Senate Floor

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

[Roll Call] All 25 Members are present.

Thank you. The Chair has read the journal of the preceding day and approves the same. Are there any introductions this morning? Senator Kanuha? Not scripted?

Senator San Buenaventura?

Thank you, Senate President. In the audience today, we had a disability communications access board, Christine Pagano, if you could hear me to please stand. We also have Gerald Isobe.

We also have director Tokioka with his son, Pono Tokioka, and their guest, Chris I believe, or Sunshine. Please stand and welcome to the Senate.

Thank you. Any further introduction, Senator Lee and then Senator Chang.

Thank you, Mr. President. We're fortunate today also to have joining us friends and supporters from the performing arts. Here with us is, Randy Wong, President and CEO of the Hawaii Youth Symphony and the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra and Hawaii Symphony supporters.

Amy Iwano, president and CEO of the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra. Please stand and be recognized.

Also with them is Jim Moffitt, president of the Musicians Union, and Tarina Wong, board member of the Hani Honolulu Symphony Foundation, as well as other Hawaii Symphony Orchestra and Hawaii Symphony supporters. Welcome all.

Senator Chang.

Thank you, Mr. President. In the gallery, we have our legislative assistant, Zephany Smith Eisenstadt, along with her daughter, Story. Welcome.

Further introduction, Senator DeCoite.

Thank you, Mr. President. And on behalf of yourself, mister president. Today we have in the gallery Mr. Pono Tokioka and his from his Ohana, father James Kunani Tokioka, our esteemed DBEDT director, and Christine Wrighton.

Thank you for sharing your story and delivering such an impactful moment of contemplation. If you please stand again and can we please give them a round of applause?

Mr. President, I'd like to take a moment to share a little bit about this impressive individual. Born and raised in Lihue Kauai. Pono grew up next to a golf course. Tagging along and learning to golf from his father, Jimmy, Pono fell in love with the sport.

Lettering for four years in golf at Kauai High School, Pono was known for being a fierce yet positive competitor. His tenacity, passion, and hard work earned him a place on the University of Hawaii's men's golfing roster.

During his senior year at UH Pono competed in nine tournaments and averaged 76.1 strokes per round. Following his collegiate career, Pono continued to compete at a high level and made impeccable strides to represent Hawaii on the global stage.

In 2022, Pono chaired the World Deaf Golf Championship held in Lihue, Kauai and represented The United States competing with over 111 people from 12 countries around the world. Then in 2025, Pono earned an opportunity of a lifetime.

Spot on the United States deaf golf association team when he participated and competed in the summer deaf Olympics deaf Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.

I'm sure all of these noteworthy experience greatly shaped Pono and our achievements he should be extremely proud of. I sincerely admire Pono's competitiveness, resiliencies, and character, as well as his good looks that he gets from his mom.

And we feel we can all learn so much from his unwavering pursuit for greatness. I wanna again welcome, Pono, Jimmy, and Christine. Welcome to your upper chamber.

And may I also introduce American sign language ASL interpreter this morning, Jan Fried. Jan Fried. And thank you for sharing Pono's message with us this morning. Mr. President if I could also do another introduction.

Please proceed.

It is my pleasure to welcome a special group of people to the gallery today as we celebrate tourism day twenty twenty six. This day is a vital opportunity to recognize the industry that serves as the backbone of our economy and the heartbeat of our communities.

This year's festivities were led by the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, and we would like to extend a special mahalo to the Hawaii Hotel Alliance and the American Hotel Alliance Hotel and Lodging Association for their leadership in

organizing today's activities and for their unwavering advocacy for hospitality industry. Joining us in the gallery is a contingency from our tourism day group, including Jeff Wagner, president CEO of Outrigger Hospitality Group,

Jerry Gibson, president Hawaii Hospitality Group and Hawaii Hotel Alliance, Yvette Estrada, a HLA senior director of state and local affairs, Shaundi HVCB, board chair and Outrigger executive VP and chief commercial officer,

Milton Latifaga, Hawaii tourism authority, Kekoa McLellan, principal, the McKellen Group, Tessa Gomes CEO, Fried and Fred and Kate Yance.

And we ask our colleagues to join us in a warm round of applause for these leaders, for all those who work tirelessly to keep our Hawaii a world class destination.

If you would please rise and be recognized. Mr. President and to my colleagues, if you have time here, please join, those that are on the 4th Floor with the rest of them, vendors that are there within the industry. Mahalo, mister president.

Senator DeCoite, I just want to acknowledge that you said yesterday you were going to offer a powerful prayer to make sure that today happens. So I believe in your power.

Since we're all here today and glad that, our guests from the visitor industry could all make it and have the exhibits set up and share with us in the auditorium this morning. Any further introductions? If not, we're gonna have a brief recess to get our script ready.

Will the Senate please come to order, madam clerk? Please call the roll. Oh, sorry. Can we proceed? We did that already.

Governor's message number 7, transmitting a proposed conference draft to fund the arbitration award concerning collective bargaining unit 11.

File.

Beginning on page 2, house communication numbers 497 to 530 return various Senate bills that passed third reading in the house in an amended form for agree, disagree.

Senator Wakai.

Mr. President, I move that the Senate disagree to the amendments proposed by the house to set Senate bills.

Senator DeCorte.

Mr. President, I second the motion.

It's been moved and seconded. Is there any discussion? Any objections? If not, the motion is carried. Conferees may be named at a later date.

Beginning on page 8, House communication numbers 531 to 598 transmit various House Concurrent Resolutions which were adopted in the House for referral to committee.

So ordered.

