LEGISLATURE GIVES EARLY APPROVAL FOR THE STATE BUDGET BILL

Priorities include new state hospital staff, airport improvements, debt service payments

Honolulu, Hawaiʻi – The House and the Senate today approved a final version of HB 2 HD1 SD 1 CD1, the state budget bill, which includes operating monies to run the state government. The bill puts a priority on appropriating funds to staff the new state hospital, make needed improvements at state airports, and pay down our debt service.

The House Finance Committee and the Senate Ways and Means Committee met in conference last week to finalize the bill. Conferees approved the $16 billion budget covering fiscal years 2020 and 2021 about a month earlier than in previous legislative sessions.

HOUSE PASSES BILL TO DECRIMINALIZE LIMITED CANNABIS POSSESSION

Honolulu, Hawaiʻi – Today (March 7) the House of Representatives passed HB1383 HD2, which decriminalizes the possession of three or less grams of cannabis and instead establishes a fine of $200.

"This law keeps drug dealers behind bars where they belong, but also keeps regular people who just had a joint out of jail to avoid creating more hardened criminals which makes crime worse," said Representative Chris Lee, Chair of the House Judiciary Committee and introducer of the measure. "It removes the unnecessary permanent mark from their record so they can go back to school, get a better job, and take care of their family. If we want to actually reduce crime and reduce substance abuse, then our taxpayer dollars are more effectively spent on treatment rather than jailing people at a cost of $146 per person per day."

HOUSE LEADERSHIP DETAILS ELECTIONS AND ETHICS REFORM BILLS

Judiciary Chair Chris Lee (at podium) discusses the House bills passed to support good governance at a press conference today with House Speaker Scott K. Saiki (from left), Finance Chair Sylvia Luke, Vice Speaker Mark M. Nakashima, Representative Chris Todd, and Representative Stacelynn K.M. Eli. 

Representatives say bills also address money in politics, fight public corruption

 
Honolulu, Hawaiʻi – House Leadership and Representatives gathered today to discuss a package of more than a dozen bills passed out of the House this session designed to reform elections, address money in politics, and fight public corruption.

“We are making it our priority to take proactive steps to ensure public confidence in our elections process and government,” said House Speaker Scott K. Saiki.

“These bills represent the most significant reforms in Hawaiʻi’s elections and ethics laws in a generation," said House Judiciary Chair Chris Lee, introducer of a number of the bills. "They will engage new voters, resolve election recounts, and prevent questions over conflicts of interest and money in politics here in Hawaiʻi that currently plague Washington, D.C.”

HOUSE PASSES 169 BILLS ON THIRD READING FOCUSING ON GOOD GOVERNMENT, ELECTIONS, HOMELESSNESS, EDUCATION

As the 2019 Legislative Session nears its crossover deadline this week, the House of Representatives has passed nearly 500 bills during a productive session focused on good government, homelessness, and education.

Majority Leader Della Au Belatti said significant bills have been passed this session regarding campaign finance reform, elections issues, ending public corruption, and important social and economic issues including minimum wage, sea level change, and replacing the Aloha Stadium.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MOVES 197 BILLS ON ELECTION REFORM, CLIMATE CHANGE, MINIMUM WAGE, EDUCATION, PUBLIC SAFETY, CRIME, TAXES TO THE SENATE

Honolulu, Hawaiʻi – The House of Representatives passed 197 bills on third reading today, moving them to the Senate for their consideration. The bills include measures on election reform, climate change and the environment, minimum wage, education, public safety, crime, taxes, and other important issues.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MOVES 127 BILLS ON HEALTH, HOMELESSNESS, DISASTER RELIEF, PUBLIC SAFETY, AND FIREARMS TO THE SENATE

Honolulu, Hawaiʻi – The House of Representatives passed 127 bills on third reading today, moving them to the Senate for their consideration. The bills include disaster relief for Hawaiʻi Island for damages and losses caused by the eruption of Kilauea volcano, homelessness, health, public safety, firearms, and other important issues.

FINANCE COMMITTEE PASSES BILLS RELATING TO DISASTER RELIEF, VOTING BY MAIL, DUI, AND SAFETY AT THE STATE CAPITOL

Honolulu, Hawaiʻi – Today the State House Committee on Finance chaired by Representative Sylvia J. Luke (Makiki, Punchbowl, Nuʻuanu, Dowsett Highlands, Pacific Heights, Pauoa) passed dozens of bills, including:

HB 1180, HD1              RELATING TO NATURAL DISASTERS.

