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Legislator
Will the House come to order? Mister Clerk, please call the roll.
Legislator
Item number two, reading of the journal. Representative Morikawa.
Legislator
So ordered. Item number three, messages from the governor. Mister Clerk, are there any messages from the governor?
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Item number four, Senate communications. Mister Clerk, are there any Senate communications?
Person
Yes, Madam Speaker. If you and the members will turn your attention to the addendum to today's order of the day. We are in receipt of a communication informing the House that the Senate has passed the noted House and Senate bills on final reading.
Person
We are in further receipt of communications informing the House that the Senate has adopted the noted Senate Concurrent Resolutions.
Person
We are also in receipt of a communication informing the House that the Senate has reconsidered action in disagreeing with the amendments proposed by the House and has moved to agree to the amendments to the noted Senate Concurrent Resolution.
Person
Finally, we are in receipt of communications informing the House that the Senate has made changes to conferees to the noted House and Senate bills.
Legislator
Members, are there any introductions? Representative Matayoshi.
Legislator
Thank you, Madam Speaker. In the gallery today, we have Jason Bradshaw who is a former, intern with me at Senator Daniel Akaka's office, and is now a fierce advocate for education.
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And sitting next to him is Millie who I'm sure you all recognize from testimony, also doing a great job, helping HSTA and helping to advance our teachers. Welcome to your House of Representatives.
Legislator
Thank you Madam Speaker. Today I have the pleasure of introducing my legislative aide, Jen Elizondo. Please rise. Welcome to your House of Representatives. Thank you.
Legislator
Thank you Madam Speaker. I see in the gallery today staff and volunteers from the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. Just want to welcome you to the House of Representatives.
Legislator
Thank you, Madam Speaker. In the gallery today, we have members representing the office of Hawaiian affairs, including trustee Brickwood Kalutera.
Legislator
If you could rise, if you're representing OHA this morning. Thank you for being here today and welcome to your House of Representatives.
Legislator
I'd like to recognize and welcome, two amazing advocates and activists, Kat Brady and Henry Curtis. Please rise and welcome back to your house of representatives.
Legislator
If there are no further introductions, recess subject to the call of the Chair.
Legislator
If there are no further introductions, recess subject to the call of the chair.
Legislator
Will the House come to order? We're on order of the date. Members, please refer to supplemental calendar number one. As you know the Senate President and I waived the Friday midnight deadline for the filing of committee reports and conference drafts for certain measures,
Legislator
which were agreed upon in public on Friday evening. I wanted to take this opportunity to explain the procedural reasons why these reports and proposed drafts were not listed on Friday night, and the reasons why the President and I waived the deadline.
Legislator
In November 2025, the Senate President and I prepared the legislative timetable setting 05/01/2025, as the last day to file fiscal bills for constitutional decking purposes prior to final reading.
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In April, the President and I signed the joint conference committee procedures that provided in paragraph 11 C, that all conference committee reports for fiscal bills must be filed by 11:30pm on Friday, May 1.
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However, several conference committees, even though they had reached agreement on the substance of their measures, did not have the time to prepare and adequately review the conference reports, and final form of the conference drafts prior to the 11:30pm deadline.
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The President and I exercise our powers under rule 13 of the conference committee procedures to grant an exception to this deadline for these measures, which were agreed upon in public.
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We allowed them to be filed with the respective clerk, clerk's offices by midnight, but two bills could still not meet this deadline. We then granted an additional exception to allow these two bills to be filed between midnight and 12:05AM on Saturday, May 2.
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The President and I felt that since the conferences had reached timely agreement on their bills, allowing these measures to die based on an internal filing deadline was not in the best interest of the people of Hawaii.
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Rather, we felt it important to exercise the discretion that the procedures gave us to waive that deadline, and ensure that drafting agencies had time to properly prepare reports and drafts, and Chairs had adequate time to review them before filing them for final decking.
Legislator
When facing similar situations in the past, previous legislatures followed the same procedures we are following with these measures.
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The conference reports and conference drafts for the measures received by 12:05AM on Saturday, May 2 are listed in today's supplemental order of the day.
Legislator
These measures will receive the required 48 hour notice of final form as required by the constitution, and will be before this chamber for final reading on Friday, May 8. Floor amendments. Members, we are back on the regular order of the day.
Legislator
We will first take up a few measures out of order. Please turn to page 24, and refer to CCR number 43-26. Representative Morikawa.
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Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules of the house in order to consider certain House and Senate bills for final reading by consent calendar.
Legislator
Any questions? Members will be taking a voice vote. All those in favor, signify by saying Aye. All those opposed, say no.
Legislator
Madam Speaker, I move to adopt conference committee report number 43 dash 26 as listed on page 24 and that the accompanied Senate bill as amended pass final reading.
Legislator
Mister Clerk, have copies of the floor amendment been distributed to the Members?
Person
Yes, Madam Speaker. Copies of floor amendment number three have been distributed.
Legislator
Any discussion on the proposed floor amendment? Representative Evslin.
Legislator
Thank you Madam Speaker. The CD1 in front of us on this bill extends the sunset for the drift equity pilot program. There's a current statutory limit of $10,000,000, that can be used, utilized from DRF for the pilot program.
Legislator
This proposed amendment in front of us would, raise the ceiling to $20,000,000 giving HHFDC an additional $10,000,000 to put towards the program. This is vital to ensure that the highly successful DERF equity pilot program, can continue to be funded with this extension of sunset.
Legislator
Members, we're going to take a voice vote. Vote Aye, if you are in favor of the floor amendment. Vote no, if you are opposed to the floor amendment. All those in favor say Aye.
Legislator
Those opposed say no. The floor amendment has been adopted. Members, please note the 48 hour notice for this measure. Members, please turn to page 25, and refer to CCR number 50 dash 26. Representative Kahaloa.
Legislator
Madam Speaker, I move to adopt Conference Committee Report number 50 dash 26 as listed on page 25. And that the accompanying House bill as amended passed final reading.
Legislator
Mister Clerk, have copies of the floor amendment been distributed to the Members?
Person
Yes, Madam Speaker. Copies of floor amendment number four have been distributed.
Legislator
Any discussion on the proposed floor amendment? Representative Chun.
Legislator
So Madam Speaker, this floor amendment, just makes clear that in the event of an outbreak of a known disease, the meat donation pilot established by this measure will not continue until the outbreak is resolved as determined by
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the Department of Agriculture and biosecurity. These reasons, I urge everyone to support the floor amendment. Thank you.
Legislator
Members we will be taking a voice vote. Vote Aye if you are in favor of the floor amendment vote no if you are opposed to the floor amendment. All those in favor say Aye. Those opposed say no. The floor amendment has been adopted.
Legislator
Members please note the 48 hour notice for this measure. Members please turn to page 27 and refer to CCR number 63 Dash 26. Representative Kahaloa.
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Madam Speaker, I move to adopt conference committee report number 63-26 as listed on page 27 and the accompanied House Bill as amended, past final reading.
Legislator
Mister Clerk, have copies of the floor amendment been distributed to Members?
Person
Yes, Madam Speaker. Copies of floor amendment number five have been distributed.
Legislator
This amendment provides social media platforms with additional time to develop and implement the internal systems necessary to ensure user accounts and personal data are deleted in a verified and timely manner.
Legislator
Before you is a floor amendment for HB 1753, the Hawaii social media data deletion act, which extends the effective date from upon approval to 07/01/2027.
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It will also allow additional time to further refine and narrow the definition of social media platform, which in it which in its current form may be overly broad.
Legislator
Members, we are going to take a voice vote. Vote Aye if you are in favor of the floor amendment. Vote no if you are opposed to the floor amendment. All those in favor say Aye. Those opposed say no.
Legislator
The motion has been adopted. Members please note the 48 hour notice for this measure. Please turn to page 29 and refer to CCR number 73-26.
Legislator
Madam Speaker, I move to adopt Conference Committee Report number 73-26 as listed on page 29, and that the accompanied Senate bill as amended pass final reading.
Legislator
Mister Clerk, have copies of the floor amendment been distributed to Members?
Person
Yes, Madam Speaker. Copies of floor amendment number six have been distributed.
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Any discussion on the proposed floor amendment? Representative Chun.
Legislator
Madam Speaker, this floor amendment clarifies that this measure applies except for real property owned in a county with a population of more than 125,000, but less than 195,000 in certain public lands.
Legislator
Members we are going to take a voice vote. Vote Aye if you are in favor of the floor amendment vote no if you're opposed to the floor amendment. All those in favor say Aye. Those opposed say no. The floor amendment has been adopted.
Legislator
Members please note the 48 hour notice for this measure. Now please turn to page 31 and refer to CCR number 88 dash 26. Representative Kahaloa.
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Madam Speaker, I move to adopt Conference Committee Report number 88-26 as listed on page 31 and that the accompanied House bill as amended pass final reading.
Legislator
Mister Clerk, have copies of the floor amendment been distributed to the members?
Person
Yes, Madam Speaker. Copies of floor amendment number seven have been distributed.
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Any discussion on the proposed floor amendment? Representative Hashem.
Legislator
Madam Speaker, the floor amendment is a very simple floor amendment, which just adds a sunset of 07/30/2030 to the underlying bill.
Legislator
Members, we are going to take a voice vote. Vote I if you are in favor of the floor amendment. Vote no if you are opposed to the floor amendment. All those in favor say Aye. Those opposed say no.
Legislator
Yeah. The floor amendment has been adopted. Members, please note the 48 hour notice for this measure. Please turn to page 34 and refer to CCR number 114-26.
Legislator
Madam Speaker I move to adopt Conference Committee Report number 114-26 as listed on page 34 and that the accompany Senate bill as amended passed final reading.
Legislator
Mister Clerk, have copies of the floor amendment been distributed to the Members?
