Lawmakers rush to pass new law following disturbing animal abuse incident: 'Existing laws did not go far enough' The Cool Down Sam Westmoreland July 12, 2025 Original Article Hawaiʻi has tightened its laws on harming wild animals, after a native hawk was found badly injured on the island of Hawaiʻi in the archipelagic state. According to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser , Governor Josh Green signed Senate Bill 849 into law as Act 98, which will impose fines of up to $20,000 and jail time on each offense against indigenous species, "including aquatic life, wildlife, and land plants." It also makes repeat offenses into Class C felonies, where previously all violations had been misdemeanors. The law came into being due to the discovery of an ʻio, a species of hawk native to Hawaiʻi on the Big Island, which had been badly maimed by an unknown person. According to the Star-Advertiser, the ʻio was found in a chicken coop with a significant portion of its top beak missing, which allowed the bird to hunt and kill prey, but not eat it. It was extremely emaciated as a result of the injury, and the investigation by the Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources revealed the ʻio's injuries were done intentionally, likely with the hope of selling the bird. Cutting the beak is often done to deter attacks on livestock or people when keeping birds like this as a pet. "We got a report that somebody was trying to give a hawk away on Craigslist," Raymond McGuire, a wildlife scientist with the DLNR, said, while noting the hawk was found "a few days later." After the incident, Democratic state senator Dru Mamo Kanuha introduced the bill. "We recognized that existing laws did not go far enough to deter harm to our indigenous species—particularly the ʻio," Kanuha wrote. "This is a critical step forward in holding bad actors accountable and deterring future harm. Our ʻio — the Hawaiian hawk — are keystone species in the forests across Hawaii, and especially within my Senate District on Hawaiʻi Island." Hawaiʻi isn't the only state imposing tighter restrictions on cruelty towards animals; Wyoming is debating stricter punishments against people who harm wolves, while New York has imposed stricter punishments against those who face multiple counts of animal cruelty. But the island state clearly takes protecting its beautiful and unique wildlife seriously, and it can now back that up with more severe punishments for those who don't.

Green signs bill aimed at helping kupuna with dementia Hawaii Tribune-Herald Kyveli Diener July 4, 2025 Original Article Gov. Josh Green signed three bills on Thursday to enhance protections for vulnerable citizens in Hawaii, including one measure focused on helping kupuna living with dementia. “We’re working to strengthen our medical workforce by providing extra dementia-informed care,” Green said at a press conference in Honolulu. “On a personal note, my stepmom has very advanced dementia, and this year, my father received a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and is in the very early stages. (He’s a) brilliant man, so it’s very difficult to see.” Both Green and one of the senators supporting the bill shared first-hand stories about elderly family members being impacted by Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Green said that longer lifespans are causing a “Silver Tsunami” that will bring about the largest elder population in history by the 2030s. “The number of kupuna who are going to experience dementia is going to triple in the next 35 years,” said state Sen. Stanley Chang of Oahu, who shared that his father passed away from dementia after his mother served as his primary caregiver for over a decade. “It was very difficult to find help for her … that’s why expanding the workforce capacity of our medical infrastructure here in Hawaii is so critical to addressing this issue.” The senate bill, SB 1252, requires the University of Hawaii to establish a specialized training program to deepen the education for health care providers caring for patients with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. The bill appropriates $525,000 in both 2026 and 2027 to the John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawaii at Manoa to elevate training and education for improved support and care for kupuna with dementia-related challenges, while also adding to the state’s workforce. Additionally, the bill enables UH Manoa’s Department of Geriatric Medicine to add positions to develop and update curricula. This will allow the school to offer training in enhanced care through new comprehensive programs focused on the needs of patients afflicted with Alzheimer’s and dementia. “With the onset of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia on the rise, there are cutting-edge treatments that are becoming available that can actually slow the disease. The key to this, though … is early detection and prevention,” said state Rep. Cory Chun of Oahu at the press conference. “Our kupuna are so important for us: they are our family members, our neighbors, and our friends, and are vital to our communities.” The other kupuna support bill signed at the press conference Thursday was HB 703, which extends the sunset date of the state’s rent supplement program for kupuna from 2026 to 2028 and offers additional housing support for kupuna at risk of homelessness. “SB 1252 strengthens our health care system by investing in dementia training and education, and this helps ensure our aging population will continue to receive compassionate and informed care,” AARP Hawaii Advocacy Associate Director Audrey Suga-Nakagawa said as she commended the dementia care and rent supplement bills. “Together, these bills honor the dignity of Hawaii’s older adults and build a more resilient age-friendly community.” The third bill signed Thursday was SB 1221, also known as “Sharkey’s Law,” which requires increased safety measures and regulation of retention and detention ponds in an effort to decrease the number of drowning deaths among Hawaii children.

