Community Health Center Unveils New Dental Clinic The Molokai Dispatch Léo Azambuja August 14, 2025 Original Article Friendly Isle residents have a new reason to smile. The nonprofit organization Molokai Community Health Center unveiled Saturday its newly renovated and expanded dental facility in Kaunakakai — almost five months ahead of schedule. “This is going to be huge for the community,” MCHC Board President James Rarick told the crowd attending the grand opening. Like others, he too had been forced to seek dental care off-island. The $2.4 million upgrading and expansion increased the numbers of dental chairs to six from the previous capacity of three. The current full-time dentist, Dr. Paula Gardner, will be joined by a part-time dentist, two full-time dental hygienists, plus specialty-care professionals on an as-needed schedule, allowing for a significant increase in dental services to the community. “The plan is to bring two full time dentists to the practice,” project manager Terry Radi said, adding they have been trying to recruit more staff for the last two years, but the country has been experiencing a shortage of dental service providers. More than 100 people attended the grand opening in Kaunakakai, including many dignitaries who had a role in the project. Besides all the good news, the event offered free shoyu chicken bento plates, drinks from Friends and Coffee, popcorn, dental hygiene kits and raffle tickets. Office of Hawaiian Affairs Chair Kai Kahele was key in securing the initial $1.4 million in federal funds years ago, when he was serving as a congressman. He said he wanted to thank MCHC staff for serving thousands of residents on Molokai. Radi said that initial funding allowed MCHC to start the process of renovating the dental building. The remaining funds came from a $350,000 donation from Hawaii Dental Service and a $660,000 grand from Maui County. “Hawaii Dental Service has been so generous with us over the past few years,” she said. And then County Councilmember Keani Rawlins-Fernandez heard MCHC was expanding the program, and helped to secure funding to help cover expenses attached to doubling operations for the next two years, according to Radi. State Sen. Lynn DeCoite, State Rep. Mahina Poepoe, and Zhantell Lindo, representing Rawlins-Fernandez, also attended the grand opening and spoke to the public. Radi said the actual work on expanding the clinic started four years ago, navigating fund-seeking, permits and design, among other things. Last year, as the construction phase was approaching, she said they were trying to figure out how to keep services open during the renovations. Coincidentally, last November, Dr. Gregory Davis retired from private practice and closed his office near Paddlers Restaurant and Bar in Kaunakakai. “We talked to him about renting his space,” Radi said. “Then he donated his old equipment to us, and we have been operating out of that facility while we have been under construction.” The temporary solution came with challenges; the equipment was limited, and the facility was aged. “We just couldn’t keep up with the number of patients that we have. So, we are all just super excited to get out of that location and into our new location where we have doubled the capacity for seeing the patients,” Radi said. MCHC signed the contract for construction in December 2024, and started construction in early January 2025. The building was planned to be ready by the end of this year, but Radi said MCHC CEO Milton Cortez asked if they could cut the construction time in half. “Unfortunately, it just couldn’t be done in six months. But it was done in eight months, and we are pretty proud of that. So, we did push up the project a good four-and-a-half months,” Radi said. MCHC dental program currently serves about 2,300 patients, according to Radi. Now that the new facility is open, she said the number of patients might increase to up to 3,000. Because MCHC is a nonprofit organization, Cortez said, they cannot refuse service based on financial situation. “Our business model makes sure that we are looking at taking care of people without insurance, people that can’t pay. We can’t, by law, turn them away,” Cortez said.

The Sunshine Blog: Here’s When It Pays To Be A Doctor — And A Governor Honolulu Civil Beat The Sunshine Blog January 10, 2025 Original Article Dr. Green goes to Washington: Hawaiʻi Gov. Josh Green has become the leading voice — at least for the moment — opposing the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Our very own Dr. Gov. Green was all over Washington, D.C., this week, lobbying senators and telling anyone who would listen about the time in 2019 when he led a medical mission to Samoa to fight a raging measles outbreak only to find Kennedy and his anti-vax campaign had gotten there first. The country had experienced a drop in vaccination rates before the outbreak, driven in part by fear after the death of two infants in 2018 who had received a measles, mumps and rubella vaccine that had been improperly prepared. But Kennedy has also been blamed for exacerbating the problem. In 2019, just months before an emergency was declared, he traveled to Samoa and met with prominent anti-vaccination activists on the island. And then during the height of the outbreak, when children were dying, he sent a letter to the prime minister questioning whether it was the MMR vaccine itself that had caused the public health crisis. By the time the outbreak had run its course, thousands of people were sickened and 83 died, many of them children. Green, who is passionate and articulate about the problems that come when people refuse to get vaccinated, had an op-ed published in The New York Times this week and was featured in a Washington Post story and on cable media including CNN and Fox News. And he was trending on social sites. “I have no personal animus toward Mr. Kennedy on a lot of his policies,” Green told Civil Beat’s Washington correspondent Nick Grube, who caught him as he was sitting on a plane waiting to take off back to Hawaiʻi. “I just have an absolute objection to having the secretary of Health and Human Services be against vaccines, and he is. He can say what he wants to try to mitigate the damage, but everyone knows about his vaccine skepticism.” Green met with nearly a dozen senators from both sides of the aisle, including Democrats Dick Durbin of Illinois and Ron Wyden