Person
Yes, Madam Speaker. Copies of floor amendment number eight have been distributed.
Legislator
This amendment is just, clarifying in nature and does not make any substantive changes. Just making sure that the Department of Taxation is comfortable that the language is not, contradictory within the bill. Thank you.
Legislator
Members, we will be taking a voice vote. Vote Aye if you are in favor of the floor amendment. Vote no if you are opposed to the floor amendment. All those in favor say Aye.
Legislator
Those opposed say no. The floor amendment has been adopted. Members, please note the 48 hour notice for this measure. Please turn to page 38, and refer to CCR number 140-26. Representative Kahaloa.
Legislator
Madam Speaker, I move to adopt Conference Committee Report number 140-26 as listed on page 38, and the accompanied House bill as amended, passed final reading.
Legislator
Mister Clerk have copies of the floor amendment been distributed to the Members.
Person
Yes, Madam Speaker. Copies of floor amendment number nine have been distributed.
Legislator
Any discussion on the proposed floor amendment? Representative Todd.
Legislator
This floor amendment would provide some language for the appropriation to the major disaster fund that if it's not expended, it would lapse back to the general fund on 06/30/2027. And it would also add some guardrails and reporting.
Legislator
This language has been vetted by the administration, and they are comfortable with these requirements. Thank you.
Legislator
Members, we are going to take a voice vote. Vote Aye if you are in favor of the floor amendment. Vote no if you are opposed to the floor amendment. All those in favor say Aye.
Legislator
Those opposed say no. The floor amendment has been adopted. Members please note the 48 hour notice for this measure. Please turn to page 50 and refer to CCR number 217-26. Representative Kahaloa.
Legislator
Madam Speaker, I move to adopt Conference Committee Report number 217-26 as listed on page 50, and that the accompanied Senate bill as amended passed final reading.
Legislator
Mister Clerk, have copies of the floor amendment been distributed to Members?
Person
Yes, Madam Speaker. Copies of floor amendment number 12 have been distributed.
Legislator
So the floor amendment is to just correct some drafting errors that we had in the original CD. Intent of the bill is still still the same.
Legislator
Members, we are going to take a voice vote. Vote Aye if you are in favor of the floor amendment. Vote no if you are opposed to the floor amendment. All those in favor say Aye. Those opposed say no.
Legislator
The floor amendment has been adopted. Members please note the 48 hour notice for this measure. Please turn to page 53 and refer to CCR number 238-26. Representative Kahaloa.
Legislator
Madam Speaker, I move to adopt Conference Committee Report number 238-26 as listed on page 53, and that the accompanied Senate bill as amended passed final reading.
Legislator
Mister Clerk, have copies of the floor amendment been distributed to the Members?
Person
Yes, Madam Speaker. Copies of floor amendment number 11 have been distributed.
Legislator
Any discussion on the proposed floor amendment? Representative Matayoshi.
Legislator
Madam Speaker, as you know, the house inserted a fail safe provision into this bill. The provision has two parts. One of them is if the court strikes down a certain provision in the bill, the fail safe will trigger.
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Another allowed the attorney general to determine if the provision was unenforceable, then, the fail safe would also trigger.
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After speaking with the current and former AG and a number of other legal scholars in the field, we've determined that we want to leave in the court fail safe, but remove the AG fail safe.
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We also bolster some of the language, making it very clear that the court, if it makes a decision the federal district court, if it makes a decision like in the previous cases, that failsafe will still trigger.
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And, we are pushing back the effective date another six months to 07/01/2027 to allow the next legislature to correct any, unforeseen consequences that this bill might present.
Legislator
Oh, Madam Speaker. Thank you. I rise in support of the floor amendment.
Legislator
Thank you. You know, I would usually just refer to the my colleague who is offering the floor amendment and, his remarks and support. But I think this measure is too important to not make the record absolutely clear, especially as this measure moves forward.
Legislator
So I do rise in support, and the current language in SB 2471 SD2 HD2 CD1 granting the attorney general authority to invalidate a law on constitutional grounds should be removed because it fundamentally disrupts the balance of powers.
Legislator
Determining the constitutionality of a law is the role of the judiciary, not an executive branch official. This concern is not limited to a single provision. It is embedded throughout the bill wherever foreign corporation is referenced.
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The bill repeatedly states if the subsection is held invalid for any reason by a court of competent jurisdiction or determined to be unenforceable in the opinion of the attorney general, then act blank. Session laws of Hawaii 2026 shall be deemed invalid and have no force or effect.
Legislator
This language gives the attorney general's opinion the same practical effect as a court ruling allowing a single executive official to nullify an enacted law without judicial review.
Legislator
This is particularly problematic because constitutional interpretation is often unsettled and evolves over time. Reasonable legal minds frequently disagree.
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By inserting this language across multiple sections, the bill creates a standing mechanism for the attorney general to act as a one person constitutional arbiter, converting legal uncertainty into a unilateral decision and denying the courts the opportunity to issue a definitive
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ruling. There is already a well established process to address unconstitutional laws, judicial review. Once enacted, laws can be challenged in court through a transparent adversarial process with checks and appeals.
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Injecting the attorney general into this role after enactment is not only redundant, it is obstructive. Finally, concentrating this authority as single executive office creates the potential for overreach.
Legislator
It undermines legislative independence and reduces accountability to the public who elect lawmakers and not the attorney general to make policy decisions.
Legislator
For these reasons, this language should be removed to preserve the separation of powers and maintain a fair balanced lawmaking process. Instead, the language in the amendment before us today, floor amendment number 11, is better suited to achieve the objective desired.
Legislator
And I wanna thank all of the community members who have been reaching out in support of this particular change. So mahalo, Madam Speaker, and my colleague from Kaneohe. Thank you.
Legislator
Thank you to the previous speaker. The purpose of inserting the AG in here was specifically to address a kind of case that already happened in Hawaii regarding election contributions.
Legislator
So the in this case, the, court issued an injunction for both the plaintiffs but did not or refused to apply it generally, and the state of Hawaii itself decided to not enforce it.
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So in that case, we did not have a clear definitive court ruling that this provision was unconstitutional or whatnot, but the state took it upon itself to refuse to stop enforcing it. So in that case, it was kind of analogous to the AG.
Legislator
Again, though, we have clarified the language in the bill through this floor amendment to make sure that if this situation happens per court order, the fail safe will still trigger.
Legislator
So I don't think we need the AG language in there right now, but the reason we put it in was not to give the AG some sort of carpalage power to do this.
Legislator
It was to address a specific situation that has already happened in the courts of the state of Hawaii, over the federal courts of the state of Hawaii to address that problem. Thank you.
Legislator
Thank you, speaker. I'd like to acknowledge the words of the former speaker and also just say that in effect, the AG would have the authority to make this null and void, and it's highly unusual to insert this language. So, thank you, and I stand on my words.
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May have the words of the Representative from Makakila and couple adopted as if they were my own.
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Really brief I really think that this session is going to be defined about with a theme of how equal branches of government, act and conduct ourselves.
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And that while I appreciate, the, a while I appreciate the intent of the, of the attorney language, the attorney general language. I think the removal of that is very wise and that as we craft these, kinds of clauses moving forward, that we really,
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really pay attention to the balance of powers, the separation of powers, and checks and balances. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Legislator
Members, we are going to take a voice vote. Vote Aye if you are in favor of the floor amendment. Vote no if you are opposed to the floor amendment. All those in favor say Aye.
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Those opposed say no. The floor amendment has been adopted. Members please note the forty eight hour notice for this measure. Members please turn to page one. We will be taking up the state executive budget.
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Madam Speaker, I move to adopt Conference Committee Report number 125-26 as listed on page one, and that House Bill number 1800 HD1 SD1 CD1 as amended past final reading.
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Sorry. Madam Speaker. Aloha. At the midpoint of our session back in March, I gave a two or three minute speech on the budget and described it as a work in progress in the wake of uncertainty.
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While we cannot be adequately prepared for every possible outcome, the budget before us today positions the state well to respond to both our present and future needs.
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Through our work with the Senate and the administration, we have crafted a budget that preserves our essential services, stabilizes our financial plan, and ensures the health and safety of our people.
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As this is the second year of our biennium, HB 1800 is a supplementary budget bill which tweaks the plan that was set forth last year.
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The finance committee staff has spent months digging into departmental budgets, oftentimes staying here late at night and on weekends to make sure that no stone was left unturned.
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In the past, the budget has been described as a statement of values. With that in mind, this bill makes large investments in our social safety net, dedicating expanded resources for snap and Medicaid.
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It provides assistance for local farmers and small businesses and protects and perpetuates our natural resources through the first set of appropriations for the green fee.
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In addition, while identifying areas where we can spend less without hurting government operations, we've made it a priority to have no cut to the Department of Hawaiian Homelands.
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And have dedicated over $35,000,000 in direct appropriations and additional funding to reduce the wait list and improve quality of life for homesteaders.
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When I last spoke on the budget and tax plan, I asked for patience and expressed confidence that we would find a way forward in spite of our challenging financial outlook.
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Today, we can present a budget and tax plan where middle class families receive an even larger tax cut than what was promised in Act 46. Essential services are secure and even expanded, and our financial plan is stable.
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Thank you to the Senate and administration for their partnership, and to both the majority and minority caucuses for their patience and understanding. We are all in this together, and the finance committee is looking forward to the work ahead. Mahalo.
Legislator
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I'd like to acknowledge the finance chair, the committee, and all of his staff for the great effort. I wanna acknowledge that. I can see the tremendous effort and thought that was put into this.
Legislator
Of course, as a minority caucus, we probably would have done some things a little differently, and that's the cause for reservation. But I wanna acknowledge and mahalo the finance chair and committee, and also for taking the time to brief our minority caucus, with his update.
