can make it happen as long as we get the funding.

Lahaina was just retraumatized again by these storms. If anybody tells you that Lahaina is doing better, they're simply, you know, uninformed or lying. So I respect all your time. You can ask the questions after, but thank you so much for for listening to us.

Thank you. We have Susan Piccola Davis in support.

Yep. Good. The mics are in the ceiling.

Oh, okay. Cool. It is quite confusing. Good afternoon. I just heard three of my colleagues testify as to the need and realizing that this is a longitudinal study, but it's not that.

It's also helping people be healthy, be mentally taken care of. So Chris only asked for 4,000,000. I'm going with 4,150,000 only because HB2340 did not cross over, and so they lost the appropriations for 1,000,500 for 2025 to 2026. And this current bill is for '26 through '27. As for mental health, if any of the current registries were affected by the cone of lows, then we can expect a trigger effect increasing needs for mental health.

Basically, they're lucky because they're gonna already be getting mental health since they're in the registry. Reliving losses, houselessness, life in danger endangering weather will show up. The good news is that they will continue to have these services as long as we provide the appropriations for they for them to continue. Thank you.

Thank you. We have Amy Jackson in support.

Not present. That's everyone who indicated they'd be joining us today. Additional testimony in support from the office of Hawaiian Affairs, the office of wellness and resilience, mayor Bissen with the County Of Maui and council member Carlson of the County Of Maui as well as 10 organizations oh, all in support. 10 organizations and 18 individuals also all in support. Is there anybody else in the room wishing to testify?

Anybody on Zoom?

Yes. Aloha.

Hi. Please just state your name and speak and proceed.

Aloha. My name is Dana Moore. I actually signed up to give testimony on behalf of Hawaii Community Health. Just wanted to say that we did submit written testimony with great detail. Please go ahead and take a look at that.

And just wanted to add that I'm a Maui nurse with Kanaka roots and a disaster responder. As we face impacts from the Kona Lo, we're still living in the disaster after the disaster from the fires. Maui has severely limited access to health care and essential resources. It can take months to get care. We have critical provider shortage right now.

Maui West is filling these gaps and expanding access across our community, so we need more funding, respectfully, to sustain and grow this work. As Susan mentioned, possibly beyond what is humbly being asked. At Maui West Clinics, we provide health and mental health screenings. We connect people to care and resources and support early intervention before conditions become crises. We also train students and strengthen the local workforce capacity.

So this is far more than just research. It's active care, real time intervention, and trust a trusted lifeline in our community. I personally have experienced health impacts myself from being in the burn zone, responding, and I've also heard that participants say that this program has saved their life. So the return on investment is immediate and long term, and early intervention saves lives and reduce costs. Please support SB2969, and thank you very much from Hawaii Community Health.

Thank you. Oh, yes. We have your written testimony. I think there was second person on Zoom.

My name is Veronica Mendoza. I'm the founding executive director of Roots Reborn. I stand on my written testimony in strong support of this measure, and I just want to add, that with Kona Lo, first, I hope that everyone, in the room is doing well. But one of the things that we're really worried about with kona lo in our, in our community on Maui is exposure to mold as remediation continues to happen and tests that are already set up to do this.

And if we can expand the pool, especially for Keiki, I think it will be doubly, impactful, especially now as we continue to recover.

And I'm available for questions after.

K. Thank you. Anybody else on Zoom? K.

Anybody else questions? Now we're gonna move on to the NIL bill, and then, yeah, we'll have a brief recess after that to let the room clear out. Another thing worth noting, in case people have an item early on the agenda and they'd like to stay for decision making, We'll be doing no decision making today. Everything will be fixed to Tuesday, and we'll make an announcement at the end of today's hearing on the details for the decision making for today's agenda. Okay.

Opening up with SB3263 SD2 HD2 relating to the University of Hawaii. Okay.

University of Hawaii in support.

Aloha, Chair, Vice Chair, and Committee. My name is Laura Beeman. And for a couple more weeks, I am the head coach of the Rainbow White League basketball program at the University of Hawaii. I am here on behalf of athletic director Matt Elliott, who was unable to be here because he's traveling with our softball team.

We stand by our testimony for SB3263 SD2 HD2, and just wanna reiterate the importance of this bill to the university as we ascend into the Mountain West.

Thank you. Breast Abuse Institute of Hawaii with comments. Not present.

Also, I'm getting testimony and support from other University of Hawaii athletics as well as one organization and five individuals. Anybody in the room wishing to testify? Anybody on Zoom?

No. Anyone? Nope. Nope. Boys?

Please just state your name for the record before you begin.

Aloha, Chair Todd, Vice Chair Takenouchi, and Members of the Finance Committee. I'm Albert Chi, executive vice president for Island Energy Services. We're often more commonly known in the marketplace as the Texaco brand. I come here in strong support of Senate Bill 3263. We've been a long time corporate partner, which means, you know, we've supported the university.

And, you know, for us as a business, it's an investment. We feel that supporting University of Hawaii, in particular the athletic department, is a really, really good investment because we know how near and dear to the hearts of everyday people this institution and the athletic programs are.

So I would you know, I've submitted written testimony, but I just wanna draw your attention to the end of the first paragraph where we point out that, you know, economic studies have shown that the university of athletics has produced a sizable return on the investment, and that and that's part of the reason why business community does what it does. And I would encourage you to really look at that.

I know there's a lot of pressure of this committee because there's often not enough money to go around for the request, But this one has a really strong return on investment, and I think is in that regard with all the other important matters, a really good reason why you should support the university.

Thank you very much.

Thank you. Anybody else in the room? Anybody else? Oh, coach.

Aloha, Chair and Vice Chair and Members of the Committee. I'm head coach Tim Chang with the university white football team. And, I just wanna give you my aloha and thank you for listening on this bill, in a challenging time of, of college athletics. It is it is unbelievable momentous time for us as a university as, we are excited about our athletic programs, but this bill will help us.

It'll help us retain and recruit a lot of the members, that you see here standing here in this room of our players and our staffs and our, our players program as we move forward.

Your support is definitely needed. So thank you guys for listening, and, Aloha.

Thank you. Anybody else in the room? Anybody on Zoom wishing to testify? Members, questions? Quick question.

Coach Chang, since you're here, and all of these athletes are here, can you just give us a brief introduction of who is here?

Sure. Sure. You guys wanna just mention, if you are if you play for football, please raise your hand. Oh, wow. Okay.

If you play any other sport, you know, members of my my staff, coaching staff, could you guys please just stand and be recognized if you guys are in here? And then faculty members and representatives, our president is here as well as as Gaitley, our our regents or regents chair. So, yeah, we're we're in very, very strong support here of, this bill and and so much needed of your support. But I I think more importantly, you can see how together we are.

And, and I think that's what's special, and I think that's what's pulling our momentum forward as we are a a true representative of the state through our athletic program.

Thank you. Thank you so much for that.

Thank you. K. Randall, anyone else, members? K. If not, we're gonna recess briefly, and then we'll reconvene in a couple minutes, once our folks are ready.

Okay. Recess.

Okay. Recess.

Hi, everyone. We're back for the rest of our agenda. We have SB2602, SD1, HD1, relating to the general fund.

Okay. And there's someone indicate indicating they'd be joining us, but University of Hawaii in opposition as well as one organization opposition and one organization providing comments. And is anybody in the room wishing to testify? Sorry, president.

Good afternoon, chair, vice chair, and committee. Thank you for the opportunity for the University of Hawaii to express its, respectful opposition to the bill that's in front of you today. And briefly I'll touch on just two things since we have submitted our testimony and you have it in front of you. There are two parts of this bill that are highly problematic for the university and would have very significant negative effects on our operations.

The first is the provision that the tuition and special fees that a student pays should be used solely for the benefit of the campus on which they are paying that fee.

Essentially, what that would do is transform the system of the University of Hawaii into 10 specific siloed campuses. We share resources across the system, both collaboratively at the community colleges, for example. They share resources to put on programs to, secure things like technology at lower prices that we can purchase more effectively. We we share compliance functions. To say that it would be catastrophic to be hamstrung from the ability to do that would not be an overstatement at this, session.

In particular, it would also hurt community colleges, particularly those that are smaller. So Hawaii Community College, for example, does not, generate always sufficient tuition to cover its expenses. So the system serves as the ability to balance in emergencies, for example, during the if we did have damage during the floods and one campus was disproportionately affected, if we were unable to move money around between campuses, that means that particular campus would stand on its own and suffer on its own in terms of its ability to respond.

So it it inevitably would, cost significantly more money for the state to operate the university and effectively lead us into a situation where we could not continue all 10 campuses most likely. So, that is one very significant piece. The second, of course, is the piece that suggests that, by 2029, any unspent tuition and special fee funds would be swept to the general fund.