of Oregon. He was reluctant to name anyone else, he told Grube, because they were worried about political fallout. And besides, Green told Grube, he was really there on official state business like checking on federal cash that could and should be headed our way and other things of interest to Hawai‘i. While in town he worked with two different advocacy groups, 3.14 Action and Protect Our Care, to push his message and coordinate meetings with lawmakers. Already 3.14 Action has featured the governor in one of its advertisements opposing Kennedy. Green, who The Blog has heard would really like to be the country’s health secretary himself one day, told Grube he anticipates returning to D.C. in the future to crusade against Kennedy, including testifying before Congress if the opportunity allows. He’ll even talk to Donald Trump. Check, please: Wednesday is Opening Day of the 2025 Hawaiʻi Legislature, so that can only mean one thing: state legislators will rush to hold campaign fundraisers before the opening gavel falls because they’re prohibited by state law from holding organized fundraisers during session. The Blog is referring specifically to Sens. Lynn DeCoite and Jarrett Keohokalole , who asked for donations at Capitol Modern Tuesday night. It’s conveniently located right across Richards Street from the Hawaiʻi State Capitol. On Wednesday night Sens. Chris Lee , Donovan Dela Cruz , Henry Aquino and Troy Hashimoto passed their hats at Bishop Museum. Aquino, DeCoite and Keohokalole are planning ahead — they’re not up for reelection until 2028. House bills proposing to end the acceptance of all campaign contributions during legislative sessions (not just at organized fundraisers) passed that chamber unanimously in the 2023 session but were not heard by the Senate. Civil Beat opinion writers are closely following efforts to bring more transparency and accountability to state and local government — at the Legislature, the county level and in the media. Help us by sending ideas and anecdotes to sunshine@civilbeat.org . The mysterious making of the rules: The rulebook dictating how Hawaiʻi lawmakers conduct the public’s business is a big deal. The Blog has long contended that many of the most urgently needed legislative reforms could be accomplished with simple rule changes . With the start of a new biennium Wednesday, new rules must be adopted. Actually there are two rulebooks, one for the House and another for the Senate . And how they approach the task says a lot about the differences between the two chambers. The House formed a four-member Advisory Committee on Rules and Procedures that has been reaching out to representatives for their suggestions regarding the rules. The Senate, meh, not so much. Here’s how Senate Judiciary Chair Karl Rhoads puts it: “I think the Senate tends to be a little more, what’s the word I’m looking for? You’re a senator. If you have a problem with something, you need to raise it. We’re not necessarily going to go look for you to solicit your concerns.” Rhoads says he’s heard nothing about possible new Senate rules in the lead-up to the new session. Which, come to think of it, is not so different from what the House is doing. Its advisory committee is meeting in private, much to the consternation of reform advocates like Gary Hooser. The former senator writes in his own blog that current House rule No. 20 requires that the committee’s meetings be conducted openly: “Every meeting of a committee of the House … held for the purpose of making decisions on matters referred to the committee shall be open to the public.” But House Judiciary Chair David Tarnas points out that this House advisory committee is just that — advisory. “They’re not making decisions,” Tarnas says. “They’re recommending and they’re advisory. The decision-making itself is when we vote on it.” That will presumably occur soon after the Legislature convenes. That’s when we’ll know if either chamber is serious about limiting the power of conference chairs, preventing the money committees from controlling non-fiscal matters, eliminating anonymous bill introductions and so forth. Hope springs eternal: And speaking of being serious about reform, a hui of good governance groups gathered at the Capitol Thursday to launch what they called “Good Government Lobby Day.” The goal of the Hawai‘i Alliance for Progressive Action, Our Hawai‘i, Common Cause and Clean Elections Coalition is to advocate for government reforms that will strengthen transparency, accountability and fairness in the legislative process. “Welcome to your House of Representatives,” Rep. Della Au Belatti said as she welcomed some two dozen folks to Conference Room 325. She said she had not seen such a level of reform activity in her 20 years in the Legislature, adding that a revived Good Government Caucus at the Legislature is already working on bills. Rep. Della Au Belatti at the Good Governance Lobby Day meeting at the Capitol Tuesday. (David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024) Rep. Kim Coco Iwamoto said the new energy for reform began in 2022 when two lawmakers were arrested for and later convicted on bribery charges. There had been a culture, she said, that allowed Ty Cullen and J. Kalani English to get away with corruption. But there’s a lot of new blood in the Leg today. The groups, which spent half of the day meeting with other lawmakers, are pushing for a range of reforms including making public testimony on bills available early, doing away with anonymous bill introductions, taking non-financial bills out of money committees, enacting term limits and establishing full public financing of campaigns. Women of the house: One-third (or 32.43%) of the total number of state legislators in the 50 states and territories in 2025 are women, a slight increase from just a few years ago. The National Conference of State Legislatures reports that Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada are at or above the 50% mark of women state legislators, the highest representation nationwide. How does Hawaiʻi do? Compared to many other states and territories, pretty good at 40.8%. Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia, for example, each have legislatures with less than 20% women members. The Hawaiʻi House of Representatives now has its first-ever female speaker, Nadine Nakamura. Two women have led the state Senate, Colleen Hanabusa and Donna Kim.

