Senate Floor

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

Senator Awa?

Senator DeCorte?

Here.

Here.

Senator DeCoite?

Here.

Senator Chang?

Here.

Here.

Here.

Senator Elefante?

Senator Dela Cruz?

Senator Fevella?

Present.

Present.

Senator Fukunaga.

Senator Gabbard.

Here.

Senator Ihara.

Senator Hashimoto.

Here.

Senator Inouye.

Present.

Present.

Here.

Here.

Senator Kidani?

Senator Kanuha.

Senator Keohokalole.

Senator Lee?

Hello.

Senator Lamasao?

Here.

Senator Kim?

Here.

Present.

Here.

Senator McKelvey?

Hi.

Senator Moriwaki?

Senator Rhoads?

Senator Richards?

Senator San Buenaventura?

Hello.

Here.

Here.

Mister president?

Present.

Present.

Senator Wakai?

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 Wakai? Or this afternoon? I'm sorry.

Mister president, this morning, we were blessed by the words of Kehlani Gallon, but I wanted to introduce all of you to her family. With her is her mom, Marlene Gallon. If you could please rise, as well as Berlin Edwin Kehlani's uncle. And joining them are my wonderful staff members, Ashton Niebuh and Richard Mizuzala. Welcome to the state senate.

Any further introductions? If not, madam clerk.

Beginning on page two, house communication numbers eight forty, eight forty one, eight seventy, and eight seventy one inform the Senate that the house has appointed conferees to various bills. House communication numbers eight forty two to eight sixty two return various Senate Concurrent Resolutions that were adopted in the house unamended. And house con, communication numbers eight seventy two inform the Senate that the house made changes to conferees for various bills.

File.

On page nine, house communication numbers eight six three to eight six nine return Senate Concurrent Resolutions that were adopted in the house in an amended form for agree disagree.

Senator Wakai? Mister president, I move that the Senate disagree to the amendments proposed by the house to the Senate Concurrent Resolutions referenced in house communications numbers eight sixty three to eight sixty nine.

Eight sixty four or eight sixty three? Eight eight sixty three. Okay. Senator DeCorte.

Mister president, I second the motion.

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

Beginning on page 12, conference committee report numbers two dash 26 to 10 dash 26 for forty eight hour notice.

So ordered.

Standing committee report numbers thirty nine thirty two to thirty nine thirty six for one day notice.

So ordered.

Beginning on page 16, advise and consent.

If there are no objections from the members, we will be taking advise and consent on consent.

Standing committee report numbers thirty nine thirty and thirty nine thirty one on governor's messages for adoption.

Is there any discussion? If not, do we have unanimous consent? Any reservations? No vote.

Senate president, please, if you can mark my no vote for SSCR thirty nine twenty one.

So ordered.

Thank you.

That's the next resolution. Again, any no votes? Madam clerk?

25 ayes.

Thank you. The nominees for said governor's messages have been confirmed.

On page 17, adoption of resolutions.

Senator Wakai.

Mister president, I move with adoption of said standing committee reports and Senate resolutions.

Senator Descartes?

Mister president, I second the motion.

It's been moved and seconded. Is there any discussion? Any objection well, do we have reservations or no votes?

No vote for me, please. Thank you.

Any reservations? Madam Clerk?

No vote for me.

Any other no votes? No votes, Senator Fevella?

Motion is carried. Said resolution has been adopted.

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.

On page 18, miscellaneous business, reconsideration of disagreement to house amendments and motion to agree on Senate Concurrent Resolution number 110, Senate draft one.

Senator Inouye.

Thank you, mister president. I move that the Senate reconsider its previous action in disagreeing to the amendments made by the house to SCR number 110, Senate draft one, and agree to said amendments.

Senator Wakai. I second the motion.

It's been moved and seconded. Is there any discussion, Senator Inouye?

Thank you, mister president. This measure in coordination with the Department of Transportation and the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation convening a working group to evaluate the feasibility of establishing state owned or state controlled warehouse and logistics facilities near ports, harbors, and airports to reduce material costs associated with public financing housing projects.

And the measure that the Senate agrees to the amendments was made by the house to designate the executive director of HHFC or the executive director's designation, designee to serve as the co chairperson of the working group and also adding a representative from the Department of Hawaiian Homelands and the executive director of the Hawaii Building and Construction Trades Council or the executive directors designate to the working group.

Thank you. Any further discussion? If not, any objections? The motion is carried. One day notice is hereby given for final adoption of SCR 110 HD one.

Thank you, mister president.

No further business, mister president.

Are there any announcements today, Senator Elefante, then Senator San Buenaventura?

Thank you, mister president. I rise on a point of personal privilege.

Please proceed.

Thank you, mister president. Last Friday, our very own Senator from Hilo was recognized by the Hilo High School Foundation as one of the three distinguished alumni of the year. So congratulations to the Senator from Hilo for that distinguished award.

Senator San Buenaventura.

Thank you, mister president. May I be permitted a late introduction?

Please proceed.

Thank you. In the Senate Gallery joining us from Hilo today and newly confirmed as a member of the commission on fatherhood is Bronson Kobayashi. Could you please stand? He is accompanied by his mother Kimikimi. Could you please stand?

And son, Daniel Kobayashi. Welcome. Bronson serves as a fire medical specialist and firefighter for Hawaii County Fire Department. We welcome his further public service as an advocate for fatherhood. Congratulations on your confirmation.

Congratulations on making it just in time. Any further announcements? If not, the chair has one. There will be a Senate leadership meeting immediately after session. Let me just finish immediately after session in Room 409.

Senator Richards.

Thank you, mister president. I rise on a point of personal privilege.

Please proceed.

Colleagues, we have recently learned of the passing of a public servant known to many of us through our work in state government, Sam Hunt. Sam, who represented Olympia in Washington state legislature for more than two decades, devoted his career to public service and to strengthening institutions of governance. Councilman, representative, Senator, all of these are offices and call signs that he answered to. Like many of us, he started his quest in governance through county and city.

He served as national chair of council of state governments in 2022 and was very instrumental in bringing the CSG meeting here to Hawaii.

We're emerging from COVID, and though it's normally in their home state, he brought it to Hawaii. When I was a freshman, that's when I got to to meet him. He was a mentor and a guide for many of us in our state legislator roles. A proud graduate of Washington State University, he began his career as an educator at Pasco High School before serving in Pasco City Council, then he went on to be elected into the Washington State Legislature in

the House in 20000, 2001, and the Senate in 2016. Upon his retirement at the legislature in 2024, he was named to the Board of Regents of Washington State University. As an alumnus of Washington State University, like myself and the Senator from Moanalua and Kalihi, we are not surprised that he continued his quest to serve. Sam Hunt will be remembered for his steady leadership, his generosity, his spirit, and his unwavering commitment to public service.

Mister president, I ask that we observe a moment of rising in silence in honor of our colleague from Washington State in his and enduring contribution to state government.

And as all WSU students and alumni say when they greet or departing, go cougs.

So uttered, any further announcements? If not, Senator Wakai?

Mister president, I move that the Senate conclude our session today on a rising vote observing a moment of silence in memory of Sam Hunt. I further move that the Senate stand adjourn until 06:30PM tomorrow.

Senator DeCorte?

Mister president, I second the motion.

It's been moved and seconded. If there are no objections from the members, the Senate will stand adjourned until 06:30PM tomorrow. Please join me in rising to observe a moment of silence in honor of the memory of Sam Hunt.