Gov. Josh Green signs condo insurance incentives into law Star Advertiser Dan Nakaso July 8, 2025 Original Article Insurance companies now have more incentives to provide condominium coverage after Gov. Josh Green signed a bill on Monday that he hopes will lower rates for condos across the islands — especially after their rates soared and insurance companies left following the 2023 Maui wildfires. By signing the latest version of Senate Bill 1044 into law as Act 296, Green said that Hawaii is now better positioned than other states to see condo insurance stabilize — encouraging insurance companies to return and provide more competitive rates. SB 1044 came out of a task force comprised of representatives of condo boards, actuarials, insurance representatives, state insurance officials and others that began meeting two years ago following the Aug. 8, 2023, Maui wildfires that caused $13 billion in damage and led to $3 billion in insurance payouts and an exodus of insurance companies. Act 296 reactivates the dormant Hawai‘i Hurricane Relief Fund to provide hurricane coverage for condo associations that have been denied hurricane insurance. It requires no additional taxpayer funding because the coverage will come out of revenue already in the Hawai‘i Hurricane Relief Fund, said state Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole (D, Kaneohe-Kailua), chair of the Senate Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee. The fund was created in 1993 after Hurricane Iniki devastated Kauai, Green said, “so the market didn’t get out of control, so that people didn’t lose the value of their condos, so they didn’t have to leave Hawaii.” Act 296 also creates a pilot, low-interest rate loan program to help aging condos pay for backlogged repairs that make them difficult to insure — or can only find insurance at increasingly skyrocketing rates. It’s focused on helping the “average Hawaii residents living in a condo” over owners of high-rise luxury condos, said state Rep. Scot Matayoshi (D, Kaneohe-Maunawili), who chairs the House Consumer Protection and Commerce Committee. Insurers who were part of a two-year-old task force looking at ways to lower insurance rates said the threat that old water pipes could burst and flood units represented the main risk for insurance companies, Matayoshi said. By upgrading aging buildings, Matayoshi hopes condo associations will be able to purchase less expensive insurance coverage. Just since June 24, the loan program has received applications from 80 condo associations for backlogged repairs and 10 of them already have been accepted, Acting Insurance Commissioner Jerry Bump said at Monday’s bill-signing ceremony. Sen. Keohokalole said that Sunday’s wildfire in Maili represents the ongoing threats to Hawaii and the insurance problems that follow. “All the Lahaina memories came rushing back,” Keohokalole said. “It’s a reminder of how vulnerable we all are to disaster and how important it is to have insurance.” Act 296 was meant to address a “silent crisis that’s pushing thousands of residents to the brink, skyrocketing insurance costs with no alternatives in sight,” he said. It provides relief “especially for seniors with no alternatives that are the most vulnerable to the price spikes or the cancellations that we’ve been seeing throughout the community,” Keohokalole said. Green said, “it has become increasingly clear that our housing market was unstable. After the (Maui) fires, the difference in insuring ourselves was setting the condo market upside down. … It effects tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of our citizens.” Green hopes Act 296 and the new, higher increase in the hotel room tax to fund Hawaii’s wildfire and climate change mitigation efforts will combine to convince insurance companies to return and reinvest in Hawaii’s insurance market, especially for condominiums. It will turn “an unstable” insurance market into a “solid” one, Green said. Keohokalole said: “It also sets up a fire wall to potentially protect hundreds of thousands of residents whose lives could be thrown into disarray if there is a broader insurance market cancellation or another catastrophe like Lahaina.” Act 296 was aimed at “a complicated matter that affects a lot of local people,” Keohokalole said, and “to fix something that makes life better for local people.” Keohokalole called the new law “the most complicated bill I’ve ever worked on. But it’s really important.”

Four agricultural officers coming to Big Island this month for pilot program under new state law Big Island Now Kelsey Walling July 4, 2025 Original Article To protect farmers and ranchers from being victims of crimes, four agricultural officers will be deployed to Hawaiʻi Island this month as part of a pilot enforcement program. The program stems from Act 235, also known as Duke’s Law, which was signed last week by Gov. Josh Green. The law was named by state Sen. Tim Richards in memory of Cranston “Duke” Pia, a 39-year-old Waiʻanae rancher who was fatally shot in 2024 during a confrontation with trespassing hunters. Pia’s death prompted community members, lawmakers and agricultural groups to push for more serious enforcement and tougher penalties for trespassers, thieves and illegal hunters targeting agricultural land. As a rancher in Kohala, Richards said he has experienced a fair share of agricultural crimes and was a passionate advocate for the law. “I feel like we’re finally moving the needle for agriculture because for so long, agricultural crime has not been a concern because ‘it is just trespassing, or they just took a couple of fruits,'” Richards said. “But those fruits are people’s livelihoods, and Pia’s murder began with a trespass.” Agricultural crimes are complex and multifaceted, so the state law is designed to provide a comprehensive response by having clearer definitions and penalties for violations related to agriculture and agricultural lands. The state Department of Law Enforcement initiated the pilot agricultural enforcement program on July 1 and will deploy nine dedicated officers — four on Oʻahu, four on Hawaiʻi Island, and one supervisor overseeing both teams. They will focus on human-related agricultural crimes that involve theft, trespassing, illegal hunting, poaching and vandalism. According to Richards, these crimes jeopardize the lives and livelihoods of farmers, undermine food security, disrupt local economies, and erode public confidence in the protection of vital resources. 