I start by noting that the principle of the first part of the bill, which is that tuition and special fees should be, that are paid by students, should go to the benefit of the students, is not served by a sweeping of tuition and special fee funds to the general fund where the the it would be quite an attenuated effect on each individual student. So just in terms of principle, I think there's a conflict within the bill.

Second, as we submitted to you, this is coming at a time of enormous uncertainty for the university. We submitted to you a document showing the extent of impact from recent federal policy changes, which are well over a $100,000,000.

They're coming in phases, and it's uncertain at this moment. So the ability to have and retain our funds to manage the situation over the next several years is critical. And, frankly, we've already established, and we can talk about the specifics, but we've already established a strong strategic plan to use the money that we have to begin to mitigate the effects of this and to move our strategic agenda forward in things like workforce development and artificial intelligence for the state.

So I know there's a lot to say, but you have a lot of testimony today, so I'll we will rest at that point.

Thank you. Anybody else in the room? Anybody on Zoom wishing to testify?

Members, questions? No?

Chair, I have questions for you. I

have three questions.

First of all, I wanna better understand the significance of this tuition and fee special funds. So I'm curious to know, like, what amount are we talking about?

So the current balance within the tuition and fees special plan and and it should be noted that these are point in time balances, representative of tuition and fees. At the end of at the end of the calendar year, there's approximately $428,000,000. But if you look at how we spend our money, right, we collect tuition and fees, special funds into big pots, like, during the fall semester and then during and during spring semester. So that amount actually diminishes over time.

So we do have reserves that are maintained by the system, but that is basically $428,000,000 broken up amongst all of the the 10 different campuses.

And it also should be noted that, like, current campuses, like, say, for example, Manoa, even though they may have a balance in there right now, by the end of the semester, they'll actually be in a deficit. So there will be a requirement for system to basically start working together and using those tuition and fees special fund in a systematic manner.

K. And then my second question is if you could give us specific examples as to what the funds are used for.

It's it's basically used for all the operations associated with the University of Hawaii. So this is the other portion. We receive both general funds and the tuition and fees special funds in order to operate the $1,200,000,000 operation of the University of Hawaii.

It also funds student scholarships in a significant percentage. So, I mean, there are direct student impacts from the use of this money and the loss thereof.

Okay. And then my third question has to do with, lapsing. So based on what I've heard, despite the amount that's there, there is a deficit. So I'm trying to follow why there's a concern if money were to lapse that it should go elsewhere instead of remaining in the fund.

So the lapsing provision, it's not like general funds that lapse back to the general fund. There's a provision in statute that allows for these balances to lapse to to the credit of UH900 in the system. So it's not a lapse into the general fund. It is literally a lapse so that the system can use those funds systematically versus them remaining within their individual operating units. So so there's

We can be clear about that. It's confusing, but they are held by the individual colleges, and they all have very different balances. And we try and be very sensitive. Obviously, if funds are allocated to the community colleges, the intent is suspended for the community colleges. So we may have a surplus in a single college and a deficit in another.

So it the the fact that there are numbers there that look positive actually is not reflective of each individual campus.

So what this bill would do would take those special funds and actually lapse to the credit of the general fund to no longer be used by the university.

Okay. And and then a follow-up question to that is, has there been lapsing of funds in the past There

there there has never been a lapsing of tuition and fees special funds to the general

fund. Okay. Thank you. No further questions, sir.

Anything else? Go ahead.

Madam president, thanks for being here. I was curious around your construction maintenance and what kind of strategies I know you mentioned that, president, about having a larger strategic effect. I was just really curious around the construction API maintenance. There's a lot of uncertainty around that. Just maybe a high level thumbnail sketch on how you hope to keep projects on prem on budget Which is a large concern just around this topic on any new asset that we're trying to use.

Sure. And I'll the specifics I can leave to you, but what I can say is if these funds are lost, they will not be used for that purpose. And what we are doing right now is beginning to have the con- it took me a year. Right? I understanding I'm coming in as a as a new president a year into this, Now we have our strategies. We see where our significant challenges are, and maintenance and and and delayed deferred maintenance is a huge one.

So that's part of the conversation we're having. How much can we spend in a year realistically to advance, and reduce the the backlog of maintenance? Those are all things that are under discussion right now for use of these funds and in terms of the structure, I'll let you know.

In- in terms of, like, what the backlog is right now, representative, I mean, we have over $600,000,000 in deferred maintenance that basically needs to be addressed, like, now. But if you look at what how much we receive in in in support for that from the state, our RIM funding is maybe, like, $30,000,000.

So it's constant it's a hole that continually gets bigger, but with the elimination of the tuition and fee special fund, I mean, then that basically eliminates a whole another source that we're using in order to address our deferred maintenance.

And then within that strategy for addressing deferred maintenance, has there been an overall needs assessment of all of the assets within the university systems to prioritize them in a fashion that, you know, we can actually really see some improvements with the facilities. If

there is actually a very there's a program that's managed, and I apologize because VP for administration is not here. But there is a system that they use. I can't remember exactly the name of that system that basically systematically shows all of the life cycles for every single asset that we own, whether it's the physical plant, whether it's the mechanical system, or the electrical system within the physical plant.

And it shows where they are in its current life cycle, and it basically shows how much maintenance is gonna be required in in those facilities, Suraj. And that's what makes up this over $600,000,000 deficit that we're And

then within that life cycle program, I'm guessing there's some strategies to tackle them?

We're trying to Okay. When you try to tackle it with when you it's hard to tackle when you don't have enough money because sometimes you may have something that's, like, number 10 on the list, but then it breaks right now, and then all of a sudden, it moves up to number two.

But you guys have that program. Okay-

We do.

And and it's worth saying, one of the questions I'm sure you have is where did that money come from? How how did we amass this money? And the truth is it's probably a one time thing that came from the federal COVID money. At a time when we were not spending money, in order to be very conservative projecting major deficits at the time and ended up getting very significant federal funding that then was amassed while there was this conservative approach to spending it.

So this is not a situation where the university is overfunded and we need to readjust that number.

It is literally a snapshot in time and an opportunity at what is an incredible inflection moment for the university with AI changing with the federal policies, etcetera. So we're incredibly fortunate to have that ability to respond to this moment with that funding, and we would lose that if it was swept.

Okay. Great. Thank you, Steve. Thanks.

Anyone else? If not, thank you. We're gonna be moving on to SB3229 SD1 HD1,relating to the University of Hawaii.

Okay. University of Hawaii with comments.

The university will stand on its written testimony. Fair enough.

Sorry. Yeah.

Oh, I'm sorry. No. Good afternoon. Tim Nolan, CEO of UH Foundation. CFO of UH Foundation. We both stand on our written testimony in support of the we're happy to answer any questions.

Okay. Thank you. Yes. Those are the that's all the testimony we received, numbers, from the from University of Hawaii and then from the foundation. Is there anybody else in the room wishing to testify? Anybody on Zoom?

Thanks. Any questions? If not, SB3199, SD1, HD1 relating to mental health.

Okay. Department of the Attorney General with comments.

We provided our written comments and not just you and I'm not available for questions.

Thank you. Thank you. State Health Planning and Development Agency in support. K. Office of Wellness and Resilience in support.

We'll just stand on our testimony. Thank you.

Thank you. We have veteran mental health leadership coalition and support on Zoom.

Not present. Reason for hope and support on Zoom.

Not present.

Proceed.

Please Over hope. Jesse McLaughlin. Okay. I think we can we can circle back if we can, get him unmuted. And for a clinic and support on Zoom.

Hi. Hello.

Hi. Please proceed.

Aloha, chair, vice chair, members of the committee. My name is, doctor Robin Martin. I'm a psychiatrist in Hawaii and founder of Amphora Clinic. I stand by my written comments and support, and I'd like to briefly share a clinical experience that speaks to the urgency of this bill. Last year, I worked with a veteran suffering from severe PTSD and treatment resistant depression. He had engaged in extensive care, multiple medications, psychotherapy, TMS, and ketamine assisted therapy.

Despite this, he continued to suffer profoundly. We began exploring additional options that are currently unavailable or inaccessible here, including ibogaine treatment programs outside The United States. These came with significant logistical, legal, and financial barriers. Before we're able to pursue that path, he died by suicide. Patients like this are not rare.

They reflect the reality that some patients exhaust all currently available treatments and are left without vital options. For patients like this, I can't help but wonder if he might still be alive if more treatment options were accessible to him. SB3199 does not expand access prematurely, but it ensures that Hawaii is prepared to properly evaluate and responsibly integrate emerging therapies as the evidence evolves. Mahalo for considering this bill.

Thank you. We have Clarity Project in support.