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I think our caucus really appreciated that respect. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Legislator
With reservations, and I'd like to adopt the words of the previous speaker as my own.
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Reservations, and I would like to enter comments into the journal.
Legislator
So ordered. K. Representative Morikawa for the vote. Excuse me. Representative Cochran.
Legislator
Thank you, Madam Speaker. And I really appreciate everyone's pretty much blood, sweat, tears, energy effort into this, you know, difficult, task of balancing this budget and making sure we try to please all the people all the time, but once we wrap our head around that,
Legislator
that'll never happen, then we can, yeah, live in our own skin moving forward. So I have I'm rising in support with reservations.
Legislator
And with some brief comments, please. So as I've notated all throughout this session in reference to the Kahali initiative, I still see, proviso line items in this budget for 24,400,000 for FY26, and 18,000,000 for FY27.
Legislator
And despite the auditor's warnings that were presented to all of us here, so that is the primary reason for my, reservations, in voting this budget through at this time. So thank you for this opportunity.
Legislator
So ordered. Thank you. Okay. If there are no further comments, Representative Morikawa for the vote.
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Madam Speaker, on the measure before us, all Majority Members vote Aye.
Legislator
Thank you Madam Speaker. On the measure before us all Minority Members vote Aye.
Legislator
Have all votes been cast? House Bill number 1800 HD1 SD1 CD1 passes final reading. Recess, subject to the call of the Chair.
Legislator
Madam Speaker, with the exception of conference committee reports numbers 114-26 and 140-26, I move to adopt the conference committee reports listed on pages 33 through 38 and that the accompanied House and Senate bills as amended passed final reading.
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Representative Morikawa. Madam Speaker second the motion. Members any discussion on these items beginning with conference committee report number 105. Representative Shimizu.
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Thank you, Madam Speaker. Personally, I, I'm against what I would consider government control and overreach that that create blanket regulations that limit and adversely affect business free enterprise and contributes to our high cost of doing business. And ultimately, our high cost of living. But I am supporting this bill to honor my Kupuna constituents request. This bill is intended to provide them protection from unintended financial misfortune.
Legislator
This bill is an essential part of our the house's effort to try to curb fraud in the state. It specifically targets crypto kiosks which allow the purchase of cryptocurrency with cash, which has been shown to be not only the source of fraud when someone calls you on the phone and directs you to purchase crypto for them, but also the source of money laundering.
Legislator
I wanna make it very clear that this bill does not restrict you converting your own crypto to cash and using it akin to an ATM, but it does restrict the purchase of crypto by feeding cash into the machine. In talking to Kupuna throughout the state and the AARP and from, honestly, talking to just friends and family members who have been targets of scams, these crypto kiosks are being used as the vehicle for scammers to get money away from people, including many who are on fixed incomes.
Legislator
I'm very proud of the legislature hopefully moving this forward. I think it's an important piece in the state's fight against fraud, in the state. Thank you.
Legislator
Next conference committee report number 106. Representative Garrett.
Legislator
Thank you. This bill is one of the hallmark measures for your higher education committee this session because it goes directly to the heart of what we should be doing in higher education, making sure students not only get through the door, but have the support they need to finish. The Hawaii Community College Promise program was created with the right intent to help cover the unmet direct costs of attendance for eligible students at the University of Hawaii Community Colleges.
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But under the current structure, when a student receives other grants, scholarships, or support, that assistance can reduce the benefit they receive from Hawaii Promise. In practice, that means we may be helping with tuition, but still leaving students to struggle with the real costs that that determine whether they stay enrolled.
Legislator
That's housing, food, transportation, books, and supplies, and the basic expenses of daily life. Madam Speaker, this bill changes that. HB 2338 allows Hawaii Promise to better maximize the total financial support available to students, while staying aligned with federal financial aid requirements. It provides scholarships for 95% of a student's, unmet direct cost needs, and allows other grants and scholarships to help students cover indirect costs. That distinction matters.
Legislator
For many of our community college students, the challenge is not ambition. It is not ability. It is affordability. It is whether they can pay rent, put gas in the car, buy food, afford childcare, or reduce work hours enough to succeed in school. Our community colleges our community colleges are one of the most important tools we have for workforce development, economic mobility, and keeping local students connected to local opportunities.
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If we are serious about addressing workforce shortages, then we have to be serious about helping students complete their programs. This bill is a student centered, practical, and long overdue update to Hawaii Promise. It says that we at the legislature understand the real cost of college. It says that we want students to finish, and it says that Hawaii is willing to invest in its own people. For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to support this measure.
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Representative Belatti. Thank you. In strong support, Please proceed.
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May I have the words of the, Representative from Manoa adopted as if they were my own? So ordered. And just brief remarks. Having been here when we did create the Hawaii Community College Promise program, I think this is a really good example of how we do better. How we can improve on programs.
Legislator
I believe the intent had always been to be able to help make community college affordable and in the reach of so many of our our young students. And so with this kind of policy changes, this is exactly the kind of legislating, the kind of doing better that we need to do. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Legislator
We don't recognize points of personal privilege, but you may have a late introduction. Please proceed, Rep Tam.
Legislator
Okay. Thank you. In the gallery is folks and advocates from the campaign for immigrant justice. So please rise and be recognized. They're all wearing their yellow shirts and welcome to your House of Representatives.
Legislator
So ordered. Representative. K. We're moving on to conference committee report number 107. Representative Iwamoto.
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This bill authorizes the University of Hawaii to engage in enterprise related activities for educational purposes and exempts such activity from certain county zoning requirements. During one of the committee hearings, I did, I was able to question one of the testifiers from the University of Hawaii and confirm that Mauna Kea is still managed by the University of Hawaii.
Legislator
And, also, one thing to consider is that a 30 meter telescope would fall under the umbrella of enterprise related activities as enterprise related activities may include, but shall not be limited to teaching laboratories, training facilities, and other applied learning settings designated by the board of regents that meet the requirements of this section. I raised this concern on third reading here on the floor. I also raised this specific concern in the, Water and Land Committee.
Legislator
And I did request that perhaps an exemption can be made to specifically exempt that this bill does not pertain to potentially building a 30 meter telescope on Mauna Kea. However, that language was not put in, which gives me even greater concern actually. I'm not comfortable voting to pass a bill no matter how innocently it was intended and introduced, that may inadvertently, create a way to sidestep, even one safeguard and, to protect Mauna Kea from reckless development. So for that reason, I'm in opposition. Thanks.
Legislator
Conference committee report number 110. Representative Iwamoto.
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So ordered. Conference committee report one Eleven. Representative Matsumoto. In strong support. Please proceed.
Legislator
You've all heard me talk about this bill many many times but this is for the individual housing account program which helps individuals and those who are and families to save up quicker for a down payment. So this is a program that already exists, we're not creating something new. We are just changing the amounts that you can save up.
Legislator
So you're being able to save up pre tax dollars from 5,000 a year, so now it can go to 20,000 a year if you're filing individually and the program had it for 10,000 a year if you're filing jointly, now to 40,000 a year and now the cap is 200,000 instead of the 25,000 because I don't know how many people can buy a home with a $25,000 down payment.
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And when you're talking to people when they're on that path to home ownership with the biggest barrier they have, they often cite saving up for that down payment.
Legislator
And so this is a bill that has been for many years in the works. There's many people who came to work together for this bill, and I am so happy that it is finally passing. So I stand here in strong support and ask for additional written comments. So ordered. Thank you.
Legislator
Can I have the words of the previous speaker in adopted as my own?
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And I just wanted to point out how pathetic that this such a wonderful bill passed only because it was introduced by a Democrat. The same bill, same virtually everything in this bill was introduced many years ago, several times over by a minority person, a person in the minority caucus. And I just find that very, very appalling to the people of Hawaii who could use this who could have used this six or seven years ago. But I support this bill.
Legislator
Just the games in this chamber and in this building should stop for the betterment of
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the speaker is violating rules by pointing out intent of other members of the part of the caucus.
Legislator
Thank you, Representative Tam. Representative Muraoka, did you have more to add?
Legislator
First of all, I would like to thank not just the minority leader, but all the members of the minority for their tireless advocacy on this issue. I would also like to point out that the house did pass out the minority's version of this measure last year as a show of good faith and support for their advocacy. And one final thing that I learned when I was a kid playing team sports, it's important to both win and lose with grace.
Legislator
Senate conference committee report number 113. Representative Iwamoto.
Legislator
So ordered. Conference committee report one fifteen. Representative Kila.
Legislator
Thank you Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, in the morning of October 28, like any normal morning, there is an individual waiting to cross the street heading to work in Nanakuli. Madam Speaker, while we need to cross the street to go to work, she was unfortunately struck by a vehicle that was hit by another vehicle. This individual has a name and this individual has a story. She's also my family member.
Legislator
She's my niece Teah Mahelona. As traffic came to a standstill, her mother tried to rush to get to her, not being able to get to her in time. She was then rushed to the hospital right across the street at Queens where she was pronounced, where she had lost her life. This measure, like many measures we put forth before the legislature, is in response to many of the difficult that we've difficulties we face in the interim.
Legislator
Last year, Hawaii saw one of its most tragic years of incidences released to traffic deaths, and we are doing much better this year.
Legislator
But this measure in Section two honors her acknowledging that we must do better to protect our school zones that abate our school roads. But I also know Madam Speaker, we can install every crosswalk, every speed bump, every camera to try and make our roads safer. But there is an inherent Kuleana. Us as motorists and us as users to make sure that the road is safe for all.
Legislator
So although this amount of $2,000,000 may not solve all the problems, it shall be known that whatever improvements come from this act, it is in honor of Tayah.
