House Floor

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

[Roll Call] Madam Speaker, 49 members are present. One is not present.

Item number two, reading of the journal. Representative Morikawa.

Madam Speaker, may this matter be deferred.

So ordered. Item number three, messages from the governor. Mister Clerk, are there any messages from the governor?

Madam Speaker, there are none.

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

Yes, madam speaker. We are on receipt of communications transmitting the noted Senate Concurrent Resolutions, all having been adopted in the Senate.

Members, are there any introductions? Representative Takayama.

Madam Speaker, I have the pleasure of introducing two of my staff members in the gallery, Ina Gongko and Kauai Lucas. Please stand and welcome to our house of representatives.

Representative Kapela.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I can't see, but I think they're up there. We have Randy Wong as well as Wailana Contik from the Hawaii Youth Symphony, as well as others who are supporters and friends of music and art across the state.

I just wanna welcome them to their House of Representatives and thank them for their immense advocacy this session.

Representative Matsumoto.

Is he a good advocate for water sports in the gallery, Shelly also Well, if you could please stand up and be welcome to your house of representatives. Also former Olympian.

Representative Woodson

Thank you Madam Speaker. I see in the gallery today my some of my office team We have, Anne Ramos, and her sister is joining us today. Please stand and be recognized. And also Molly Farmer. Welcome.

If there are no further, introductions, recess subject to the call of the Chair.

Will the house come to order? We're on the order of the day. Item number five, unfinished business. Members, please note that per committee referral sheet number 26, House Resolution number 113 and House Concurrent Resolution number 121 has been re referred

solely to the committee on economic development and technology. And House Resolution number 152 and House Concurrent Resolution 162 have been re referred solely to the committee on culture and arts.

The committees on finance and water and land waived their referral to their respective measures and therefore it is appropriate for the house to consider action for adoption. We will be taking up three motions. Representative Kahaloa.

Madam Speaker I move to suspend the rules of the House to reconsider action previously taken on House Resolution numbers 113 and 152 and House Concurrent Resolution numbers 121 and 162.

Representative Morikawa.

Madam Speaker, I second the motion.

Any questions? Members, we will be taking a voice vote. All those in favor say Aye. All those opposed say no the motion is carried. Representative Kahaloa.

Madam Speaker I move to reconsider action taken to purse taken pursuant to the recommendation contained in Standing Committee Reports numbers 1573-26 and 1574-26 recommending referral to the committees on finance and

Standing Committee Reports numbers 1644-26 and 1645-26 recommending referral to the committee on water and land.

Representative Morikawa.

Madam Speaker, second the motion.

Any discussion? Members will be taking a voice vote. All those in favor say Aye. All those opposed say no. The motion is carried. Representative Kahaloa.

Madam Speaker, I move to adopt House Resolution numbers 113 and 152 and House Concurrent Resolution numbers 121 and 162 as listed on pages one and two.

Representative Morikawa.

Madam Speaker, I second the motion.

Any discussion on these companion measures beginning with HR number 113 and HCR number 121? HR number 152 and HCR number 162 . Representative Kapela.

Thank you Madam Speaker. In strong support.

Please proceed.

Art is life, and so often it's forgotten, it's underfunded, and it's inaccessible in so many communities across our state.

But I wanna thank the advocates from the Hawaii Youth Symphony and the many individuals who testified on this resolution and what what was once a bill, on trying to increase data and access to arts education.

Resolutions like this that create an established task force where we can actually map communities that have art versus communities that don't help us fill the gaps for some of these deserts.

So this is really foundational work for moving arts access forward for our state. So again, thank you to the advocates, and I'm really looking forward to the work that will come from this.

Members, we will be taking a voice vote. All those in favor, say Aye. All those opposed say no. The motion is carried. Representative Morikawa for the motion to suspend the rules.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules of the House in order to consider certain Senate bills for third reading by consent calendar.

Representative Garcia.

Madam Speaker, I second the motion.

Any questions? Excuse me. All those in favor say Aye. All those opposed say no. The motion is carried. Representative Kahaloa.

Madam Speaker, I move to adopt Standing Committee Report numbers 1814-26 as listed on page two, and that the accompanied Senate bill as amended passed third reading.

Representative Morikawa.

Madam Speaker, I second the motion.

Any discussion on this item? Representative Morikawa for the vote.

Madam speaker on the measure before us, all majority Members vote Aye.

Representative Garcia.

Madam Speaker on the measure before us all minority Members vote Aye with the exception of representative Muraoka.

Have all votes been cast? Said Senate Bill passes third reading. Item number six reports of Standing Committees. Representative Kahaloa.