Beginning on page 28, Standing Committee Report numbers 3695 to 3711 and 3731 for one day notice and Standing Committee Report numbers 3712 to 3724 and 3732 for 48 hour notice.

So ordered.

Standing Committee Report numbers 3725 to 3730 for adoption.

Senator Wakai.

Mr. President, I move for the adoption of Standing Committee Reports numbers 3725 to 3730.

Senator DeCorte.

Mr. President, I second the motion.

It's been moved and seconded. Is there any discussion? Any objections? If not, the motion is carried.

Beginning on page 33, third reading.

If there are no objections from the members, we'll be taking third reading on consent.

Third reading of House Bill 1678, House Senate Draft one relating to associations.

Is there any discussion? If not, do we have unanimous consent? Any reservations? Any no votes?

25 Ayes.

Thank you. HB1678 HD1 SD1 passes third reading.

On page 34, third reading of House Bill 1824 Senate Draft 1 through House Bill 1970 seventy Senate Draft 1.

Is there any discussion? Senator San Buenaventura.

I'm sorry. I just want to register my no vote on SCR 3615.

Senator McKelvey.

Same request. Same measure. Thank you very much.

Senator Awa.

Same as both of them. Thanks.

If not, do we have unanimous Any no votes other than those mentioned? Any reservations?

25 Ayes on all on House Bill 1824 Senate Draft 1. House Bill 2300 Senate Draft 1. House Bill 1605 Senate Draft 1. House Bill 2094 Senate Draft 1, and House Bill 1970 Senate Draft 1. On House Bill 1166 Senate Draft 1, 22 Ayes, 3 noes.

Thank you. Said Senate bill oh, said House bills passed third reading.

On page 35, all bills beginning with House bill 1969, Senate Draft 1, to House Bill 2338, Senate Draft 1.

Is there any discussion? Senator San Buenaventura.

Senate President, for SCR 3617, I'd like to register my reservation solely on the issue of whether or not DHS is the appropriate agency to do the screening.

So noted. Senator McKelvey.

Same request, Mr. President. And, just, I'm concerned about risk of implications. Thank you.

So noted. Do we have any other reservations on this page? Any no votes?

25 Ayes on all bills on this page.

All bills on this page have passed third reading.

On page 36, third reading of House Bill 2339, Senate Draft 1 through 2498 Senate Draft 1.

Is there any discussion? Any reservation? If not, do we have unanimous consent? Any reservations? Any no votes?

25 Ayes.

Thank you. All bills on this page pass third reason.

On page 37, beginning with House Bill 2443 Senate Draft 1 through House Bill 1541 Senate Draft 1.

Is there any discussion? If not, do we have unanimous consent? Any reservations? Any no votes?

25 Ayes.

Thank you. All bills on this page pass third reading.

On page 38, beginning third reading of House Bill 2606 Senate Draft 1 through House Bill 1952 Senate Draft 1.

Is there any discussion? If not, do we have unanimous consent? Any reservations? Any no votes?

25 Ayes.

Thank you. All bills on this page pass third reading.

On page 39, third reading, beginning with House Bill 2551 Senate Draft 1 through House Bill 1663 Senate Draft 1.

Is there any discussion? If not, do we have unanimous consent of discussion? Senator Awa.

Mahalo Pelakikana, please mark down my no vote to HB 182 HD1SD1.

So noted. Senator DeCorte.

Mr. President, same request, please. Thank you.

So noted. Senator Fevella.

Same request to Senator President.

So noted. Any other no votes?

Any reservations? Three no votes on HB 182, HD 1, SD 1. All other bills, I think, are aye.

Yes. 22 ayes, three no's on house bill 18 o two Senate draft one. All other bills, 25 ayes.

Thank you. Said bills on this page pass third reading.

On page forty, third reading of House Bill 1838 , Senate Draft 1 through House Bill 1769, Senate Draft 1.

Is there any discussion? Senator Elefante.

Thank you, Mr. President. Please mark my Aye with reservations on SSCR 3648, House Bill 1769 as the concerns that I have specifically have to do with the capacity to bring back our incarcerated individuals. Thank you.

So noted, Senator Moriwaki.

Thank you, Mr. President. Likewise for me on SSCR 3648 with reservation.

So noted. Any other reservations? Any no votes?

25 Ayes.

Thank you. All bills on this page pass third reading.

On page 41, third reading, beginning with House Bill 2315, Senate Draft 1 through House Bill 389, Senate Draft 1.

Is there any discussion? If not, do we have unanimous consent? Any reservations? Any no votes?

25 Ayes.

Thank you. All bills on this page pass third reading.

On page 42, third reading of bills, House Bill 1510 Senate Draft 1 through House Bill 2099.

Is there any discussion? If not, do we have Senator Awa?

Please mark down my no vote for HB 1510 HD2 SD1.

So noted. Any other no votes? Any reservations?

24 Ayes. One no on House Bill 1510 Senate Draft 1. All other bills, 25 Ayes.

Thank you. All bills on this page pass third reading.

Referrals and re referrals.

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

No further business, Mr. President.

Are there any announcements today? If not, the Chair has one. The deadline to file standing committee reports for House bills for third reading is 10PM. Senator Wakai.

Mister president, I move that the Senate stand in recess, leaving the journal open until 10PM for the receipt of standing committee reports on House bills to be placed on the calendar for third reading. And I further move that the Senate reconvene at 10AM, Tuesday, April 14.

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 stand in recess, leaving the journal open until 6PM and reconvene at 10AM on Tuesday, April 14. Oh, I'm sorry. 10PM.