I stand on my written testimony. Yes, so much.

Thank you, mister chair, vice chair, members of the committee. My name is Jesse McLaughlin. I'm state policy and advocacy director at Reason for Hope. We are a national suicide prevention nonprofit focused on integrating psychedelic therapies into the medical system.

Thank you. Certainly, back to Reason for Hope.

We are in strong support of SB3199, which represents a thoughtful and responsible next step for Hawaii. The mental health crisis in America continues to impact veterans, first responders, trauma survivors, and families across the state. Traditional treatments for conditions such as PTSD, treatment resistant depression, and major depressive disorder have not been sufficient for many individuals.

At the same time, the FDA has granted breakthrough therapy designation to MDMA assisted therapy, for PTSD and multiple psilocybin therapies for treatment resistant depression as well as five MAO DMT, a compounded treat treatment resistant depression. This breakthrough therapy designation recognizes their potential to provide substantial improvement over existing treatments.

Senate bill three one nine nine wisely established a two year task force to prepare the state for potential federal action. This is a bill that will ensure Hawaii's regulatory, clinical, research, and workforce infrastructure is aligned and ready if and when federal approval occurs. This is a both a prudent and measured step to align with best practices in the country. Connecticut has established a statewide working group before launching its own psychedelic assisted therapy pilot program.

States like Maryland, as well as Washington state, and Illinois have both, have all appropriated funds to support research in psychedelic assisted therapy for veterans preparing their workforce, for a clinical model that does not fit nicely within our existing medical system, and there therefore, requires, the work and niche training. Probably coming up on time here soon, so I'll just say this is a good bill and ought to pass, and Aye, would stand on the remainder of my written testimony.

K. Thank you. We have Christina Rodriguez in support on Zoom.

Aloha. Christina Rodriguez here. I'm a registered nurse specializing in psychology.

Speak a little louder or turn your microphone up because it's a little quiet in the room.

Can you hear me now? Is that better?

Kind of.

Hello?

Okay. I'll do my best. Is that better?

Yeah.

Okay. I'm a registered nurse specializing in psychedelic assisted therapy, and I live here on Maui. I'm in strong support of this measure. I had the honor of serving on the Hawaii psilocybin task force two years ago, and I'm currently on the board of advisors for Clarity Project. I'm trained in the Western medical model as well as psychedelic therapy and and MDMA through MAPS.

And I most especially am trained in traditional medicine cosmologies to work with psychedelic plant medicines. I've personally developed and currently teach curriculum in the use of plant medicines in Oregon as well as in with the University of Pennsylvania. The medicines in question for research are considered emerging and breakthrough therapies, though the science and the medical community are only now substantiating what indigenous communities have known and practiced for millennia.

Psychedelic plant medicines have traditionally been used to help people to heal from addiction, trauma, illness, and then also in preparation for death and dying among many other therapeutic applications that nourish and heal individuals and communities. It's not a matter of if, but when the federal government legalizes these medicines due to their efficacy.

And we need a workforce that's educated and prepared to serve the people of Hawaii. I'm personally prepared to help train and support Clinicians and patients here in Hawaii. This task force is a fiscally responsible step towards evaluating whether emerging therapies can reduce long term public spending on mental health, addiction, suicide, and associated social services. Please support this bill. Thank you.

I'm available for questions.

Thank you. We have testimony in support from Jaydu Jagel in support on Zoom. Not present. Edith Garcia in support.

Hello, chair by chair and members of the committee. My name is Edith Garcia, and I'm a combat veteran. And I traveled here today from Big Island to support SB3199. I served during the operation Iraqi Freedom, where I was operating in high stress environment, and I can tell you that the weight of that responsibility doesn't end when deployment does. And I can say this clearly.

We are not ready to receive our service members when they come home. On the big Island, there is no in person VA pharmacy. I have personally gone without my SSRIs medication on the time because of the on time because of delays. And I know other veterans who have gone days or even weeks without critical medications. That's not just inconvenient.

It is destabilizing and is dangerous. I did everything that I was supposed to do within the VA system, therapy, medications, ongoing care, but it wasn't enough. Eventually, I had to leave the country and travel to Mexico to receive Ibogaine treatment. I was fortunate to have that option. Many veterans here do not.

SB3199 is not about immediate access. It's about preparing Hawaii to do this safely, responsibly, and with proper oversight so our veterans don't have to leave home to seek care. From a financial and system systems perspective, this bill is both strategic and necessary. Across our nation, we have already seen veterans die by suicide in VA parking lots, Places that are supposed to represent access to care. We should not wait for that to happen here in Hawaii before we act.

SB3199 is an opportunity for the state to be proactive rather than reactive, to build systems that meet veterans before they reach that point of crisis. Mahalo and thank you for everything.

Thank you. Vanessa Torres in support.

Aloha, Chair, Vice Chair, and Members of the Committee. My name is Vanessa Torres. I am the public relations officer for the American Legion Hilo Post Three, but I'm here today to talk to you as a person who has benefited from these breakthrough therapies. I'm also a retired marine. I'm married to a retired marine.

My son is currently serving in The United States Marine Corps. My family fully understands service and sacrifice and the struggles that accompany them. Having endured devastating series of traumas in service, I was diagnosed with complex PTSD and eventually treatment resistant major depressive disorder. My understanding of mental health conditions and my own is personal but also academic, but having a bachelor's in psychology never shielded me from depression or anxiety's grip.

It did give me a clear understanding of the science though, and about eight years ago I learned the promising effects of psychedelics in research with veterans with PTSD.

I took serious note and continued on with my therapy at the time, figuring that that was going to be my path. I sought therapy often after Iraq, but like many with age, with time, my condition worsened. I eventually needed a skilled psychologist, and I was one of the lucky ones. I found the most dedicated, caring, highly skilled neuroscientist whose dedication held the line between my despair but also my survival.

Despite her best efforts, I was not participating in life and I was not engaging with my family.

The alternative still felt like an option. Having lost two friends to that battle I understood the bleak reality that would lie ahead for myself and my family, so I looked into alternatives. I met a dear friend who connected me with a nonprofit providing the breakthrough therapy I was seeking, and I underwent two days of psilocybin therapy with safe, professional, wrap around care in a licensed facility. Two days of medicine healed what nothing in twenty years could. The result was not temporary relief.

It was joyful restoration. I no longer desired isolation. I engaged with my family. Where I would once break down, I now stand firm. After decades of English, my family was finally able to meet the calm version of me that knows peace.

I could never have imagined that Aye, of all people, would need this type of treatment.

As much as as much as possible, if you could summarize. If you could summarize a little bit.

Yeah. Okay.

I appreciate you, though.

So to summarize, twenty years of therapy, EMDR, cognitive behavioral therapy. Every therapy that was available to veterans with PTSD, I tried. Every therapy failed, and it wasn't for a lack of putting in the work. It wasn't for a lack of showing up every day. Everything failed.

My education did not save me from depression or anxiety. But when I went through these two days, it was as something was fixed in my brain. This isn't something that I need to continue on all the time. It's not like an SSRI. I had two days of treatment, and that was it.

That was last year. I'm standing here firm. The social anxiety is gone. The of course, public speaking is always can be an intimidating thing, but my social anxiety is gone. I can walk out into crowds again.

I can be amongst people. I can be amongst the community. That was something that I had lost and as the years progressed continue to get worse. Two days of this therapy and I was back to being a calm, joyful person. My family got to actually meet the real version of me.

No more being reactive. No more sitting in fear. I was able to be a human being. That's something that a lot of people that have gone through multiple types of trauma understand that that you just live in a constant state of fight or fight. That was gone.

So what I would say is I had to leave the state. I had to fly to Oregon where they have licensed facilities to administer these medicines with professionals on hand and on staff. The financial burden that my family incurred during this to make sure that I was able to receive this treatment was best.

SB3199 will allow us to have a task force and to make sure that we are ahead of the curve so that other families do not have to endure the financial burden that my family does and that other families, veterans, and first responders are doing today. And the last thing that I would say is to truly stand up for veterans and service and those in public service in any form that have to continually go through trauma.

Instead of thanking them, legislate for them. Mahalo for your time.

Thank you. Oh, we have we have, Robert Farmer in support.

Name's Bobby Farmer, Chair, Vice Chair, Members of the Committee. I'm resident of the island Of Hawaii. I served 22 years in the United States Army, including fourteen years in special forces. With 10 combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, I was wounded in combat multiple times, and I struggle with the physical injuries and invisible wounds today. For over two decades, I was trained to be a weapon, then I was sent home the top to find peace.