📷In this file photo, Craig Burkholder’s horse Onyx, right, walks with her foal, Uhane. In 2022, Onyx was shot at night by a friend of a neighbor who wanted to eradicate wild pigs from his property. The shooting left her 11-weak-old Uhane without a mother. (Photo Courtesy: Craig Burkholder) The Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau estimates that agricultural crimes cost local farmers and ranchers up to $15 million annually. Before the law, agricultural crimes often resulted in small fines. Now, habitual offenders — those with three or more agriculture-related offenses within five years — will face felony charges and jail time. The bill also allows for the seizure of weapons, vehicles and other equipment used in these crimes. “We don’t want to punish the young guy who made a mistake one time, but we do want to target habitual offenders with harsher penalties,” Richards said. “However, no one is under any illusion that we’ll solve all the issues right away. The officers will have to meet with farmers and ranchers to see what problems they face, and new technology and equipment will need to be tested.” The pilot program, with about $2 million in funding, will utilize tools like drones and license plate recognition cameras to help patrol large and remote land. “It could take 30 to 40 minutes for an officer to investigate,” said Mike Lambert, director of the Department of Law Enforcement. “In theory, if we had a drone at the location, it could be out in one minute and begin capturing that violation.” Richards has suggested that the Department of Law Enforcement meet with people working in agriculture to learn about the best spots to place these cameras and implement one database per county for agricultural calls and inquiries. “As a rancher myself, the standalone law enforcement focused on agriculture, in my opinion, will be the most helpful,” Richards said. “Luckily, the law enforcement is wide open when it comes to figuring out how to roll this out and approach crimes. I’m sure there will be tweaks, but the officers will tap into farmers and ranchers as a resource to figure out how to move forward.” For farmers and ranchers interested in meeting with the agricultural officers to discuss pervasive issues they face, Richards said to contact his office at 808-586-6760 or email senrichards@capitol.hawaii.gov .

New law cuts retirement benefits for judges Star Advertiser Dan Nakaso July 4, 2025 Original Article A measure enacted Thursday by Gov. Josh Green that reduces by nearly half the retirement benefits for future judges comes at a time when the state Judiciary is struggling to find qualified judges, especially on the neighbor islands, and they are facing an increasing number of threats to their safety. Green initially supported Senate Bill 935 , then told the Legislature last month that he might veto the latest version of it. On Thursday, he ended up signing it into law. The measure reduces retirement benefits for judges appointed on or after July 1, 2031. SB 935 was one of 12 of 20 bills Green signed into law that were also on his intent-to-veto list. In response, both House Speaker Nadine Nakamura and Senate President Ron Kouchi announced they had no plans to hold a special session to consider overriding any of the governor’s vetoes. The number of threats against Hawaii judges is approximately eight times higher than five years ago, according to the Judiciary. So far this year, there have been twice as many threats against them compared to last year. In the latest incident in June, the Honolulu Police Department notified state and federal court officials that a 911 caller said an unidentified man was going to shoot a judge at a Honolulu courthouse. Hawaii Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald plans to retire Sept. 30, about a week before he reaches the mandatory retirement age of 70, after serving for 15 years as head of the high court. The state Judicial Selection Committee must provide Green with the names of at least four candidates to replace Recktenwald, but so far has been able to find only three. So it has extended the application deadline to Sept. 11 for a 10-year term that pays $248,124 annually. Once he gets the final list of applicants from the committee, Green will select his nominee, who then has to be confirmed by the state Senate. In the meantime, Associate Supreme Court Justice Sabrina S. McKenna will fill in as interim chief justice. SB 935 provides no justification for why future judges should receive smaller retirement benefits. It was introduced solely by state Sen. Dru Kanuha (D, Kona-Kau-Volcano), who did not respond to a request for comment. Overall, SB 935 makes other changes in retirement benefits for a variety employees that had general support from some influential labor unions. But only future judges would see the size of their retirements reduced — a provision that was opposed by unions including the Hawaii Government Employees Association, Hawaii State Teachers Association, State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers, United Public Workers and International Longshore and Warehouse Union. HGEA, the state’s largest public workers’ union, objected to cutting future judges’ retirement benefits, writing in testimony, “We find that this portion is counter intuitive to the general theme of this measure which is intended to help with the recruitment of public servants. This provision will severely impact the recruitment of new judges — specifically, the recruitment of quality attorneys in private practice to apply as judges.” Similar concerns were expressed by the Hawaii State Bar Association and bar associations for Kauai and Maui counties and West Hawaii. Recktenwald wrote to Green in May that the measure “will adversely impact recruitment of judges and thereby the future of Hawai‘i’s judicial branch. This singling out of judges is especially concerning while judges have become lightning rods nationally for interpreting and applying constitutions and laws.” “Since 2019, applications for judicial positions statewide have trended downward overall and downward among women,” Recktenwald wrote. “As a result, numerous application deadlines for these public offices have been extended. Indeed, from 2019 through the summer of 2024, 30% of vacant judgeships statewide and 79% of vacant judgeships on the neighbor islands have required extended application deadlines. The position of Chief Justice, which will be vacated this year due to mandatory retirement, also apparently did not attract the requisite minimum of four qualified applicants. “Recruitment challenges already lead to apparently prolonged vacancies of judicial positions that have in turn impacted the public. Reducing retirement benefits for judges will exacerbate the challenges of attracting the most highly qualified,” he added. An announcement from Green’s office Thursday that he had signed SB 935 into law included a statement from Recktenwald lauding a “very productive” legislative session that included establishment of several new courts and judicial initiatives. “We are grateful that as part of the process, all sides have been able to express their views on SB 935 and we respect the Governor’s decision,” Recktenwald said. “I thank the Governor and legislative leadership for their openness to considering issues relating to recruitment of judges and other important matters going forward.” The Hawaii State Bar Association also wrote to Green in its opposition to SB 935. “It is unclear why judges were specifically singled out; however, it is alarming and will have a detrimental effect on our judiciary,” the attorneys’ group said. “Given the limited pool of qualified judges and candidates for judicial vacancies, HSBA is extremely concerned that reducing the pensions of retiring judges will further disincentivize qualified candidates from pursuing a vacancy. Additionally, the bar is aging, with many individuals either retiring or changing their status to inactive. “Coupled with a mandatory retirement age of seventy years of age, this further impacts the state’s ability to adequately fill the bench with qualified, thoughtful, and independent jurists … especially in light of public disdain for the rule of law, nationwide attacks on the constitution, and extensive threats to an independent judiciary.”

