'Akamai Arrival' takes off: Ag declaration form goes digital KHON2 Jill Kuramoto February 24, 2025 Original Article HONOLULU (KHON2) — Traveling to Hawaiʻi is about to get a high-tech upgrade. A new pilot program aims to ditch the pen and paper currently used to declare plants and animals. For years, travelers to Hawaiʻi have been required to fill out a paper declaration form, listing any live plants or animals they’re bringing to the state, with the goal of protecting the islands’ delicate ecosystem. “These creatures, which are very scary, especially this one, should not be coming into Hawaiʻi,” said Gov. Josh Green while pointing to a tarantula in a tank next to him. Now the paper ag declaration form is getting an overhaul, making fumbling for a pen at 35,000 feet no more. “We all know the best time to let a passenger know what not to bring into the state is before they get on the plane. Not when they’re scurrying through their baggage to look for a pencil and then, oops, I got a ferret. Oops, I brought in live plants,” said Sen. Glenn Wakai, chair of the Senate Committee on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs. Beginning March 1, select flights on most domestic airlines that fly to Hawaiʻi will participate in the three month long pilot program. “Akamai Arrival” has the same questions as the paper form and will be accessible on both laptops and smartphones. Travelers will fill out the form electronically before landing. State Department of Agriculture inspectors will review the manifest compared to the number of completed declaration forms and similar to the paper form, the data will be deleted. “It’s going to be helpful for our state, but most importantly, it’s our biosecurity weapon,” Green said. Some passengers, like Cheryl Engle from Michigan, welcome the change. “It was a little bit of a pain, we didn’t have a pen on us. We didn’t have anything to write on,” Engle said. The state says it’s hoping the digital form will also help increase compliance, which currently is around a 60% completion rate. As for the effectiveness of the declaration form in stopping invasive species, the Department of Agriculture says about 75% of all flights coming in have something to declare, but it’s not easy to catch everything sneaking into the islands. “We’re getting those types of animals maybe one or two a year. I would say regulated goods, things that require permits or treatments beforehand, you’re probably getting one per day,” said Jonathan Ho, HDOA Branch Manager. Wakai says he hopes to use the approximately $800,000 saved from going paperless to buy ag sniffing dogs to do more to keep invasive species out of the islands. “Zero. Not one person in 79 years has ever been prosecuted. What does that tell you? It tells you that the ag form is really not keeping bad things out of our community,” Wakai said. For now, the state says they eventually plan to add more languages to the form and the valuable tourism survey will be included. For more information, visit the Akamai Arrival website .

Senate Ways and Means Committee visits Lānaʻi for updates on local sustainability Maui Now September 9, 2025 Original Article The Senate Ways and Means Committee arrived on Lānaʻi to receive updates on economic development and sustainability efforts from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism and the Agribusiness Development Corporation. Committee members were first guided through the work of Pūlama Lānaʻi, an organization creating solutions for a sustainable future through cultural preservation and building economic opportunities for Lānaʻi. “Today’s visit to Lānaʻi shows our deep commitment to supporting sustainable growth in our rural communities,” said Senator Lynn DeCoite (D 7 – Hāna, East and Upcountry Maui, Moloka‘i, Lānaʻi, Kaho‘olawe and Molokini), Chair of the Senate Committee on Economic Development and Tourism. “The presentations from DBEDT, ADC, and Pūlama Lānaʻi highlight the incredible work being done to preserve Lānaʻi’s heritage while creating economic opportunities for the future.” “As a State, we must ensure that we are able to keep up with the changing needs of our communities,” said Senator Troy N. Hashimoto (D 5 – Wailuku, Kahului, Waihe‘e, Waikapu Mauka, Wai‘ehu), Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Housing. “Developing sustainable housing solutions must include building communities with access to economic opportunities and critical services to ensure that residents, on Lānaʻi and across our islands, can stay and live with greater security in the place we call home.” “As we continue shaping policy and budgets, it’s critical we prioritize initiatives that create lasting opportunities for regional economic development,” said Senator Donovan M. Dela Cruz (D 17 – Portion of Mililani, Mililani Mauka, portion of Waipi‘o Acres, Launani Valley, Wahiawā, Whitmore Village), Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “Today’s visit demonstrates that food, housing, and workforce are the cornerstones of sustainability and economic opportunity,” said ADC Board Chairperson Jayson Watts. “As ADC explores statewide expansion, we are committed to building the infrastructure and innovation needed for rural communities and families to succeed.” “The work on Lānaʻi highlights how rural communities can thrive when economic opportunities and affordable housing are integrated rather than separated. DBEDT holds critical levers that can be used to support rural communities by connecting food, housing, tourism and workforce opportunities,” said DBEDT Deputy Director Dane Wicker.