Madam Speaker I move to adopt Standing Committee Reports numbers 1837-26 through 1966-26 as listed on pages three through 41 and that the company House Resolutions and House Concurrent Resolutions as may be amended be adopted.

Representative Morikawa.

Madam Speaker second the motion

Members, we will be taking up discussion of companion measures in tandem beginning with HSCR number 1837 and 1838. Any discussion? 1839 and 1840, 1841 and 1842, 1843 and 1844.

1845 and 1846, 1847 and 1848, 1849, and 1850. Representative Shimizu.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Arise in support. Go to comment.

Please proceed.

I just wanted to bring to, the body's attention the testimony by the, HHFDC who testified that they have purview of many of these lands and and their testimony was in support, which I do also support this. But their comment was that it takes additional funding and personnel.

So I'm not sure if they need to have more funding for this or they need to, somehow figure it out and, and do something internally to accomplish this. So I just I just posed the question to accomplish this very important scope. Thank you Madam Speaker.

1851 and 1852, 1853 and 1854, 185.

Representative Garcia.

Madam Speaker.

With reservations.

On 1854 and 1853.

Yes.

So ordered. Moving on to 1855 and 1856, 1857 and 1858, 1859 and 1860, 1861,1862, 1863, and 1864. Representative Garcia.

Reservations.

So ordered. 1865, 1866, 1867, and 1868, 1869, and1870, 1871 and 1872, 1873, and 1874. Representative Garcia.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Alcos.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Muraoka.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Shimizu.

Reservations, please.

So ordered. Representative Gedeon.

Reservations.

So ordered. 187 oh, representative Iwamoto.

Alright. On 1873, no vote, please.

So ordered. 1875 and 1876, 1877 and 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1885 and 1886, 1887 and 1888, 1889 and 1890. Representative Garcia.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Muraoka.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Alcos.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Pierick.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Shimizu.

Reservations, please.

So ordered. 1891, 1892. Representative Garcia.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Alcos.

No vote.

So ordered. 1893 and 1894. Representative Garcia.

Arise in support with reservations.

Please proceed.

Thank you Madam Speaker. I'm not opposed to the resolution and and what it's calling for. I'm open to having this discussion. I was concerned, however, to see that there was not one testimony submitted in support of the resolution from anyone or any organization from the of Omoquo,

and that there there was no consultation with cultural practitioners from the area or or legislators from the area on this resolution. So for those reasons with reservations.

Representative Shimizu.

Thank you Madam Speaker. Reservations and may I have the words of the minority floor later be entered into the journal as my own?

Thank you.

Representative Gedeon.

So ordered.

Same request, please.

So ordered. Representative Pierick.

No vote.

So ordered. Moving on to Standing Committee Report 1895 and 1896 . 18 oops. Representative Poepoe.

Thank you, Speaker. In support with a rather long comment.

Please proceed.

Thank you, Speaker. This resolution concerns the Ahomoku advisory committee administratively attached to the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

I just wanna recount for this body some of what we found during the conversation throughout this process. The committee is responsible for hiring, managing, and firing the executive director for the committee, yet the committee does not meet.

It has not meaningfully convened in years. The committee is subject to the Sunshine Law despite their adamant rejection of it. And the record is clear.

It has not and has almost never been in compliance. At this point, the question is no longer whether the Sunshine Law applies. The Office of Information Practices has already weighed in on this issue.

The question is now whether the decades long pattern of not complying rises to the level of a willful violation. Because this appears to be more than neglect, it appears to be intentional avoidance of meeting.

Even now, the committee continues to issue formal positions and testimony as if it were a functioning body, but these positions are not discussed or adopted in open meetings as required by law.

They are not valid positions and yet they continue to be issued and accepted, by the BLNR. The committee has failed to provide required reports to the legislature. Meanwhile, the committee receives $286,000 in taxpayer funds.

There is no record of the committee reviewing or approving any budget. No discussion. No vote on a budget. Yet the executive director continues to submit budget requests every year on behalf of the committee, including their own salary without documented approval.

There is no record of how the salary is set. In testimony, it was said that the salary is a small portion of the budget when in fact the salary and fringe benefits account for more than half of the budget.

We also heard that funds their funds are frozen or being withheld and that this is why the committee cannot meet. But this is not accurate. The department confirmed that the funds available the funds are available through a well established process.

The same one utilized by other attached agencies. So the issue is not funding.

The issue is administration. The Chairperson of the committee stated that tracking money is not their style. But this is public money and there's no accountability. And if tracking is not their style, maybe there should be no funding to track. There's no record of performance evaluations.