But after seeing the worst that humanity can do to itself, it just doesn't turn off. War doesn't stay overseas. It follows you home. I sought help through our Western mental health system. I did everything I was supposed to do, but nothing

brought lasting relief. It wasn't until I traveled to Mexico through the nonprofit Vets and

I received ibogaine treatment that I experienced real healing, clarity, and peace, and hope from trained professionals. As a commander of the military order of Purple Heart, Big Island chapter seven three one, I'm here to in support bringing our this healing to our veterans and first responders. I'm on the front lines again fighting to end this is this suicide rate this country has all but forgotten about. If the pills the VA is handing out like candy worked, then why are we still killing ourselves?

As we sit here this morning, a new generation is already following in my footsteps.

With the very real conflicts involved involving Iran right now, we are sending more young men and women into the same fire I walked through. Just like the World War two Korean veterans fought for the 1976 Disability Act, I am here fighting for the next generation coming behind me. We can do better. Please support SB3199 so veterans like me don't have to leave Hawaii to find the healing they desperately need.

Thank you.

We have Vicky Farmer in support.

Aloha, Chair, Vice Chair, Members of the Committee. My name is Vicky Farmer. I flew from Kona to be here today with you.

I am a veteran spouse. You just heard my husband's testimony, so I'll skip over two further down. Nothing worked until we found something that did. Treatment supported by clinical research showing real healing for people like my husband. Research from Stanford, Harvard, Yale, and Johns Hopkins continues to demonstrate what families like mine already know.

These medicines work, and we are living proof. It gave him his life back, and it gave us our life back. And we're not alone. Across Hawaii, the families are still living this reality, still searching, still waiting for something that truly helps. And this is not theoretical.

This is life and death. When one person heals, a family heals. And when families heal, communities heal. SB3199 prepares Hawaii to responsibly provide access to those who need it most, Veterans who serve on the front lines. First responders who stand on the front lines here at home.

Our police officers, firefighters, and EMTs, individuals who do not witness trauma once, but hundreds of times throughout their careers. Different uniforms, same invisible wounds. And the families who quietly carry that trauma beside them, and the many others for whom traditional treatments have failed. Today, each member of this committee holds the power to move Hawaii forward, to stand behind legislation that supports the very people we ask to carry the weight of trauma for our communities every single day. Honor them by passing this bill.

Then we can truly say thank you for your service. So I respectfully ask you, please pass SB3199 and help it move smoothly through conference. For all the families still struggling, for the veterans and first responders still fighting to stay, and it honors those who did not make it. Mahalo, mahalo, mahalo.

Thank you. We have testimony from [unintelligible] and support on Zoom.

Aloha, Chair, Vice Chair, and Members of the Committee. I'll stand on my testimony in strong support of this measure.

Thank you. Members of all the, people who indicated that would be joining us today, additional testimony in support from, DOH Behavioral Health Administration, as well as, the State Council on Mental Health, the Disability and Community Access Board, two organizations, and 26 individuals all in support, as well as two organizations in opposition. Is there anybody else in the room wishing to testify? Please come forward. Just state your name for the record before you begin.

I live here on Oahu in Kailua. I submitted written testimony, and I stand on that, but I do have a couple comments. I am the spouse of a multi tour combat veteran in the army. I have PTSD myself. I have also, been a former school teacher, and I am currently getting my MSW and will be a future practitioner, licensed clinical social worker, and psychedelic practitioner.

I can tell you that these compounds have changed my life. It has saved my marriage. We would not be together today if we did not have the experiences that we did with these compounds. I will say as a practitioner, I want as many tools in my toolbox as possible to treat folks. Not everything works for one individual.

So the more therapies and modalities I have at my disposal, the better outcomes I will have for my patients, my future patients. I'll also say that I think since we are in the finance committee, there's very effective ways to use our money, and I would love to see our money be used at root causes instead of symptoms. I would rather see our programs be funded that help treat the root causes instead of, like, criminal justice symptoms. Right?

So, yeah, I really am each a part of this bill.

My life has benefited from it. My husband's life has benefited from it. Friends and family study research is clear. I mean, the research is gonna continue, but it's all been, you know, clinically significant studies. And I know I will say for those who are in opposition of this bill, what I have heard is they don't understand why do we need to do this because other FDA modalities don't need this.

Well, this is not like taking Prozac and then going about your day. Right? Like, this is a whole completely different modality where a container is significant to the therapeutic outcome. So having the container ready for folks to use these compounds in a safe way is completely necessary for folks to have a good experience and get the therapeutic benefit that they need from these compounds. You just can't take these compounds and hope that everything's gonna be great.

It just doesn't work like that. So that is why we're asking you to do something differently that we don't have to use, like, Zoloft or Prozac or other, you know, prescriptions on the market today. So I will end my testimony there.

Thank you. Yeah. Anybody else in the room? Anybody on Zoom wishing to testify? Yes.

Oh. Hi. Sorry. Go ahead. Go ahead. Go ahead.

We have Russell Hill on the screen here, so why don't you go first?

Thank you very much. Thank you for the opportunity to speak today. I wanna say thank you to everybody who've spoken before me, and thank you for the chair and vice chair and committee. We often say the words thank you for your service. Say them to our veterans, to our first responders, know?

And often we say them without thinking beyond just the words. Thank you for your service. It feels good to say it, and it feels good to receive it, and I think we mean it. For far too many, that need in those words are where our support ends. As a physician in the emergency department, I've sat with veterans and first responders in some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives.

I've seen the aftermath that doesn't make headlines. The chronic PTSD, depression, the addiction, the quiet unraveling of identity and purpose, the attempted and the completed suicide. These are not rare cases. This is happening at today. Often, the system we offer them in return are limited, fragmented, or simply not enough.

They're left in a place where we publicly honor sacrifice while privately struggling to help people heal from it. And that's the gap that we're here to address. That's the gap that this bill sets to address. A task force for psychedelic assisted therapy is not about abandoning science or allowing access without proper structure. It is about giving more than just lip service when you say thank you.

It is about creating a careful, responsible pathway to evaluate treatments that are showing real promise for conditions that have not been adequately treated by conventional approaches. Because we're going to continue to say thank you for your service, we have a responsibility to make those words real, not symbolic, not ceremonial. Real. And that means being willing to ask better questions, to explore and provide emerging therapies, and to build systems that reflect not just our gratitude to our commitment to their healing. Thank you.

Thank you. Our second testifier on Zoom. If you could just state your name for the record before you begin.

Hi. Sure. My name is, Doctor Lynette April. Thank you very much for the time. Aloha, Chair, Vice Chair, and Members of the Committee.

My name is Lynette April. I'm a clinical psychologist, neuroscientist, and clinical trialist specializing in PTSD, depression, and suicidality. I serve as the chief science officer for Reason for Hope and the Veterans Mental Health Leadership Coalition. And I lead research specifically on emerging treatments for veterans, including the Texas state funded psilocybin assisted therapy for veterans with PTSD trial. I am also the daughter of a US marine who died by suicide after years of struggling with ineffective treatments.

So I I also have a three year old who texts the most inopportune times possible too. I apologize.

I very much understand the science, and I am painfully familiar with the reality that so many who have spoken before me have highlighted in terms of the limitations of our current treatments, limited access to emerging treatments, the amount of debt that people go into to access these things. Parent. Stop. Yes.

They will seek any option to access these. Any of us would, if it was ourselves or a loved one struggling. An SP 3,199 is not about rushing access. It is about preparing responsibly. It gives Hawaii time to thoughtfully evaluate how these therapies do and do not fit fit in existing care models, what workforce training needs to be, what payer coverage needs, and how post support team place.

I think as been very nicely stated by by all who spoke before me, the cost bill like this simply cannot be overstated. If we truly are able to offer healing, that those are restored, families are restored, people are returning to work, to school, to community, to football games, to ballet recitals, to dinner tables, and there are fewer hospitalizations, fewer arrests, less homelessness, less addiction, less death.

And if there is more life and not just life at a baseline of tolerating existence, but truly reconnecting with lives that people want to be living. And I think, again, as other people have stated, that is how we truly say thank you for your service and have it mean something. Hawaii can engage in this bill, support and prepare, be proactive and lead in critical ways that ensure rapid, safe implementation whenever the FDA occur, and I respectfully urge that you pass this bill.

Thank you so much for the time and for your attention. K.

Thank you. Anybody else on Zoom?

Alright. Any questions? Seeing none. So we have a bill coming up, SP2550 SD1 HD1, religious code monetization. And after that, we're gonna be taking one bill out of order, which is SB1432 SD2 HD2, relating to changes to responsibilities of the Department of Health concerning patients, the county of Kalawal, and the Kalawal settlement.

So SB2550 and then onto that measure. Okay. SB2550 SD1 HD1 relating to school modernization.

We have the Department of Education in opposition.

Hello, Chair, Vice Chair, Jesse Sun, deputy superintendent of operations in the Department of Education.

