Senator Mike Gabbard
April Newsletter
Vol. 18 Issue 4
Agriculture and Environment Committee, Chair
Judiciary Committee, Vice Chair
Government Operations Committee, Vice Chair
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Aloha e friends,
I hope you and your ‘ohana are well. We’re in the final days of session and accompanying deadlines and just finished "conference committee" (aka kabuki theater kommittee, because things aren’t always what they appear to be.😉) This takes place during the last 2 weeks of April. For each bill that’s still alive (having passed its respective committees and crossed back to the originating chamber) the House and the Senate each form a conference committee. Then they come together to look at the changes each side has made during the bill’s journey and try to work out their differences. If they find agreement, the revised bill goes back to both chambers for a final vote. If they don’t find agreement, the bill is dead. While all of session is busy, this is the busiest time! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at (808) 586-6830 or sengabbard@capitol.hawaii.gov if I can help you or your family in any way. You can also follow me on Instagram @SenatorMikeGabbard, Facebook, YouTube, and X.
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Listen Story Community Meeting March 30 (Pictured L-R: Ernie Lau, Manager & Chief Engineer of the Board of Water Supply and Senator Gabbard.) |
Listen Story Meeting
On Saturday, May 18, from 9-10am, I’ll be holding my Legislative Wrap-Up Session at Kapolei High School Teachers’ Lounge. Hope you can make it! (I don’t have a Listen Story in April, due to the busyness of conference committee.) On March 30, I hosted my Listen Story community meeting, along with our special guest speaker, Ernie Lau, Manager & Chief Engineer of the Board of Water Supply. Ernie gave us an overall briefing about water usage on O‘ahu and answered questions. In case you missed it, please visit my YouTube channel. You can view his presentation here. Feel free to contact my office with any questions. Please send me an email at sengabbard@capitol.hawaii.gov to RSVP, or for the link to join the upcoming meeting in May via Zoom.
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Daniel Kahikina Akaka Department of Veterans Clinic Grand Opening! | |
On April 5, I attended the Daniel Kahikina Akaka Department of Veterans Affairs Community-Based Outpatient Clinic Grand Opening. It’s a fitting honor for a Veteran’s Affairs clinic on O'ahu’s westside to be welcoming veterans in the late Sen. Daniel K. Akaka’s name as this clinic was a lifelong dream of his. Located just a few hundred yards makai of Costco on Roosevelt Blvd, the $120 million, 89,000-square-foot, multi-specialty Veterans Affairs Clinic will provide specialized health care for the 87,000 veterans who live on O‘ahu - including primary care, mental health, audiology, physical and occupational therapy, a dental and prosthetic services laboratory, diagnostic services, specialty care, X-ray and a pharmacy. Interior and exterior features pay homage to the history and culture in Kalaeloa. The Akaka clinic will make it easier for veterans on the leeward side to access services without having to drive to Tripler Army Medical Center.
Since 2021, contractors from Hunt Development Group Hawai'i worked tirelessly on an unremarkable plot of dirt in Kalaeloa to transform it into a spacious, modern, state-of-the art facility christened the Daniel Kahikina Akaka Department of Veterans Affairs Community-Based Outpatient Clinic. President Joe Biden was the one who officially renamed the ALOHA VA Clinic to the Daniel Kahikina Akaka VA Clinic, a significant honor for the late former Senator and chair of the Veterans Affairs committee. I attended the groundbreaking in Dec. 2021, so it was particularly exciting to see this project finally come to fruition.
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On April 5, Sen. Gabbard presented an Honorary Certificate from the Hawai'i State Legislature to Dr. Adam M. Robinson, Jr. Director of VA Pacific Islands Health Care System, in recognition of the Grand Opening of the Daniel Kahikina Akaka Veterans Clinic in Kalaeloa. (Pictured L-R: Rep. Garcia, Senator Gabbard, Senator Fevella, Dr. Adam M. Robinson, Jr. Director of VA Pacific Islands Health Care System, and Rep. Alcos.)
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AES Hawaii West Oʻahu Solar + Storage
Grand Opening | |
AES Hawaiʻi has provided low-cost energy to Hawai‘i since 1991, serving as a partner with Hawaiian Electric and other utilities to provide the energy and infrastructure solutions Hawai‘i needs. They’re all about striving for a 100% renewable energy future and support the state’s transition to a carbon-free energy future with renewable projects across the islands. On April 9, AES Hawaii held their blessing and grand opening celebration of their West Oʻahu Solar + Storage Project located on Pueonani St.
The start of this new renewable energy project is especially significant for AES Hawai‘i, as it represents their first utility-scale solar facility on Oʻahu. The project is a boon to UH West O'ahu by contributing to their sustainability goals, advancing local agriculture through partnerships with agricultural operators, and providing a valuable source of revenue to the University.