Again, no oversight. No accountability. And the committee does have rules. Rules do exist. They are posted publicly on the DLNR website.

But they are not following the rules. In fact, testimony confirmed that they were simply choosing to not follow them. Yet there is no vote or no repeal or no process, identifiable in which they chose officially to, decide to not follow their rules.

Had the rules been followed, we would not be here today. Not even the bill or this resolution was enough to compel the committee to meet to discuss these issues.

Yet despite not meeting, testimony was still submitted to the Water and Land Committee as official. Without discussion, without adoption, and without proper consent of committee members.

The most basic responsibility of the executive director is to convene the committee in a lawful manner. DLNR says oversight belongs to the committee, but the committee does not meet. Which means there's no oversight.

So what we have is a public funded position that answers to no one serving a committee that does not function. And this process has been the only way to bring these issues forward. And this matters because the purpose of the committee matters.

The Ahamoku framework was meant to bring a traditional native Hawaiian system of resource management into state decision making. To ensure a holistic approach to land and ocean and cultural stewardship. That vision is important and it's worth protecting.

But it is not being realized. Instead, it's being held in dysfunction. This is not an attack on that vision. It's about restoring it through accountability, through compliance, through function. Because right now, we're not just dealing with a system that's not working.

We're dealing with a system that hasn't worked for more than a decade. And we're not just dealing with dysfunction. We're dealing with the funding with We are funding the deliberate avoidance of.

I yield my time.

Representative Tarnas.

Thank you. Sorry. I rest my case, but thank you.

Representative Garcia.

In strong support.

Please proceed.

Thank you. And I'd like to adopt the words of the previous speaker as mayonnaise. It's a very important issue which has, gone overlooked for way too long.

Thank you. So ordered. Representative Shimizu.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. In support.

Please proceed.

I just wanna thank the Judiciary Vice Chair for her work on this. I I know it was a a very sensitive issue, but I'm just really proud of the the courage that she showed in having difficult conversations and being very tactful and professional about it. So in support, thank you.

Representative Kila.

Madam Speaker, in support.

Please proceed.

And after words of the representative from Molokai as if they were my own.

So ordered.

Permission to insert written comments.

So ordered. Representative Kapela.

Thank you Madam Speaker. In strong support. May I also adopt the words of the representative from Molokai as if they were my own?

So ordered. Representative Kahaloa.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Same request.

So ordered. Representative Peruso. So ordered. Representative Souza.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. In support, and I would like the words of the representative from Molokai entered into the record as my own.

So ordered. Thank you. Representative okay. Let's move on to Standing Committee Report 1897 and 1898, 1899 and 1900, 1901 and 1902, 1903 and 1904, 1905 and 1906, 1907, and 1908, 1909, 1910, 1911 and 1912, 1913 and 1914, 1915 and 1916.

Madam Speaker.

Representative Garcia.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Pierick.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Alcos.

So ordered. Representative Muraoka.

No vote.

No vote, please.

So ordered. Representative Gedeon.

Same request.

So ordered. Representative Matsumoto.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Shimizu.

Thank you Madam Speaker. In opposition.

Please proceed.

I respect the introducer, and I'm sure there were some reasons, that was valid to introduce this. I just would like to say that, sometimes conflict and confrontation is avoidable, and we should try to foster positive relationships to work together. Thank you.

Representative Kila.

Madam Speaker, reservations, please.

So ordered. Representative Templo.

Please proceed.

In support

And permission to include words into the journal.

Thank you.

So ordered.

Representative Kong.

No vote.

So ordered. Standing Committee Report 1917 and 1918, 1919 and 1920, 1921 and 1922, 1923 and 1924, 1925 and 1926, 1927 and 1928, 1929 and 1930, 1931 and 1932, 1933 and 1934 , 1935 and 1936, 1937 and 1938. Representative Garcia.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Muraoka.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Alcos.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Pierick.

No vote.

So ordered. 1939 and 1940, 1941 and 1942, 1943 and 1944, 1945 and 1946, 1947 and 1948, 1949 and 1950, 1951 and 1952, 1953 and 1954. Representative Garcia.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Muraoka.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Alcos.

So ordered. Representative Matsumoto.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Gedeon.

Same request.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Pierick.

In opposition.

Please proceed.

So this measure, promotes, educating on menstruating in the public education. That's a fairly good idea. We should educate kids on how things work. However, they use the phrase gender affirming in the resolution. In other words, it says that men can menstruate.

That's not true. Men cannot menstruate. Men don't have cycles or periods, so I'm voting no.