Legislator
And if you folks would just allow me to share, she is the oldest of four. She was the only daughter to Kaylee and Amanda Mahalona. She was training to become a pilot and unfortunately lost her life at the age young age of 19. So as we continue to make our roads safer, I like folks to think about Te'a and the many people that have lost their life due to negligence.
Legislator
And as we try to make our school zones safer as well, this is a cockle effort, and I thank the legislature for their support in this measure.
Legislator
Madam Speaker, in support, I would like to adopt the words of the previous speaker as my own.
Legislator
So ordered. Thank you. Representative Co- Kapela. Thank you, Madam Speaker in support. Please proceed.
Legislator
May I adopt the words of the chair of transportation? So ordered. And I'd like to thank him for his work on this on this issue. This is an issue that touches every single district across our state. And having had many students be injured on their way to school or trying to walk home and, unfortunately, having a young elementary schooler lose her life because we didn't have a safe crosswalk and because there was a drunk driver on the road.
Legislator
So I, I genuinely appreciate the chair of transportation for his efforts to move this forward and for every single young person who will hopefully be able to get to school and home safely.
Legislator
K. Members, conference committee report number 117, 120, 121. Representative Cochran.
Legislator
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise in opposition and request to enter words into the general, please. So ordered.
Legislator
Conference committee report number 122. Representative Reyes Oda.
Legislator
Thanks. And strong support and permission to insert comments in the journal. So ordered.
Legislator
Thank you, Madam Speaker. You rise in opposition and request to enter,
Legislator
words into the journal. So ordered. Report number 129. 130. Here.
Legislator
Representative Cochran. Same request. So ordered. Report number 130. Representative Shimizu.
Legislator
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I'm supportive of registering more people to vote. My concern is, just the overall system being cleaned in, in our voter rolls and, and making sure that our chief elections officer is preparing and ready for the anticipated increased influx of these new voters. And having organizational structures to properly manage and handle these voters before it gets, before this bill gets put, put in place. And, and things get out of hand.
Legislator
Otherwise, we will be adding to and creating a bigger problem and further damaging public trust in, in our voting system. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Legislator
Report number 131. Representative Cochran. Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise in opposition and request, written comments. So ordered.
Legislator
Report number 132. 133. Representative Iwamoto. Reservations. So ordered.
Legislator
So ordered. Representative Cochran. With reservations. So ordered. Report number 134.
Legislator
I, I, I would be remiss to not one acknowledge and thank our drafting agencies in the house majority for helping me move this bill forward and the two deputy attorney generals that assisted with me in this measure. Trisha Nakamatsu and Mark Tom. As we try to make our roads safer, one part of it is revoking people's licenses who lawfully should have them revoked.
Legislator
This measure before the body allows that us to close a loophole that is often exploited and continues to try to make this process more stronger. So with the efficacy of both the house and Tricia and Mark, I am really thankful to put this before the legislature, and thank you folks for your support.
Legislator
Madam Speaker, this is a really nice idea. But unfortunately, you know, with our tight budget situation, I, I would prefer that we defer this idea for another time. And, I would also suggest that if in some future time that this is considered, we should offer this opportunity to our high school students who can maximize their skills and talents for this project. Thank you, madam speaker.
Legislator
Representative Kapela. Thank you, Madam Speaker. In support, please proceed.
Legislator
I really like this bill. I think it's a wonderful idea, and I don't see it as something that takes away from our budget. In fact, I think it adds because at the end of the day, this is an investment in future writers. This is an investment in our children, and that is always something beneficial. My only issue with this measure is that both of the pilot locations are located here in the urban core of Honolulu.
Legislator
I think in the future, we need to think about making sure that if we're gonna pilot something, we should also pilot on a neighbor island so that we have more diversity and more and we can strengthen pathways for students across our state, not just in Honolulu.
Legislator
Thank you. I rise in opposition. Request to enter comments. So ordered.
Legislator
So ordered. Report number 142. Report number 144. Representative Kila.
Legislator
Thank you madam speaker. On the measures before us, all majority members vote aye with the exception of the following. On page 33, CCR number 107Dash26, HB number 2171, HD one SD1, CD one, rep Iwamoto, votes no. CCR number 110Dash26, HP number 2505, HT1S t 1 c d 1, rep Hartsfield votes no. On page 35, CCR number 120Dash26, SB number 3229 SD one HD one CD one, rep Iwo Modo, votes no.
Legislator
CCR number 122Dash26, SB number 3069, SD one, HD one, CD one, rep Iwo Modo votes no. On page 36, CCR number 1206, SB number 2999, SD one, HD two, CD one, Rep Kong votes no. CCR number 130Dash26, SB number 2239, SD one HD one CD one, the following vote no. Arts Field, Keila, Kong. CCR number 131Dash26, HB number 1741, HD two SD one, CD one, Rep Grandinetti, votes no.
Legislator
On the measures before us, all minority members vote aye with the exception of the following. On CCR one zero five dash two six, House bill 1642, h d one s d one, c d one. Representatives Aucos, Cochran, Garcia, Gideon, Matsumoto, Muraoka, and Perrick vote no. On CCR 100 six-twenty six. House bill 2,338.
Legislator
HD1 SD1. Representative Perrick votes no. On CCR 100 and seven-twenty six, House Bill 2,171, HD1 SD1. CD1 Perrick votes no. On page 35, CCR 120 one-twenty six SB2-three 38 SD1 HD2 CD1.
Legislator
Representatives Cochran, Garcia, Gideon, Moraoka, and Parekh vote no. On CCR 120 two-twenty six, Senate bill 3,069 SD1, HD1, CD1, representatives Aucos and Garcia vote no. On page 36, TCR 120 seven-twenty six, SB 2,999 SD one HD two, CD one, representatives ALCOS, Garcia, Idian, Matsumoto, Moraoka, Shimizu, and Parrot vote no. On CCR 120 eight-twenty six, Senate bill 2,060. SD two HD one CD one.
Legislator
Representatives Cochran and Perrick vote no. On CCR 100 thirty-twenty six, Senate bill 2,239. SD1, HD1, CD1. Representatives, Aucos, Cochran, Harabedian, Matsumoto, Mora Oka, Shimizu, and Perrick vote no. On CCR 130 one-twenty six, House Bill 1741 HD2 SD1 CD1.
Legislator
Representative Cochran votes no. On page 37, CCR 130 three-twenty six, House bill 2,023, HD2 SD1, CD1. Representatives Aucos, Garcia, and Perra vote no. On CCR 130 five-twenty six, Senate bill 2,877. SD1, HD1, CD1 representatives Garcia, Moraoka, Shimizu, and Perrick vote no.
Legislator
On CCR one thirty six-twenty six, Senate Bill 2,598, HD one CD one. Representatives Aucos, Cochran, Garcia, Gideon, and Moraoka vote no. On page 38, CCR one forty two-twenty six. House bill 2,329, HD one SD one, CD one. Representatives Cochran, Garcia, Gideon, Shimizu, and Perrick vote no.
Legislator
And lastly, on CCR one forty four dash two six. House Bill 1838 h d two s d one. C d one. Perrick votes no.
Legislator
Members have all votes been cast. Representative Cochran. Madam speaker, one forty dash two six. I'm just wanting to double check that I registered a no vote. On 01/2026, we'll be taking up that measure on Friday.
Legislator
That measure had a floor amendment. Oh, sorry. Yeah. That's it. Sorry.
Legislator
Thank you. Members, have all votes been cast? If so, said measures said accept measures attached to conference committee reports one one four dash twenty six and one forty dash 26 said bills passed final reading. Representative Kahalua.
Legislator
Madam speaker, I move to adopt the conference committee reports listed on pages 39 through 45 and that the company house and Senate bills as amended passed final reading.
Legislator
Members, any discussion on these items beginning with conference committee report number one forty nine? One fifty? Representative Imamura.
Legislator
This bill was initially about setting policies and procedures to help department of education workers when they experience severe or physical harassment. I was impressed with the introducer's original bill in its original form because it demonstrated what I already knew as a former board of education member, That there are numerous criminal statutes that protect educational workers and with elevated sentences.
Legislator
I read the testimony provided in the education committee, and not one testifier, not even the athletic director who was recently victimized, she did not even ask for additional or elevated criminal provisions to be added to this bill. However, criminal provisions were added.
Legislator
And in testimony against this added criminalizing language, the I agree wholeheartedly with the office of the public defender as it wrote in its testimony in opposition to this amended section, the office of the public defender supports protections of the safety and well-being of Hawaii's educational workers.
Legislator
School administrators, teachers, counselors, and other educational staff should not be subjected to severe harassment, intimidation, and disruptive conduct in the course of their employment. However, educational workers are all educational workers are already protected from such legal conduct under current statutes for harassment, assault, and terroristic threatening. This bill now seeks these are my words. This bill now seeks to add the following as harassment. Disrupts or interferes with administration or function of any school, school administration office, or school board.
Legislator
So even a peaceful protest or nonviolent criminal nonviolent civil disobedience could get students put in jail for a year. Or the parents who did a sit in opposing furlough Fridays, if they sat in the board of education office instead of, let's say, governor Lingle's office, they could also be put in prison for a year because they could be construed as disrupting disrupting the functions of the school board. So for that reason, I'm in opposition.
Legislator
Thank you. This bill adds process protections for our teachers, for our educators, and for our sports officials. It says that schools need to propose a safety plan to educators that are alleging harassment. It says that an investigation shall be conducted as to the validity of that complaint. It says that leave of absence shall be granted to our educators to obtain a TRO.
Legislator
It says that the AG can assist these educators in obtaining their TROs. That is a significant industry standard shift. We appreciate our AG. Inaccurate, actually. Parents to advocate for our kids.