This new project will benefit O'ahu in many ways, such as creating approximately 118 West O'ahu jobs, generating a total economic output of $20.2 million toward Hawai'i's economy, and is projected to result in avoided fuel consumption of 750,270 barrels of oil over its 25-year span. The West O'ahu Solar + Storage Project is expected to deliver power at $0.115/kWh—less than the cost of fossil fuel power—and is anticipated to contribute approximately 0.5% of O'ahu’s energy needs. I was honored to recognize their grand opening with an Honorary Certificate from the Hawai‘i State Legislature.
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On April 9, Sen. Gabbard congratulated AES in recognition of their Grand Opening of the West O'ahu Solar + Storage Project with an Honorary Certificate from the Hawai'i State Legislature. (Pictured L-R: Sandra Larsen, AES Hawai‘i President, Mayor Rick Blangiardi and Bernerd Da Santos, Executive Vice President and President of Global Renewables, The AES Corporation) | |
Kalaeloa Barbers Point Harbor Access Road Project Blessing | |
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Kalaeloa, meaning “long cape” or “distant point”, is a land of exposed coral rock situated on O'ahu’s south shore. This is the driest part of the island and the vegetation that thrives here is the most determined and hardy. Kiawe trees and native plants such as ʻEwa hinahina have somehow found a way to survive by growing through the tough coral rock to tap into groundwater. The 'āina is unique and culturally significant, as are many parts of our ecologically diverse island.
Although unappreciated by some as being distant and barren, Kalaeloa is home to sacred Native Hawaiian cultural sites and is thought to have been the birthplace of Hawaiian kings. The area became known as Barbers Point in 1796 when a British trading ship captained by Henry Barber sank after crashing into the coral shoal. The Navy first leased land in this area in the early 1930’s. Later, the Barbers Point Naval Air Station developed into a significant hub of aviation activity as the Navy ramped up to wage war across the Pacific after the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.
In this historic region, development has shifted courses many times since then. Kalaeloa became quiet and relatively dormant for many years after the base closed in 1999. Now, 25 years later, a new phase of awakening is underway to provide housing, medical facilities, employment, and a means for recreation and transportation for the blossoming second city.
The exciting progress of the Kalaeloa Barbers Point Harbor Access Road is a key component of the growth of this area. The road is critical to the long-term development plan by providing second access into Kapolei Harborside, Kapolei Business Park West, James Campbell Industrial Park, and Barbers Point Harbor from the H-1 Freeway. The new access road will alleviate traffic congestion that many businesses and harbor users consider a top concern affecting economic development and quality of life. I was honored to congratulate the James Campbell Company and the Hawai'i Department of Transportation upon the project blessing of the Kalaeloa Barbers Point Harbor Access Road with an Honorary Certificate from the Hawai‘i State Legislature on April 24. You can view the news story here.
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IMPORTANT DATES
April 25 Final Decking Non-Fiscal Bills – Bills which have no appropriation or WAM/FIN referrals
April 26 Final Decking Fiscal Bills – Bills which have appropriations or a WAM/FIN referral
May 3 Adjournment Sine Die (Last Day of Session)
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2024 AEN Legislation That Made It to Conference
Out of over 300 bills reported out of my AEN (Agriculture & Environment) Committee, 30 made the long journey to be debated in conference. Some of those are listed below. In my May newsletter, I’ll print which ones passed and which didn’t.
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Agriculture Functional Plan SB2159
Requires the Department of Agriculture, in coordination with the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, to prepare a report on freshwater and saltwater aquatic organisms regarding their agricultural and economic impact on the State's food self-sufficiency. Requires the Governor to submit a report on the impacts of freshwater and saltwater aquatic organisms to the Legislature prior to the Regular Session of 2026.
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Biosecurity HB2619
Appropriates funds to the Department of Agriculture for programs and positions in agricultural biosecurity.
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Biosecurity Emergency SB572
Authorizes and specifies conditions under which the Department of Agriculture may declare a biosecurity emergency, during which the Department and Governor may take certain actions to prevent the establishment or spread of pests and prohibited or restricted organisms. Broadens the objectives and general actions of the Biosecurity Program.
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Board of Agriculture Lease Report SB2413
Requires the Board of Agriculture to submit a report on the percentage of agricultural lands that are suitable for farming and actively farmed and certain dollar amounts relating to lease transfers between lessees.
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Building Codes SB2753
Clarifies that no state or county building code shall prohibit the use of a substitute refrigerant allowed by the Environmental Protection Agency if the applicable equipment is listed and installed in compliance with the latest safety standards. Requires the State Building Code Council, when it adopts, amends, or updates the Hawaii State Building Codes, to establish codes and standards that are consistent with the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with hydrofluorocarbons and not in conflict with federal law.
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Cesspool Conversion HB1892
Part II: Amends the deadlines for required upgrades conversions, or connections for certain priority level 1 and priority level 2 cesspools. Part III: Authorizes and appropriates funds to the Department of Health to retain qualified consultants as necessary to identify necessary public outreach and education resources and tools and develop a comprehensive public outreach strategy and website to educate homeowners and wastewater industry professionals about information and resources regarding the State's cesspool upgrade, conversion, and connection requirements and deadlines. Part IV: Appropriates funds and establishes positions for the implementation of the cesspool compliance pilot grant project. Declares that the general fund expenditure ceiling is exceeded.
