Senate Floor

Will the Senate come to order? Madam clerk, please call the roll.

[Roll Call] 22 present, three excused.

Thank you. The Chairs read the journal of the preceding day and approves the same. Are there any introductions this morning? Senator Wakai.

Thank you, Mr. President. Members, today, we're gathered, or with 60 students from Radford High School. They're part of the AP language course there. And I wanna introduce a whole bunch of individuals, so please hold your applause to the very end. Jared Colin De Jesus is an

intern with ACLU of Hawaii and has coordinated this future for his classmates. Chaperoning the group of students today are Tayah Abadam Abanto. Actually, when I call your name, if you could please rise, but, members and those in the gallery will hold our applause to the very end.

So Tayah Abanto, Ally Chung, Andrea Fitzgerald, Kristin Hara, Malia Kau and Choi Okamoto. We're also, have the pleasure of, of having with us Sergio Osibilia from the he's the Director of the community engagement and Selma Rezivi.

She's the Executive Director of the ACLU of Hawaii joining them today. All of you could please stand and be recognized. Thank you for joining us. And, mister president, may I be given the permission to enter the names of the students and guests into the journal in the future?

So we will, but would the students please stand as well? They seem to be waving. Thank you. Welcome. So Senator Wakai, when you submit the names to the clerk, we will, soon enter them into the journal.

Thank you very much. Senator Moriwaki.

Thank you, Mr. President. I have the pleasure to introduce two constituents from my district, Judy and Dave Anderson. Would you stand? Judy is a retired senior naval officer and a former classical music program hosted at the, Hawaii public radio.

Dave Anderson is a retired senior naval officer who spent twenty three years as a contractor for the Department of Defense working on information technology projects.

Judy and Dave have been Hawaii residents for more than thirty years and have cared for the Ala Moana Regional Park for over fifteen years after being inspired by the University of Hawaii lectures of marine pollution.

They have spent up to an hour and a half daily removing debris, collecting an estimated 65 tons of pollution, and protecting native species from harm, reflecting a sustained commitment to service through consistent quiet action.

Thank you, Judy and Dave, for your dedication, perseverance, selfless care for our dear Ala Moana People's Park, the regional park. And, welcome to your Senate. And also with them is representative Tam, from the district in Waikiki, also very much concerned about Ala Moana Regional Park.

Thank you, and welcome to the Senate.

Further introductions, if not, Senator DeCorte.

Thank you, Mr. President. Colleagues and guests in the gallery, on the Waianae Coast, grit is the DNA that flows through our community. And nowhere is that more evident than in the culture of boxing. For generations, boxing has been more than a sport for our community.

It has been a lifeline, a place where young people learn who they are and what they are capable of. And that kind of legacy doesn't happen by accident. It was built by someone who made it his life's work to invest in others, Fred Pops Perera. Pops didn't just teach boxing.

He taught culture, standards, and a second home for generations of young people. And today, that legacy is going strong, carried forward by the gyms and leaders who continue to show up for our community.

One of those gyms is Neto boxing, led by coach Carlos Neto Tungaro. Please stand and be recognized. Thank you. Please please remain standing.

Neto Boxing has built one of the most respected boxing programs in the state, grounded in discipline, strong fundamentals, and consistency.

This is a program that holds its athletes to a high standard, where hard work is expected, fundamentals matter, and where young people are taught that success is earned, not given.

They produce fighters competing at the highest levels, from national Golden Globe champions and USA boxing national champions to Olympic trials qualifiers and professional athletes.

They made history as the first team from Hawaii to win a team championship at the National Powell Tournament, continuing to put our state on the map.

But beyond the accolades, what defines Neto boxing is the work they put in every single day. They are building disciplined athletes, confident individuals, and preparing young people, not just for competition, but for life.

Mahalo, coach. Thank you. You may be seated. Colleagues, I would also like to welcome the powerhouse duo out of HR Boxing. Please welcome coach Ricky Tungaro and his wife, Hannah Tungaro.

HR Boxing was founded in 2016 with a very clear purpose, to give back to Waianae and to invest in the youth of Waianae. What started with just one student training out of their backyard has grown into a nationally respected program, being recognized as one of the top winningest gyms

in the nation now operating out of their own facility. Ricky and Hannah Tungaro, having both achieved boxing championship titles themselves, bring experience and heart into their mentorship, creating an environment where young people are pushed to grow and held to a

higher standard. And those results speak for themselves. Alexis Tangaro winning the twenty twenty five Brainenberg Cup international gold medalist title and Team USA youth championship.