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.

Governor seeks clean slate to appoint new Hawai‘i Tourism Authority board Star Advertiser Allison Schaefers June 29, 2025 Original Article Gov. Josh Green asked for courtesy resignations from the entire Hawai‘i Tourism Authority board following its first meeting as an advisory board Thursday — leaving the agency to process through its biggest leadership shake-up since it was created by the Legislature in 1998. The governor’s office said in an email Thursday that he had “formally asked for courtesy resignations from each member of the HTA board of directors.” Green does not have the authority to make the 12-member HTA board comply with his request. However, his stance is related to his May 29 signing of Senate Bill 1571, now Act 132, which downgrades the HTA board to an advisory role and expands oversight of the agency by the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. “Given the board’s new advisory role, the governor’s previously stated goal is to reset the board and make appointments that align with both the new mission and the existing processes that govern all boards and commission appointments,” the email said. “Advisory board members appointed by the governor for HTA do require advice and consent from the Senate. Appointments by the Speaker of the House and Senate President do not.” It’s too early to say if the entire board will comply with Green’s request. However, it was clear at Thursday’s monthly board meeting that many HTA board members viewed it as their swan song. Members were draped in lei and an ukulele performer kicked off the meeting with soothing Hawaiian tunes. Despite the niceties, the meeting included bouts of public infighting between board members. HTA board Chair Todd Apo told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser Friday that, “I think the new law has placed the responsibility at HTA in the governor’s office, and so certainly I respect his request for resignations to be able to reset the board to help set the direction for HTA. As a relatively new board member that has just gotten to start seeing some of the issues that have existed for a while, we have started to try to address them. At this point, it’s up to the next board membership to continue that effort on and bring HTA back to where it needs to be for our island economy and community.” Rep. Adrian Tam (D, Waikiki), chair of the House Committee on Tourism, told the Star-Advertiser on Friday that he thinks Green’s request for resignations was the right move. “Even at yesterday’s HTA board meeting, there was still a lot of confusion, communication issues and more sadly, there was a lot of contention,” Tam said. “There was still a lot of infighting. There continues to be bigger issues with the audit reports, the unpaid interest (to the Hawai‘i Visitors and Convention Bureau), the ethics violations, and now there’s a lawsuit.” In the past several months, HTA has undergone dramatic leadership shake-ups as it has struggled to address 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. Some of these issues were brought up at Thursday’s board meeting, which also included a closed-door executive session related to personnel. Thursday’s board meeting followed a tourism informational briefing Monday at the Capitol called by Tam and Sen. Lynn DeCoite (D, East Maui-Upcountry-Molokai-Lanai-Kahoolawe), chair of the Senate Economic Development and Tourism Committee. During the briefing, lawmakers expressed frustration as they interrogated some members of HTA’s staff, board and contractors. Caroline Anderson, who was named HTA interim president and CEO in March, and Apo, who became HTA board chair the same month, could not immediately answer all of the lawmakers’ concerns, given that they inherited many of the agency’s current issues. During the briefing, DeCoite noted that HTA had procurement violations and that DBEDT did not, and asked DBEDT Director James Kunane Tokioka’s opinion about putting HTA completely under DBEDT. Tokioka said, “I won’t sit here advocating for that, but what I will sit here and advocate for is to do what 1571 mandated and to make sure that oversight with HTA with Caroline, or whoever is the president and CEO, is done.” He added that, “Some of the mistakes I made as DBEDT director before 1571, I’m not going to make them again, which is going to get approval on things that I did not need to,” he said. “I think what you did with 1571 was because of the frustrations of the trust that was lacking … the things that have happened, many of them that you were talking about today. I’m going to do my best not to let you down because I understand that the Legislature is the bank.” Tokioka, Tam and DeCoite met with HTA staff on Wednesday at their Hawai‘i Convention Center offices. During the visit, which was a follow-up to Monday’s briefing, they conveyed their appreciation for staff and highlighted that recent changes bring an opportunity for a fresh start. However, Tam said state lawmakers do plan to continue pressing HTA for answers and that it will be incumbent on Anderson, her staff and the new HTA board to work on adopting “preventative policies to make sure that these things never happen again. I’m not satisfied that this has happened to the extent needed.” Apo indicated