Hawaii’s plan to develop leasehold homes advances Star Advertiser Andrew Gomes February 4, 2025 Original Article An unconventional state initiative to build more homes for Hawaii residents with moderate incomes is approaching a critical test to see whether homebuyers want high-rise condominiums with 99-year land leases. A more than $200 million tower is envisioned in Honolulu with 360 units and leasehold prices ranging from $456,400 for units with one bedroom and one bathroom to $862,600 for units with four bedrooms and two bathrooms. The Hawaii Community Development Authority, a state agency pursuing the plan at the direction of Hawaii’s Legislature under a law enacted in 2023, is seeking a $30 million appropriation from lawmakers over the next two fiscal years to help pay for the ambitious project. However, it’s not yet clear whether enough interest from prospective buyers exists, or if enough funding for the envisioned tower can be arranged. “If there is buyer demand, we still see assembling financing for the project as a hurdle,” Craig Nakamoto, HCDA executive director, said in an email. “If there is buyer demand and if financing can be assembled, we see the pilot project as a new model for developing affordable housing for local people, that can be replicated.” The idea for the state to develop and sell leasehold condos on state land was initially proposed as legislation in 2019 by Sen. Stanley Chang (D, Hawaii Kai-Kahala-Diamond Head) based on a model used by the government in Singapore to provide lifetime housing for residents at affordable prices. As envisioned for Hawaii, such housing would come at no long-term cost to the state because revenue from unit sales would fully repay development expenses as a “revenue neutral” investment. At the end of a tower’s 99-year lease, during which condo buyers would pay for all upkeep, the state would take ownership of the entire property. To carry out the plan, the Legislature in 2023 passed Senate Bill 865, which became Act 97 and appropriated $1.5 million to HCDA for preliminary work. The agency hosted focus sessions with developers, economists, lenders and real estate brokers in 2024. Then HCDA sought bids from developers to take on the project, and selected Ko Laila LLC, a company whose principals in 2024 completed a mainly midpriced 328-unit condo tower in Kakaako called Ililani. Ko Laila, led by Henry and Kenneth Chang, is expected to finish preliminary design, cost and site evaluation work for a leasehold condo tower this summer. Then the company intends to solicit nonbinding purchase reservations to gauge interest from prospective buyers. To qualify, prospective buyers would have to meet certain requirements under Act 97 that include not earning more than 140% of Honolulu’s median income. This limit equates to about $156,000 for a couple and $195,000 for a family of four. Nakamoto said HCDA also aims to make units affordable to households earning the median income, which equates to about $111,000 for a couple and $139,000 for a family of four. In 2024 on Oahu the median sale price for single- family homes was $1.1 million, a point at which half the homes sold for more and half for less. For condos the figure was $515,000. Leasehold condos have been developed in Hawaii previously on private land. Most of these units produced decades ago were converted to fee-simple ownership, though some still exist today. A 2021 study ordered by the Legislature and updated in 2022 concluded that buyer demand would likely be high for leasehold condos with two bedrooms and two bathrooms priced at $400,000. The study by the Hawaii Budget and Policy Center of the nonprofit Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law &Economic Justice said a comparable fee- simple unit built by a private developer would cost $600,000. Part of the difference is attributable to financing costs and profit for a private developer, as well as the cost of land. Yet the land cost for individual unit owners in a high-rise can be relatively small. For instance, the city for property tax purposes values the land in a one- bedroom and one-bath unit in the 423-unit Ke Kilohana tower, which opened in Kakaako in 2019, at $20,200, compared with $543,700 for the unit itself and other shared interest in the building. This unit is currently listed for sale at $560,000. A site for HCDA’s envisioned leasehold condo tower has not yet been decided. Nakamoto said potential sites exist in Kakaako and along the city’s Skyline rail route. If sufficient interest from buyers is received for the envisioned tower, HCDA and Ko Laila would still have to arrange financing. Nakamoto said an initial analysis indicated that the project may not be able to attract private financing to pay for construction, so HCDA and Ko Laila are exploring other options including state funding for the more than $200 million project. “If there isn’t sufficient buyer interest or if the means of financing the development is not available, the pre-development will conclude and no further work on the development will be conducted,” Nakamoto said.

Hawaii elections commission calls for end to mail-in voting Hawaii News Now Daryl Huff November 4, 2025 Original Article HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The state elections commission has voted to ask the legislature to ban mail-in and early voting and return to traditional in-person voting on Election Day. The bipartisan commission, which is half Democrat and half Republican, voted 5-3 over several contentious meetings to recommend voting only on Election Day in person with ID required on paper ballots that would be hand counted in precincts. Under the proposal, only military families and people with special needs would be allowed to vote absentee. Republican concerns over verification Republican commissioners said they have found discrepancies in mail-in voting and claim the movement of absentee ballots and envelopes from homes to post offices to counties for verification and to the state for counting has not been securely controlled or tracked. “No one who is outside the system can verify the results,” said Lindsey Kamm. Dylan Andrion said the commission is “going back to what works.” There was also concern that the emphasis on mail-in balloting made it more difficult for people to vote in person at limited sites. Commissioner Kahiolani Papalimu, from the Big Island, said, “being an incredibly rural island, I’d much prefer voting in our precincts, which is accessible to everyone in their area.” Democrats dispute claims Democrat commissioners and elections officials said the Republican claims are false and that there is no evidence of fraud or miscounting. “It’s just ludicrous. There’s no basis for connecting this supposed unverifiable statement, which is false, to the need to go back to in person voting,” said Jeffrey Osterkamp. Clare McAdam noted that in the 2024 election, 92.5% of voters voted by mail. “It’s 92.5% of the state wants to vote by mail, and I think that’s very important that we bear in mind all the time when we consider this,” McAdam said. Senate Judiciary chair Karl Rhoads, who would have jurisdiction over changing election law, said he believes the chances the legislature will approve the changes are zero. “I don’t even know the last time that Hawaii had one-day voting,” Rhoads said. Rhoads said he believes Republican commissioners are trying to undermine election confidence following President Trump’s lead. “I think they’re doing what they think he’s asking him to do. I think it’s from the top. The irony, of course, is that Trump himself uses mail-in voting,” Rhoads said. In addition to seeking to ban mail-in voting, Republican commissioners have repeatedly tried and failed to fire elections administrator Scott Nago and may try again Wednesday.