New laws kick off 2025: Some aim to attract more nurses, doctors to Hawaii Hawaii Tribune Herald John Burnett January 7, 2025 Original Article A number of new laws took effect starting Jan. 1. At least four of those laws are related to medicine — with two intended to facilitate the licensing of physicians and nurses, which are in short supply in Hawaii. Act 112, from a bill introduced in 2023 by state Sen. Joy San Buenaventura, a Puna Democrat, makes Hawaii a part of the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact. That affiliation will make it easier for licensed physicians coming to Hawaii from other states. The IMLC currently includes 40 states, including Hawaii, plus the District of Columbia and Guam, and three additional states have introduced legislation to join. “The interstate compact is one of the bills that (Hawaii Medical Service Association), Kaiser, and the military were all hoping would pass, because it will help them recruit more medical providers to Hawaii,” San Buenaventura told the Tribune-Herald while the Legislature was in session last year. “We also know there are doctors here in Hawaii that are retirees who would be more than willing to work part time, but don’t want to go through the effort of having to get re-licensed and re-credentialed.” The state estimates Hawaii has a shortage of 768 physicians statewide, a 21% deficit. Hawaii Island’s physician shortfall is estimated at 40%. Act 95, another new law, allows out-of-state licensed registered nurses and practical nurses who hold a multi-state license issued by another state, territory or country to apply for a temporary work permit simultaneously with an application for a license to practice in Hawaii. The act was one of 22 health care measures signed into law by Gov. Josh Green, a physician, on June 27 last year. Using federal Health Resources and Service Administration methodology, Hawaii this year is estimated to face a deficit of around 3,311 registered nurses alone, representing a 28% shortfall in the nursing workforce statewide. Big Island hospitals, including Hilo Benioff Medical Center, have turned to travel nurses to close the gap. Act 91 authorizes minors who are at least 14 years old to consent to medical care and services for sexually transmitted infections, pregnancy and family planning services, including the prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). It requires confidentiality policies and practices for insurers and health care providers. The law, part of governor’s legislative package introduced by Sen. President Ron Kouchi, closes what’s been described as a critical gap in minor access to medical services related to STIs, including HIV. For decades, Hawaii law has permitted minors aged 14 to 17 to independently consent to medical care for the treatment of STIs but not for prevention. Act 91 will permit minors 14 to 17 who are at risk for exposure to STIs to consent to medical care for the prevention of STIs. There is now medication that can be taken by an individual at risk for HIV in order to prevent infection. On Facebook, the state Department of Health said it “encourages minors to involve a parent or guardian in seeking medical care to prevent STIs.” “However, often minors who could benefit from this medical care do not involve parents or guardians out of fear of disclosing their sexual behavior or sexual orientation,” the post continues. “Act 91 will allow more teens to access medical care to help keep them safe.” And Act 104 allows licensed pharmacists to administer vaccines to persons 3 years of age or older without a prescription from a doctor, if certain requirements are met. Also taking effect on New Year’s Day are laws that: establishes kalo, the Hawaiian word for taro, as the state plant; expands the definition of “beer” to include alcoholic seltzers; requires lobbyists’ expenditures statements to include the identity of the legislative or administrative action that was commented on, supported by, or opposed by the person filing the statement; requires state legislators to include the names of lobbyists with whom the legislator has a relationship; requires public meeting notices to inform testifiers how to provide remote oral testimony allowing the testifier, upon request, to be visible to board members and other meeting participants; establishes judicial procedures to prevent and remedy abusive litigation; requires motion picture and other media productions to provide evidence of reasonable efforts to comply with all applicable requirements to qualify for the income tax credit; and expands the transient accommodations tax law to include certain shelters and vehicles with sleeping accommodations.

Gyeonggi Province to Host Climate Tech Conference on 23-24 October... Discussing Climate Crisis Response and More The Asia Business Daily Lee YeongKyu October 16, 2025 Original Article Gyeonggi Province will host the 2025 Gyeonggi-do Climate Tech Conference on October 23-24 at the Gyeonggi Convergence Town in Suwon (3rd floor of the Gyeonggi Credit Guarantee Foundation). The event is designed to promote climate crisis response based on scientific evidence, technological innovation, and the activation of investments. Held under the theme "The Era of Climate Economy: Now Is the Time to Invest in Climate Tech," the conference will bring together domestic and international ambassadors, climate tech companies, investment firms, startups, and residents. The event is organized by Gyeonggi Province and co-hosted by the Gyeonggi Environment & Energy Agency and the Gyeonggi Creative Economy Innovation Center. At the opening ceremony on October 24, Chris Lee (Hawaii State Senator), Andrew Chang (CEO of New Energy Nexus), and Ethan Cohen-Cole (CEO of Capture6, USA) will deliver keynote speeches on the future of the climate tech industry and the climate economy. The following panel discussion will be moderated by Jeon Uichan, Chairperson of the Climate Crisis Response Committee, and will feature domestic and international experts including Roy Torbert (3D), Lucinda Walker (British Chamber of Commerce in Korea), Milen Dyulgerov (World Bank), and Park Gunhoo (NH Investment & Securities). In the Climate Tech Showcase, leading climate tech companies and investment firms from Korea and abroad will gather to share growth strategies for climate tech unicorns and open innovation collaboration cases. Participants include Roy Torbert (D3), Trisana Nagrani (Climeworks), Ham Ilhan (H Energy), Seo Yutaek (Hyundai Engineering & Construction), Lee Gihak (Doosan Enerbility), and Lee Hoseop (Korea CCUS Promotion Team). The session will be chaired by Kim Hyoeun, CEO of the ClimateWorks Foundation. The Climate Tech Seminar will focus on "Investment, Policy, and Market Strategies for Climate Finance and Climate Tech," with presentations on domestic and international climate finance policies and investment strategies by Professor Kim Jongdae (Inha University), the Korea Environment Institute, NH Investment & Securities, and the Gyeonggi Credit Guarantee Foundation. In the Climate Tech Competition, seven teams that passed the preliminary round will present climate tech ideas with proven feasibility, and in the afternoon, a Carbon Neutral Fund Investment Pitch Day will be held. Ten startups that advanced through the preliminaries will compete in the final IR pitching round. At the multipurpose hall on the 3rd floor of the venue, technologies from domestic climate tech startups such as Nubilab, Eight Tech, Fineco, Taiga, GreenContinue, and Enon will be on display. Byun Sangki, Director of the Climate and Environment Policy Division of Gyeonggi Province, stated, "Climate tech is the industry of the future and a new growth engine for the climate economy," adding, "We hope this conference will serve as a starting point for the transformation of the climate tech ecosystem, where technology, finance, policy, and residents come together."