Legislator
For their kids. That is, in fact, encouraged. Of course, we want them to do that. But what you cannot do is you cannot disrupt an official proceeding. We don't even allow that in this chamber.
Legislator
You cannot threaten a teacher. You cannot threaten their kids. You cannot say to a teacher, we know where you live. We're following your kids, and we're watching you. And you certainly cannot strike or otherwise cause bodily harm to our educators, or to our sports officials.
Legislator
All of these things are happening now. And it has to stop, speaker. It has to stop. Education needs to be a safe place, not only for our kids. It needs to be a safe place for educators and for our sports official.
Legislator
And for that reason, I stand in strong support of this proposal.
Legislator
In support, may I adopt the words of the education chair as if they were my own?
Legislator
Thank you, madam speaker, and strong support. Now I would like the words of the education chair entered into the record as my own.
Legislator
Thank you. All of the horrible, horrible things that were mentioned by the education chair, I agree with a 100% that needs to stop. We need enforcement, and our current, our current revised statutes does allow for the prosecution of those kinds of egregious things that were mentioned currently in our laws right now before without passing this bill. And again, the first section of this bill, I love it. It's great.
Legislator
It does everything I thought we should be doing. It's again the second part, the the added, and expanded definition of harassment and, the chilling effect that it would have. Again, I come to looking at some of these bills and language that we're adding to the revised statute from the perspective of an advocate.
Legislator
And when I see these kinds of things, it just feels like although I know the intent is honorable and wonderful, the effect could be if you're on the wrong side of messaging, it could be quite silencing and not, in the interest of of democracy and public, engagement. Thank you.
Legislator
I apologize, speaker and members. And when we have time, if we may go back to, HB2344.
Legislator
Okay. Let's finish up on conference committee report one fifty. Any further discussion? K. Seeing none, we'll go back to conference committee report number one forty nine, representative Reyes Oda.
Legislator
We've kicked the can down the road long enough. For years, we've talked about declining enrollment, aging facilities, and underused schools, but we haven't taken decisive action. Meanwhile, the cost of doing nothing keeps growing. We've studied this problem long enough. HB 2,344 gives us a fair data driven way to finally act.
Legislator
Between 2000 sorry, between 2017 and 2019, the state spent nearly $8,000,000 on the Jacob study. That was a statewide school facility study, and that work confirmed what we already knew. Enrollment is down, many campuses are underutilized, and resources are spread too thin. But nothing changed because we had no clear way to act on that data. Taxpayers already paid for the data, and this bill ensures we finally use that data.
Legislator
At the same time, declining enrollment doesn't mean there's a declining need. We have many small schools operating far below capacity. While population shifts and housing developments, especially in areas that have these these big developments being built, means that we need new modern and resilient schools in different locations. We need the right schools in the right places for today's Hawaii. HB 2,344 is a missing link.
Legislator
It takes politics out of the process, relies on data, ensures public input, and finally turns years of study into action. This bill is about right sizing our
Legislator
invest, reinvest in students reinvest in students and plan responsibly for the future of public education in Hawaii.
Legislator
Okay, members. We're back on conference committee report number 153. Representative Iwamoto.
Legislator
And permission to add words into the journal. So ordered. Thank you.
Legislator
Thank you, madam speaker. Madam speaker, I agree the influence of money should be taken out of our government, starting with our campaigns. And to help promote this value to our public, I would argue that we need to establish reasonable spending and fundraising caps, so that all candidates are on the same financial playing field. And the voters will then consider one's character, values, and policy to determine the best candidate to vote for, and not by the influence that money can buy. Thank you, madam speaker.
Legislator
Representative Bellotti. Thank you, madam speaker, in support. Please proceed.
Legislator
Madam speaker, I I rise in strong support. As many of you know, I started off in politics as a campaign spending commissioner. As a young student coming out of college, wanting to volunteer and finding myself serving on the campaign spending commission. So this policy proposal is near and dear to my heart. Some of you also know
Legislator
a history geek, a history nerd, and this program, the partial public financing, is something that is mandated by our state constitution. In fact, it was developed in the nineteen seventy eight constitutional convention. So as a history geek, as a little bit of a history nerd, what I love about this institution is that this is a place where we are constantly talking to each other across generations, across years, across legislatures.
Legislator
And when I looked to this constitutional convention, the proceedings of 1978, over forty eight years ago, some of us weren't born. I can say I was four years old.
Legislator
It is so unbelievable to see the names of the people who supported this, Weatherwax, Hale, Wahe'e, Ihara, Campbell, Antani, Jim Shone, a predecessor of mines when he was a young man, and to hear that they were saying many of the same things, about campaign financing then in 1978. I wanna share the words of of of delegate Schoen when he was talking about, this proposal about putting this into the state constitution and why we needed it.
Legislator
He said, quote, what we have before us is the marketplace syndrome. That is, those who are wealthy, those who are plugged in, those who have connections to the source of wealth, they are taken care of. But those who are not, why, they should compete as well as anyone else.
Legislator
After all, all is fair, everything being equal, but everything is not equal. When we are electing public officials, we're not electing everyone who has the same income or the same opportunities to gather financing for their campaigns. Supposedly, we're electing people to serve, and the qualifications for service I have never seen written down in any constitution or any law that the qualifications must be you are successful, wealthy, have access to resources to financial campaign, your campaign in a luxurious way.
Legislator
Supposedly, the qualifications to run for office have to do with character, opinion, willingness to serve. Delegate Schoen goes on to say, I would ask you to consider that under the present system, those who have the most wealth are favored.
Legislator
Under the proposed committee proposal, those who do not have an awful lot of wealth, an awful lot of connection are given a fighting chance. He goes on to say, this idea of imposing a burden on the taxpayer, I do not understand that, because as one of the delegates who spoke earlier mentioned, every time someone is elected whose campaign has been financed, not by his constituents, but by a very special interest oriented group.
Legislator
Every time someone is elected in that manner, I submit to you the constituents of that representative have been compromised. I ask you to support the existing proposal on the basis that it gives those who do not have a great deal of wealth a fighting chance. Those words ring true today with this proposal with this proposal that makes avail available for public financing more money, that has not been significantly increased since 1995, over thirty one years ago.
Legislator
Madam speaker, the last time public financing, partial public financing was used in a significant way was by governor David Ige, taking on an incumbent, and he was successful. He did not have all the money behind him, but he had the people behind him. And I think it's because of this kind of program that we give a fighting chance. We give people an option. We give voters options, and that that makes for a stronger democracy.
Legislator
For so for those reasons, I strongly support, this proposal. And I thank the judiciary chair and the finance chair and leadership for moving this bill forward because I think, as we look at questions of corruption, the need to restore trust, it is measures like this coupled with others that we are taking up this session that will do exactly that, begin to restore public trust in our democratic institutions. Thank you, madam speaker.
Legislator
I would like the words of my good government caucus co chair entered into the record as my own. Still ordered. And just a brief comment, just to reiterate that this measure will level the playing field for candidates, especially good candidates who want to seek public office. Mahalo.
Legislator
Standing, conference committee report number 160. 161, 162, one sixty three. Representative Cochran.
Legislator
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise in opposition, during the discussion on this and transportation, the, the testimony showed drawings of such a, water carrier, wing and ground craft.
Legislator
it's something that is in, I guess in discussion. It's not like technically really real. They are to test it in waters on the East Coast, which I feel is not conducive to our Hawaii oceans conditions and environment. So I rise in opposition at this time. So I think we're just kind of, it's like kind of
Legislator
the car before the horse situation here. Thank you very much. Representative Poipoi.
Legislator
Thank you, speaker. In opposition, in a comment? Please proceed. I feel like the exemption proposed in this bill is extremely premature for the technology, which is far from being proven safe. This bill is for Regent and it's prototype sea glider.
Legislator
It's an electric craft that starts off in the water, it hydrofoils, and then it goes airborne. And transition through these three phases still do not work reliably reliably and will remain in prototype indefinitely. Last October, a demonstration flight malfunctioned. One of the wings struck the water, and the craft needed to be towed back to port while they figure out what went wrong. So far, they've only been tested in very calm conditions still unsuccessfully.
Legislator
Our channels are rough and unforgiving, and some of the roughest waters in the world. Also highly corrosive salt air. I know there is a push to get these to Hawaii ASAP, but I am more cautious. Prove it somewhere else before you come here and put our most vulnerable residents at risk. I'm concerned that, our most vulnerable community members will be the ones, our kupuna, our Keiki, our medically frail, who will end up being the guinea pigs for this technology.
Legislator
These crafts fly about 30 to 60 feet above the water. So like that gold ornament up to the ceiling above the water. It's unclear if they measure from the trough or the crest, but that can be significantly, a significant variation depending on a swell. And that limited space doesn't provide for a lot of space to course correct or to get out of the way if you're in the water.
Legislator
I've heard sentiment that, yes, it flies where whales breach, but they're not actually going to bang a whale.
Legislator
Well, they're not until they do. And the waters in Maui County are also a whale sanctuary, so we need to have that extra level of consideration. And it's not just whales. It's seabirds, porpoises, dolphins. And there are other things like logs or driftwood or turtles in the water that could come in contact with the hydrofoils and cause hazards.
Legislator
I'm also concerned for traditional and customary practitioners and practices. Having these craft fly so low above the water while practicing kilo or subsistence gathering can substantially interfere with the sanctity of the practices, even with fishing, diving, paddling, boating could also be impacted. Perhaps we do need to establish a new regulatory structure for these types of emerging technology at the state level. But for now, that is the PUC, I guess, and that's what we have.
Legislator
I would support an exemption at a point in time that we do have a better place to place it at the state level.
Legislator
I know that the Coast Guard oversees some of these aspects, but this will be occurring in state waters. So I do think that we should have some state level oversight, to provide the public a space to participate. So for those reasons, not in support of this bill. Thank you. Representative Iwamoto.