State senators see results — and challenges — during illegal fireworks bunker inspection Kauai Now October 9, 2025 Original Article Members of the Hawai‘i Senate conducted a site visit at the beginning of this month to inspect a bunker used to store illegal fireworks confiscated by law enforcement. Senators also were briefed about the ongoing work of the Hawai‘i Department of Law Enforcement Illegal Fireworks Task Force, highlighting enforcement efforts and challenges of addressing illegal fireworks throughout the islands. “Illegal fireworks pose serious risks to our neighborhoods, and the work of the task force is critical to protecting the public,” said Senate Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs Sen. Brandon Elefante of O‘ahu in a Senate release about the site visit. Elefante added that the Hawai‘i Legislature — as made apparent by the passage of Acts 246, 243, 244 and 247 during the 2025 legislative session — is committed to supporting the Illegal Fireworks Task Force and its enforcement, as well as effective legislation addressing illegal fireworks in the state. “Illegal fireworks jeopardize the quality of life in our communities, and that’s why the Legislature created the task force — to ensure we have the tools to protect our residents and hold violators accountable,” said chairman of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz of O‘ahu in the Senate release. The Illegal Fireworks Task Force — established in 2023 to coordinate enforcement and strengthen interagency collaboration — DURING THE PAST 2 YEARS: Seized more than 227,000 pounds of illegal fireworks. Conducted more than 1,200 enforcement operations. Coordinated multi-agency interdictions that disrupted major shipments of illegal fireworks statewide. “The creation of the task force has allowed us to better align county, state and federal resources, and these results show the progress we can achieve when we work together,” said Hawai‘i Department of Law Enforcement Director Mike Lambert in the release.

Here's how the state is moving forward to stabilize the condo insurance crisis Hawaii Public Radio Ashley Mizuo July 3, 2025 Original Article The state has started to accept applications for hurricane insurance from condominium and townhouse associations that have been unable to secure full coverage on the regulated market. Last August, Gov. Josh Green issued an emergency proclamation to stabilize the insurance market after condominium buildings were unable to secure full insurance coverage from one of the three companies operating in Hawaiʻi. While the 2023 Maui fires and other global natural disasters are partly to blame — Chair of the Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee Jarrett Keohokalole cited a key reason: aging buildings. “When you take your car in for service, there are regular maintenance items. Most of the condominium buildings in the state, especially in Honolulu, are over 30 years old,” he said. “So there are basic maintenance items that in some cases haven't been covered.” These are things like replacing water pipes, which insurers have started paying closer attention to. The buildings that haven’t kept up with maintenance and are unable to secure full commercial and hurricane insurance find themselves “stuck in a downward spiral,” Keohokalole explained. “It's harder to secure loans to make the repairs. It's harder to transact title in the building,” he said. “It's harder to sell and buy. That affects values and it affects the assessments.” That’s because lenders don’t want to loan money to buildings without insurance, but without those loans, buildings are unable to fund the needed repairs. Those who lose traditional insurance coverage have had to turn to unregulated surplus lines that can be extremely costly– sometimes doubling the cost of insurance for buildings. That often means skyrocketing homeowner association fees for condo owners. About 1200 associations in Hawaiʻi are without full hurricane insurance coverage. The emergency proclamation allowed the Hawaiʻi Hurricane Relief Fund to issue hurricane insurance again, which it has not done since the early 2000s in the aftermath of Hurricane Iniki in 1992. Now, HHRF is up and running again. So far, it’s received 80 applications. Jerry Bump is the Insurance Commissioner for the Hawai‘i Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Insurance Division. Hawai‘i Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Jerry Bump is the acting insurance commissioner for the Hawai‘i Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Insurance Division. “It is meant to stabilize the market, not replace the market,” Acting Hawaiʻi Insurance Commissioner Jerry Bump said. Associations applying for the state-administered hurricane policy will need to have a commercial insurance policy, which covers things like fire and other situations. It will also need to obtain at least $10 million in hurricane coverage as a base, but has been rejected by at least two of the local insurers for the rest of their building coverage. The state program will cover up to an additional $90 million of coverage. “We don't wanna be competing against those carriers that are still willing to do business,” Bump said. “If they're willing to write the full coverage, they should be able to still write that. Some of those admitted carriers have kind of artificial caps on how much they're willing to write. We've heard anywhere from $10 million to $25 million is where they're comfortable writing. There are some that will write the full, but not very many. HHRF is providing an additional layer of capacity. And ideally at a price point that is less than the surplus lines market.” The hope is that it will attract the traditional market back to the state as the program did in the 2000s. Bump explained that while conditions are similar to the aftermath of