We stand on our testimony in opposition.

Thank you.

Thank you. Schools Facilities Authority, in support.

School Facilities Authority here to support the program. Thank you.

Thank you. Members, that's all the that's everyone who indicated to be joining us. Additional comments from one organization, two organizations, and six individuals in support. Is there anybody else in the room wishing to testify? Please.

Please just state your name for the record before you begin.

My name is Susan Decoli Davis. I'm a member of the public. I didn't have time to put my written testimony in. I just wanna say that I strongly support this bill. The CIP planning database for school facilities is very much needed statewide.

The Department of Education had created a facilities portal several years back and is no longer active. I strongly support Ricky Fujita Connie's testimony. Although the DOE addresses the enterprise system statewide facility assessments and the Hawaii State Board of Education reviewed prior to our prioritization processes, they say it already provides a comprehensive data driven framework for modernization. I don't do not agree with that statement. Improving and integrating these department led systems is the most efficient, accountable, and educationally sound path forward.

My recommendation for is for a decision be made between the DOE and the SFA as long as one entity commits to a system that has public face. I also appreciate the sum of $4,000,000 being appropriated for this. And more importantly, the database would allow this information to be be presented geographically by Senate and House legislative districts, improving transparency and supporting informed budgetary decision making. This may be a solution, and the legislature has been looking for a solution for a few years. Thank you.

Thank you. Anybody else in the room? Anybody on Zoom wishing to testify?

Okay. Whoever has questions? If not, we're gonna move on to s oh, sorry.

Go ahead. It's okay. Yes. Yes. Yes.

There he is. I I think I have two

questions for you. So as a former teacher and with the DOE giving the mantra all the time about data driven instruction, I am glad to see something that looks at also putting data driven things on the the department itself. In reading the bill, I and I know that since this is not necessarily your bill, if you can maybe give some clarity.

In there, it asks for the database to be organized by legislative districts and complex areas, so that stakeholders and stakeholders can assess the needs and priorities specific to communities. My question is, by putting by putting a database of projects, you know, in the department to in classified by legislative districts, could that lead to possible polarization of of, inequities between certain areas in the state?

The importance of data is so you can make informed decisions. Right now, you you don't have that information. So then, it actually, to me, makes it more equitable because that information is public and can be debated and can be challenged. Whereas right now, it's it's it's it's not. So, actually, I think it'll be counter.

More information creates more discussion, or debate, and it's transparency on where money's being deployed and where it should be deployed for the greatest needs. So that's why the importance of a database, that kind of information is even more is even more critical for for overall equity.

And then my second question is, in several of the testimonies, it, people have pointed to duplication, conflicting priorities, and delays in project delivery, you know, things like that with using SFA. If if the bill could be amended or refined to address those items that I think you probably read in in my state departments and HGA's testimony. How would is are there any suggestions that you could have to do that?

Well, what the bill does is give the SFA statutory authority to actually do this and implement it, which removes barriers for implementation. Right now, right, it's it's it's unclear who should do it. Okay. It really doesn't matter. It has to be done.

And until we do it, you won't have the information to make the key decisions. So the bill does allow for that authority through changes in the actual statute.

Actually, if I can just ask one more. And this is about I I think I had read not just here, but in many different testimonies about SFA. If you can address something that I've read, I think, of deep in testimony here, but also in in several times over the the last couple years that

I've been here. People have said SFA hasn't People have said SFA hasn't proven themselves to be able to do projects, like building schools or doing several of these projects, or it'll be too much for you guys to handle. Can you tell me if those statements are true?

So we are only allowed to do what we've been assigned by the legislature. We have three swim lanes. The first is preschools, and we've literally increased the amount of preschool capacity by a 100 classrooms since it started. This year, we will probably encumber and deploy six new preschool hubs across the state. So in preschools, we're a key component of.

Ki. In terms of our second swim lane, Central Maui School, that project is gonna be a $210,000,000 project scheduled to open in 2030. We're in schematic design right now. So that's progressing. And it's the first school that's gonna be held to a schedule, a budget, and a tight scope.

Our third swim lane is workforce housing. Within six months of the passage of the bill, an RFP was put out for Milani High School. Right now, we've submitted the environmental assessment, and we're in a 201 h process to get zoning exemption. So in the three projects we've been assigned by the legislature, there's been significant progress on all fronts.

Thank you. Great. Thank you.

I have a question for director Suki or assistant superintendent Suki. I don't know. Superintendent Suki.

So I have hesitations about this measure because I don't like to see parallel structures created, and I very much appreciate the work that SMA has done.

But I feel like you folks are making it hard to support you because, while you say that you have created these processes and these structures, they're not apparent to the public and they're not available for us to I mean, not easily available for us to have these conversations with our constituents and to really talk about how we can depoliticize, in particular, our CIP process around facilities.

So, you know, I'm not sure what the outcome of, you know, this legislation will be and if this bill will make it through conference committee, but I would really urge you folks to double down on the transparency work, because it will make our conversations much easier. And I guess that wasn't a question.

You just turn with an inflection. Yeah.

Question mark? Or do you have, like what what are your thoughts on that issue or on that kind of thing?

Well, there's so much to talk about, but we do have plans. We do have a process. We wrote about it in our testimony. Projects are prioritized during the budget cycle by the schools and the complex superintendents and approved by the board, which is eventually brought to the legislature. There used to be, I think, this forward facing public page.

I it was taken down before I joined, but I understand it was taken down because the information wasn't accurate because of the way the system was set up previous to a lot of folks who actually are there now. But we've been looking at because our software is going through an upgrade cycle, and so it's good timing. For me, anyway, I just started in September, but it's good for me because, we really get to look at now how do we create that forward basic portal.

And so we're finding that there are a lot of opportunities to do that, and we'd like an opportunity to do that, before the next ledge session because because we've got, portals that we need to work on on two sides. One is on the, work orders, for Maximal, which is the repair maintenance stuff that comes in from the schools.

We want it to be easier to use. It has everything you need in there, but it's, you know, wonky and we wanna outward face. And what we're seeing from the vendor, it looks pretty good. And so we're working toward that. And then with the CPT, we're looking at improving on that system.

That's the CIP and modernizing so the outward facing is clearer and we get a better picture of what's going on. And as far as tracking our assets, you know, it's all in the maximal. You know, we we had a evaluation of of all the schools, You know, a few years back, it needs to be updated. That's an ongoing cycle. We have 4,000 facilities across the state, so it takes time to upgrade.

But we have that data. We have that information. We use it to make decisions.

Thank you. Thank you, chair.

Any additional questions? Okay. If not, so keying in on what we said a little bit earlier, we're gonna jump ahead to SB1432 and then we'll bounce back. So SB1432 SD2 HD2.

Okay. First, we have the Department of Health in support.

Good afternoon, Chair, Vice Chair, Members of the Committee. Doctor. Diana Felton from the Department of Health. We stand on our written testimony. Happy to take any questions.

Thank you. Department of Hawaiian Homeland in support. Not present. Office of Hawaiian Affairs with comments. Not present.

We have, council member Rollins Hernandez with the Maui County Council in support on Zoom. Yeah. That's good.

K. We can circle back. We have Kaohana O'Kalapapa in opposition on Zoom. Not present. We have comments from De Grey Vanderbilt.

84 year old knees are giving out on the other side.

Turn on that chair.

Yeah. Yeah.

Only back too much on that chair sketch. Oh, there you go. Good catch.

Well, I survived three days in the Wahoo. Alright. So I'm anyway, aloha. Hello, everybody. Yesterday, I delivered some each office, some background information on sp 1432 along with a copy of Kaho'ohan's 12 page brochure on the future of Kaho'apapa, which I hope hope was helpful.

You know, my testimony basically is focused on the lack of any community engagement to use in the transition planning for the future. We call it Papa Windu is no longer a patient resident community. This despite the Department of Health representing to the House Water and Land Committee that it was going to get funding to engage an independent community engagement organization to come up with a community engagement plan.

That organization was the Hawaii Alliance of Community Based Economic Development known as HACBED, which was funded and and they hired to develop was hired to develop a community engagement plan. However, the Department of Health pulled the rug out from unde HACBED then canceled their contract, and no community engagement plan was or has been ever developed.

My testimony today before the finance committee, Department of Health's testimony today before the finance committee includes the following representation. The final transition decisions will will be determined by who will take over jurisdiction of will continue to operate without DOH's involvement control. These higher level decisions will require community engagement, executive direction, interagency dialogue, and collaboration. While there's been no community engagement to speak of.

The crux of my testimony is based totally on the lack of community engagement plan to engage community organizations on Molokai in the transition process.