Appropriates $60 million for disaster relief, recovery, mitigation, and remediation activities for the County of Hawaii. The Kilauea eruption covered nearly 14 square miles in Puna; it destroyed 716 homes and made over three thousand parcels inaccessible, and destroyed a school, farms, cultural sites, roadways, water systems, recreational destinations, and a large portion of the electrical grid. The state has already allocated $22 million for recovery efforts bringing the total funding to $82 million. The governor, the legislature, and the Hawaii County Council all support this bill. The bill requires reporting of monthly expenditures to the Department of Budget and Finance.

HOUSE COMMITTEES VOTE TO PROVIDE $60 MILLION IN DISASTER RELIEF FOR HAWAIʻI ISLAND FOLLOWING KILAUEA ERUPTION

Cooperative efforts of House, Senate, County, and Administration make funding possible

The House Public Safety, Veterans, & Military Affairs Committee in a joint hearing with three other House committees today amended and passed HB 1180 that provides $60 million in disaster relief for Hawaiʻi Island following the destruction caused last year by the Kilauea eruption.

Of the $60 million total, $20 million would be set aside in a state grant and $40 million would be designated for a state loan with an expected payback from the federal government. Spending the funds would be subject to the Hawaiʻi County Council approval. The state has already provided $22 million in emergency funds for Big Island disaster relief, bringing the total package to $82 million.

The bill has the support of the House, Senate lawmakers and leadership, the Hawaiʻi County Council, and the Ige Administration and now moves to the House Finance Committee where Chair Sylvia J. Luke has said she would expedite it.

LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE BY MAUI'S TWO NEW HOUSE LAWMAKERS

Measures address minimum wage, sea level rise, school capacity and repair, illegal short-term vacation rentals

Maui's two new freshmen lawmakers, Representatives Tina M.L. Wildberger (Kīhei, Wailea, Mākena) and Troy N. Hashimoto (Kahakuloa, Waihe‘e, Waiehu, Pu‘uohala, Wailuku, Waikapū), introduced their first slate of bills to address issues of top concern to Maui residents. The measures include addressing the minimum wage, sea level rise, invasive species, school capacity and repair, and illegal vacation rentals. 

HOUSE COMMITTEE APPROVES OHA FUNDING BILL

The House Committee on Water, Land & Hawaiian Affairs on January 30 passed out House Bill 402 which substantially increases funding for Native Hawaiian beneficiaries.  This measure would establish $35 million as the Office of Hawaiian Affairs' pro rata share of the public land trust and transfers a lump sum of $139 million to OHA for underpayment of the public land trust funds.

HAWAIIAN CAUCUS WEEK AT THE STATE CAPITOL

Recognition, activities to honor community leaders

The Hawaiʻi State Legislature's Native Hawaiian Caucus Co-Chairs, Senator Jarrett Keohokalole and Representative Daniel Holt, with 43 of their colleagues, are sponsoring Hawaiian Caucus Week and Hawaiian Caucus Day to honor community leaders that have contributed to the advancement of Native Hawaiians and to recognize the contributions of our ‘ōpi‘o (youth), makua (parents), kūpuna (elders), Hawaiian at Heart supporters, and ‘ahahui (organizations).

HOUSE VOTES TO ADOPT NEW WORKPLACE HARASSMENT POLICY

 Honolulu, Hawaiʻi – On Thursday, January 24, the House of Representatives adopted by resolution the House Administrative and Financial Manual for the Thirtieth Legislature 2019-2020.  Chapter 27 of the manual contains the House's new Workplace Harassment Policy.

"Changes were made to the House Workplace Harassment Policy to provide better direction, increase accountability, and facilitate appropriate follow-up of any complaints," said House Speaker Scott K. Saiki (McCully, Kāheka, Kakaʻako, Downtown). "This policy will help ensure that all members, staff, and the public are protected."

A sign detailing where to read the new policy will be posted in all members' offices, agency offices, conference rooms, and on bulletin boards.

HOUSE COMMITTEE PASSES BILL TO INCREASE MINIMUM WAGE

Lawmakers seek to protect worker benefits and be sensitive to the burden on employers

The House Committee on Labor & Public Employment today passed HB1191 HD1 to increase Hawaiʻi's minimum wage. The bill will increase the state minimum wage on a gradual basis beginning on January 1, 2020 through 2024, with smaller wage increases for employees receiving employer-sponsored health insurance to incentivize employers to continue to provide that benefit.