Hurricane Iniki, there are a few differences. One is that Hawaii’s property insurance market is tied to global climate risk. That means a fire in California or a hurricane in Florida can impact the insurability of Hawaii properties. “ Today’s challenges are kind of driven by global reinsurance conditions so not just the storm that occurred,” he said. “Reinsurers themselves have pulled back or raised prices along many coastal markets due to climate-related risk inflation.” Additionally, legislators passed a law this session that would get the Hawaii Property Insurance Association funding to start offering commercial insurance policies to those who have also had to turn to surplus lines. It currently is the insurer of last resort for homes in the lava-zone. Bump estimated that the program would come online around mid-fall of this year. That same measure also includes funding to provide loans to condominiums to do needed maintenance repairs so they can obtain regular insurance policies. Both the state-administered commercial and hurricane insurance programs heavily leverage “reinsurance”. That means that the state’s insurance will only keep a percentage of the actual risk on hand. The state’s program pays other insurers to insure the rest of the portfolio. Those reinsurance rates are largely what will drive the cost for buildings to obtain policies through the state-administered programs. Thatʻs why buildings should not expect the rates from the HHRF to be lower than what they can find on the traditional market. “ The state fund is not in the business of making a profit, so we're not intending to build in any kind of profit in our pricing,” Bump said. “Ideally, as the HHRF enters into the market, that will also provide price pressure on the surplus lines carriers to reduce their price point and be more competitive– they don't want all their business going away to the HHRF as well.” The measure is awaiting the governor’s signature, which is likely as it was not included on his intent to veto list.

State leaders prepare for SNAP benefit loss KHON2 Nathan Shinagawa October 28, 2025 Original Article HONOLULU (KHON2) — With the federal government shutdown seemingly entering its second month, more than 160,000 Hawaii residents who depend on SNAP benefits will soon see that suspended. What to know about SNAP benefits during the government shutdown “If SNAP households have a balance from October or a prior month, they can still access that balance of SNAP benefits on their card and still use it,” said Scott Morishige of the Department of Human Services Benefit and Employment Services. “It’s just that the ongoing November SNAP benefit that would normally come on the third and fifth of the month will not be paid out, as long as the federal government shutdown continues.” “We are looking at a longer shutdown than expected,” said Senator Joy San Buenaventura. “Hopefully, we are aware that more people are going hungry.” As families approach the first month without the funds, state leaders are actively looking to help ease the suffering as much as possible. “The plan is to scrape together whatever available funds we have in state government to try and feed people,” said Senator Jarrett Keohokalole on what the plan was to help those who depend on SNAP. “The number of people who are not going to have access to their monthly food budget is about six times the size of our local food bank’s capacity, so it’s very disturbing.” “We’re providing $2 million to the Hawaii Food Bank to allow them to address increasing demand,” said Morishige. “In addition, we also have identified federal funds to start up the Hawaii Relief Program, which Governor Green will share more about tomorrow.” Hawaii is one of over two dozen states that are suing the USDA on its decision to withhold contingency money on SNAP benefits, arguing that the federal government has a legal obligation to maintain funding for food stamps. “The whole thing is very frustrating, when there’s $5 billion in contingency money at the federal level that the Trump administration is basically just holding hostage,” said Senator Keohokalole. “I am disappointed that the federal administration isn’t far more proactive,” said Senator Buenaventura. “Like our governor mediates between the Senate and the House in order to push budgetary items that is necessary for the public good, the president also has the power as a mediator to ensure that the shutdown ends by mediating any conflicts. And that does not look like it’s happening.” With no end in sight for the federal government shutdown, state senate members are encouraging that the information about some of these impacts needs to be shared with the public before it’s too late. Hawaiʻi among coalition of 26 states defending SNAP benefits in lawsuit “People consume information in lots of different ways, so it’s important for us to get the message out to as many people as possible in as many languages as possible on as many platforms as possible,” said Senator Keohokalole. “When you can’t eat, then there’s nothing else more important or critical. When your kids can’t eat, you’re in an emergency situation, you’re in a crisis, and so we should be treating it that way,” he added. Resources on Food Information SNAP Outreach Providers Different providers contracted with the DHS statewide to conduct outreach to households eligible for SNAP benefits, and providing assistance with referrals to community food resources. Aloha United Way 2-1-1 SNAP outreach provider which maintains a database to provide referrals to community food resources. Hawai’i Foodbank Service to O’ahu and Kauai’i O’ahu: 808-836-3600 Kauai’i: 808-482-2224 Hawaii Island Food Basket Food bank resource for Hawaii Island 808-933-6030 Maui Food Bank Food bank resource for Maui 808-243-9500 Additional information and updates can be found here on the DHS website.