The need you to correct this hopefully will be by agreeing to a couple of amendments. And in on page three of my testimony, the the the amendments are in red. And the two basic ones are on page three, lines one through four of the bill be amended to say that they will include community organizations in the County Of Kolauao that is designated by public law one one one dash one one title seven section seven one zero eight. Well, that is Kallohano or Kalapapa. So I would just include the name of our organization.

And then also the topside community organization selected in consultation with take that out because it doesn't say

We we do we do have a copy of the testimony in our packet if you could summer sort of summarize.

That one. And then there's a couple other corresponding sections in the bill that have the same type of language, just qualify. And we also suggested that the office of Hawaiian affairs be included because a lot of the land down in Kalapapa is ceded land, and they have an entitlement. They've tried for years to get into the transition planning team and haven't done that. So I just wanted to say thank you for hearing my testimony.

I hope what I passed out helped you a little bit because when I saw there were 70 things on the agenda, I didn't know whether I'd be here for a month or two months. So I'm glad this is moving along. And, again, I appreciate all the help you could do to pass those amendments we suggested. Thank you very much.

Thank you. And I think we have council member Rawlins Fernandez on Zoom.

Aloha. Aloha, chair Todd, vice chair Takenauchi, honorable committee members. Mahalo for this opportunity to testify. I'm Kau Maui County Councilmember Keanu Rollins Fernandez, Kupaina of Molokai, testifying in strong support of SB 1432 HD two, that includes the amendments made by our Molokai representative, representative Mahina Poipoi, which addressed a lot of the concerns that the community did have, including what Mr.Vanderbilt spoke to, which includes community meetings. So that that would be required under the amendments that rep. Poipoi included. I did submit written testimony. I am testifying as an individual council member, but the Maui County Council also took a position in integrating Kalawao County into Maui County in resolution 21 dash 190. I'm happy to answer any questions, the committee may have. Mahal does not wish to testify.

Thank you. Members, that's everyone who indicated they'd be joining us. One other organization in support. Is there anybody else in the room wishing to testify? Please come forward.

Good afternoon, chair, vice chair, members of the committee, Lena Alalei on behalf of office of Hawaiian Affairs. We're standing on our comments expressing our willingness to join in paragraph 11 to consult with the community about the transition and to contribute to that process.

Thank you. Anybody else in the room? Anybody on Zoom wishing to testify?

K. Members questions? No? Just as a reminder, no decision making will happen at the end of today's agenda, which maybe 6:00/7:00. I don't know.

We'll see how it goes. Everything will be pushed to Tuesday for decision making. So if you're here for just one item, you know, you know, it might be a while, but no decision will be made today. Okay. Moving on to sb 2877 s d one, h d one relating to education.

K. Department of Education with comments.

Good afternoon. Ivy Armstrong, Department of Education. We stand with our written comments Supporting the intent and our, recommendations are in our written testimony. Thank you.

Thank you. That's all the testimony we received on this measure. Is there anybody else in the room wishing to testify? Anybody on Zoom?

Members questions? Go ahead.

Thank you, chair. Questions for Deal Ekins. Thank you so much for being here today. So last month, I attended a student book launching at Kapalama Elementary School. It was Joseph Kekuku's musical gift of Aloha.

Can you please share with the committee how this project came about, and if you could go into details a little bit about the funding and the difficulties and how this bill can help with further projects like that.

I can give you general information on that. It started out as a class project, and it was a three year project that ended up being completed through an after school club of a group of students.

So it was a very enriching but lengthy project over a course of three years. The department does have schools who published many books, whether the book has an ISBN number, which would be hit a a a book that could be sold, or whether they're just books published through various vendors who take the students' work and put it in a nice hard book book structure.

So our schools are doing this. It is a very valuable activity when the teacher coordinates the desired outcome of the learning to be the product of a book.

And could you go a little bit about funding of the book? Like, how they're able to publish it and how they

I can speak to how Kapalama was funded. Some schools have used their weighted student formula in various for various book publications. Other schools have received grants that have helped. There was an anthology published by English learners from one of our high schools a few years ago, and they had grant funding that funded that project.

And was the DOE able sorry. Can I and was the DOE able to access, I'm I guess, like, realize the different gaps in publishing these books? Like, were you able to talk to all the different projects and see what their issues were?

Well, I I think with with pub there's when if we're talking contracted publishing companies, for example, a local publishing company offers an array of services.

So schools can use weighted student formula funding for this.

So they can have their staff work with the teachers in the schools throughout the process, assist in in the lesson planning and teaching the lessons, etcetera. They can offer the full package, which could cost up to $60,000 for a book to be published. There's online options where it's $5, you know, per book with no additional assistance. So it it there's a range of options from different publishing companies depending upon what services the school has request.

No problem. Go ahead.

Okay. Thank you, Chair. I appreciate it.

I know you couldn't give an estimate on, I guess, other schools publishing costs, but to fulfill this particular bill that says blank appropriation, do you have any idea or an estimate on what fulfilling this bill would cost?

It depends how many books are published. And I think depending on funding, there there are $5 options and there's $20 seems to be a reasonable amount, not getting full service package, but to be able to publish a book. And then it it depends on how many students are how how many students how many books are made.

Okay. Thank you.

K. Anything else? If not, we're gonna move on to the next item. We have SB3325 SD one HD two, relating to public school Medicaid reimbursements.

Okay. Department of Education in support.

The department stands on its, written testimony in support. Thank you.

Thank you. That's everyone who indicated they'd be joining us today. Additional testimony and support from two organizations and one individual. Is anybody else in the room wishing to testify? Anybody on Zoom?

Thanks. Members, questions? Okay. We're gonna move on to the next item. We have SB 2024 HD one.

Department of Education with comments.

Department stands in its testimony. Thank you.

Thank you. School Facilities Authority in support.

School Facilities Authority is here in support. Thank you.

Thank you. Hawaii Kids Can in support.

States on there for 20 support.

Thank you. That's everyone who indicated they'd be joining us today. Members' additional testimony from the State Public Charter School Commission in support as well as four organization organizations in support, one in opposition, and four individuals in support. Is there anybody else in the room wishing to testify? Anybody on Zoom?

Members, questions? Go ahead.

Are you gonna ask for a TMK or no?

In my next step.

SFA.

Three TMKs.

Hi, Ricky. Can you clarify how ongoing maintenance responsibilities will be handled under this pilot and what safeguards exist to prevent unintended displacement of public sector workers?

The intent of this bill is to create an RFP to to create charter schools to to build charter schools a different way. Operation will be like any other conversion charter school, which is HSTA teachers, HGA employees doing all the maintenance. It's just that the construction of the school will be done through a p three operation. But like any other charter school, like any other conversion charter school, they're all union employees.

Okay. Good. I wanted to make sure I addressed that. I think the next thing is, we talked to earlier about decision making authority. In building these schools, what would be the clearly defined decision making authority divided among the DOE, SFA, and the Charter Commission so that we avoid duplication, delays, and things, and especially for projects that are intersecting daily land or enrollment planning?

Right. In this case, it would be pretty much the SFA working with the Charter Commission and identified charter schools that would run it.

It would be part of the bid response team to this RFP. So it would really just be SFA working with the Charter Commission and also with the respective operator, which will likely be a licensed previously licensed successful charter school.

So in this case here, would there be any potential DOE properties that could be used for a p three project?

There is that potential that a a p three is not magic. The state has to provide something. The state has lots of land to provide. It has state contributions or it could do availability payments. That's what makes the p three work. So we don't know what the proposal will be. Hence, the purpose for the RFP to let the private sector come up with a better model, cost effective model, quicker model to build schools. So until we get an RFP with all those conditions to what the deal is, we we we don't really know.

And then I I know that in a previous hearing, the deal we had talked about a few different, and I might not get the wording right, different specifications to how they build schools for their schools. What would be the difference between how they build their schools and how you would build yours?

Right. In this case, the operator would be a charter school. So the requirements would come from the charter school operator. There are five key standards that need to be defined when you build schools. The first is Ed Specs, which is your conceptual programmatic. The second, which is, I think, the most important is design guidelines.

The third being standard technical drawings so the solution is scalable and repeatable. The fourth being construction specifications so that building is maintainable. And the fifth is a commissioning plan so that we get delivery of a operational and working system. Right now, our state doesn't have four of those five specifications. So all of those would have to be developed as part of this project.

So you said the words that I I forgot, which ED SPECS. Can you tell us what the difference between the DOE ED SPECS, or if you know what they are versus what a realm of possibilities are for charter schools to do with the same to handle the same amount of kids?

Oh, completely different. Each school district has its own set of ED SPECS. So the ED SPECS for Portland is different from the ED SPECS for Austin, which is different from a Department of Defense School, which is different from a Fairfax school, which is different from a charter school. It's just their methodology and what they teach. Your best example is Kihei, South Kihei High School.