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 .

The role of regional kitchens in feeding Hawaiʻi’s students Big Island Now Big Island Now Staff December 6, 2024 Original Article The Hawaiʻi Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism says an estimated 85% to 90% percent of the state’s food is grown, processed and imported from the U.S. mainland, which is then delivered to school kitchens. It’s a costly, less fresh and far less sustinable food model for the Hawaiʻi Department of Education, which serves 100,000-plus students a day — or about 18 million meals per school year — through its meals program. What if there was a way to change that? The Hawaiʻi Agricultural Foundation recently hosted its “Eat, Think, Drink 27: Regional Kitchens — Transforming Ag Through Strategic Investments” event on O‘ahu to discuss that issue and more. State House Committee on Agriculture and Food Systems Chairwoman Rep. Kirstin Kahaloa of Kona, state Senate Committee on Ways and Means Chairman Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz of Oʻahu and state Senate Committee on Education Chairwoman Sen. Michelle Kidani of Oʻahu attended. Kahaloa and Dela Cruz were also part of a panel of state and industry leaders in local food production to talk about the significance of the role of regional kitchens in sustainably feeding Hawaiʻi and its students. Keynote speaker Dela Cruz presented about the state’s Nourishing Hawaiʻi’s Future initiative, aimed at increasing local food production and creating locally sourced meals for students through regional kitchens. State Superintendent of Schools Keith Hayashi also was part of the discussion. “The answer to both reducing our dependence on imported food and feeding our students locally is the concept of a regional kitchen,” said Dela Cruz. “Building a future based on resources already in place and using them to create a tangible system of local agriculture, regional kitchens and [Hawai‘i] Department of Education schools is a feasible solution that will create food security and contribute to economic development.” Regional kitchens are facilities used to produce meals or individual ingredients before they are sent to different locations to serve to consumers. This model has been successfully adopted through school districts in Washington state and California and already similarly implemented in the centralized kitchen of Zippy’s Restaurants in Waipiʻo, Oʻahu. Strategic investments in regional kitchens have shown to help local farmers scale production by increasing market access and leveraging the power of public procurement. Regional kitchens use local farm products to prepare meals at public schools, said Kahaloa. “This model moves locally grown and raised products from our farms, to processing facilities, to the regional kitchens and lastly to our public schools that incorporate these ʻono grinds on our keiki’s plates,” said the Big Island lawmaker. “Students will be nourished when they can eat food grown from their communities.” Hayashi said his department continues to work toward the state’s goal of incorporating at least 30% locally sourced foods in school meals by 2030 and 50% by 2050. A highlight of the event included a menu created by four state Department of Education alumni, who are now chefs, and current students using locally sourced ingredients. Hayashi said the state Department of Education is grateful for the opportunities the event provided Hawaiʻi students to learn from alumni and professionals in the food and agriculture industry. “Including [Hawaiʻi Department of Education] in the process provides nutritious school meals for our keiki while securing local food production,” said Kidani. “It was wonderful to see alumni now as skilled chefs contributing their creations and showcasing locally grown ingredients alongside our current culinary students. Working with alumni to serve healthy, local meals will fuel our students’ success in the classroom and have a lasting impact.”

YWCA ‘Dress For Success’ program empowers local women KITV Megan Bobilin April 16, 2025 Original Article HONOLULU (Island News) – State and City lawmakers, Capitol staffers and community members teamed up this week with one goal, to empower women in Hawaii. With more than 90 bags filled with donations for the annual YWCA O‘ahu ‘Dress For Success’ Program, members of the Hawaii State Legislature took a step towards helping women achieve independence. The annual clothing drive includes gifts of professional attire, including dresses, blazers, accessories, shoes, handbags and brand-new undergarments. Supporting local women as they work reenter the workforce, often overcoming barriers such as poverty, homelessness or incarceration. Hawaii Representative, Gregg Takayama, who helps to organize the annual event highlighted the difference it makes in the community. "Dress for Success has transformed the lives of countless women by helping them to build confidence and prepare for new job opportunities," Takayama said. “Sometimes, all it takes is one outfit to help someone land a job and take that first step toward independence.” Senator San Buenaventura echoed that sentiment, agreeing that professional clothes can be a significant investment with the power to transform lives and therefore, the community. “The YWCA’s Dress for Success initiative goes beyond just professional attire—it represents dignity, opportunity and empowerment,” Buenaventura said. “When we invest in women, we invest in stronger families, stronger communities and a stronger future.” With pride, Buenaventura expressed support for the community initiative – all to give women the tools, confidence and support they need to thrive in the workforce.