"The bill balances the real need of lower-wage workers to keep up with Hawaiʻi's high cost of living and small businesses' ability to continue doing business amidst the significant burdens imposed on them by the state," said Representative Aaron Ling Johanson, Chair of the Committee on Labor & Public Employment. "The bill improves the wages of those who are most vulnerable with less risk of compromising those same employees' health insurance currently paid for by the employer."

KEIKI CAUCUS PRESENTS AGGRESSIVE 2019 LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE

Bills include tobacco restrictions, bullying prevention, safe places for youth

Senator Karl Rhoads and Representative John M. Mizuno, co-conveners of the Legislature's Keiki Caucus, presented an aggressive 2019 Legislative Package of bills at the State Capitol today, relying on the support and input from dozens of organizations, individuals, and keiki themselves.

"The future of our entire state depends on our keiki," said Rep. Mizuno (Kalihi Valley, Kamehameha Heights, portion of Lower Kalihi). "This is our most promising, robust package of bills in the 25 years of the caucus."

Sen. Rhoads (Dowsett Highlands, Pu‘unui, Nu‘uanu, Pacific Heights, Pauoa, Punchbowl, Palama, Liliha, Iwilei, Chinatown, and Downtown) said the support and advice from Hawaiʻi's many children's advocacy groups is what makes this year's package so important.

FINANCE COMMITTEE PASSES BASE BUDGET

Bill is the first step in reforming the way state government spends taxpayer money

Honolulu, Hawaiʻi – The House Finance Committee today passed HB 2 HD1, the state operating budget for fiscal years 2019-2020 and 2020-2021, as the first step toward adding additional accountability and transparency to the way the state spends money.

The ultimate goal of performance-based budgeting is to have every state agency justify discretionary funds they receive for each two-year budget cycle. Eventually, zero-based budgeting will analyze the entire budget of programs.

"The idea is to have public policy drive the budget rather than have the budget drive public policy as has often been done," said Representative Sylvia Luke, Chair of the Finance Committee. "This change will likely take a couple years to completely implement, but it will make our departments accountable for the funds they receive, and the public will better know how their taxes are being spent."

OPENING DAY FOR THE 2019 LEGISLATIVE SESSION

House Speaker Scott K. Saiki opens the 2018 Session

WHO:             HAWAI‘I STATE LEGISLATURE

WHAT:          The Hawai‘i House of Representatives and Senate to convene the 30th Biennial Hawai‘i State Legislature

WHEN:          Wednesday, January 16, 2019

                        10 a.m.

WHERE:       House Chamber, Senate Chamber

                        Hawai‘i State Capitol

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES COMPLETES REVIEW AND UPDATES WORKPLACE HARASSMENT POLICY

New policy promotes a safe environment for all at the State Capitol

House Speaker Scott K. Saiki today announced the completion of a new House Workplace Harassment Policy including sexual harassment.

The new policy provides greater clarity of terms used to define harassment, expands reporting options, and extends protections to House members, staff, and the general public.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE SCHEDULES BUDGET INFORMATIONAL BRIEFINGS

Honolulu, Hawaii – The House Committee on Finance is holding a series of Informational Briefings in January to hear testimony and review requests for the state budget from governmental agencies.

The briefings will be held in Room 308 at the State Capitol except a joint briefing with the Senate Committee on Ways and Means which will be held in the auditorium.

STATE NOW ACCEPTING GRANT-IN-AID APPLICATIONS

Deadline to apply is January 18, 2019

Honolulu, Hawaiʻi – Qualified nonprofit and other organizations can now apply for State Grants-in-Aid (GIA) for the 2019 Legislative Session. The deadline to submit grant applications is 4:30 p.m. January 18, 2019.

Last year, the Legislature awarded about $29 million in grants to organizations across the state for various public purposes recognized as priorities and seen as complimentary to state government functions, including health, educational, workforce development, social services and cultural and historical activities.
Information, instructions and applications on the GIA process are available on the Legislature’s website at http://capitol.hawaii.gov/.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ANNOUNCES LEADERSHIP AND COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS FOR THE THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE (2019-2020)

Honolulu, Hawaiʻi – House Speaker Scott K. Saiki is pleased to announce the Leadership and the committee assignments for the Thirtieth Legislature (2019-2020).

 

"Our members are looking forward to the upcoming session and are focused on tackling some of the biggest challenges facing our state," said Speaker Saiki.  "We have worked hard to establish a leadership team and standing committee assignments that will help facilitate the legislative process and take full advantage of the wealth of knowledge and expertise that each member of the House offers."