You have Kalaniya Koi, which is a ED SPECS school that right now costs about $240,000,000. It services 5/600 kids. Next door, three minutes walking, you have a charter school that was built for $20,000,000 and servicing 700 kids. So, you know, it's it's just a whole different concept in how you provide education.

Anything else? No? Okay. Moving on to ssb 2614 h d two relating to education.

Thank you. That is everyone who indicated to be joining us today. Additional testimony in support from the Hawaii Office of Veterans Services, one other organization, and three individuals. Is there anybody else in the room wishing to testify? Anybody on Zoom?

Department of Education and support.

Okay. Members, questions? If not, SB 2613, SD one, HD two relating to public school land transfer.

Department of the Attorney General with comments.

Thank you. We have the Department of Land and Natural Resources with comments.

I'll send on our testimony for writing comments. Thank you.

We've done our written testimony.

Thank you. Oh, Department of Education with comments.

We stand with our, testimony comments. Thank you.

Thank you. The Hawaii State Public Library System with comments.

Thank you. And the city and county of Honolulu department of housing and land management with comments.

Standing on average of testimony with comments. Thank you.

State has our testimony, thank you.

Thank you. That's everyone who indicated they would be joining us, additional testimony with comments from The Hawaii State Board of Education and the City and County of Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation. Both the comments. Lot of comments. Is there anybody else, in the room wishing to testify? Anybody on Zoom?

Thanks. Any various questions on this measure? If not, SP 3063 SD one HD one relating to the Department of Education. Sure.

Department of Education and support.

Chair Todd. Chair Tockenwu Chi, members of the committee, Shanta Geva, assistant superintendent, testifying for the Department of Education. Department stands out our written testimony in support of this measure as this bill provides yet another lever to support the department's efforts to increase our locally sourced waste of criminals. We stand by for questions. Thank you.

Thank you. State procurement office with comments.

We can now just hand on his written testimony. Thank you.

Thank you. Hawaii Farm Bureau in support.

Aloha. Brian Miyamoto on behalf of The Hawaii Farm Bureau will stand on a written testimony in support.

Thank you. Hawaii Farmers Union in support on Zoom.

Not present.

Not present. That's everyone who indicated they'd be joining us today. Additional testimony in support from two organizations and one individual. Is there anybody else in the room wishing to testify? Anybody on Zoom?

Members, questions? Seeing none, moving on to SB 2,319 SD one HD one relating to the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity.

Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity in support. Thank you. We have the Hawaii Farm Bureau in support.

Hawaii Farm Bureau will stand on its written testimony in support.

Thank you. Hawaii Farmers Union in support on Zoom. Still not present. We have Local Food Coalition in support. Not present. The Hawaii Food Industry Association in support on Zoom. Not present. Ulupono Initiative in support.

Sure. Vice chair. Ulupono will stand on its testimony in support. Thank you.

Thank you. That's everyone who indicated they'd be joining us today. Additional testimony in support from four organizations and two individuals. Anybody else in the room wishing to testify? Anybody on Zoom?

K. Members of questions? Seeing none, moving on to SB 2800 HT one relating to irrigation systems.

Department of Land and Natural Resources in support.

Sorry. Yeah. The Department of Land has its written testimony.

Thank you. Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity in support.

Thank you. Agribusiness Development Corporation in support.

Agribusiness Development Corporation stands on its written testimony in support.

Thank you. Hawaii Farm Bureau in support.

Hawaii Farm Bureau stand on its written testimony in support.

Thank you. And Hawaii Farmers Union in support on Zoom. So they're not present. K. That's everyone who indicated to be joining us. Additional testimony and support from three organizations and one individual. Anybody else in the room wishing to testify? Anybody at Zoom? Good.

Members, questions? No. Moving on to sb 2892. It's SD one HD one relating to feral chickens.

We have the Maui County Department of Agriculture and oh, no. Actually, just Hawaii Farm Bureau in support.

Hawaii Farm Bureau was down on its written testimony in support.

Ok. The only other person that indicated they would be joining us today additional testimony today in support from the Kalawao County Department of agriculture, The city County of Honolulu Department of Customer Services. One other organization, and five individuals as well as one individual in opposition. Is there anybody else in the room wishing to testify? Oh, please.

Susan Decoli Davis. I believe I'm the one that's in opposition.

Yes. We have your testimony.

And it took me a while to write this only because money money being spent. So this the state seems to fluctuate between chickens and cats. I just have to read this out loud. I know you've got it to look at. Often described as nuisances, but how do you legislate this?

HB 2561 was deferred. That was the other chicken bill. And we have two issues with the solution being humane's disposal. Is that really a phrase? So if this we wanna facilitate the collection of feral chickens that have already been caught. Where are they? Okay.

Here is how the state will resolve this. Give each county money, and I saw in an original bill, 50,000. So I'll say not all counties are equal. So Oahu may have more feral chickens than Kauai. I have no idea.

I don't even know how the decision making is coming through with this. So, anyways, we have bounty hunters. Where will the chickens be received? How will they be handled and disposed of? I guess you give the counties an allowance to do it their way.

Maybe this money can be better used by helping those affected by the Kona lows. I really think this is fraud, waste, and abuse. Yep. Thank you for giving me a chance to read it. Mahalo.

Thank you. Anybody else in the room wishing to testify? Anybody on Zoom?

Okay. Members questions? If not, moving on to SB 2321 SD one HD one relating to the two line spittlebug.

Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity in support.

Aloha, chair, vice chair, and members of the committee. We stand on our our testimony in support.

Thank you. Department of Land and Natural Resources in support on Zoom.

That's what's found on our written testimony in support.

Thank you. Office of Hawaiian Affairs in support.

Thank you. Hawaii Farm Bureau in support.

Hawaii Farm Bureau's found on its written testimony in support.

Thank you. Hawaii Farmers Union in support on Zoom. Not present. Hawaii Cattlemen's Council in support on Zoom. Not present. Members, that's everyone who indicated they'd be joining us. Additional testimony in support from seven organizations and seven individuals. Is there anybody else in the room wishing to testify? Anybody on Zoom?

Okay. Questions? If not, moving on to SB 2407 SD two HD one relating to agricultural land.

K. We have the Agribusiness Development Corporation in support.

I have written testimony in support.

Thank you. Hawaii Farm Bureau in support.

Hawaii Farm Bureau was done on its written testimony in support.

Thank you. Hawaii Farmers Union in support on Zoom. Okay. Still not present. And that's everyone who indicated they'd be joining us today. Additional testimony in support from one organization. Is there anybody else in the room wishing to testify? Anybody on Zoom?

Okay. Members questions. Go ahead, Rupesh.

Quick quote. ADC.

Doctor Moto for Agribusiness Development Corporation. Thank you, chair, vice chair, and committee members.

But that got amended away out. So it's now just the positions. So is it I mean, do we not have any other resources available on Hawaii Island to manage these cold storage units, or are these things coming online imminently? Or, like, what's the timeline? I feel like we're putting up apples before the card unless I misunderstand.

Well and that's a good that's a good question. One of the things that we see in some of these projects is it takes a while to to, you know, to basically open up to start a project or not to start, but to complete a project. And one of the things the advantages of having a position there is to basically work with the community to make sure that whatever we, you know, that whatever we come back to the legislature and say, hey. This is what this is what the community really needs.

Thanks. Thank you, Mark. So I had a conversation, like, ten days ago about this bill, and I just wanna clarify or you can maybe help clarify my mind and the committee itself. This position and appropriation is potentially for cold storage in Keiau on a property you own now. It was originally part of a bill that had a purchase of land in Kohala. Right?

Correct.

These are the people these are the stakeholders, and then it's planned and and developed and with someone within that community. So that what you get is a project that, you know and number one, when it's it's ready, it's what they really want.

Right? What the industry really wants for the area and what was what's a good fit for that area opposed to us coming in and trying to, you know, like, put something in there and then try to staff it afterwards. So what this person would do is they would go in and create that that network. Right? Create the benefit the people who are gonna benefit from this, and it's all done, you know, with that community and with those stakeholders in that area.

So I think you end up delivering a a project that they really want, you know, at the time that it's gets put in. Cold storage is was something that we in our initial discussions is something that they could definitely use, and it's we don't think it's that difficult to implement, especially in a modular type system initially. Right? So building a, you know, permanent an then you expand upon it from there.

Yeah. That was a discussion I had. I was saying, like, it's just by cold unit, that just run. Yeah. We provide that with community that is successful in building facility.

There's different types of cold storage. Right? So you wanna make sure that it's appropriate, and that's where that person would come in and really work with the community and the industry people there so that we would be able to deliver something that they really can use immediately.

Okay. Thank you. Appreciate you. K.