UH study on quality of life cites housing, health care as stressors Star Advertiser Nina Wu December 11, 2024 Original Article A new dashboard launched by the University of Hawaii at Manoa offers insights into the pressing social, economic and health issues affecting state residents. The dashboard Opens in a new tab , which went live Tuesday, offers data from a survey of more than 8,000 adult residents conducted earlier this year. It offers snapshots of how residents from a broad range of demographics felt about their neighborhood, workplace, housing, mental and physical health and other factors affecting quality of life. It also delves into how prepared residents are for natural disasters, and their significant sources of stress, which appear to stem mostly from the high cost of housing and living. “The 2024 Hawaii Quality of Life and Well-Being Dashboard is more than a collection of statistics — it’s a call to action,” said lead researcher Jack Barile in a news release. “By making this information publicly available, we hope to inspire collaborative efforts to tackle the challenges facing our state.” While the dashboard shows many residents are feeling economic strain and stress, he noted, it also shows Hawaii’s communities are strong and resilient. Barile, also a professor of psychology and director of UH Manoa’s Social Science Research Institute, said results also highlight the unique needs and strengths of different communities, such as those with lower incomes and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander residents. The survey results can guide policymakers, community leaders and employers toward targeted actions that can improve well-being across the state, he said. Among the dashboard’s key findings: >> Economic stress. Most significant stressors for residents include the economy (73%), personal finances (73%) and housing costs (64%), particularly for households with incomes below $50,000. >> Moving from Hawaii. Among those surveyed, 40% considered moving out of the state in the past year due to high living costs. The rate is even higher, at 47%, among Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities. >> Health disparities. Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander residents experience notably higher levels of stress and unhealthy days compared with white and Asian residents. Residents also cited challenges to accessing affordable health care, with 19% reporting medical debt over $500. >> Community strength. Despite hardships, 67% of residents said they feel safe in their neighborhoods, with a similar percentage reporting that neighbors are willing to help each other. >> Positive workplaces. 83% of employees felt respected by their employers, while 78% felt their contributions are valued. Employees looking to change jobs cited flexible work schedules, paid family leave and telework options as priorities. >> Disaster preparedness. Only 12% of respondents said they were well or very well prepared if there was a disaster in their community. In February, Hawaii became a trauma-informed state upon Gov. Josh Green’s signing of an executive order directing all state departments to collaborate with the Office of Wellness and Resilience to integrate principles of safety, transparency and peer support into workplaces and services. The UH College of Social Sciences launched the dashboard in partnership with the governor’s Office of Wellness and Resilience, which is funding the project. The surveys, to be conducted regularly, are the first step toward helping Hawaii become a trauma-informed state. The hope is that the data informs policy initiatives that address Hawaii’s unique challenges, said Barile, such as addressing barriers to affordable housing, as well as improving access to health care with a focus on NHPI communities, and the need for better disaster preparedness. “The data in this report shows that we must continue to increase the economic opportunities for our residents, so they can remain in Hawaii,” said state Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz in a statement. “Diversifying our economy in the areas of creative industries, agriculture, and technology must be paired with investments in workforce development so our residents can fill the good-paying jobs here in the state.” Significant sources of stress >> Overall: The economy (73%), money (73%), housing costs (64%). >> Medical debt: Over 81% owe $500 or less. >> Access to health care: 12% said there was a time they needed to see a doctor but could not afford it; 20% said they delayed medical care due to the cost. >> Economic stability: 44% are worried about not having enough income to pay normal monthly bills; in the previous seven days, 10% reported sometimes not having enough to eat. >> Moving: When asked whether they had plans to move out of state, 40% responded yes. Of those who said yes, 65% said cost of living is lower elsewhere, 41% cited economic concerns, as reasons. Source: Hawaii Quality of Life and Well-Being Dashboard. Find the dashboard at health-study.com Opens in a new tab .

Hawaii Ethics Commission plans penalty system akin to traffic fines Star Advertiser Dan Nakaso December 22, 2024 Original Article The Hawaii Ethics Commission plans to create a uniform fine schedule — similar to standardized traffic fines — and voted unanimously Wednesday to have a bill introduced in the next legislative session that would speed up the issuance of fines, which now takes up to six months. Accused violators will still have the right to argue why they shouldn’t have to pay a penalty and later challenge any fines, said Ethics Commission Executive Director Robert Harris. But anyone accused of committing offenses would know the size of the fines they face and would have the option of paying them “faster and more efficiently.” “They can have the matter resolved pretty quickly,” he said. The commission ensures compliance with state ethics and lobbying laws. According to the commission’s website, the State Ethics Code requires approximately 1,900 state officials to file annual financial disclosures and that any state official who receives certain gifts report those gifts to the commission. Harris said not every alleged ethics offense would be found on the proposed fine schedule if there are multiple and complicated allegations with “more factors to consider.” Others, such as a simple, single offense, would. “The intent is to make sure there’s consistency between cases,” Harris said. “Some are pretty objectively the same, such as failing to file on time. The facts are pretty clear, so that’s pretty cut and dry.” More serious cases include violating rules against campaign contributions by lobbyists during the legislative session, and elected officials and state employees making social media posts for campaign purposes or in favor of a business on state time or while using state resources such as state social media accounts, Harris said. In 2023, the Ethics Commission took in 329 ethics complaints from sources or anonymous sources, launched 17 formal investigations, issued three formal charges, and assessed $9,500 in penalties, according to its annual report. The panel also closed 360 cases due to lack of jurisdiction, successful settlements or enforcement, and other factors. The commission can make the fine schedule on its own but needs legislative approval to streamline and simplify the enforcement process, Harris said. The commission currently has to approve a charge, give alleged violators time to respond, and perhaps schedule a hearing. Anyone issued a fine may request a contested case hearing to challenge their penalties. Accused violators would still be able to go through the current process. Bills the commission voted to approve Wednesday would ask Senate President Ron Kouchi and House Speaker Nadine Nakamura to introduce bills in their individual chambers that would streamline the process for those who want to resolve their cases quickly. The maximum fine for an Ethics Commission violation is $5,000. The Ethics Commission previously voted to have a separate bill introduced next session that would make it a violation for a lobbyist to request that a contract bid be issued in such a way that most likely would be written only for their client. Similar rules already are in place for the Legislature. A new bill also would apply to lobbying of the state’s executive branch and would include requests for contracts to directors or deputy directors of state agencies, members of the governor’s cabinet, University of Hawaii regents, and boards and commissions. Lobbyists would be required to disclose any attempts to request contract proposals to members of the executive branch that would be “on file in a public database,” Harris said. It would not apply to members of the public or community groups that want specific projects, as long they don’t represent a client who would benefit, Harris said.