State legislature hear proposed bills advocating for Hawaiʻi's keiki Kauai Now N/A January 28, 2025 Original Article Hawaiʻi state legislators and community advocates joined together to present the 2025 Keiki Caucus Bill Package and priorities dedicated to improving the lives of Hawaiʻi’s children and families. The Keiki Caucus, established in 1994, is a collaboration between Hawaiʻi state legislators, community leaders, and youth-centered organizations who come together to propose, draft, support, and implement policy changes that will improve the lives of Hawaiʻi’s young people. The Keiki Caucus is co-convened by Sen. Joy A. San Buenaventura representing Puna, Rep. Lisa Marten representing Waimānalo, Keolu Hills, Lanikai and parts of Kailua, and Rep. Ikaika Olds representing McCully-Mōʻiliʻili. Legislators identified five top priority issues impacting Hawaiʻi’s youth and families for the upcoming legislative session. They include: Tax credits for household and dependent care services; Funding for community schools; Paid family leave; E-cigarette regulation; Universal free school breakfast and lunches. “During the interim, we collaborated with community advocates to develop proposals that address top-of-mind issues such as the rising cost of childcare, which significantly impacts the cost of living for Hawaiʻi’s keiki and families,” said Keiki Caucus co-convenor and Representative Lisa Marten. “We also identified ways to support our youth in schools, ensuring they receive a quality education while feeling empowered and supported to succeed.” The 2025 Keiki Caucus Bill Package consists of the following measures: HB753 – Relating to the Household and Dependent Care Services Tax Credit Increases a taxpayer’s applicable percentage of employment-related expenses that is used to calculate the household and dependent care services tax credit. Extends the sunset date of the temporary increase in maximum employment-related expenses that are used to calculate the household and dependent care services tax credit, established by Act 163, SLH 2023, to 6/30/2030. Sunsets 6/30/2030. HB754 / SB821 – Relating to Community Schools Appropriates funds to the Department of Education for community schools and a program manager position. HB755 / SB852 – Relating to Paid Family Leave By 1/1/2028, requires the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to establish a family and medical leave insurance program and begin collecting payroll contributions to finance payment of benefits. By 1/1/2029, requires the Department to start receiving claims and paying benefits under the program. Specifies eligibility requirements and employee protections under the program. HB756 / SB972 – Relating to Health (E-Liquids) Prohibits the sale of flavored nicotine products and the mislabeling of e-liquids as nicotine-free, Establishes penalties for violations, Authorizes the Department of Health to appoint, commission, or contract for services of inspectors, Establishes two full-time equivalent program specialist positions and one full-time equivalent hearing officer position. HB757 – Relating to Education Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, requires the Department of Education to provide free breakfast and lunch to all students enrolled in department schools. Community advocates from Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Ceeds of Peace, Hawaiʻi Afterschool Alliance, Hawaiʻi Appleseed, and Hawaiʻi Children’s Action Network Speaks! rallied their support for the bills outlined in today’s press conference. The Keiki Caucus, established in 1994, is a collaboration between Hawaiʻi state legislators, community leaders, and youth-centered organizations who come together to propose, draft, support, and implement policy changes that will improve the lives of Hawaiʻi’s young people.

Gov. Green signs landmark legislation pertaining to Maui Wildfires Settlement Maui Now July 8, 2025 Original Article Gov. Josh Green, M.D. has enacted legislation to solidify the global settlement for claims relating to the August 2023 Maui wildfires and to further codify the role of Hawai‘i’s first State Fire Marshal in nearly 46 years. “Today we are re-envisioning the path forward in the roadmap of wildfire prevention and recovery,” said Green. “We are taking action from both ends of the wildfire spectrum — building a more robust fire prevention framework within the state and enacting historic legislation that will aid in timely access to compensation following disaster. This crisis impacts us on many fronts, and it is time we tackle it the same way, from multiple directions.” HB 1001: Relating to settlement of claims related to the Maui wildfires : House Bill 1001 (Act 301) establishes the Maui Wildfires Settlement Trust Fund to provide dedicated funding for those affected by the 2023 Maui wildfires. The bill appropriates $807.5 million to support the state’s contribution in the settlement of claims, which shall be deposited into the trust fund. Additional contributions to the state fund include funding from the County of Maui, Hawaiian Electric, Kamehameha Schools, Charter Communications/Spectrum, Hawaiian Telcom and West Maui Land Company. Green sought to establish this funding to provide timely compensation for survivors’ claims as an alternative to lengthy litigation, ensuring those affected do not have to wait years to rebuild their lives. Recipients of compensation from the settlement trust fund shall agree to release the state and any additional parties that contribute to the fund from all further liability arising from the Maui wildfires. “This legislation is a huge win and sets a new precedent for swift settlement of claims for wildfire victims,” said Green. “It should not take years for people to see compensation or begin rebuilding. This is about healing, restoring trust and helping families recover as quickly as possible in the place they call home.” The measure emphasizes providing meaningful compensation by specifying that property and casualty insurance companies can only recover payments made to a policyholder through a statutory lien. Green said this provision demonstrates the state’s commitment to prioritizing the individuals affected by the wildfire to receive claims directly. The settlement agreement totals $4.037 billion and resolves claims of liability against multiple