Senate Standing Committee on Health and Human Services

Good afternoon. Mahalo for joining us for today's health human services hearing, Thursday, 04/16/2026, 03:20PM. Conference from two two five meeting being streamed live on YouTube. In the unlikely event, we have to abruptly end this hearing due to technical difficulties. We will reconvene and a public notice will be posted on the legislation's website.

And as always, there's a one minute limit on testimony, although don't think it's needed. First up, GM 544. Consideration confirmation, Health Planning Council, Windward Oahu sub area, Miriam Chang. And is for term to expire 06/30/2029. And first up on the agenda, testifying is Shipta. 544. Yeah.

Good afternoon, vice chair and chair. Once again, we're really delighted to have a new candidate for Windward, our Windward Advisory Council, and and doctor Miriam Chang. She she's got a degree from a medical degree from John Burns School of Medicine, but she actually was on the Mainland and did some work there for a while. But she's been here for twenty five years working on the Windward Side. She works with, in Haula and at at Kualoa Health Centers, which she helped found.

So she's been part of the Hui o, Haula and they're just, you know, just all sorts of really great community stuff. But in addition to that, she's a dedicated physician. So what a super member for our advisory council she will make, and we're just really excited to be attracting these kinds of talent. So Thank you. Appreciate it. Oh.

Okay. Awesome. Awesome. That's alright. Individual in support. And then doctor Amy Nielsen, individual in support. And that's all the testimony we have received. Is the nominee present either here on Zoom? I'd like to yep. Would like to make a statement of the committee or just stand on your resume too if you'd like. Up to you.

Thanks for having me here for the privilege of Yeah. Being on

I saw it in the last hearing.

You're looking at you. Sorry.

No worries. All good.

I don't have a lot to say other than I've I've been really concerned about the health of our people. So I'm I'm semi retired now, but I'd like to work at as many things as I can to help improve it. And I'm okay with working for the whole state, especially the rural areas. I grew up in Poopakau.

Yeah. Yeah. There you go.

That's when nobody knew where it was. Sounds good.

Well, your voice will be important when it comes to rural health transformation and the grants and such that are being rolled out. So thank you for stepping in to serve. Members of the committee, questions and the nominee? Nope. I've seen none.

Thank you for being here. Okay. Next up, we have Center for Nursery Advisory Board, Terilyn Luke, 06/30/2030, expiration date of the term. And first up, we have Hawaii State Center for Nursing. You there?

Oh, go ahead. Yeah.

Yeah. Sorry.

They're right there.

Aloha. Sorry. I wasn't able to be there in person today. My name is Laura Reichardt. I am the director of the Hawaii State Center for Nursing.

It'd be a pleasure to have Teri Luke on our advisory board member. She's recently we've been having more conversations and meetings, and she is a past intern and fellow of our evidence based practice program.

Okay. Thank you very much for being here. We appreciate you testifying. We also have Hawaii American Nurses Association. That's it.

Thank you. Okay. Thank you so much for being here. We also have, let's see, Hawaii Nurse Association, OPEIU, local fifty. They have testified in support and several individuals, Elise Nakamura, Heather Salvador, Francisco Lau, and Tani Lida in support of the nominee and Leif from Keikoa MacMellon as an individual.

Keikoa, are you online?

Not present, chair.

Okay. Sounds good. And I believe we have the nominee online too. So if you'd like, you can go ahead and give us a statement.

Aloha, and and thank you for, having me on for the hearing. I am presently in Detroit, Michigan, where I'm at a professional issues conference for nursing, so I apologize for not being there in person. I am I am a very good advocate for the nursing profession, and, by my statements on there, I have been a registered nurse since 1992, 34 years here in Hawaii only.

I am currently the president of the Hawaii Nurses and Healthcare Professionals AFT Local 808, for the past four years. And my passion is really taking care of the workforce, as well as making sure that our community is well served.

So I am looking forward, as Laura mentioned, I have taken evidence based practice from the Center for Nursing. I value all the research that they do provide, for our nursing profession and also the opportunities that they provide. I've attended also some of the CEU things.