Hawaiʻi’s 5-cent beverage deposit program plagued by fraud and ‘honor system’ failure, State Auditor says Maui Now Brian Perry October 22, 2025 Original Article For two decades, Hawaiʻi’s Deposit Beverage Container program has been run as an “honor system,” reliant on unverified self-reported data and plagued by alleged fraud, State Auditor Leslie Kondo told a state Senate committee during an informational meeting Thursday. Established by the state Legislature in 2002 and administered by the state Department of Health’s Office of Solid Waste Management, the deposit beverage program places a 5-cent deposit on most beverage containers. Distributors pay the deposits to the state and the funds are reimbursed to consumers when they return the containers to certified redemption centers. There are a half-dozen recycling centers on Maui as well as facilities on Lānaʻi and Molokaʻi. The beverage recycling program’s aim has been to reduce litter and encourage recycling statewide. According to the department, the program has helped residents recycle more than 10 billion containers since its inception. The State Auditor reviews the beverage recycling program every two years and has continuously noted problems with the “honor system,” accountability and fraud. “Our prior reviews have repeatedly raised concerns that DOH’s reliance on self-reported information from beverage distributors and redemption centers increases the risk of fraud,” the current audit says. “Specifically, we have pointed out that distributors and redemption centers have financial incentive to under- or over-report the amounts that the former must pay into the Special Fund and the latter may claim for reimbursement from the Special Fund.” The auditor found that the Health Department has not taken corrective action, despite repeated biennial audit findings of deficiencies. “We repeatedly discovered that DOH had done nothing to address the recurring findings and had not implemented any of the recommendations to address those findings,” it says. “We found that the program viewed these biennial audits as a replacement for internal controls, expecting the auditor to perform the program’s job of reviewing records and conducting ‘secret shopper’ activities to identify errors in the amounts received from distributors or claimed by redemption centers.” Now, as the state moves to tighten compliance, a Maui business owner is cautioning that new rules mandating third-party audits of beverage distributors will only punish honest companies. Garrett Marrero, chief executive officer and co-founder of Maui Brewing Company, testified Thursday before the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services that the program “does not work.” Marrero criticized the state’s recent move to mandate expensive third-party audits for distributors — a measure intended to address the long-standing problem of unverified data and non-compliance. Under Act 12, enacted in 2022, beverage distributors must develop and submit an internal control process for Health Department approval, and they are required to obtain independent audits in odd-numbered years. Marrero estimated the cost of the audit to his business at $15,000 to $20,000 per location (multiplied by Maui Brewing’s two locations on Maui and two on Oʻahu, $60,000 to $80,000) while his smallest location pays only $48 in annual fees to the program. “I think this was just an unintended consequence of the legislation, not an intentional hurting of small businessmen,” Marrero said, arguing that the true fraud risk lies with the redemption centers, not the distributors and wholesalers. Citing one instance of alleged fraud, Marrero said he thought it was a “lack of education and guidance from the department, as opposed to actual criminal fraud,” noting that the business involved is a publicly traded company. “I would find it very difficult to believe that they’re engaged in some method to defraud the state of Hawaiʻi,” he said. Act 12 was intended to resolve chronic problems with data integrity in the state’s deposit beverage container program. The law addressed State Auditor recommendations to compel the Health Department to develop and implement robust procedures to verify the accuracy and completeness of data reported by beverage distributors and redemption centers. The key requirements of the Act are: Risk-based audits: The Health Department is required to create a risk-based process to select distributor and redemption center reports for periodic audits, using data analytics and considering factors like transaction amounts and prior findings to target unusual activity. Enhanced reporting: Distributors are required to submit detailed monthly or semi-annual distribution reports and supporting records. The informational briefing, chaired by Sen. Joy San Buenaventura and attended by Sen. Kurt Fevella , focused on the Office of the State Auditor ’s latest review of the program for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2024. Audit finds ongoing fraud and lack of controls Kondo presented findings consistent across multiple audits since the program’s 2002 inception, stating the deposit beverage container program is “a program in name only” with “very little structure” and “no internal controls.” Latest audit findings included: Self-reported data: The Health Department still cannot verify if distributors are paying what they owe, and it reimburses redemption centers based solely on the centers’ own, unverified numbers. Fraud examples: Kondo detailed a 2016 “secret shopper” exercise by a certified public accounting firm that found what appeared to be fraud at a redemption center in Honolulu. On one visit, the center’s reimbursement request to the Health Department was for an additional $52.48 beyond what was paid to the consumer for 12 bottles. The department referred the matter to the Department of the Attorney General, which took no further action because there were “only two instances.” Growing fund balance: Kondo reported