defendants, including the County of Maui. The agreement aims to reduce the legal load of the judicial system while avoiding the high costs associated with litigation. HB 1064: Relating to fire protection : In accordance with the Fire Safety Research Institute’s three-phase report — developed to improve fire preparedness and response following the August 2023 Maui wildfires — House Bill 1064 (Act 302) effectuates the recommendations provided in “Phase 3” of the report. Phase 3 focuses on the forward-looking portion of the investigation and proposes improvements to the Office of the State Fire Marshal, which was originally established under Act 209, Session Law of Hawai‘i 2024. Under Act 302, the Office of the State Fire Marshal is transferred to the Department of Law Enforcement and will be led by the State Fire Marshal. The legislation further clarifies the roles, duties, and discretionary authority of both the Office and the State Fire Marshal, supporting the state’s efforts to provide coordinated, statewide fire prevention and readiness strategies. To enhance coordination between the Office of the State Fire Marshal and the State Fire Council, the bill outlines responsibilities and the organizational structure related to matters such as reporting and recommending amendments to the state fire code. The bill requires the Fire Chief of each county to investigate and maintain an annual record of fire occurrences. These records must be submitted to the Office of the State Fire Marshal for centralized analysis. The county submissions will assist the State Fire Marshal in compiling biennial statistical reports, including those made available to the public and those submitted to the Legislature. “Last month, I appointed Dori Booth as Hawai‘i’s new State Fire Marshal, reviving a critical public safety position that has been vacant for nearly 46 years,” said Green. “This appointment marks a turning point as we redefine the role — empowering the office with clear authority and resources to better protect our state through fire prevention strategies and analysis.” “My first month in office has been both eye-opening and incredibly encouraging,” said State Fire Marshal Dori Booth. “I’ve had the opportunity to meet with dedicated state and county partners, as well as private stakeholders, who are all working tirelessly to enhance fire prevention, readiness, and resiliency across our islands. These conversations have been instrumental in shaping my initial assessments and understanding the unique strengths each organization brings to the table. The feedback I’ve received has affirmed the vital role the Fire Marshal’s Office can play — not only in supporting these existing efforts, but also in unifying them to build a stronger, more resilient Hawai‘i. HB 1064 is a meaningful step forward, and I’m honored to stand with so many committed partners as we move toward a safer future together.” Lastly, HB 1064 establishes the State Fire Marshal Selection Commission and defines its roles and structure. The selection commission will be given the authority to appoint and remove the State Fire Marshal, evaluate the State Fire Marshal’s performance, and address matters of public interest. “With the State Fire Marshal position re-established for the first time in nearly five decades, this legislation gives the office the structure, authority, and support it needs to succeed,” said Senator Brandon Elefante (Senate District 16 – ‘Aiea, ‘Aiea Heights, Hālawa, Pearlridge, Newtown, Royal Summit, Waimalu, Waiau, Momilani, Pacific Palisades, and Pearl City), who chairs the Senate Public Safety and Military Affairs Committee. “It’s a significant step in building a stronger, more coordinated approach to fire prevention and public safety across Hawai‘i.” There is $2.2 million appropriated in fiscal year 2026 and an equal amount for fiscal year 2027 to support the establishment and operations of the Office and State Fire Marshal.

Hawaiian Electric Industries Sells Most Of American Savings Bank Interest Civil Beat Stewart Yerton December 31, 2024 Original Article Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc., on Tuesday announced the sale of a 90% stake in its American Savings Bank subsidiary to independent investors, through a series of separate agreements, for $405 million in cash. The transaction values the bank at $450 million. The sale of the vast majority of HEI’s ownership in American Savings Bank follows more than a year of speculation about whether the holding company would sell the bank to raise money to deal with costs associated with the 2023 Maui wildfires. Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole. (David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024) The announcement comes just weeks before the Hawaii Legislature kicks off its 2025 session in January and bodes well for the company’s legislative agenda, said Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole, who held hearings on HECO-related bills last session as chair of the Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee. The company’s top priority is a measure to help it raise money by borrowing against a new fee levied on customers. Keohokalole said the deal shows the utility is doing everything it can to help itself before going to customers. He said he plans to introduce a bill on HECO’s behalf this session. “In general, one of the major questions being asked last year when HECO requested securitization authority was, ‘Has the company done everything it needs to do to shore up its position itself?’” Keohokalole said. “So I think this is a significant change.” Under the deal, each investor will have a non-controlling interest in the bank, the company said in a news release. No investor owns more than 9.9% of the bank’s common stock, including HEI, which has retained a 9.9% stake. The Investors also include all of ASB’s executive team and independent directors. “The sale allows HEI to enhance our focus on the utility as we work to help our state recover from the 2023 Maui wildfires and strengthen the financial and strategic position of our company,” said Scott Seu, HEI’s president and chief executive. “We intend to use the proceeds to reduce holding company debt, increasing flexibility for how HEI funds the HEI and Hawaiian Electric wildfire settlement contributions and key utility initiatives.”