Members, anything additional? Go ahead.

Yeah. Thank you. Thanks for being here and catching up on my colleague. But I was just really curious because you mentioned about networking and kind of developing a product. Just curious if ADC has been working with County of Wave Research and Development or the general plan.

I'm only asking that question because I noticed that it's slated to be at shipment. I'm just really curious if that actually turns out to be the the best spot for it acknowledging some of the other growth and development plans that are being planned within the general plan, let alone infrastructure.

Well, that's the property that we currently possess. And and so that would be, quite frankly, the easiest target. Right? I opposed to trying to, you know, acquire a piece of property.

But what we do is also is not necessarily to it's not always that we have to acquire it. Right? It sometimes it could be what we would do is we would work with private partners and possibly and that's where you you're absolutely correct. This type of position would be coordinating with those individuals. And that way, you know, you get this greater level of cooperative or, you know, where you can't think of the right word, but, basically, you know, that you would make sure that this individual would go out there and would work with all these different stakeholders. And maybe it you know, perhaps it would fit better in another location, you know, and we could definitely support that.

Yeah. It just there's a lot of opportunities happening with the the with the update of the county general plan and then establishing that network. And I just wanna make sure we're harmonizing and creating synergies where we can actually signal to our farmers and ranchers in a way that kind of builds capacity, but also provides them an asset in a way that makes sense.

That's why it would it's best if they're there opposed to, you know, somewhere. It's better that they're in the community working in the community.

I I agree. Yeah. Thank you so much. Thanks, Joe.

Anything additional? Okay. If not, SB 2805 relating to agriculture.

Department of Taxation with comments.

Good afternoon. I received a report from them.

Thank you. Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity in support.

Province stands on our security test points.

Thank you. Chamber of Commerce Hawaii in support.

Hello, chair of vice chair, on behalf of Chamber of Commerce Hawaii Center. We're in support. Thank you.

Thank you. Hawaii Farm Bureau in support.

Hawaii Farm Bureau stand out as written testimony in support.

Thank you. Oh, apologies. Agribusiness Development Corporation in support.

We stand out as written testimony in support.

Thank you. And Hawaii Farmers Union in support on Zoom.

Not present.

Not present. That's everyone who indicated they'd be joining us today. Additional testimony with comments from one organization, as well as support from three organizations and two individuals. Anybody else in the room wishing to testify? Anybody on Zoom?

Members, questions? If not, SB 2153 SD two HD one, relating to agriculture.

K. Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity with comments.

San Antonio Sabinecis with comments. Thank you.

Thank you. Office of Hawaiian Affairs with comments.

It's found on our written comments indicating our willingness to serve on the working group.

Thank you. Hawaii Farm Bureau in support.

Hawaii Farm Bureau is down on its written testimony in support.

Thank you. And Hawaii Farmers Union in support on Zoom. Not present. Okay. Members, that's everyone who indicated to be joining us. Additional testimony and support from two organizations. Anybody else in the room receive to testify? Anybody on Zoom?

Members, questions? SB 2595 SD one HD one relating to the Agribusiness Development Corporation.

We have office of Hawaiian Affairs with comments.

Apologies, vice chair, members of the committee. Our comments are related to concerns with the bill being so prescriptive acquiring market rate pieces and the effects that could have on smaller and new farmers and whether they would be able to compete with large corporations, you know, given the intent of the program is to capture the of the corporation as well as to just, get the highest market rate returns. So that is the the essence of our concern, but we otherwise are supportive.

Thank you. Agribusiness Development Corporation in support.

Please stand on our written testimony.

Thank you. And Hawaii Farm Bureau in support.

Hawaii Farm Bureau is down on its written testimony. Support of intent.

Thank you. Additional testimony in support from one organization. Anybody else in the room wishing to testify? Anybody on Zoom?

Okay. members questions? Seeing none, SB2781 SD one HD one relating to LA.

Okay. We have the Department of Land and Natural Resources with comments on Zoom.

Aloha, chair, vice chair, members of the committee. The department has comments in that we support the the use of local materials, but we also want to make sure that the collection of materials from our forest go through a legal permitting system. As we also want the to make sure that the collectors are mindful of best management practices to prevent the spread of invasive species like rapid ohia death, little fire ants, and poke frogs. Thank you for the opportunity to comment, and I'm available for questions if you have any. Thanks.

Thank you. Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity Measurement Standards Branch Passenger or Branch in Support? Or is that the same as the department?

Thank you. Department of Agriculture Biosecurity in support.

Yes, chair, vice chair. I'm here to answer any questions that the committee may have and to stand on the written testimony as our chairperson has already stated.

Thank you. Hawaii Farm Bureau in support.

Hawaii Farm Bureau was done as for the testimony in support of the intent.

Thank you. We have Hawaiian Council in support.

Aloha, Hawaiian Council. Stand against John in support. Standing on our written testimony.

Thank you. And Hawaiian Farmers Union in support on Zoom. Not present.

Okay. And then we have, Orianna Leao in support. Not present. Members, as I've read, who indicated they'd be joining us today, additional testimony in support from two organizations and five individuals as well as one or two organizations in opposition. Is there anybody else in the room wishing to testify?

Please just state your name before you begin.

Hello, chair, vice chair, members of the committee, Kieran Polk, executive director and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce, and we just sent late testimony and stand in support of this bill. We we're actually here today on behalf of one of our members who has a is a native Hawaiian, woman owned business small business, in West Oahu.

They actually sourced their lei from 15 local farmers on the Waianae Coast from Nanaakuli, Nanaakuli, Waianae, Kapolei, And so we stand support of this, of course, just to support keep our dollars going into our small businesses to support them, but also to support their brand of supporting native Hawaii, thank you for the opportunity.

I submitted written comments.

Thank you. Anybody else in the room? Any oh, please.

Yes, thank you. Anybody else in the room? Anybody on Zoom wishing to testify?

Alright. Members questions? No? Seeing none. We're gonna proceed to SB 3233 SD 1822, and then we'll be taking a ten minute break following this item. This is relating to agricultural workforce housing.

Okay. Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity with comments.

Comments stands on integrated facility with comments.

Thank you. State of Hawaii Office of Planning and Sustainable Development in support. Not present. We have the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii in support.

We'll have the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii in support.

Thank you. Hawaii Farm Bureau in support.

Hawaii Farm Bureau has down on its written testimony in support. And also on the next bill that's after the break, it's active, which we made it also in support.

Hawaii Barbers Union in support on Zoom. Not present. And, Brian Kau with comments on Zoom.

Thank you. Brian Kau is with DAB, and I'm here to answer any questions.

Oh, okay. Thank you. That's everyone who indicated they'd be joining us today. Additional testimony and support from four organizations and two individuals. Anybody else in the room wishing to testify? Anybody on Zoom?

Members, questions? If not, ten minute recess. We'll reconvene at 04:15 recess.

Aloha. Recommending the House Committee on Finance for our what day is that? Thursday, April 2 agenda. We're opening up with SB2360 SD1 HD2 relating to state enterprise zones.

K. Department of Taxation with comments.

The department stands on its written comments.

Thank you. Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity in support.

The department stands on its submitted testimony in support. Thank you. Thank you. Department of the Attorney General with comments.

Good afternoon, Chair and Members of the Committee. Mary Acura from the Attorney General's Office. We stand on our written testimony providing comments.

Thank you. Chamber of Commerce Hawaii in support.

Aloha. The Chief of Staff has written testimony in support. Thank you.

Thank you. Sorry. Agribusiness Development Corporation in support. Thank you. Hawaii Farm Bureau in support.

Hawaii Farm Bureau was down on its written testimony in support.

Thank you. We have Kolomua Collaborative in support.

Aloha, Chair, Vice Chair, Members of the committee, Matt Pearlberg on behalf of Kolomua Collaborative. We stand in strong support of SB 2360. When the enterprise Soviet program was established in the late eight or nineteen eighties to help industries and disenfranchised communities build up jobs and new economies and new industries, There was one thing that hadn't been created in this yet, and that was the Internet.

One of the rules for entering into the Internet price zone enterprise zone program for a manufacturer of products is that 51 per or 50.1% of its products must be sold to a wholesaler. Now currently, manufacturers are more frequently selling directly to consumer via use of the Internet.

One function of this bill would be to allow direct to consumer sales to be qualified for a business to enter into the enterprise program. For those reasons, we are in support of this bill, and I'm available for any questions you may have. Mahalo.

Thank you. We have testimony. Oh, oh, sorry.

Hawaii Food Industry Association in support on Zoom.

Oh, do we have Dave Erdman in support on Zoom? Yes.

Thank you, Chair and Vice Chair. The retail merchants of Hawaii stands on its written testimony. Thank you.