that between fiscal 2024 and fiscal 2025 the program’s special fund increased by more than $12 million. The program’s special fund as of June 30, 2024, had a fund balance of $77,860,170. The special fund reported total revenues of $33.57 million and total expenditures of $23.03 million. Fevella, whose wife previously worked at a redemption center, called the program a “failure” and noted that a lack of computerized tracking allows fraud to persist. “People have been getting rich over the taxpayers’ money,” he said. San Buenaventura called the Health Department’s lack of staff and reliance on self-reported data “unacceptable” given the sizable special fund that could be used to hire personnel. Health officials promise improvements, face skepticism “The Department of Health has faced longstanding challenges in its implementation of the deposit beverage container program,” said Kathleen Ho, deputy director for Environmental Health. “I want to assure you that we are committed to addressing these challenges.” The director’s office meets twice a month to try to get the program “back on track,” she said. “We are committed to administering the program responsibly and achieving the statutory objectives and to increase recycling.” Lane Otsu, Solid Waste Management coordinator, said: “We’re working to implement the auditors’ recommendations. We’ve gotten started on much of the actions, and feel that we are making progress and are continuing to move forward.” The department’s plans for immediate improvement include: Audits and controls: Finalizing a request for proposals for a contractor to perform risk-based audits on both distributors and redemption centers and to improve the department’s financial control processes. Compliance: Issuing enforcement letters to the approximately 100 distributors who have failed to submit required internal control process documents. Technology: Developing an electronic reporting system for distributors and redemption centers to reduce manual data entry and increase reporting accuracy. Staffing: Advancing a reorganization plan for the Solid and Hazardous Waste Branch to increase program staff, now with nine dedicated employees, despite the auditor’s long-standing recommendation that the program use its large special fund to hire personnel. Kondo acknowledged the department’s plans, but noted that his office will perform another mandatory audit in two years. He pointed out that his office has been doing “management work” for years because the program lacked structure. The committee gave the Health Department leeway until the next audit, but San Buenaventura said that after two decades of poor performance with the program, the Legislature will look for improvement in the next audit review. Otherwise, “the Legislature needs to seriously look at whether or not there’s better recycling programs,” she said.

Tourism briefing reveals unexpected L.A. Rams expense Star Advertiser Allison Schaefers June 24, 2025 Original Article The state legislators in charge of tourism praised the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority’s partnership with the Los Angeles Rams, but cried foul on HTA when it learned that the agency now expects to pick up the tab for the team’s welcome reception, estimated to cost from $80,000 to $100,000. Lawmakers brought to light the issues with HTA’s Rams contract during an informational briefing called by Rep. Adrian Tam (D, Waikiki), chair of the House Committee on Tourism, and Sen. Lynn DeCoite (D, East Maui-Upcountry-Molokai-Lanai-Kahoolawe), chair of the Senate Economic Development and Tourism Committee. Lawmakers also questioned HTA’s accountability and transparency, as well as the ability of Caroline Anderson, its current interim president and CEO, to lead an agency dealing with significant staffing shortages and problems from allegations of a toxic work environment to inappropriate freebies, procurement violations and late payments to contractors. Named and unnamed HTA officials have even been sued by Isaac Choy, HTA vice president of finance and acting chief administrative officer, who was put on unpaid leave May 9 at the direction of the state attorney general and the Department of Human Resources amid allegations he made racist and sexist remarks on the job. Sen. Donna Mercado Kim (D, Kalihi Valley-Moanalua-Halawa) highlighted HTA’s latest issue when she asked Anderson if HTA had incurred any expenses for the Rams outside of its expected contract expenses. HTA had contracted with the Rams to pay $1.5 million, and another $300,000 if the Rams make the playoffs, to promote tourism in Maui and Hawaii. But Anderson told Kim that it is possible that HTA might have to pay an additional fee to cover the Rams’ welcome reception as “there seems to be some language in the contract which is not clear about what the Rams are paying for and what HTA is paying for.” James Kunane Tokioka, state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism director, opined to lawmakers that the state will have to cover most of the reception at the Wailea Beach Resort- Marriott, Maui, which he estimated will cost $80,000 to $100,000. Tokioka told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, “Why would the Rams’ contract say they are committed to $5,000? They know that a luau is going to cost more than $5,000 so in their mind the state was paying for it.” Lawmakers grilled Anderson, Tokioka and Todd Apo, HTA board chair, on the emerging issues with the latest Rams contract, which they noted was part of a broader pattern of concerns related to accountability, transparency, and effectiveness. Kim was incredulous that Apo said the board had approved the Rams program, but not the contract in detail. DeCoite said HTA needed an attorney, and said the current process, is “like me giving my business to my granddaughter and saying, ‘Hey just go run wild with the checkbook.’” Tokioka told the Star-Advertiser that he sent an email to the Attorney General’s Office for guidance, but that