Community to celebrate life of Ka'ū Calendar editor Julia Neal Big Island Now Tiffany DeMasters February 7, 2025 Original Article Julia Neal, founder of the monthly publication the Ka‘ū Calendar and owner of the Pāhala Plantation Cottages, has been described as compassionate, generous, a community advocate and a dedicated journalist. On Jan. 24, the Pāhala resident for about 30 years passed away in her home on Jan. 24. She was 75. “Everybody knew who she was and what she did,” said Iopa Maunakea, founder of the nonprofit Men of Pa‘a. “That lady impacted the community just by her paper alone. She had a lot of integrity.” Neal kept people from Miloli‘i to Pāhala informed of the goings-on in Hawai‘i Island’s sprawling rural district. From county elections to the controversial proposed resort development in Punalu‘u, Neal reported on the community truthfully. On Saturday, the community is invited to celebrate Neal’s life at 9 a.m. at the Plantation House at 96-3209 Maile St. in Pāhala. With Neal now gone, the Ka‘ū Calendar will cease operations, with its final publication to run later this month. The community is invited to submit letters, prayers, poems and art in honor of Neal to contribute to the final issue. Send submissions to tibarra2000@gmail.com by Feb. 14. Neal also ran a bed and breakfast and vacation rental business called the Pāhala Plantation Cottages, where she hosted weddings, science camps, music festivals and a variety of community events and gatherings. “Her love for Ka‘ū’s unique community and culture and realization that the rural region lacked organized print media inspired her to start the Ka‘ū Calendar,” said Neal’s nephew, William Neal. “She also firmly believed that bringing the voices of those who call Ka‘ū home to the forefront on the region’s most consequential issues was imperative.” William Neal said his aunt was the hardest-working person he ever knew. “Few have had the passion and drive that she had,” he said. “Every day, she would wake up to report on the happenings of the community and national stories of consequence for Hawai‘i at large without missing a day.” Neal covered community events, including the Ka‘ū Coffee Festival, high school graduations and the Pāhala Christmas Parade. She also hosted countless concerts at her property. One Facebook user said they can’t imagine Pāhala without Neal, who always was wearing a hat and smiling. William Neal said his aunt largely ran the paper alone. “She did have some help with graphic design putting the paper together and from time to time throughout the years she had some folks help her take photos for stories or seek advertisers,” he said. “But largely the day-to-day reporting was all done by Julia.” Neal was born in Missouri to a military family that was always on the move. She grew up in several places around the U.S. and Europe, including Kentucky, New York, Germany and France. In the 1980s, Neal worked as a photographer for The Garden Island newspaper on Kaua‘i, working her way up to editor of the publication. Senate Speaker Ron Kouchi was elected as a Kaua‘i County Council member when he met Neal, who at the time was a reporter at The Garden Island. “It was a time when reporters would sit through the entire county council meetings,” Kouchi said. “They were firey journalists and did a lot of homework and research.” Kouchi said Neal covered the development controversy of Nukoli‘i. According to a 2016 Honolulu Civil Beat article by the now Kaua‘i State Rep. Luke Evslin, the fight over Nukoli‘i was “Kaua‘i’s worst political crisis since statehood.” Developers were trying to build a resort on Kaua‘i’s east shore. Although the vacant land at Nukoli‘i was upzoned to urban by the State Land Use Commission in 1974, no building could occur until the county changed the zoning to resort. According to the Civil Beat article, the Planning Department, through the Līhu‘e Development Plan, recommended resort zoning in 1978, which sparked a wave of protests. While they were on opposite sides of the issue, Kouchi supporting development and Neal opposing it, the senator said she wrote the story with all the facts, allowing readers to make their own choices. “She was a professional,” Kouchi said. “She held you to the fire and asked the hard questions.” After turning 40, Neal moved to the Big Island to start a new life in Pāhala. Men of Paʻa’s Maunakea said Neal was involved in everything from housing to education. “She was fearless about reporting things in Punalu‘u,” Maunakea said. Maunakea met Neal four years ago. She opened up her cottages to the nonprofit when the members would stay overnight while in Ka‘ū to do service projects. He said Neal always made it a point to spend time with the group during their stays. “She opened doors for us to engage our community service with the Ka‘ū region,” Maunakea said. Neal is survived by her partner Michael C. Worthington, brother Forest Neal II, and three nephews; Forest Neal III, Michael Neal and William Neal.