Legislator
And I ask that the words of the representatives from Molokai and Lahaina be entered into the record as my own. And if I could say a few more words. As the representative from Kakaako where Kewalo Basin is located, it it so the the the air the aircraft that's being referred to here would actually I my understanding, the plans are for it to take off and and land in the waters of Kewalo Basin.
Legislator
So Aye, and some concerns have been raised about where would the public go to if the noise and if the threat to the people using the water, if it does become a concern. And I echo the sentiments made by the representative from Molokai that there needs to be a clear place for the public to, bring its, concerns and questions.
Legislator
I'd like to adopt the words from the representative from Molokai as if they were my own.
Legislator
So ordered. K. Members are at the top of page 41. Send, conference committee report one sixty four. One sixty six.
Legislator
Thank you, Madam Speaker. So after learning about this measure passing out of conference committee, I had a chance to reflect on all the work that it goes into getting a measure across the finish line. It really does take patience and a village to take an idea and turn it into action.
Legislator
I want to start by thanking my colleagues, all of you first, in both the House and the Senate, and especially the House Chair of Health, Chair of Human Services and Homelessness, the Consumer Protection and Commerce Chair, and the Chair of Finance, along with the Senate Chair of Health and Human Services, Chair of Consumer Protection, and the Chair of Ways and Means for scheduling this bill in their respective committees and allocating the funding for it.
Legislator
There are countless volunteer advocates from the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and other cancer advocacy groups, oncologists, medical professionals, University of Hawaii Cancer Center researchers and staff, members of the Hawaii Comprehensive Cancer Coalition, and the Colorectal Cancer Task Force that really made a difference along the way.
Legislator
So members, this is really a full circle moment for me. I actually floated the original idea of this bill back in 2012. It started with then the House Health Chair Ryan Imani, who is now the DHS director, which is another ironic full circle moment for him because he now runs the department that will implement this program. And also Senate Consumer Protection Chair Senator Ross Baker, who who introduced not only the original version of this bill in 2012, but multiple versions of this bill over the years.
Legislator
Since in those fourteen years, not only did she introduce many versions of this bill, but she also worked to create a colorectal cancer screening working group in that time. But Madam Speaker, let me be clear. This is not just something that deserved to pass because it waited fourteen years. Colorectal cancer has become the number one cause of death for people 50. Here's a statistic.
Legislator
One out of every five colorectal cancer diagnoses are for people 50. This is alarming because we've operated under the assumption that the onset of cancer increases with age and the increase in cancer diagnosis among younger adults is concerning. Colorectal cancer is treatable, however, if caught early. We have seen immense strides in early detection and screening modalities that can catch this deadly cancer early. But a lot of times, colorectal cancer can grow undetected without any visible signs or symptoms.
Legislator
And simply waiting for the warning signs to show can be dangerous because at that point, it might be too late. This is why this program is so important so that everyone has access to a potential life saving screening and treatment. There is one other person I would like to recognize, madam speaker. It is the late state representative and former vice speaker of the house, Jackie Young. To me, she was a true champion for cancer patients and their families.
Legislator
I learned a lot about the legislative process and advocacy from her when she shared stories of her time in the legislature. While she is no longer with us, I know she would have been proud to know that this legislature prioritized cancer screenings for people in our community who need it the most so that we can continue to save more lives from cancer. Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this measure.
Legislator
It has finally come full circle for cancer prevention for the people of our state. Mahalo.
Legislator
Conference committee report number 167. 168. 169. 170. Representative Amato.
Legislator
We all remember the disabled kupuna who perished in the August 2023 wildfire. According to the Department of Health, one in seven Hawaii residents has a disability. Half of the physically disabled are kupuna.
Legislator
As the only federally acknowledged physically disabled member of this body, I introduced HB 2443, a bill I call SAFER, support for accessible fire and emergency response that improves emergency planning, response, and recovery efforts by creating a Hawaii Emergency Management Agency disability specialist position, ensuring fire and disaster planning and response considers disabled individuals. Federal ADA law requires that state governments give people with disabilities an equal opportunity to benefit from activities.
Legislator
But more importantly, all community members deserve to be considered in times of disaster, and this bill is a start at recognizing this longer term goal. I am grateful to my colleagues who supported this bill and the chairs of the public safety and our finance chair who saw the wisdom in protecting our kupuna and our disabled members of our community. Thank you for your attention to this matter and for your support.
Legislator
Conference committee report number one seventy one. Representative Cochran.
Legislator
Thank you madam speaker. I arise with reservations and request to, enter written comments, please. So ordered. Thank you.
Legislator
Report number one seventy two. Represent Shimizu. In support. Please proceed.
Legislator
Thank you, madam speaker. I I previously voted down this bill with the goal to protect cost of living issues and preventing increased small business costs. But as I have gone through committee hearings and conference committee and weighing the amendments back and forth, I realize there's a balance of give and take and the need for our government to fund needed repairs and maintenance.
Legislator
So at this point, madam speaker, I trust my chair's judgement and that this bill can strike a fair balance between paying for infrastructure use and improve facilities that help promote one's business to thrive. So I rise in support.
Legislator
madam speaker. I rise in support with reservations only in the sense that I know that our, as we rebuild Lahaina Harbor in places, the fees will be collected and they have, the businesses will pay into it and have been, but it doesn't necessarily go back to the, the revenues don't go back to where they were, taken from the actual businesses.
Legislator
And so that's been an ongoing complaint of the businesses in certain districts if there's fees, penalties, and charges on certain items, but they go back to general fund or most of the brunt of the allocations, come back to this island due to probably this sheer number of population. So hopefully moving forward in the future, there's a we can we can work on something where where fees are collected that, you know, a good portion of that revenue goes back to where it was, garnered from. Thank you.
Legislator
Conference committee report number 173. One Representative Poi Poi.
Legislator
In support with permission to enter comments into the journal.
Legislator
So ordered. Thank you. Report number 174. Representative Cochran. I think you just rising, support with reservations.
Legislator
Teacher pay in Hawaii has not kept pace with reality. While salaries may look competitive on paper when adjusted for the cost of living, Hawaii teachers are among the lowest paid in the nation. Years of salary stagnation has made it harder for educators to build a future here. Many teachers have to resort to taking second jobs. The result is clear.
Legislator
We are losing teachers at an alarming rate. Too many leave the profession or the state within just a few years, creating instability in classrooms impacting student success. Retaining experienced teachers is just as important as recruiting new ones, if not more important. This bill is a statement that Hawaii believes in its educators By reaffirming annual and longevity step increases subject to collective bargaining and legislative appropriation, we show respect for their expertise, commitment, and service. This bill sends a clear message.
Legislator
If teachers choose to stay and serve our students, Hawaii will value and support them.
Legislator
Thank you, madam speaker. I would normally question if this might possibly be redundant or unnecessary with the state auditor's work already being done in in this area. But out of healthy respect and appreciation for the introducer and former finance chair, I support this bill and look forward to important meaningful data that can strategically guide this future legislature and legislation and policy for better and wiser funding or cutbacks as applicable for allocations. Thank you, madam speaker.
Legislator
Report number 186. Report number 187. 190. 191. Representative Iwamoto.
Legislator
Reservations. So ordered. Report number 192, report number 193. Representative Imamoto.
Legislator
This bill appropriates funds to the city and county of Honolulu to facilitate the receipt handling and humane disposition of feral chickens that have already been caught. Why are we giving the county money to do something they should already be doing? Whenever we allocate funds to the county for these kinds of things, I think about the way we raise revenue. We raise revenue from working families, whereas the county raises the majority of its revenue from landowners.
Legislator
If they already caught the chicken, why do they need state funding to humanely dispose of it?
Legislator
What are they gonna do? Keep it up. I mean, what are they gonna do if we don't give them the money? They have the chicken. Anyway, I'm I'm supposed to use a spell.
Legislator
Madam speaker on the measures before us, all majority members vote aye with exception of the following. On page 39, CCR number 149-26, HB number 2344, HD1, SD2, CD1, Rep. Iwamoto votes no. CCR number 150-26, HB number 1888 HD3, SD2, CD1, Rep. Iwamoto votes no. On page 40, CCR number 159-26 HB number 2050 HD1, SD1, CD1, Rep. Kitagawa votes no. CCR number 161-26, SB number 3215, HD1, CD1, the following vote no.
Legislator
Belatti, Perruso, Poepoe. CCR number 163-26 SB number 2400 SD1, HD1, CD1, the following vote no. Belatti, Hartsfield, Iawamoto, Perruso, Poepoe.On page 41, CCR number 167-26, HB number 1541, HD2, SD1, CD1, Rep. Iawamoto votes no. On page 43, CCR number 174-26, HB number 1710, HD2, SD2, CD1, the following vote no. Belatti, Perruso, Poepoe. On page 44, CCR number 181-26, SB number 177, SD1, HD1, CD1, the following vote no.
Legislator
Belatti, Perruso, Poepoe. CCR number 186-26, HB number 1870, HD2, SD1, CD1, Rep. Kong votes no. And on page 45, CCR number 187-26, HB number 1839, HD2, SD2, CD1, Rep Kong votes no. And CCR number 193-26 SB number 2892 SD1, HD1, CD1, Rep. Iwamoto votes no.
Legislator
Thank you, Madam Speaker. On the measures before us, all minority members vote aye with the exception of the following. On page 40, CCR 159-26, House Bill 2450, HD1, SD1, CD1. Representatives Alcos, Cochran, Garcia, Gedeon, Matsumoto, Reyes Oda, and Pierick vote no.
Legislator
On CCR 163-26 Senate Bill 2400. It's SD1, HD1, CD1. Representatives, Alcos, Cochran, Garcia, Gedeon, and Shimizu vote no. Page 41, CCR 164-26. House Bill 1618 HD1, SD1, CD1.