he thinks “somebody made a commitment that they shouldn’t have made and that put a cloud over the Rams’ visit. But it shouldn’t because what they did was incredible. The community embraced them and they embraced the community.” Tokioka said the contract was negotiated by former HTA Chief Stewardship Officer Kalani Ka‘ana‘ana, whose resignation from HTA was effective May 2, and by HTA board member Mufi Hannemann, who was HTA board chair at the time. “They said Mufi told them that the state was going to pay for the reception,” he said. Hannemann was not present at the briefing but told the Star-Advertiser that he “did not authorize to pay for the reception,” and that Tokioka is misrepresenting facts. “It was my expectation that the deal would cover the reception,” Hannemann said, adding that he had heard that Ka‘ana‘ana was putting in a contingency in the budget. While Tokioka and Hannemann disagree on what happened with the most recent Rams contract, they both supported the current partnership and are interested in future partnerships. Hannemann said that the latest partnership with the Rams as well as the reception brought undeniable returns. As part of HTA’s partnership with the Rams, Mauicamp started on June 16 and ended Thursday. On June 17-18, the Rams also hosted on-field team activities that featured players in workout gear at War Memorial Stadium in Wailuku. “As many as 457 people came to Maui including the players, VIPs, the staff and their premium fan base. Everyplace we went people were circulating and spending money,” Hannemann said. “It reinforced the message that Maui is open for business and it welcomes people back. This deal was driven by HTA. The tourism industry shined on behalf of the people of Maui and the state’s economy. The governor and the mayor supported us doing this deal — that’s why this is a head scratcher. “ HTA also will serve as the presenting sponsor of a Rams 2025 home game at SoFi Stadium in the Los Angeles suburb of Inglewood, and as the presenting sponsor of the Rams’ offseason content on therams.com and social channels, including in-depth coverage of the team’s visit to Maui. Tokioka said he was not a part of earlier contract negotiations with the Rams. But he said that he is pursuing a new partnership with the Rams that would allow the University of Hawaii to play UCLA at SoFi Stadium. He said UCLA was supposed to come to Hawaii to play, but that the university currently doesn’t have a stadium available. Tokioka said there are still details to work out, but if the partnership prevails, the University of Hawaii would play UCLA on Sept. 18, 2027, at SoFi Stadium as a home game for Hawaii. “There’s a desire with the Rams to do more with the state of Hawaii than is currently on the table,” he said. “By 2026, we should know if we’ll get to play in SoFi or not. UCLA has never played in SoFi and never has UH. SoFi Stadium is the premier stadium in the NFL right now.” During the briefing, which lasted about six hours, several lawmakers expressed concern that HTA was even necessary given that Senate Bill 1571, which was signed into law May 29, has downgraded the HTA board to an advisory role, and DBEDT now has oversight of most of the board’s previous functions. Sen. Glenn Wakai (D, Kalihi-Salt Lake-Pearl Harbor) discussed the possibility of bifurcating HTA’s marketing and destination stewardship between two state agencies. DeCoite suggested folding HTA into DBEDT. Tam said he has begun working on drafting a bill to implement all of the recommendations in a third-party governance study released last July by Better Destinations LLC, founded by Cathy Ritter. The study, which cost nearly $300,000, recommended that a private, independent, nonprofit Destination Stewardship Organization (referred to as a DSO) replace HTA, which was created by the state Legislature more than a quarter of a century ago. Tam said he was baffled that the study was not presented to lawmakers at the beginning of this year’s session so that they could have had public hearings to discuss the findings. “The first thing in the governance study was that you guys pretty much needed to be replaced. You didn’t like what it says so you guys are just kicking the can down the road … until people forget about it. That’s just appalling,” Tam said.

Helicopter searching for signs of invasive coconut rhinoceros beetle in Waikōloa Big Island Now Big Island Now Staff December 3, 2024 Original Article If you live in Waikōloa or the surrounding area and noticed a helicopter flying low overhead today, you might have wondered why. Hawai‘i state Sen. Tim Richards, who represents the Big Island’s Senate District 4 (North Hilo, Hāmākua, Kohala, Waimea, Waikōloa, North Kona), explained in a Facebook post that the Spatial Data Analysis and Visualization Labs at University of Hawai‘i at Hilo is conducting a low-altitude helicopter flight over Waikōloa until noon today. The flight, which started at 10 a.m., is part of an effort to collect aerial imagery of palm trees in the Waikōloa area to identify potential damage caused by the invasive coconut rhinoceros beetle. It’s in partnership with the Big Island Invasive Species Committee. The data gathered will help the committee improve its palm surveys and target trees that might need further inspection. What this means for Waikōloa area residents: The helicopter is flying low to capture detailed imagery. If a tree on your property needs further inspection, the Big Island Invasive Species Committee will contact you. Trees found to have coconut rhinoceros beetle damage could qualify for free treatment by the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle Response Hawai‘i team and Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture. “Thank you for your cooperation in protecting Hawai‘i’s palms!” said Richards in his post. For more information or to get on the list for a free property survey, call/text the Big Island Invasive Species Committee at 808-731-9232 or email to biisc@hawaii.edu .