Majority Leader Pono Chong on the next "Kukui Connection"

Traditionally, at the end of the legislative session, Rep. Marilyn Lee interviews the House Majority Leader for an overview of the session.  This year is no exception, and Rep. Lee talks to Majority Leader Pono Chong, at left, on the next episode of "Kukui Connection".  The show airs on Friday, June 1st at 8:30 p.m. on Olelo Channel 54. It repeats on Sundays, June 3rd and June 10th at 4:00 p.m. on the same channel.

This is Rep. Chong's first year as Majority Leader, but he has served in the House for the past 8 years.  He represents District 49 - Maunawili, Olomana, Enchanted Lake, Kaneohe.

Some may not be aware that Rep. Chong started his legislative career as a staff member of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means.  He worked with that office for two years and has been able to draw from that experience in his past membership on the House Finance Committee and now as Majority Leader.

The representatives talk about the highlights of HB2012, the State Budget bill, and some of the key areas which lawmakers were able to restore now that the economy is recovering, albeit slowly.  Rep. Chong provides insight into some of the bills passed this year that will help economic growth.  They also touch upon the latest Council on Revenues projections, what the Council does, and how the projection will impact the budget process in the future.

The 2012 legislature passed some extremely important measures relating to health and upholding the safety net for Hawaii's poorest communities, including bills that address the closure of Hawaii Medical Center.

The show closes with some thoughts about the future and what needs to be addressed to provide a continued quality of life for Hawaii residents.

House members, staff go head-to-head in Kickball fundraiser for P.A.R.E.N.T.S

House Majority Kickball Team

House Majority and Minority members and their staff went at it head-to-head in a kickball tournament fundraiser held by the non-profit organization P.A.R.E.N.T.S at the Kaneohe District Part this past Saturday. The competition was fierce with the teams battling to a 4-4 tie after the allowed 6 innings. The umpire allowed another inning to break the tie but neither team scored. With minutes to go before getting kicked off the field for other teams to play, the umpire ruled the first team to score as the victor. The House Minority went to kick first and brought in the final point. It was a fun day, and all for a good cause. Like Rep. Tom Brower said after the game, "Everybody was a winner!" (Check out the awesome photos from Star Advertiser's Dennis Oda)

P.A.R.E.N.T.S. Inc. is dedicated to strengthening Hawaii's families by providing services to prevent and stop child abuse and neglect. This was its first annual Kickball fundraiser.

Meeting the Press on Opening Day

Before reconvening the Hawaii Legislature, Speaker Calvin Say and Majority Leader Pono Chong met with reporters to talk about the legislative agenda this year. See what they had to say by visiting the links below:

Speaker on KITV.
Majority Leader on Hawaii News Now.

Later, after the Opening Day Session ended, Finance Chair Marcus Oshiro and Speaker Calvin Say answered reporters' questions on a variety of issues including fee increases, expediting construction projects, EUTF, unfunded liability, public workers' contracts, gambling, exemptions for procurement, reapportionment, revising the TAT, and the coffee beetle bug problem.

Watch the interviews below:

Rep. Marcus Oshiro, chair of the House Committee on Finance, fields questions from reporters on the economy, public workers contracts, EUTF, and unfunded liability. Oshiro spoke with reporters after the House opened the 2012 Legislation Session on January 18.

Rep. Marcus Oshiro tells reporters how important it is to get bills passed that will help get our construction projects underway in a timely manner. It's a win-win situation, he says. People can get back to work, business for vendors and necessary improvements can be made to our schools, our court houses, our hospitals, etc.

Speaker Calvin Say of the Hawaii House of Representatives fields question from reporters on a variety of issues including the coffee beetle bug problem, fee increases, gambling, procurement exemptions, reapportionment, and possible revisions to the Transient Accommodation Tax.

Rep. Pono Chong named House Majority Leader

House Speaker Calvin Say announced today that he has selected Representative Pono Chong to replace Blake Oshiro as the Majority Leader for the Hawaii House of Representatives.