So I am I am very excited to be on the advisory board and to help, you know, make sure that the mandates and the act that this center was brought up for is fulfilled, and also, making sure that we do allow for more opportunities for recruitment and retention for the nurses that live here in Hawaii. That is truly what I wanna make sure it gets developed.

And so I am I'm dedicated to making sure that we continue this in Hawaii. Thank you so much.

Thank you so much for the statement. Appreciate it. Members, are there any questions on the nominee? Seeing none in the testimony of support. Okay.

Can I can I ask a question?

Oh, yeah. Please. I'm sorry.

Hi, Teri. It's, Jarrett Keohokalole.

I, thank you for stepping forward to serve on this board. I did wanna ask, you know, the last several years, the nurses have come in and asked for legislative change to address, some issues that many many of the members of the nursing community locally have felt were necessary, because of, you know, pressures in in the health care space on nurses over the last several years and and then during COVID.

Oh, hey.

And, you know, at times, the the Center for Nursing and the various unions have not always seen eye to eye. You're now gonna serve on the board and and sort of inside the room in this capacity, what are your thoughts about trying to bridge the gap in dialogue in some of those areas where there has been conflict in the past?

Yeah. I think and I've had with, Laura and some of our other, labor members is that the voice for the frontline has been missing for quite some time. And I am hoping to bring the frontline voice directly into the Hawaii Center for Nursing.

And, also, you know, I'm pleasantly, you know, pleased when I'm looking at their strategic plan for 2025 to 2029 that one of the opportunities they have listed is to actually improve workforce conditions to enhance retention, and also by addressing staffing shortages, workforce, workload demands and job satisfaction to create a more sustainable, nursing workforce. So I am excited that that is on their, list of things for the next, four years.

And so I look forward to actually helping to contribute to that.

Yeah. Thank you for that. I think it's been very challenging. I think I can speak for some of the other members of this committee when I say it's been very challenging to have, you know, an an entity like the Center for Nursing that is a resource for many of us who are not health care practitioners to try and achieve some of the goals that that, you know, they work on and that you have just mentioned.

And then to have members of the health care workforce in our community come to this body and ask for things where there's, conflicting, positions on bills is it it gets really confusing for those of us that, wanna help advance work workforce and health care access in the community and definitely do not like being in the position of having to tell nurses from our community no, when it when everybody really is, I think, trying to achieve the same thing.

So, you know, I'm encouraged by your appointment. And, you know, hopefully, we can have these discussions outside of, you know, contested public hearings and just all get on the same page because I truly believe that's what we all want.

And and I agree, Senator. Definitely the collaboration, that is pretty much my my strength is in collaboration. So I really looking forward to working together with the, advisory board.

Thank you. Thank you, chair.

Yeah. No worries. Okay. Anybody else? Seeing none.

Thank you so much. Hold shortly. We'll we'll take up everybody for the decision making. Next up, final, GM753. Let's see.

Submitted for consideration and confirmation to Language Access Advisory Council gubernatorial nominee, Valerie Rose. Term expires 06/30/2030. First up, testifying on behalf of the nominee is Hawaii Family Caregiver Coalition, written in support, and Tani Salazar, an individual in support. That's all we've received on behalf of the individual. Anybody else wishing to speak on behalf of the individual? Seeing none, I believe I see our nominee online. So please go ahead and give the committee a statement if you wish.

Yeah. Hi, everybody. I'm Valerie. I previously worked at the chronic disease branch at their bilingual health aid section. So I'm just happy to be nominated supporting and honored to have, you know, be selected or whatever.

K. Thank you so much. Appreciate you being here. Really appreciate you stepping up and be willing to serve. So members, have any questions of the nominee? Seeing none, I believe we'll just go right into decision making. Thank you for being here.

No. Do we have a whole three? What was that? We've got Montgomery on there also. He needs to testify, and then we do decision making also.

Okay. On calendar. Okay. Sorry. Going off of this one here. So we're gonna go ahead and recess then?