at the briefing that the search for the next HTA president and CEO is progressing again, and that the board hoped to have a nominee to send to Green in the next four months. Tokioka said that as many as 100 candidates had previously applied before the search was paused to amend compensation, benefits and the job description. Some members of the HTA board expressed concern Thursday that changing out the entire board could set the hiring process back as HTA board member Mike White currently heads the selection process through a permitted interaction group. Tam said, “I don’t think it would be helpful for a board heading out to find any CEO and president for the new board. The new board needs to understand at minimum what’s been happening at HTA and the problems, to look at the audits that have come down the line and just come with a fresh perspective and discipline to ensure that infighting doesn’t leak into the staff and the governing of the HTA.” Members of Hawaii’s visitor industry also are closely watching how the HTA board changes play out as well as HTA’s role under Act 132. Many see HTA as necessary to amplify the branding and marketing of Hawaii as a visitor destination, as well as to guide tourism management. The agency is seen as vital to the smallest industry players, who don’t have the budgets to mount campaigns with the same reach that partnering with HTA provides. Rick Egged, who worked on the creation of HTA during his past tenure at the state, provided public in-person testimony. “Over the last 27 years, HTA has done a lot of great things,” said Egged, who was speaking as an individual. “I wanted, first of all, to applaud you for all the accomplishments during this iteration that you currently experience. I realize we are now transitioning into a new direction, and I’m very optimistic that this new direction will be productive as well. Really, it’s kind of coming full circle because when we created HTA, it was really a function of DBEDT.” John Cole, the deputy attorney general representing HTA, emphasized Thursday that the HTA advisory board still has authority in certain areas, including the selection of the HTA president and CEO, although the person selected for HTA’s top job will now report to Green.

Gov. Josh Green signs bills bettering water safety, kūpuna care KHON2 Cameron Macedonio July 3, 2025 Original Article HONOLULU (KHON2) — Gov. Josh Green signed several measures on July 3, with the measures enhancing water safety and kūpuna care. “This is about the safety and well-being of our ʻohana and setting a chain of positive intention to uplift those in our community,” Green said. “These newly enacted laws will provide members of our communities will tools to secure housing, better understand Alzheimer’s disease and prevent drowning incidents.” According to the governor’s office, the signing of the bills represent the state’s priorities of protecting the most vulnerable communities in the state. SB 1221 : Relating to Stormwater Management Systems Due to high drowning rates in the islands, as well as the cultural significance of water, the Office of the Governor says that water safety is paramount in their eyes. This bill establishes safety measures and regulations for retention and detention ponds. The new law would require counties to regulation these ponds, and requires a permitting process for the construction and maintenance to ensure proper safety standards. Measures will also be put into place, such as enclosed and secured fencing around pond perimeters, signs that indicate no swimming and emergency buoys. The ponds must also be surveyed by the counties, with the findings reported to the state legislature. “This is more than just a water safety bill. [The bill] is a legacy enactment in memory of Charlotte ‘Sharkey’ Schaefers, a brave 5-year-old hero who risked her life to save a friend stuck in a detention pond in 2004,” Green said. “The life of such a young girl should have never been taken that day, and now we can hope that it will never happen again.” HB 703 : Relating to Kūpuna Housing Also known as Act 282, this bill extends the sunset date for the state’s kūpuna rent supplement program. As the program stands, kūpuna who are over the age of 62 who are homeless or at risk of being homeless can qualify for the rent supplement program. The program was originally scheduled to sunset in 2026 — the new sunset date is set for 2028. SB 1252 : Relating to Dementia The signing of this bill appropriated funds for training and educational program at the John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Positions at the school will be established within the Department of Geriatric Medicine so that new and updated curriculum may be developed to pioneer dementia and Alzheimer’s-related care. Over half of a million dollars will be appropriated in both fiscals years 2026 and 2027. “Hawaiʻi’s aging population is growing rapidly and we must prepare our healthcare workforce to meet its unique needs,” Sen. Stanley Chang said. “Investing in JABSOM’s dementia education and training supports our kūpuna and strengthens the future of healthcare in our state. [The bill] helps build a local, informed workforce that can provide compassionate, expert care for individuals living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.”