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Cesspool Prioritization HB2743
Requires the University of Hawaii Water Resources Research Center and the University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program to develop an overlay with the Hawaii Cesspool Prioritization Tool to identify specific priority areas in which the county sewer system or other centralized treatment system could most feasibly be expanded or constructed to reduce or eliminate cesspools before 1/1/2050. Authorizes the counties to designate sewer improvement districts. Beginning July 1, 2025, authorizes the counties to assess a cesspool pollution fee on real properties containing a cesspool. Authorizes each county to establish a county cesspool closure and mitigation special fund. Authorizes the counties to use cesspool pollution fee revenues or other revenues, including real property tax revenues, for certain activities that eliminate, reduce, or mitigate the impacts of cesspools, including the expansion of county sewer systems and the issuance of grants and low-interest loans to property owners. Declares that the general fund expenditure ceiling is exceeded.
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Cesspool Pilot Program SB2513
Establishes a 3-year new wastewater system and individual wastewater system technology demonstration and implementation pilot program within the University of Hawaii Water Resources Research Center to examine and demonstrate new wastewater and cesspool technology systems; implement those technologies in demonstration projects in areas across the State that are identified as priority level 1 in the 2021 Hawaii Cesspool Hazard Assessment and Prioritization Tool, 2021 Report and Technical Appendices; and establish similar prioritization categories for the islands of Molokai, Lanai, and Niihau. Requires the University of Hawaii Water Resource Research Center to submit annual interim reports and a final report to the Legislature. Establishes positions.
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DOA Leased Premises SB2560
Provides that each lease that the Department of Agriculture enters into, renews, or extends shall authorize DOA to enter the leased premises with prior notification to survey for, identify, investigate, control, or eradicate pests; work cooperatively with a lessee to seek funding and develop a plan to maintain control of any pests on the leased premises; and terminate the lease if the lessee refuses entry to DOA or refuses to work cooperatively with DOA toward the control or eradication of pests.
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Fine Meshed Nets HB2546
Allows for the use of fine meshed nets for the protection of plants against invasive species. Requires the Department of Agriculture to establish a registration program for purchasers of fine meshed nets in the State.
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Hemp Nuisance Issues SB3025
Repeals the requirement for additional rules by the Department of Agriculture to address nuisance issues, including smell, noise, and excessive lighting arising out of the activities of hemp growers. Clarifies that the Department of Agriculture shall not require inspections or sampling of hemp that duplicates inspections or sampling required by the United States Department of Agriculture.
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Hemp Permits HB2444
Authorizes the Department of Health to conduct criminal history record checks of applicants for permits to operate as a hemp processor.
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Little Fire Ants HB2644
Appropriates funds to support the Hawaii Ant Lab in mitigating the effects of little fire ants in the State. Declares that the appropriation exceeds the state general fund expenditure ceiling for 2024-2025.
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Ornamental Ginger SB2362
Appropriates funds for statewide research into ornamental ginger pathogens, prevention of the spread of ornamental ginger pathogens, production and distribution of pathogen-free ornamental ginger plants, and outreach to ornamental producers.
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Plant and Animal Declaration Form SB2079
Allows the State of Hawaii Plant and Animal Declaration Form to be distributed, completed, and transmitted electronically.
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Plant Care Components SB3365
Requires the Department of Agriculture to certify treatments performed on wood chips, compost, and filter socks. Places certain restrictions on the distribution or transportation of plant care components without prior treatment certification from the Department.
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Rose-Ringed Parakeets HB2329
Establishes a 1-year pilot program to reduce the population of rose-ringed parakeets on Kauai and Oahu using past research and on-the-ground experience to guide future strategies.
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School Meals HB2083
Requires the Department of Education to establish a recognition program to incentivize schools to submit to the Department a plan for the school to reach the local farm to school meal goal of thirty per cent of food served in the school to consist of locally sourced products by 2030. Authorizes the Department of Education to establish a plant-based meal pilot program at Mililani high school no later than the 2025-2026 school year.
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Seabed Mining SB2575
Prohibits the mining, extraction, and removal of minerals from the seabed in all state marine waters, with certain exemptions. Prohibits the issuance of any permit for or in connection with the development or operation of any facility or infrastructure associated with the mining, extraction, or removal of minerals from the seabed within state marine waters.
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Two Lined Spittlebug HB2131
Declares that the appropriation exceeds the state general fund expenditure ceiling for 2024-2025. Appropriates funds for the Department of Agriculture to mitigate and control the spread of the 2-lined spittlebug and to fund recovery efforts for areas affected by it.
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Value Added Products HB2144
Requires the Department of Health to amend the definition of "homemade food products" in its administrative rules on food safety and adopt certain rules regarding the sale and delivery of homemade food products.
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