No. Well, he's right in.

Oh, okay. Oh, he's I didn't realize he was okay.

03:21? Okay.

It's on a different agenda.

Oh, it's on a different agenda. Sorry. We're on the 03:20 agenda. It's okay. Sorry.

It's freaking me out.

Sorry. Sorry.

Sorry. Okay. So hang on, listen.

Okay. Just one second and then you're gonna come testify, sir. Okay? Or be here. Okay.

First up, GM544, Miriam Chang. Thank you for your service.

You want me to No.

No. Go ahead.

Advising consent is the recommendation. I vote yes. And

the other With four members present with favela excused, are there any reservations? Any no votes? Recommendation adopted.

Okay. Thank you. GM705, Teddle and Luke. Recommendation is to advise and consent. Questions, comments?

If not, for the vote. Yes.

With Senator Favela as excused, four members present, any reservations? Any no votes? Recommendation adopted.

Okay. Seven five three, for Valerie Rose. Thank you for your service. Advising consent is the recommendation. Members, questions, comments?

If not, seven five three, I have a yes.

Senator Fevella has excused. All members the rest of the members present, any reservations, any no votes? Recommendation adopted.

Okay. This concludes the 03/20 agenda.

Thank you. I'm calling the '3, 21 calendar. We have GM567, James Montgomery, State Rehabilitation Council for term to expire 06/30/2027. Testimony was already provided, except that James Montgomery was not present. And I see that James Montgomery is now online.

So please, James Montgomery, why don't you tell us, identify yourself and let us know why it is you want to serve in the state rehabilitation council?

Well, greetings and aloha. Thank you so much for your time today and allowing me to just Kinda express my desire. Number one, my resume Kinda sets what I do. I'm the director of business department for the joint base, and one of the areas that I'm responsible for is talent management. Quickly, what is my passion on this?

My sister was born, with an ability where she could not hear and sign. We had to send her off, away from us at 13 years old. She graduates, tried to get a job from college, could not because no one would give her a chance.

And so since I've been in this position over, I would say, the last ten years or so totally, my whole premise has been to be aligned with the state and DVR to ensure that those with disability have a chance, to make a great asset, to our communities and beyond. So that's why I'm here today, and I'm hoping that you would accept, my opportunity to serve with you all.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, James Montgomery. Anybody else wishing to testify in g m five six seven? Members, any questions of our nominee? Okay. We're gonna do decision making later, mister Montgomery.

And thank you very much for being willing to step up and and calling in. And and we've heard from, the last hearing, you're a very busy man. So thank you very much for being willing to serve, and thank you for letting us know of your personal story regarding this space. Moving on, G M 768. Also, Kevin Nakamura, board of certification of operating personnel in wastewater treatment plants.

Term to expire 06/03/2028. Kevin Nakamura, are you present?

Yes. I am.

Okay. Please proceed. Why don't you let us, identify yourself and let us know why it is you wanna serve in the board of certification of operating personnel and wastewater treatment plants?

I'm excited to be nominated nominated for this for this this private sector seat to use my thirty plus years of experience in wastewater in both on hands training and technical training to ensure that our upcoming wastewater apprentice wastewater treatment operators and current wastewater treatment operators are are have the aptitude and are certified correctly to protect our precious resources and environment. So I look forward to your decision, and, I'm sure I will make a great asset to this board of certification board.

Thank you very much, and thank you very much for being willing to step up. Members, any questions of GM seven sixty eight? Okay. Thank you. Our decision making is gonna be very, later on, and we are also excited that you are willing to step up when you when you're using your thirty plus years of experience.

Because wastewater, as you know, in this industry is super, necessary for the certification.

Yeah. K. Next up. Thank you for that. Thank you for that.

Thank you very much. JM552, Pina Lemusu, State Council on Developmental Disabilities, for term to expire 06/30/2026. Pina Lemusu, are you present on Zoom? Oh, you're present?

I have to testify for DDA.

Okay. Wait a second. Is Pina Lemusu in?

Yes, chair.