Bridging Land and People: Creating Connections for a Better Tomorrow The Office of the Governor July 1, 2025 Original Article A new elevated walkway was officially opened on May 22 on Ala Moana Boulevard. “From our perspective, this quintessential pedestrian bridge literally connects Kaka‘ako Mauka to Kaka‘ako Makai, extending the safe walkability of this well-planned live, work, play community for kama‘āina and visitors alike,” said Hawai‘i Community Development Authority Executive Director Craig Nakamoto. The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation (HDOT), with its contractors, built the $26 million bridge with a $17.8 million federal grant and $6 million from Howard Hughes. The state covered the balance. “Connecting our community has always been at the heart of Ward Village, which is why the new elevated walkway is such a meaningful step forward,” said Doug Johnstone, president of the Hawai‘i region for Howard Hughes. “Our collaboration with the state DOT and the Federal Highway Administration has helped create a welcoming, safe link between Ward Village and Ala Moana, expanding access to public parks and improving the pedestrian experience.” Photo courtesy: Ward Village The site was selected, in part, because the Hawai‘i region for Howard Hughes was willing to dedicate land on the mauka side of Ala Moana Boulevard to construct an elevated walkway, and HCDA owns the land on the makai side. “You know, they say it takes the village. No! It doesn’t take a village. It takes committed partners,” said Senator Sharon Moriwaki. “So, thank you, Howard Hughes, thanks to the state DOT. Thank you, Ed, for taking the initiative to get Federal Highway money so that we paid just a small portion.” Jon Nouchi, deputy director of the City and County of Honolulu Department of Transportation Services said, “Our federal, state, city and community partners are aligned and unwavering in their commitment, in our commitment to safety and projects which enhance already great communities.” Construction of the elevated pedestrian walkway began in May of 2022. It was completed and opened on May 22, 2025.

New Hawaii fireworks laws take effect today Star Advertiser Andrew Gomes July 1, 2025 Original Article Hawaii’s governor and a top state law enforcement official shot off a warning to illegal fireworks users Monday, four days before the Fourth of July, announcing two new laws that took effect today. During a ceremony in his office at the state Capitol, Gov. Josh Green signed two “signature” bills passed by the Legislature in May to crack down on rampant use, possession and distribution of illegal fireworks statewide. One new law allows police officers to issue $300 civil citations for unpermitted fireworks possession or use. The law also establishes, among other things, higher criminal felony penalties for accidents that seriously injure or kill anyone, for possessing large quantities of fireworks and for repeat convictions. The other new law allows use of aerial drone images as evidence for prosecution, and there could be 10 state Department of Law Enforcement drones shooting video in the skies over Oahu Friday. “Today’s signing represents a change in the way that we view, prioritize and enforce (new laws against) individuals that recklessly place our communities at risk,” said DLE Director Mike Lambert. “No longer will we look at it as a benign activity or family fun.” Lambert said there will be “much more enforcement” of violations occurring July 4 as a tuneup of sorts for New Year’s Eve when fireworks use soars in Hawaii. Green advised the public to attend organized public fireworks shows or watch them on TV instead of risking fines, prison terms and the safety of themselves or others by using illegal fireworks. “The police are going to be able to really charge, and then have the prosecutors prosecute cases to the max because of what the Legislature did,” Green said. “And these penalties are not going to be small. These are going to be serious felonies now. … I don’t want anyone to be surprised when there’s a felony charge against them.” Green also urged people who plan to set off illegal fireworks Friday to instead surrender them to DLE at upcoming collection events to be announced later. The two bills that became law today, House Bills 1483 and 550, were part of a flurry of legislation introduced in mid-January after a bomb-like fireworks cache explosion during a New Year’s Eve party at an Aliamanu home killed six people, including a 3-year-old boy, and injured dozens of others. Some people involved in the incident were charged with crimes under then-existing laws that the Legislature and many community members consider insufficient. Other residents have been frustrated for decades at the widespread use of fireworks, including aerials, that can cause fires, respiratory issues and often rival commercial-grade pyrotechnics that produce house-shaking booms. “When the community and our constituents gave us a call to action, we responded and delivered by passing these bills to deter the use of illegal fireworks,” said Sen. Brandon Elefante, chair of the Senate Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs. Elefante (D, Aiea-Pacific Palisades-Pearl City) also noted the Legislature passed two other fireworks-related bills that Green signed Monday. HB 806 appropriates $500,000 to DLE in the fiscal year beginning today and the same amount next fiscal year to conduct fireworks sting operations on Oahu. Senate Bill 222 extends for five years an illegal fireworks task force that was established in June 2023 within DLE and was scheduled to disband Monday. The state budget bill also appropriates about $5 million for an Explosive Enforcement Section in DLE with eight staff positions to disrupt the illegal fireworks trade in Hawaii. Rep. Scot Matayoshi, chair of the House Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce, said he was personally concerned for the safety of his own family after the tragic event in Aliamanu, in part because he has a 3-year-old son. “After that incident happened, we didn’t know if our neighbor had a bomb in their house that was about to go off to threaten our families, our kids sleeping in their beds,” said Matayoshi (D, Kaneohe-Maunawili) during Monday’s ceremony. “It was a really scary time, and I’m really glad that the Legislature came together with the help of and support of Governor Green and the attorney general’s office to craft a bill, to craft legislation, to proactively take a stand on this.” Matayoshi, the lead introducer of HB 1483 , which is packed with all kinds of new violations and penalties related to illegal fireworks covering 88 pages, said the goal of the new law is to deter use. “You know, we don’t sell a lot of fur coats here in Hawaii. There’s just no market for it,” he said. “What I want is for fireworks to be a fur coat. I want it to be harder to sell a fur coat on the beach in Waikiki than it is to sell an illegal firework here in Hawaii because so many people are afraid of the consequences of using and buying them, and afraid of the harm it’s going to cause to both themselves and their families.” Penalties under the new law include up to one year in jail and/or up to a $2,000 fine for illegally setting off aerials within 500 feet of a dwelling. The offense can rise to a Class C felony punishable by up to five years’ imprisonment and/or up to a $10,000 fine for anyone with a fireworks conviction in the prior 10 years. If the fireworks cause substantial injury to someone, the offense rises to a Class B felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and/or up to a $25,000 fine. And if someone is seriously injured, it rises to a Class A felony punishable up to 20 years in prison and/or up to a $50,000 fine. The same range of felony penalties in instances of repeat convictions and injuries also applies to distributors of illegal fireworks. Another part in the new law establishes felony offenses for purchasing or possessing large quantities of illicit fireworks. “Don’t run the risk of being the first person prosecuted with a Class B or Class A felony for blowing up some child,” Green warned. “You don’t want to be the person that goes to jail for 20 years. … We’re not trying to take the fun out of life at all. I love fireworks. We all love fireworks — but when they’re done safely, that is the key.”