With fighters having won both national and international championship titles, these fighters are taught nothing comes easy. You show up, you put in the work, and you stay accountable. They are not just developing fighters. They are building strong individuals. They are building leaders.

Mahalo, coach Ricky and coach Hannah. And while we recognize the programs that continue this work, we have to be very clear. None of this starts without one man. None of this exists without Fred Pops Pereira.

Before the titles, before the national rankings, before the gyms we see today, there was Papa Fred. We are joined today by his daughter, Lena Marie Silva. Please stand to be recognized.

On the Waianae Coast in the nineteen seventies, Pops opened his doors and built something our community didn't even know it needed. Not just a boxing gym, but a refuge, A place where young people who were overlooked, written off, or headed down the wrong path found direction.

He didn't wait for resources. He didn't wait for recognition. He showed up. He showed up every day. He saw potential where others saw problems. He chose to invest in kids when it wasn't easy, when it wasn't popular, and most importantly, when no one was watching.

Yes. He built champions in the ring. Yes. He made history at the national level, but that's not why we're here today. We're here because he built men. He built women.

He built leaders, and he built a community that now knows how to fight for something greater than themselves. Everything we see today, every gym, every coach, every young fighter choosing discipline over destruction traces back to Papa Fred.

This day is not about boxing. This day is about legacy. This day is about a man who gave everything he had to Waianae and asked for nothing in return. Thank you, Lina, for sharing daddy with all of us. Thank you.

Colleagues and guests, the gyms and families represented here today didn't ask for recognition. They've been doing this work day in and day out, so this isn't about giving them something new.

It's about acknowledging a vision that started over fifty years ago and continues to move forward to the work still being done today. In 2024, Pops Fred Pops Pereira passed away shortly after his ninetieth birthday, but his impact did not pass with him.

It was said by one of the fighters on the floor today, it's too bad this day didn't happen sooner. It should have happened when Pops was still alive. But today, we continue to live through every gym, every coach, every young person choosing a better path.

Today, on behalf of the state of Hawaii and this Senate chamber, I am proud to proclaim Pops' birthday, April 12, 2026, as Fred Pops Perera Day. Mahalo. Oh, thank you.

Hi. I guess, did you want to ask the family and supporters in the gallery to please stand and we can give them a hand?

Hold on. I've got about eight pages here. Oh, yes. Thank you so much, Senate president. I would also like to recognize a family legacy that has also come out of Pop's Gym.

In the gallery, we have the Pelin Ohana. When I call your name, please stand to be recognized. Richard Pelin, who advanced to the quarterfinals of the nineteen ninety four Olympic trials. And Michael Pelin, a state champion at 16 years old. Years old.

Raised in Makaha, this family of Okli stand. Thank you. Raised in Makaha, this family of nine brothers built a boxing legend grounded in resilience and unity, Starting in their backyard on Jade Street, guided by their father and later shaped under coach Glenn Okada and the

legendary Fred Pops Pereira. Among them, six stepped into the ring with four becoming Hawaii State Golden Gloves champs and ABF State champs, proving nothing about talent, but mostly about perseverance and heart.

And if I could have the family of the Pellin Ohana please stand as well as I introduce the second half of Neto Boxing.

Jesse Masuda, if you could please stand, please. We also have in the gallery, Lina's husband, Lem. And everybody from the Waianae Coast, please stand to be recognized. And colleagues, if you would give a round of applause. Thank you.

Any further introductions? If not, to our guests on the floor, we have a short agenda, so if you'll patiently wait. At our conclusion, our Members would like to come up, individually congratulate you, take some pictures, and the sergeants will,

escort your friends and family to the floor where they can take pictures with you after you've, had pictures taken with the members. Madam Clerk?

Governor's message numbers 804 and 805 transmit nominations to the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii.

Governor's message numbers 804 and 805 are referred to the committee on education.

Beginning on page two, house communication numbers four fifty eight to four seventy transmit various house Concurrent Resolutions, which were adopted in the house for referral to committee.

So ordered.

House communication number four seventy one informs the Senate that the House has disagreed to the amendments proposed by the Senate to House bill eighteen seventy eight House draft two.

File.

Beginning on page seven, standing committee report numbers 3411 to 3431 for one day notice.

So ordered.

On page 13, adoption of resolutions, Senate concurrent standing committee report numbers 3409 and 3410 for adoption.

Senator Wakai.

Mr. President, I move for the adoption of said standing committee reports.

Senator DeCorte?

Mr. President, I second the motion.

It's been moved and seconded. Is there any discussion? Any objections?

Mr. President.

If not the motion is oh, Senator Keohokalole.