Mismanagement Claims: State Tourism Officials Grilled By Lawmakers Civil Beat Stewart Yerton June 23, 2025 Original Article Hawaiʻi lawmakers grilled leaders of the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority all day on Monday, drilling down on questions about financial management and the overall effectiveness of an organization on the verge of chaos. Lawmakers covered everything from a marketing contract with the Los Angeles Rams to controversies involving a senior financial officer now on unpaid leave to a practice of asking board members to remove agenda items to avoid critical press coverage. Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority board Chairman Todd Apo, left, Hawaiʻi Visitors and Convention Bureau Chief Executive Aaron Salā, acting HTA Chief Executive Caroline Anderson and Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism Director Jimmy Tokioka answered questions from lawmakers on Monday. (Hawaii Legislature/Screenshot/2025) At one point during the marathon hearing, Sen. Lynne DeCoite, who chairs the Senate Committee on Economic Development and Tourism, summed up the theme of the informational briefing. “Houston, we have a problem,” she said. “And we have to fix it.” Gov. Josh Green plans to ask for the resignations of every member of the authority’s board, according to a statement provided by his office to Hawaii News Now. “Because the responsibilities of the board have changed to an advisory role, he feels it best to start with a clean slate,” the statement said. “The HTA board as it was previously established no longer exists, so it makes sense to look at the composition of the new board.” Sen. Lynne DeCoite, chair, Senate Committee on Economic Development and Tourism “Sometimes you’ve got to take just a whole different direction.” The tourism authority’s acting chief executive, Caroline Anderson, spent much of Monday on the hot seat, facing questions from members of DeCoite’s Senate committee and the House Committee on Tourism. While Anderson has implemented a 90-day plan to get HTA back on track, the informational briefing reinforced the image of an agency embroiled in strife. HTA has lacked a permanent chief executive for nearly two years, and the agency has been shaken by defections of key staff. Its interim president and chief executive, Daniel Nāhoʻopiʻi, Chief Stewardship Officer Kalana Ka‘anā‘anā and spokesman T. Ilihia Gionson have all left in the past year. On top of that, the organization’s head of finance and acting chief administrative officer, Isaac Choy, was recently placed on unpaid leave for allegedly creating a hostile work environment for Native Hawaiian employees. He’s fired back with a lawsuit saying he was removed for reporting procurement violations and widespread financial waste within the tourism agency. Meanwhile, the whole organization faces major structural changes thanks to a new law signed by Green in May. For lawmakers, the bottom line was about spending taxpayer money — HTA gets about $63 million a year to market Hawaiʻi and mitigate overtourism — on a flawed agency. DeCoite said the agency is asking the state for more money to run a program that is “literally flawed,” adding that “sometimes you’ve got to take just a whole different direction.” L.A. Rams Lūʻau Cost Taxpayers $80,000 Lawmakers spent significant time asking about procurement policies. A case in point involved a marketing contract with the Los Angeles Rams . The $1.8 million contract calls for the Rams to promote Hawaiʻi in the state’s largest market for visitors and to put on a mini-camp on Maui, including flag football for girls, which was held June 18. DeCoite praised the event and the goodwill it brought the community. So did Sen. Donna Mercado Kim and Jimmy Tokioka, director of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, which oversees HTA. Gov. Josh Green and Los Angeles Rams president Keven Demoff announced a tourism marketing contract between the state and team in June. An ambiguity in the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority’s contract with the Rams means the state will have to pay an estimated $80,000 for an event on top of the $1.8 million contract. (Courtesy of LA Rams) The issue was an apparent hole in the Rams’ contract. Not clear from the document was how much the state would be on the hook for a 400-person lūʻau with an open bar that was part of the Rams’ visit to Hawaiʻi. That event tacked on at least $80,000 to the costs to the state, Tokioka said. The sole-source contract called for the Rams to pay a maximum of $5,000 for the event, leaving the state to pay the rest. HTA officials couldn’t explain exactly how the provision became part of the contract, which they said was negotiated by Kaʻanāʻanā, who’s no longer on staff. Mercado Kim criticized the tourism agency for overlooking such hidden costs. “This is not just one contract,” she said. “This is inherent in your whole system.” Sens. Donna Mercado Kim, left, and Lynn DeCoite and Rep. Adrian Tam spent Monday questioning state tourism officials about the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority (Hawaiʻi Legislature/Screenshot/2025) Another issue involved a $780,000 interest charge on late payments to the organization’s main marketing contractors, the Hawaiʻi Visitors and Convention Bureau, which has a $38.6 million two-year contract for marketing, and the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, which does destination management under an $18.7 million contract. Anderson, the authority’s acting chief executive, said the state will not be on the hook for the $780,000, which she said will come from the visitors bureau’s existing contract. Not satisfied, Kim asked how the money spent to cover interest was furthering the goal of marketing Hawaiʻi as a tourist destination. That would leave a $780,000 hole somewhere else. Kim also called out Anderson for placing Choy on leave in May when Choy was the one who raised questions about the cost. In May, Anderson placed Choy on unpaid leave for making derogatory remarks about Native Hawaiians. Tokioka has said he heard one such comment, reprimanded Choy and demanded an apology. Choy, a former longtime lawmaker, has shot back with a whistleblower lawsuit saying he’s being retaliated against after reporting procurement violations and other problems at HTA that are wasting millions of dollars. Kim raised questions about the dispute. “We have a qualified person who has a target on his back because he flushed out the deficiencies,” Kim said. “How is that fair?” Sen. Kurt Fevella, who has criticized Choy for using the term “dumb Hawaiian” during contract negotiations with the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, said, “Nobody has put a target on anyone’s back.” The issue, he said, was a racial slur “about our people being ‘dumb Hawaiians.’” David Arakawa, chair of the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority’s Budget, Finance and Convention Center Committee, said he was asked to take items off a meeting agenda to avoid bad press for the agency. (Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2018) Anderson’s time on the hot seat got even more tense at one point when HTA board member David Arakawa joined Anderson at the table. According to Arakawa, who chairs the tourism agency’s Budget, Finance and Convention Center Committee, Anderson asked him to remove items from a committee agenda for a May meeting because they might result in bad press. Anderson explained to lawmakers that staff didn’t have the information to answer the questions and that she was trying to create a spirit of collaboration in the organization. “You’re not collaborating,” DeCoite said. “You’re dictating.” When Anderson denied Kim’s allegation that Anderson was acting like a “gestapo,” Kim shot back, “If you can say, ‘Take something off the agenda,’ then you are one: I’m sorry.” Rep. Adrian Tam, who chairs the House Tourism Committee, offered another suggestion for avoiding critical media attention. “If you want to avoid bad headlines,” Tam said, “I think the better approach would actually be to address the problems head-on instead of putting it under the rug.”