Okay. Pina Lemusu, why don't you let us know why it is you want to serve for and the State Council on Developmental Disabilities.

Good afternoon, and I wanna thank you for rescheduling my hearing. It was supposed to be yesterday, but I was not feeling good. So thank you so much for allowing me to reschedule and be before you this afternoon. Yes. My name is Pina Lemusu, and I am a person with disability.

I have I actually have been working for the division of vocational rehabilitation for almost 19 years and very honored to be considered to serve in this capacity. Although I've been working with the DD population for a very long time, starting as a counselor and also as a supervisor, Now I'm a branch manager, and it's definitely my passion, for a person that was born without a disability and then later on acquired a disability.

So I can understand, on both side of the spectrum and I continue to work with the DD Council and all of their different, groups and also their people to serve persons with disability from their department. So I am very honored and, again, very happy to be before you to say how honored I am, but also looking forward to great and wonderful things that I can be an asset and a contributor to the council.

Okay. Thank you very much, Pina Lemusu. Anybody anybody have questions for Pina Lemusu? Okay. You have okay.

We're I guess we're gonna have testimony, but we had closed testimony already on this one, And we were only gonna hear from the nominees themselves because we had a hearing yesterday on this. Okay? But if you folks want to testify, come on up. You you have one minute. Okay.

You have one minute.

Okay.

Okay.

Aloha, committee. Angela Young in my volunteer position here on behalf of Daintree, for the State DD Council, and we stand on our testimony in strong favor of GM 552. For Pina Lemusu, I would like to highlight one part of our testimony, that Pina has been a fan of the council's work for nearly twenty years, not out of obligation, but out of a genuine commitment to improving outcomes for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.

Her collaborative approach, institutional knowledge, and dedication to cross agency coordination are exactly what is needed to advance system sharing.

Angela, you're just reading the testimony. We've already read. Okay. So thank you very much.

Thank you for the opportunity.

Thank you. Why don't you come on up since you're already here? And Pina can hear what you're saying. Please identify yourself.

My name is Russ Pasquale Kessler.

I'm the assistant administrator for Voc Rehab. On behalf of our director, Ryan and our division administrator, Leah Diaz. We're in support of governor's third nominee, Pina Lemusu.

Yes. Thank you very much for department of human services. Anybody else wishing to testify on Pina Lumosu, GM five five two? Members, any questions? K.

Are we ready to proceed with Yes. DM?

Yes. Go ahead.

So for GM five 67, James Montgomery, state rehabilitation council term expired June 3020 '27. Chair's recommendation is to advise and consent. Any comments, questions, concerns? Seeing none, vice chair for the vote.

Okay. Recommendation is advised and consent five six seven. No excuse of Senator Fevella. All other members present? Any WRS?

No. Seeing none. Recommendation is adopted.

For GM seven 68, Kevin Nakamura Nakamura, board of certification of operating personnel and wastewater treatment plants for a term to expire 06/30/2028. Chair's recommendation is to advise and consent. Any comments, questions, concerns? Seeing none, vice chair for the vote.

Recommendation seven six eight is to advise the consent, noting excuse Senator Fevella. Any WRs knows of the members? Seeing none, recommendation is adopted.

For g m five five two, Pina Limusu for state council and developmental disabilities for term to expire 06/30/2026. And, chair's recommendation is to advise and consent. Any comments, questions, concerns? Seeing none, vice chair for the vote.

Here recommendation five five two is advising consent, noting the excuse, Senator Vabella. All the members present, sending WDRs. No. Seeing none, recommendation is adopted. Congratulations.

Congratulations. We're all excited for you to all to serve, and

we will be sure. Thank you.

So we have one person. Recalling GM562.

662.

6662. G just recommendation is to advise and consent on Olivia Kim. Any comments, questions, concerns? Seeing none, vice chair for the vote.

Okay. Recommendation is to advise and consent noting the presence of all members accepting Senator Fevella. Any WRs and no? Seeing none. Recommendation adopted.

Okay. Now with that, we are adjourned.

Thank you.