Moving on to Standing Committee Report, 1955 and 1956, 1957 and 1958, 1959, and 1960, Representative Garcia.

With reservations.

So ordered. 1961, and 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, and 1966. Members will be taking a voice vote. All those in favor say Aye. All those opposed say no. The motion is carried. Representative Kahaloa.

Madam speaker, I move to adopt Standing Committee Reports numbers 1967-26 through 1989-26 as listed on pages 42 through 48 and that the accompanied Senate bills as amended has second reading and be placed on the calendar for third reading.

Representative Morikawa.

Madam Speaker, I second the motion.

Any discussion on these items beginning with HSCR number 1967. 1968. Representative Garcia.

With reservations.

So ordered. 1960 Oh, representative Shimizu.

Thank you Madam Speaker. Reservations and a brief comment, please.

Please proceed.

Reservations just to express the concern that it may be, burdensome and a hardship on landlords to provide the most recent notice and subjecting landlords to fines for, maybe oversights. Thank you Madam Speaker.

1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, on the top of page 44, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976. Representative Garcia.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Pierick.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Alcos.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Shimizu.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Matsumoto.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Gedeon.

No vote.

So ordered representative Muraoka.

So ordered. Representative Kong.

No vote.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Kila.

Reservations, Madam Speaker.

So ordered. Moving on to 1977, the top of page 45. Representative Garcia.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Pierick.

So ordered. Representative Shimizu.

No vote.

Reservations.

So ordered. 1978. Oh, Representative Gedeon.

Reservations.

For 1977. So ordered. Let's move on to 1978. 1979. 1980, 1981.

Representative Garcia.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Pierick.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Alcos.

Reservations.

So ordered. Representative Shimizu.

Reservations.

So ordered.

Madam Speaker.

Representative Muraoka.

No vote.

So ordered. Let's move on to 1982. Representative Garcia.

In opposition.

So ordered. Oh, please proceed.

Thank you Madam Speaker. I think again this is very bad policy. There was a House bill similar to this. Many of our law enforcement agencies are definitely against this. And when you look at other jurisdictions in the country where they've practiced policies like this, just horrible results.

So no vote.

Representative Alcos.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Muraoka.

No vote, please.

So ordered. Representative Matsumoto.

Reservations.

So ordered. Representative Gedeon.

With reservations.

So ordered. Representative Pierick.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Reyes Oda.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Shimizu.

No voting. May I have the words of, the Minority Floor Leader entered into the journal as my own?

So ordered. Representative Kila.

Reservations, Madam Speaker.

So ordered. Representative Kong.

No vote.

So ordered. Moving on to standing committee speaker.

Oh. Representative Souza.

With reservations.

So ordered. Thank you. Standing Committee Report 1983. Representative Garcia.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Alcos.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Pierick.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Gedeon.

Reservations.

So ordered. Standing Committee Report number 1984, 1985, Representative Garcia.

With reservations.

So ordered. Representative Alcos.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Gedeon.

Reservations.

So ordered. Representative Pierick.

Reservations.

So ordered. 1986. Representative Garcia.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Matsumoto.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Gedeon.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Alcos.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Muraoka.

So ordered. Representative Shimizu.

No vote.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Reyes Oda.

With reservations.

So ordered. Representative Kong.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Pierick.

In opposition.

So ordered. Please proceed.

This bill would repeal something the governor campaigned on. So by us voting yes on it, we're empowering him to be a liar. By us voting yes on this, we're also saying that we are, to use exaggerated terms, manic in our regards to use the, taxes to shape the economy of our state.

We should be re promoting low taxes and not changing tax brackets to tax people more. So I'm voting no.

Representative Souza.

No vote.

So ordered. Moving on to 1987. Representative Shimizu.

In support with a brief comment.

Please proceed.

I wanna thank Senator for introducing a great idea. Thank you.

Moving on to Standing Committee Report 1988. On the top of page 48, Standing Committee Report 1989. Members will be taking a voice vote. All those in favor, say Aye. All those opposed say no. The motion is carried. Representative Kahaloa.

Representative Morikawa.

Madam Speaker I move to adopt Standing Committee Reports numbers 1990-26 through 2019-26 as listed on pages 48 through 55 and that the accompanied Senate bills pass third reading.

And speaker, I second the motion.

Any discussion on these items beginning with HSCR 1990. Representative Garcia.

With reservations.

So ordered. 1991, 1992. Representative Souza.

For 1991, Madam Speaker.

Okay.

With reservations.

So ordered. Representative Alcos.

Reservations.

So ordered. 1991. Right? Yes. K.

Let's move on to 1992. At the top of page 49, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008. Representative Garcia.