Legislator
Representatives Muraoka and Pierick vote no. On CCR 166-26 House Bill 1969 HD2, SD1, CD1, Pierick votes no. CCR 167-26, House Bill 1541, HD2 SD1, CD1, Pierick votes no. On CCR 168-26 House Bill 2310, HD1, SD1, CD1, Representative Muraoka votes no.
Legislator
On page 42. CCR 172-26. House bill 649 HD1, SD1, CD1. Representatives Alcos, Garcia, Matsumoto, Muraoka, and Pierick vote No.
Legislator
On page 43, CCR 175-26. Senate bill 2802 SD1, HD1, CD1, Representative Pierick votes no. On CCR 177-26. House bill 1974 HD1, SD1, CD1, Representative Pierick votes no. On CCR 179-26. House bill 1891 HD1, SD1, CD1, Representative Pierick votes no.
Legislator
On page 44, CCR 182-26, Senate Bill 2101 HD1, SD1, CD1, Representatives Alcos, Cochran, Garcia, Gedeon, and Muraoka vote no. On CCR 185-26, House Bill 2429. House Draft 2, Senate Draft 2, Conference Draft 1. Representatives Alcos, Cochran, Garcia, Gedeon, and Muraoka vote no.
Legislator
On CCR 186-26, House Bill 1870. HD2, SD1, CD1, Representatives Alcos, Garcia, Matsumoto, Muraoka, Shimizu, and Pierick vote no. Page 45 CCR 187-26.
Legislator
House bill 1839. HD2, SD2, CD1. Representatives, Alcos, Garcia, and Pierick vote no. On CCR 191-26. SB 2671. SD1, HD2, CD1. Representative Cochran votes no. And on CCR 193-26. Senate Bill 2892, SD1, HD1, CD1. Representatives Alcos, Cochran, Garcia, Muraoka, and Souza vote no.
Legislator
Madam speaker, for Conference Committee Report 182-26, SB 2101, SD1, HD1, CD1, may I please register a no vote?
Legislator
Can you read the number again more slowly please, Representative Kila?
Legislator
Conference Committee Report 182-26, SB 2101, SD1, HD1, CD1, may I please register a no vote?
Legislator
Conference Committee Report number 182, Representative Kila, has a no vote.
Legislator
Thank you, Madam Speaker. On Conference Committee Report 186-26, HB 180, HD2, SD1, CD1. May I please register reservations?
Legislator
On Conference Committee Report number 186, Representative Kila, reservations.
Legislator
Last one. Conference Committee Report 187-26, HB 1839, HD2, SD2, CD1. May I please register reservations.
Legislator
Reservations for Representative Keila. And if you can, next time, while we're going through the discussion on these, please stand up with your reservations. Thank you, Representative Kila. Representative Shimizu.
Legislator
My apologies, Madam Speaker. I'd like to register reservations for CCR 187, HB 1839. That's all. Thank you.
Legislator
Representative Shimizu, Conference Committee Report 187, with reservation. So ordered. And next time, please, while we're going through the discussion. Representative Muraoka.
Legislator
I don't have reservations. Madam Speaker, CCR 163-26, SB 2400, SD1, HD1, CD1. Can I register a no vote, please?
Legislator
Conference Committee Report number 163, Senate Bill number 2400, Senate Draft 1, House Draft 1, Conference Draft 1, Representative Muraoka, no vote.
Legislator
So ordered. Okay, members, have all votes been cast? So said bills pass final reading. We're at the top of page 46. I just wanted to know, members, we are gonna defer Conference Committee Report number 196-26 located on page 46.
Legislator
This is House Bill number 306, one legislative day. Representative Kahaloa.
Legislator
Madam Speaker, with the exception of Conference Committee Reports numbers 196-26 and 217-26, I move to adopt the standing committee reports listed on pages 46 through 52 and that the accompanying House and Senate bills as amended pass final reading
Legislator
Any discussion on these items beginning with Conference Committee Report number 194. Representative Kila.
Legislator
So ordered. Conference Committee Report 197. Representative Reyes Oda.
Legislator
Thank you madam speaker. I wanna start by acknowledging the immense work that went into this measure by the introducer of this bill along with your Water, Land, and Judiciary committees. And I also wanna be clear about one provision I do support, and that is the authority to extend existing leases, which is necessary if astronomy is gonna continue in Hawaii. The current leases on Mauna Kea are approaching expiration in 2033. In astronomy, seven years is not a long runway.
Legislator
These are long term capital intensive investments that require decades of planning, financing, and sustained commitment. Without the ability to to extend those leases, institutions will hesitate to invest here, or they will invest somewhere else. So while granting lease extension authority during this transition is not ideal, I believe it is necessary to provide stability and preserve a future for astronomy in Hawaii, but I cannot support the broader direction of continued delay.
Legislator
At the same time, we are trying to create certainty for long term investment. This bill extends a transition timeline, pushing full implementation of the Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority to the end of 2029.
Legislator
Madam Speaker, I feel that sends a conflicting message. On one hand, we are telling the world that Hawaii can provide the stability needed for long term astronomy. But on the other hand, we are signaling that we are not still ready to fully execute the transition we already committed to. That uncertainty has consequences. Madam Speaker, we have already seen opportunities slip away.
Legislator
Hawaii lost out on a roughly $500,000,000 international investment involving the Canada France Hawaii Telescope because of uncertainty surrounding future leases and long term governance on Mauna Kea. That is not just a missed project, it is a loss of jobs, research, innovation, and global partnership. And more importantly, it sends a signal to the rest of the world that Hawaii may not be able to provide the certainty that projects of this scale require. When uncertainty grows, investment goes elsewhere. When timelines keep slipping, confidence erodes.
Legislator
And when confidence erodes, Hawaii risks losing its standing as a global leader in astronomy. Madam Speaker, my concern goes beyond astronomy. This also affects our credibility as a legislature. Deadlines are not arbitrary. They are put in place to create urgency, drive progress, and ensure accountability.
Legislator
When we extend those deadlines, we send a message across government that timelines are flexible, expectations are negotiable, and if an entity falls behind, it can simply come back and ask for more time. That is not a precedent we should normalize. At some point, we have to hold the line. We have to show that when we, when we set expectations, we mean them, and we have to demonstrate that we are serious about follow through.
Legislator
As Chair of your Committee on Higher Education, I care deeply about the future of astronomy in Hawaii. It represents opportunity for our students, our workforce, our research community, and our place on the world stage.
Legislator
Leadership requires credibility, it requires urgency, and it requires discipline in how we govern. This bill gives astronomy one tool it needs. It authorizes lease and sublease extensions before the transfer and up to additional ten years. It also extends a transition that should be moving faster, not slower.
Legislator
We should be reinforcing confidence, not raising new doubts. So while I support the least extension authority as necessary to sustain astronomy in Hawaii, I cannot support the broader direction of continued delay. For these reasons, I stand in opposition. Thank you.
Legislator
Thank you, Speaker. And, with the, I stand in strong support. Thank you.
Legislator
With the exception of his opposition, I'd like to adopt the words of the previous speaker. They're well said and, and I hear him.
Legislator
I do wanna point out that another important role that this bill provides is the ability for the Mauna Kea Stewardship and oversight authority to move forward as it has been. While it's been painfully slow, they're gaining speed. And at this point, to change tack or reverse course, I believe, would be more detrimental. So providing them the means and the guardrails to move forward as the entity the preferred entity, to Steward Mauna Kea, to balance culture and astronomy is probably the best path forward.
Legislator
It provides the the guardrails of the key deadlines for the management plan adoption, submission of administrative rules. And if it doesn't meet those, it will revert back to UH.
Legislator
But I think it needs a time, and that extension provides them that little bit of time to do that community outreach piece and meet all those kind of intangible pieces that this complex legislation is trying to achieve. So with that, I support this, and I hear our Higher Education Chair clearly. Thank you.
Legislator
Thank you, Madam Speaker. We cannot forget the children in Hawaii who have been hurt, abused, and even lost their lives within the system that was meant to protect them. Those tragedies are real and they do demand action. Doing nothing is is not an option from us and our body. And the intent behind this bill which is to provide early upstream support to families and prevent deeper involvement within CWS is a good intent.
Legislator
But as this measure has moved through the process this session, it has shifted. What began as a framework for voluntary services now raises concerns about identifying and potentially tracking families deemed at risk. Without clearly stating in statute that engagement must remain voluntary. That lack of clarity indeed matters. We've been down this road before.
Legislator
As, after past tragedy, similar bills were brought forward, SB 2,323 back in 2018. And later what many know as Ariel's law. Each time serious concerns about privacy and government overreach caused those efforts to stall. In 2022, even governor Ige vetoed a similar bill because of those same reasons. We are told that the implementation will follow existing safeguards.
Legislator
And I appreciate those assurances from the department head. But if those protections are important, which they are, they should be written clearly into the law itself, not left to interpretation later. Because once authority is granted, it must be clearly limited. We do have a responsibility to act but we must act within the constitutional guard rails that hold back the winds of government intrusion and overreach. Those guardrails protect families and preserve trust within the system.
Legislator
Right now, this bill leaves too much unresolved. Madam Speaker, we can take meaningful steps to protect Hawaii's keiki while still respecting the rights of families because we have to get it right. For those reasons, no vote.
Legislator
Thank you, Madam Speaker. In support. I just wanted to provide some clarifying comments that this is an entirely voluntary program just meant to provide financial support to connect families who are not in the child protective services system, but may have had some contact to provide them with access to connect them with all kinds of programs that exist in our state to lift up families and reduce the stress and resource scarcity that they might be facing and also to connect them with parenting and family strengthening classes.