I'd like to make a brief statement in support of the resolution.

Please proceed.

On February 21, Saturday, February 21 of this year, two feet of rain fell in a four hour period in Kaneohe, a one hundred year rain event. In March, we experienced Kona Lo's one and two in successive weekends on Oahu, causing devastating flooding on the North Shore Of Oahu,

especially in Waialua. And on March 23, that event ended with two feet of rain falling in fifteen minutes in Lower Manoa, leading to the closure of Hokulani Elementary for the remainder of the year. Mr.

President, that amounts to four one hundred year flood events taking place on the Island Of Oahu in four weeks.

And starting tomorrow, we are anticipating for yet another kona loa, hopefully not another historic weather event.

I mention that because in addition to those weather events on June 10, the updated flood zone maps conducted in coordination with the city and county of Honolulu or the various counties of the state and FEMA will add tens of thousands of residents across the state residences across

the state into updated flood zones, many of them now in mandatory flood zone coverage areas, which we will discuss in a briefing this afternoon.

And so this resolution represents a step toward trying to resolve the reality that these disasters are coming in greater frequency and greater intensity every year, and somebody has to pay for them.

Those are going to include difficult discussions about who's responsible, who knew this was going to happen, and continue to profit off of it. This is a reasonable step toward a discussion on that because our residents should just not be expected to open up their checkbook every time

something like this happens in Hawaii. And for those reasons, I ask my colleagues to support this resolution. Thank you.

Thank you. Further discussion? If not, it's been moved and seconded. Are there any objections? Hearing none, the motion is carried.

Said standing committee reports have been adopted.

Referrals and rereferrals.

Referrals and rereferrals are made in accordance with the any supplemental orders of the day that may be filed later today.

Miscellaneous business, waiver of a refer waiver of referral of Senate Concurrent Resolution number 69.

Senator Dela Cruz.

Mr. President, I request a waiver of referral referral of the Senate Concurrent Resolution number 69 to the committee on ways and means. This waiver is being requested to meet the SCR and SR teching deadline.

The waiver is granted. One day notice is hereby given for adoption of Senate Concurrent Resolution number 69. Nine.

No further business, Mr. President.

Are there any announcements today, Senator Keohokalole?

Thank you, Mr. President. I rise to request a waiver of the public notice requirement pursuant to Senate rule 21 to hold a regular hearing on House Bill 1481 HD 2. It was inadvertently scheduled for decision making.

This is the first hearing on the measure, so we would like to also offer verbal testimony.

The waiver is granted. Senator Keohokalole.

Thank you. Your committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection will hold a public hearing on House Bill 1481, House Draft 2, on Tuesday, April 7 at 09:10am in Conference Room 229, and the notice will be filed in the clerk's office this afternoon. Thank you.

Thank you. Any further announcements, Senator Elefante?

Thank you, Mr. President. I rise on a point of personal privilege.

Please proceed.

Thank you, Mr. President. Just like to colleagues and those in the building and those in the public, our fourth annual capital blood drive will be on Thursday, May 7 from 9AM to 3pm in Conference Room 329.

There's 55 appointments and currently, we only have 15 signed up. So we still have some time. Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you. Further announcements, Senator Chang?

Thank you, Mr. President. I rise on a point of personal privilege.

Please proceed.

I rise today to recognize a unique moment of global unity resulting from NASA's Artemis two mission currently conducting the first lunar flyby since the Apollo program more than half a century ago.

In about an hour, at approximately 12:47PM Hawaii time, the four person crew will pass behind the moon, entering a planned forty minute communications blackout or period of loss. During this time, the crew will be completely cut off from Earth.

Pilot Victor Glover has invited the world to pause for a moment of togetherness, asking humanity to set aside division and recognize that we are all traveling through space together on one spaceship, our planet.

Here in Hawaii, guided by the spirit and values of Aloha, this message resonates deeply. We also take pride in Hawaii's role in this mission, including the two hundred and fourth Airlift Squadron of the Hawaii National Guard based at Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam,

whose astronaut recovery team is one of three such teams supporting this mission standing by to pick up astronauts in case of an unplanned splashdown.

Let's wish them all well and wish the Artemis two crew safe passage as they travel farther from Earth than any humans in history. Thank you.

Thank you. Any further announcements? If not, Senator Wakai?

Mr. President, I move that the Senate stand adjourn until we lift off again in at 11:30AM tomorrow.

Senator DeCorte.

Mr. President, I second the motion.

It's been moved and seconded. If there are no objections from the members, the Senate will lift off again at 11:30AM tomorrow.