So ordered. 2009, 2010, 2011. Representative Templo.

Reservations.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. In support.

And permission to include words into the journal.

Please proceed.

So ordered.

Thank you.

2011, 2012, 2013, 2014. Representative Reyes Oda.

With reservations.

So ordered. 2015. Representative Garcia.

Opposition.

Please proceed.

And I'd like to request permission to to insert written comments in the journal.

So ordered. Representative Shimizu.

Reservations, please.

So ordered. Representative Gedeon.

So ordered. Moving on to Standing Committee Report to 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. Okay. Representative Morikawa for the vote.

Reservations.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. On the measures before us, all majority members vote Aye with exception of the following on page 48, Standcom Report number 1991-26, SB number 2892 SD1 HD1. Rep Iwamoto votes no.

On page 52, Standcom report number 2009-26, SB number 2550 SD1 HD1 Rep Perruso, votes no. And on page 55, Standcom report number 2018-26, SB number 2544 SD2 HD1, Rep Iwamoto votes no.

Representative Garcia.

Madam speaker, on the measures before us, all minority members vote Aye with the exception of the following. On page 48, SCR 1990 SB 2405 SD1 HD 2. Representative Pierick votes no. On SCR 1991, SB 2892 SD1 HD 1. Representatives Alcos, Garcia, and Muraoka vote no.

On page 49, SCR 1993, SB 2321, SD1 HD1, Pierick votes no. On SCR 1994, SB 2319,SD1 HD1 Pierick votes no. On SCR 1995, SB 2407, SD2 HD1, Pierick votes no. On SCR 1997, SB 3233 SD1 HD2, Pierick votes no.

On page 53, SCR 2011. SB 2877 SD1, HD1. Representatives Garcia, Muraoka, Shimizu, and Pierick vote no. On page 54, SCR 2015, SB 2338 SD1 HD2.

Representatives Garcia, Muraoka, and Pierick vote no. On SCR 2016, SB 2060 SD2 HD1. Pierick votes no.

Have all votes been cast? Said Senate bills passed third reading. Members, please note the 48 hour notice for HSCR numbers 2020-26 through 2038-26 as listed on pages 55 through 59. Members we're now on page 60. Item number seven, third reading.

Representative Kahaloa.

Madam Speaker, I move that the Senate bills listed on page 60 pass third reading.

Representative Morikawa.

Madam Speaker, I second the motion.

Any discussion on these items beginning with SB number 2607 SD1 HD1. SB number 2043 SD1 HD1 and Senate Bill number 2396 SD1 HD1.

Representative Morikawa for the vote.

I'll speak on the measures before us all majority members vote Aye.

Representative Garcia.

Madam Speaker on the measures before us all minority Members vote Aye.

Have all votes been cast? Said Senate bills passed third reading. Item number eight, announcements. Members, are there any announcements? Representative Morikawa.

Thank you Madam Speaker. I just wanna wish my office manager a very happy birthday today. Thank you.

Representative Tam.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Tomorrow is tourism day at the Capitol. Yay. From 9AM to 1PM, Members, staff, and the public can visit booths representing this diverse industry and learn about their contributions to our economy and Hawaii's workforce.

Mahalo to the Hawaii Hotel Alliance and the American Hotel Logic Association for hosting tomorrow's event.

Thank you.

Representative Gedeon.

Just a reminder for next week Tuesday, April 14, we have the talent show. We've got about four slots left. So if you're thinking about entering, please shoot my office an email or fill out the form that was sent out. Or come talk to me. Thank you.

Representative Illegan.

Abuhay, Madam Speaker. I would like to announce that today, April 9, we recognize a moment that binds The United States and The Philippines through shared sacrifice in history. On this day, we honor the eightieth anniversary of the enduring relationship between our two nations.

The Filipino caucus will be holding a recognition ceremony today at 2PM in the Governor's Ceremonial Room with special guests, congressman Angelo Marcos Barba and counsel general Armin Taubo. Please note that this event is now canceled and will proceed as scheduled.

This ceremony offers an opportunity to reflect on the deep ties between our nations, honor the sacrifices of those who came before us, and recognize the lasting contributions of the Filipino community to Hawaii and our country.

Filipino caucus Members, your presence will demonstrate that we remember this history and that we carry its meaning forward together. Are optional, and we hope to see you there. Thank you.

There are no further announcements. Representative Morikawa.

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

Representative Garcia.

Madam Speaker, I second the motion.

All those in favor, say Aye. All those opposed, say no. The motion is carried. The house stands adjourned until 12 noon tomorrow.