Legislator
This is a response to the Malama Ohana Working Group, which was organized by this body, and they basically people who had direct lived experience with the child protective services gave their opinions, or manaʻo, on how we can do things better. And one of the strongest messages that was put forth was to raise up and help the families before, their children are taken away.
Legislator
So that's what this does. It has nothing to do with anything post, post custody. Thank you.
Legislator
Thank you, Chair, and oh, sorry. Madam speaker. I rise in opposition only, and this is that, of course, I support our needy families and assistance. But this particular bill states that over $830,000,000 were found unspent in this state.
Legislator
And, that was eye opening. And this is gonna create this pilot program, which is like a working group again, and they're gonna discuss how to disperse almost a billion dollars they found and spent here.
Legislator
And it's gonna take 2.4 years till they finally decide on the final outcome on where the money's gonna go. So personally, I feel like we need it now, and not wait 2.4 years from now in order to utilize almost a billion dollars for our needy families. Thank you.
Legislator
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise to provide further clarification. The funds that were being referred to are our TANF reserve funds, and this proposal would use a small portion of those funds. Some of those funds were used last fall for the Hawaii Relief Program. They have built up in our state because if we were previously, because of federal regulations, COFA residents were not eligible to receive those funds.
Legislator
And as a result, we could not provide any programs in our state that did not also include a state funding to provide the same service for our COFA residents. Now that the federal regulations have changed and we're able to use TANF relief funds for all of our residents, including COFA, now we are starting that spend down. And it started with the Hawaii Relief Program, and now we're looking at other ways to very meaningfully use these funds in many different programs, including this one. Thank you.
Legislator
Yes. Thank you so much, second time. And so also in the bill, it states in many multiple other bills that we pass through this body report of, report to be given to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of next session. And today, as I stand here, we're still awaiting such reports, in particular, an audit. And so I just it's in here and I support, of course, receiving reports to see how money's been spent down and utilized, but what happens when it doesn't come through?
Legislator
I just have not seen any recourse on our behalf as a body to force the issue to make sure that that it, you know, comes onto our desk. So, again, I just hope we can put some more teeth and put a little more, urgency and hammer on when we put these words into our bills. Thank you.
Legislator
Conference Committee Report number 202. Representative Lowen.
Legislator
Thank you. In opposition, but first I wanna just recognize that, I commend the Chair of Economic Development in the House and the Senate, for doing their job and doing this work for the subject matter under their peer review. My concerns here are just that in a year one, we are repealing a bunch of other tax credits that arguably will help to lower the cost of living for Hawaii's working families. This is the one tax credit that we are expanding.
Legislator
And I just worry about what that says about our legislative priorities and for that reason, I'm voting no today.
Legislator
I rise today in support of this measure and wanna thank the committee chairs and members for their leadership and thoughtful work in moving this bill forward. Mahalo as well to the film industry professionals, local businesses, labor partners, and creative talent who advocated for this measure and shared their expertise throughout the process.
Legislator
This bill supports Hawaii's economy by creating local jobs, strengthening opportunities for small businesses, hotels, restaurants, transportation companies, and many other industries across our islands. It also helps showcase Hawaii to the world.
Legislator
Every movie, television show, or streaming production filmed here highlights the beauty and culture of our islands while generating valuable exposure that supports tourism and economic activity statewide.
Legislator
Beyond the economic impact, this measure helped create career pathways for local residents in film, media, technology, trades, and creative arts, allowing more kamaaina to build meaningful careers here at home. I'm proud to support this measure. Thank you.
Legislator
Conference Committee Report number 203. Representative Reyes Oda.
Legislator
Aloha State oh, I have concerns about SB 2074 and the precedent that we'll set for this the future, but I'm gonna specifically only address the naming rights. Aloha Stadium is more than just a venue. It is a public space built with public funds, and it belongs to the people of Hawaii. Because of that, the name matters. Names carry history, culture, and meaning.
Legislator
Names help people understand the relationship with our aina. When we allow a private company to make a, to name a public facility, we're making more than a financial decision. We're making a statement about our values. We should ask ourselves whether a few million dollars a year, which won't significantly offset operating costs, is worth the trade off. Residents are rightly concerned that this bill, if this bill moves forward without clear significant that this bill moves forward without clear significant safeguards.
Legislator
There are no meaningful standards for cultural respect, no clear limits on contract length, and no strong protections if a naming partner later becomes controversial or inconsistent with community values. Once these contracts are signed, future legislatures may have little ability to undo them. Where is the line between generating revenue and turning public spaces into advertising platforms? And what precedents does this set for other state assets? Soon, there will be a price tags on other state buildings and monuments.
Legislator
This is not simply a budget issue. It's a question of stewardship and public trust. I don't believe that we need to rush this decision. We should take the time to add guardrails and ensure that any decision reflects Hawaii's values and our responsibility to future generations, not just a short term financial pressure. For these reasons, I'm voting no.
Legislator
I remain cautious about this measure and the precedent, precedent it would establish. The names of these state buildings, our buildings, our names should never be for sale.
Legislator
And also Madam Speaker, I would like to say that the good late Representative of a whole would be happy that this bill has made it to final reading today.
Legislator
Madam Speaker, this is a a great bill that we are able to accomplish. This help for people in medical debt. I wanna take this opportunity to speak to my colleagues here. And I believe as importantly, is how we as leaders help our people by creating policy and systems that are more proactive and preventative to avoid and minimize these outcomes that we are addressing in this bill.
Legislator
As much as we can, Madam Speaker, I, I believe we should try to educate our people regarding good health, healthy lifestyles, diet, exercise, regular checkups, as well as financial literacy to confirm fiscal balance and discipline to practice this type of lifestyle and and making sure to establish adequate health insurance coverages.
Legislator
Madam Speaker, I, I know that as I've experienced, my time here, my short time here, I'm surrounded by people who have this at heart and attempt to do this to a large degree. I, I again, I, I felt it would be opportune time to highlight this lofty goal. I, I don't have the answers, but I, I'm surrounded by many who I believe can collectively move our our people in our state in a, in a healthier direction. No pun intended. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Legislator
You know, as we look at our families, working families struggling with the cost of living, in our communities, We know that housing, childcare, higher education, and health care are some of the highest cost drivers. So this bill, like so many other states that are looking at medical debt, really addresses one of those large cost drivers, and for those reasons, in strong support of Senate Bill 3025 CD1. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Legislator
Top of page 48, Conference Committee Report number 207. 208. Representative Reyes Oda.
Legislator
This Bill allows the Department of Education and charter schools to hire unlicensed individual teachers on an emergency basis for five rather than three years. It requires that unlicensed teachers hired on an emergency basis make continuous and verifiable progress towards satisfying licensure, licensing requirements. The reason why I'm opposed to this bill, is that although I appreciate that that one element that they pursue continuous and verifiable progress towards satisfying licensure requirements, The problem is there was no enforcement language put in. There was no, consequence.
Legislator
What would happen if on the first year, then the emergency hire doesn't pursue anything, just doesn't even bust a move to get pursue licensure, and then say, and so what happens then, and what happens on the second year?
Legislator
Do you revoke the license? Do you kick them out? There's there's no consequences. So I'm my concern with this is that it was just that language was put in just to make some people feel better, possibly. Because I don't see how this is gonna be enforced. Thank you.
Legislator
Report number 210. Report number 211. Representative Iwamoto.
Legislator
My reading of this bill, it includes $49,000,000, $49,500,000 for the stadium development special fund. I surveyed my district, last month and received almost 400 responses. I asked the question how do we fund, this new Aloha Stadium? The majority actually said either that they did not want a new stadium or that the stadium should be built with private money only. Thank you very much.
Legislator
Top of page 49, Conference Committee Report number. Oh, representative Shimizu, are you on two?
Legislator
Madam speaker, I, I can understand we have varying views on any one issue. I am in, I am in support of our Aloha Stadium redevelopment project that is located in my very strategic District 32. Going through Conference Committee and having some discussion with members and chairs, I, I've gained understanding how important this bill is towards the success of this project, which I am behind.
Legislator
The developer has worked earnestly and tirelessly to develop to, excuse me, to deliver this project to our state With such a complicated process accomplished to date, we need to very carefully and respectfully consider our shared goals for a win win outcome. Based on seeing the opposing testimony from the developer, what was highlighted for me during conference committee was how important our discussions and coordination is needed for our bills as legislators creating them.
Legislator
So, and I just wanna digress. I felt the proud moments of, representative Chun and Amato as they saw their bills.
Legislator
Excuse me. My apologies. The Representative from Pro City and Kihei
Legislator
Where was I? Thank you. Again, just going back to the, the great and important work we we do here to do something great for our people. And I do I would like to thank my colleagues for your support for our new Aloha Stadium development. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Legislator
Okay. Members, we're at the top of page 49. Report number 212. Representative Iwamoto.
Legislator
So ordered. Report number 213. 215. Representative Cochran.
Legislator
And so I'm really, really sorry, but at the proper opportunity, can I revert back to 153, CCR 153?
Legislator
Sorry, Rep. Cochran What is the Conference Committee Report number?
Legislator
Vote on that one? Isn't it under the, I think that was the very, we ended on 144, and then the next page has 153 on it. Page 39?
Legislator
Page 39 we've already voted on, Rep. Cochran. Alright. Thank you.
Legislator
If there's no further discussion on Conference Committee Report 213, then I'm sorry. On Conference Committee Report 215. Representative Ratcliffe.
Legislator
This bill achieves the state's goal of reducing carbon emissions, encouraging sustainable transportation, and promoting community health. This will strengthen communities and help clean up areas like Chinatown. Thank you to the Transportation Chair.
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Previous bill discussion:Â Â May 6, 2026
Legislator
Legislative Staff