"Pono Chong is my choice to replace Blake as Majority Leader," said Speaker Say. "Pono has worked very hard for the people of Hawaii and the House of Representatives, especially during the budget crisis of the past three years. As Majority Whip during those years, he was a major contributor in resolving the crisis through a balanced approach of budget cuts and revenue enhancement. Blake has recommended Pono as Majority Leader. I am confident that Pono will continue the standard set by Blake."

Pono Chong represents District 49 -- Maunawili, Olomana, Enchanted Lake, and Kaneohe. He began serving as the Representative for that District in 2005. At present, he is a Majority Whip and Vice Chair of the Housing Committee.

Blake Oshiro will be leaving the House of Representatives on December 7, 2011 to serve as Deputy Chief of Staff for Governor Abercrombie.

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Rep. Pono Chong on NCSL Exec Committee

NR NCSL Exec RepChong

Reps Urge a "Yes" Vote on Budget Issue

Finance chair, Rep. Marcus Oshiro, and House Majority Whip, Rep. Pono Chong, submitted a letter to the Honolulu Star Advertiser in disagreement to an opinion piece penned by Lowell Kalapa of the Hawaii Tax Foundation.

Mr. Kalapa urged a "No" vote on the constitutional amendment which gives the legislature the option, if there is a budget surplus for two years in a row, to provide a tax refund or deposit the surplus into a rainy day fund.

The Oshiro/Chong letter appeared today as follows:

Let Legislature control surplus

Regarding the constitutional amendment question on the general election ballot, we disagree with Lowell Kalapa ("Don't let Legislature keep budget surplus, keep refunds instead," Star-Advertiser, Oct. 21) and urge voters to vote "Yes." This is the amendment that would allow the Legislature a choice, given the situation, to put surplus funds into a rainy day fund or to provide a refund to the taxpayers.

If the state had a $1 million surplus, I think that most people would rather see the money used for good causes such as education or the homeless rather than get a $1 tax refund. One dollar might buy you a cup of coffee, but collectively, those dollars could add up to avoid teacher furloughs or restore agriculture and food safety inspectors. Right now, the Legislature does not have a choice and is mandated to give back a return, even if it is only $1 per taxpayer.

Vote yes. It's the prudent, logical and fiscally responsible thing to do.

Rep. Marcus Oshiro House Finance chairman;
Rep. Pono Chong Majority whip

Rep. Pono Chong named Toll Fellow

Rep. Pono Chong (District 49 - Maunawili, Olomana, Enchanted Lake, Kaneohe) was named one of the 2010 Henry Toll Fellows of the Council of State Governments (CSG). A list of all the Toll Fellows can be found on their Facebook page here.

The Henry Toll Fellowship program is a leadership program involving all three branches of government. Henry Wolcott Toll was the founder of the Council of State Governments. Information on the program can be found here.

New Law provides tax refunds in timely manner

Rep. Pono Chong, Majority Whip

Governor Lingle today signed into law HB1948, a bill that requires the Department of Taxation to provide refunds to taxpayers in a timely manner. The legislation, now Act 171, states that the department must provide refunds within 90 days from the date the tax return is filed, or the due date of the tax return, whichever is later.

“One of the main benefits is that the state must pay interest to the taxpayer if the return is not paid within the required time frame,” said Rep. Pono Chong, the introducer of the bill. “The legislature was concerned that using the refunds as a way to balance the budget was merely delaying our fiscal responsibility. In addition, I think most taxpayers understand that the overpayment to the government is their money and they expect a return in a reasonable period.

The bill also requires that all general revenues collected from an increase of any general excise or use tax be used first to pay tax refunds delayed from fiscal years 2010 and 2011. The law goes into effect on July 1, 2010.

Town Hall Meeting at WCC - Aug. 13

Windward Oahu lawmakers will be holding a Town Hall Meeting on Thursday, August 13, 2009 from 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. at Windward Community College in Hale 'Akoakoa 105.

Come and share your concerns on state issues with Representatives Pono Chong, Ken Ito, Chris Lee and Jessica Wooley and Senators Jill Tokuda and Clayton Hee. Legislators will also discuss the outcome of the 2009 Legislative Session.