Governor signs measures aimed at protecting agriculture in Hawaii Hawaii Tribune Herald John Burnett June 27, 2025 Original Article A pilot program to fight agriculture-related crimes in Hawaii will go into effect July 1 on the Big Island and Oahu. The program within the state Department of Law Enforcement is intended to strengthen laws relating to agriculture theft — including cattle rustling — plus trespassing and hunting without permission on private ag land. The new law — one of five ag measures signed into law today by Gov. Josh Green — is being called “Duke’s law.” It was Senate Bill 1249, which was introduced by Sen. Tim Richards, a Waimea Democrat and vice chairman of the Senate Agriculture and Environment Committee. The law’s name is in honor of Cranston “Duke” Pia, a 39-year-old Makaha, Oahu, rancher who was — in Richards’ words — “executed in front of his mother” for protecting his cattle from hunting dogs on Feb. 17, 2024. Pia died of a single gunshot wound to the head. Chantston Pila Kekawa, then 17, of Maili, Oahu, was charged as an adult with second-degree murder, first-degree terroristic threatening, firearms offenses and first-degree theft. He pleaded not guilty and has a trial scheduled for Aug. 18 in Honolulu Circuit Court. “SB 1249 is about protecting our farmers and ranchers while honoring the memory of Duke Pia,” Richards said today. “Duke was a young rancher who was tragically shot and killed while confronting trespassers on his land. “This law strengthens enforcement, increases penalties, and gives us the tools to fight rural crime. It’s about justice, safety and preserving the future of agriculture in Hawaii.” The law funds, within DLE, a full-time assistant chief position; two full-time investigator positions, one on the Big Island, the other on Oahu; and six full-time agricultural patrol officers, three for the Big Island and three for Oahu. The new law doesn’t contain the stand-your-ground component that would allow a farmer or rancher, under certain circumstances, to exercise deadly force without retreating that was in another bill Richards introduced. That bill, HB 1248, the original Duke Pia bill, died without a hearing from the Senate Judiciary Committee. The new law appropriates $949,856 for each of the next two fiscal years to fund the pilot program. Other agriculture and food-related bills signed into law today by Green include: — HB 534, which prohibits the sale of any raw processed ahi tuna by retail establishments without a label that states the country where the ahi was landed. The bill claims that the majority of raw processed ahi sold in Hawaii retail establishments as poke is “foreign-sourced, previously frozen, gas treated and imported in pre-cut cubes” and generally cheaper for retailers. It also states that local consumers of poke are “subjected to misleading advertisements and in-store terminology such as ‘prepared fresh,’ ‘freshly made’ and ‘locally made,’ while the ahi used to prepare the poke is foreign-sourced, previously frozen, gas treated and imported in pre-cut cubes.” “Due to a loophole in federal labeling laws, retailers are not required to disclose the origin of these products, leading many consumers to falsely assume they are purchasing fresh, locally caught tuna,” wrote Rep. Kirstin Kahaloa, a Kona Democrat, the majority caucus leader and former Agriculture and Food Systems chairwoman, in a committee report. “By ensuring transparency in seafood labeling, this measure empowers consumers to make informed choices, supports Hawaii’s fishing industry, and protects the integrity of the state’s premium seafood market.” The law, which goes into effect July 1, 2026, was introduced by Rep. Tyson Miyake, a Maui Democrat and majority whip, with Kahaloa and fellow Big Island Reps. Nicole Lowen and David Tarnas signing on as co-sponsors. According to Eric Kingma, executive director of the Hawaii Longline Association, the local market for fresh ahi poke sold at retail largely has been replaced by foreign-caught, gas-treated tuna imported from Vietnam, the Philippines, China, Indonesia and other countries. He added the new law “should help Hawaii’s commercial tuna fishermen statewide.” “This bill will hopefully drive consumer demand for more fresh Hawaii-landed ahi poke at retail because they will see that the previously frozen, gas-treated tuna is not from Hawaii,” Kingma said. — HB 774, which which goes into effect July 1, relates to value-added products and establishes a food and product innovation network within the Agribusiness Development Corporation. It also appropriates $385,289 for each of the next two fiscal years for two full-time positions, plus operating expenses. The development of this network is intended to facilitate the responsible use of labels such as “Hawaii made,” “Made in Hawaii,” “Produced in Hawaii” and “Processed in Hawaii,” and aid businesses in promoting their products locally and internationally. Kahaloa, who introduced the legislation, called it “transformative for Hawaii’s farmers and food entrepreneurs — empowering them to innovate, grow and proudly share their unique products with the world.” Green said the network will provide “access to facilities, equipment, certification resources — things that make a difference.” “Honestly, I believe people are more than ready to buy agricultural products from the state of Hawaii,” Green said. — HB 496 prohibits certain words and images on packaging of mamaki tea suggesting the tea is a Hawaii agricultural product unless 100% of the tea or dried leaves were cultivated, harvested and dried in Hawaii. The law, which goes into effect July 1, also appropriates $65,000 for each of the next two fiscal years for a full-time measurement standards inspector. The bill was introduced by Kahaloa, with fellow Big Island Reps. Lowen, Jeanne Kapela and Sue Keohokapu-Lee Loy among the co-signers. The measure was formerly on Green’s intent to veto list. — and HB 427 renames the state Department of Agriculture the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, and the Board of Agriculture the Board of Agriculture and Biosecurity. The legislation, introduced by Kahaloa, also transfers the Hawaii Invasive Species Council from the Department of Land and Natural Resources to the newly named department. In addition, the measure establishes a position of deputy chair for biosecurity to oversee all biosecurity initiatives within the department. The department, with the governor’s approval, may declare a biosecurity emergency in response to an outbreak of a pest or resistant organism that poses an economic or environmental threat. According to the governor’s office, the state budget allocates the highest level of funding ever for biosecurity — $26.6 million appropriated over the next two fiscal years to support positions and related expenses. “With the increasing frequency of natural disasters and growing biosecurity threats, safeguarding our resources and environment is a top priority for my administration,” said Green. “Prevention and forethought will fortify our state, and by signing HB 427, we are keeping top of mind the ways in which we can stay in the driver’s seat — actively leading the effort to protect our agriculture and our islands.”

New mobile pantry fills gaps in access to kupuna and families The Garden Island Dennis Fujimoto June 26, 2025 Original Article Reminiscent of the “yasai trucks” of the rural plantation camps and towns, the Hawaii Foodbank Kauai held a Mobile Food Pantry blessing by Kahu Jade Waialeale Battad on Tuesday, under weather conditions that started out threatening before ending in a downpour at the Kauai Philippine Cultural Center. The Mobile Food Pantry is designed to expand access to nutritious food in rural and underserved communities across the island. With the attendance of key dignitaries, including Kauai Council Chair Mel Rapozo, Senate President Ron Kouchi, Speaker of the House Nadine Nakamura, and Hawaii Foodbank President and CEO Amy Miller, the blessing and launch of the innovative mobile unit highlights a significant step forward in efforts to reduce food insecurity and improve health outcomes for thousands of Kauai residents. “Food insecurity affects one in four households on Kauai and one in three keiki,” said Wes Perreira, the Hawaii Foodbank Kauai Director. “Filling gaps and reaching all of our families and neighbors on the Garden Island is a major priority for Hawaii Foodbank Kauai. This Mobile Food Pantry is an innovative tool in making sure no family is left behind — no matter where they live.” The fully equipped 16-foot refrigerated vehicle functions as a grocery-style food pantry on wheels, allowing families and individuals to choose the food that best meets their needs. The Mobile Food Pantry will travel to communities with limited access to full-service grocery stores or regular food distribution points, helping remove transportation barriers and ensuring equitable access to fresh, healthy food. The truck will visit partner sites throughout the island on a regular schedule, offering a wide range of food items, including fresh produce, proteins, dairy products, and shelf-stable goods. The vehicle is generator-powered and self-sufficient, enabling Hawaii Foodbank Kauai to respond quickly during times of disaster or emergency. The press release states this new effort is part of Hawaii Foodbank’s broader mission to nourish ohana today and work to end hunger tomorrow. It reflects the organization’s deep commitment to increasing access to safe and healthy foods, broadening the approach to expand food distribution in identified areas of need, and strengthening community resilience. “Food insecurity across Hawaii — and especially on Kauai — is a complex issue, and it is important we understand the challenges uniquely faced by our local families, neighbors, and communities,” Miller said. “Most immediately, this new Mobile Food Pantry allows us to expand our reach and distribute more nutritious food to areas of need. In addition to that, it is a powerful example of our community coming together to create solutions that are centered on dignity, health, and choice.” The Mobile Food Pantry was made possible through Grant-in-Aid funding from the State of Hawaii, along with the generosity of local donors, volunteers, and agency partners committed to ending hunger on Kauai.