Your state leaders are gearing up for the 2010 Legislative Session. Windward residents with ideas for possible legislation should plan to attend the meeting. Let's set the agenda for the next legislative session. Tell your lawmakers what you want to be priority.

Recycle your junk at Windward Mall

Representative Jessica Wooley, Pono Chong and Ken Ito invite residents of the windward side to help turn trash into cash to support the Ko'olaupoko Hawaiian Civic Club on Aloha 'Āina Earth Day #39.

The recycling community clean-up and fundraiser will be held at Windward Mall tomorrow, Saturday, August 1, 2009, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Those who would like to get rid of junk piling up in their home should go to the Alaloa Street parking lot.

What will be accepted?

• scrap metal, bicycles, appliance (no TVs/microwaves ovens)
• Newspaper, cardboard
• beverage containers
• cooking oil
  
• cellular phones
• printer cartridges
• tires (passenger tires/limit 4 per car)
• green waste
• plastic bags, plastic hangers
• athletic shoes (no metal cleats)
• used eye glasses, hearing aids
• all kind of batteries
• telephone books
• magazines
• one desk top computer per household/car
• usable clothing/household items
• unwanted cars - free towing by appointment only

*Please DON'T bring:

• Paints, hazardous fluids, microwave ovens, televisions, gas tank.
  

Rep. Pono Chong named Housing vice chair

Updates have been made to the 25th Legislature's phone directory, House member list and contact info by district, and House leadership. Rep. Gilbert S.C. Keith-Agaran, who was appointed by the Governor after the passing of Maui Rep. Bob Nakasone, has been added to the directories, and Rep. Pono Chong has been named Housing (HSG) vice chair.

More public beach access discussion?

In an editorial in the Honolulu Advertiser, lawmakers are urged to reconsider a bill next legislative session that addresses public beach access issues, which are on the rise as erosion continues to swallow Hawaii shorelines and threaten property owners and beach-goers alike. Recently, Kahala homeowners have been asked by the state to reduce vegetation that hinders public access.

The bill, HB 1037 HD1 SD1, would have required state agencies to account for sea-level rise and minimize risks from coastal hazards such as erosion, storm inundation, hurricanes and tsunamis. Its intent was to preserves public access and public shoreline access by requiring counties to account for annual erosion rates and extend the public land access to no less than 40 feet from the shoreline.

Bill History: HB1037 was introduced by Rep. Pono Chong, Ken Ito and Kyle Yamashita. It stalled in the Senate in 2007 and in April 2008 was re-referred in the House to the Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs Committee and the Energy & Environmental Protection Committee.

Members in the News

Rep. James Kunane Tokioka provided an overview of the 2008 legislative session to the Lihue Business Association with Senator Gary Hooser. Here's the story in the Kauai Garden Island.

Rep. Jerry Chang talked about the importance of HB2978, a bill that provides a funding formula for the University of Hawaii system, today in the Hawaii Tribune Herald.

"In the past, the UH-Manoa campus has pretty much taken the bulk of the funding. Whether UHH grows or not, the funding stays level or decreases," said Rep. Jerry Chang (D-Hilo, Waiakea, Kaumana, Keaukaha), the bill's author. "Having a funding formula is a good step to ensure that funding allocation is fair throughout the entire system."

Rep. Ken Ito, Rep. Clift Tsuji, Rep. Jon Riki Karamatsu and Rep. Pono Chong signed the letter to the editor below, which was published today in The Honolulu Advertiser. It's on SB2646, the Important Agricultural Lands bill.

Tough controls are in important ag lands bill

The Advertiser's editorial position on the Important Agricultural Lands bill fails to recognize two major issues.
The first is that it has been 30 years since the people of Hawai'i amended the state Constitution to mandate the conservation of productive agricultural lands.
If we wait until we get the perfect bill, with no compromise among the stakeholders, farmers will become a dying breed in Hawai'i.
Little has been done in the past 30 years to get our best lands growing food and renewable energy fuel sources. Look at what is happening around the world in terms of food shortages and starvation. The time to get our agricultural lands producing again was yesterday, not in another 30 years.
The second point is that the regulatory controls in this bill are extensive, and they are tough. There is no free ride for urban development.
The bill does not provide for automatic reclassification of the 15 percent to urban, rural or conservation.
In addition, a party other than the landowner may petition the state for a contested case hearing, which is open and evidentiary. The Land Use Commission has the discretion to grant or deny in both instances.
The Hawaii Farm Bureau, the Maui County Farm Bureau, the Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, the dean of the University of Hawai'i-Manoa College of Tropical Agriculture and the state Department of Agriculture and the Land Use Research Foundation testified on behalf of the bill.

Earth Day at Waikalua Loko Fishpond

Need something to do during "Earth Day" weekend? Couldn't get your hands on Kokua Fest tickets? Well, don't worry about that because I've got the thing for you.

Join Reps. Pono Chong, Ken Ito and Sen. Jill Tokuda in Kaneohe for "La Hana Loko I'a," a Work Day at Waikalua Fishpond. The event will include cultural learning tours, activities for children, clean-up of the fishpond and surrounding area, and more. A light lunch will be provided for all who attend.

Where: Waikalua Loko Fishpond. Located at the end of Kulauli St., makai of Puohala Elementary School.

When: Saturday April 19, 2008 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

The Waikalua Loko Fishpond Preservation Society, an organization whose mission is to preserve the beauty and stability of the pond, and Windward lawmakers are cosponsoring the "Earth Day" celebration.

Contact Ka'ohua Lucas to pre-register your group.

Email: kaohua@hawaii.rr.com

Phone: 808-843-1217

Proposed HD1 available for Child Abuse bill

As a follow up to last week's briefing on domestic violence and child abuse, a new draft has been proposed by the House per Rep. Green's comments at the briefing. The bill is HB2596 RELATING TO CHILDREN, introduced by Rep. Pono Chong, and it will be up for hearing on Tuesday morning. The proposed draft is available for viewing online at the Legislature's website, www.capitol.hawaii.gov, or can be picked up in Room 406. In summary, the proposed HD1:

Requires the Department of Human Services to investigate reports of drug use by a parent or legal custodian in the home of a child within 24 hours. Requires a parent or legal custodian to be drug free for at least 60 days prior to being allowed visitation with a child and to participate in substance abuse treatment for at least one year before being awarded full custody of a child.

House names new Vice speaker

Speaker of the House Calvin K.Y. Say today announced the selection of Rep. Pono Chong as the new Vice Speaker of the House of Representatives. Rep. Chong replaces Rep. Jon Riki Karamatsu who stepped down last month.

"Rep. Chong has been a strong addition to the legislature since being elected in 2004," said Speaker Say. "He also represents a new generation of lawmakers who brings a fresh perspective to legislative issues, and I believe he will make a positive contribution to the House leadership."

Rep. Karamatsu will take over Rep. Chong's former assignments as Vice Chair of the Committee on Water, Land, Ocean Resources and Hawaiian Affairs, and membership on the committees on Finance, and Energy & Environmental Protection.

Pono Chong is a full time legislator who has represented District 49 – Maunawili, Olomana, Enchanted Lake and Kaneohe since November 2004. Prior to elective office, he worked as a Special Assistant to the Director of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, and as a project coordinator for the H-3 Freeway Mitigation project with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA). He is a graduate of St. Louis High School and the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

In other organizational changes, Rep. Karen Awana will become the new Vice Chair of the Committee on International Affairs.

Windward legislators to hold town meetings Jan. 8 and 10

Rep. Pono Chong (District 49 - Maunawili, Olomana, Enchanted Lake, Kaneohe) and Rep. Ken Ito (District 48 - Heeia, Haiku Valley, Kapunahala, Kaneohe) will join Senator Jill Tokuda (District 24 - Kaneohe, Kaneohe Marine Corps Air Base, Kailua, Enchanted Lake) to host two separate town hall meetings in Windward Oahu prior to the opening of the legislative session. The public is invited to come, express their viewpoints and concerns, and ask questions. For more information, call Kamakana Kaimuloa in Sen. Tokuda's office at 587-7215. Here are the particulars:

Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Kailua High School Cafeteria
7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Thursday, January 10, 2008
Castle High School Cafeteria
7:00 - 9:00 p.m.