Almost Pau!

Aloha! Last week was the busiest of the Session for me, with approximately 80 conference meetings, 39 conference committees (21 serving as co-chair and six as lead chair), and several late-night meetings.

As a member of the House Committee on Finance, I also met several times to review the State budget with the Senate Committee on Ways & Means. Overall, our District received a fair amount of funding, including Capital Improvement Projects and Grant in Aid (detailed below). I was happy that HB2404 was approved in Conference, which benefits the state's lowest-paid residents by eliminating an entire income tax bracket. This is one of the most significant income tax measures passed in years.

Additionally, we passed important legislation improving biosecurity, supporting public education, prioritizing healthcare, and protecting the environment. More details will be included in our annual Legislative Report, mailed later in the month.

This week is the final week of the 2024 Legislative Session. Some bills still need to pass their third and final reading before “sine die” on Friday. All bills that pass final reading will be sent to the Governor's office for review and approval.

As always, please feel free to reach out anytime with ideas, questions, concerns, or just to talk story.

Me ke aloha,

Mahina

Celebrating HB2743 passing during Conference with Senators Gabbard and Shimabukuro, Representatives Ichiyama, Nakamura, Lowen, and advocate Ted Bohlen.

This bill requires the University of Hawaiʻi Water Resources Research Center and the Sea Grant College Program to develop an overlay with the Hawaiʻi Cesspool Prioritization Tool to identify specific priority areas in which the county sewer system or other centralized treatment system may most feasibly be expanded or constructed to reduce or eliminate cesspools before 1/1/2050.

Rep. Poepoe's Rural Air Medical Transportation Project

Resurrected!

We are excited to announce that although HB2544 (Essential Rural Medical Air Transportation) died in the Senate, the House successfully negotiated and secured funding for this important project through the State Budget. The original House Budget draft contained an appropriation of $2,000,000 for the pilot project, which was our safety net if the bill died. Unfortunately, this funding was removed when we received the budget bill back from the Senate. The good news is that Rep. Poepoe worked with Chair Yamashita to have the funding reinserted into the budget, which is expected to pass final reading this week. Rep. Poepoe will meet with the Department of Health after the session ends to begin planning implementation. We will keep you updated as this pilot project gets off the ground. Thank you again to all those who submitted testimony as the bill worked its way through the Legislature. Your voices and stories did make an impact. Getting this through was a rollercoaster of ups and downs, but WE DID IT!

CIP & GIA Funding Highlights

(Subject to Governorʻs Approval)

Capital Improvement Projects

MOLOKAI COMPLEX AREA SCHOOLS: $5,420,000

Design and construction for Molokai school improvements and maintenance projects.

KILOHANA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: $1,200,000

Repairs to two basketball courts, including resurfacing, replacing hoop frames, replacing court lights, and shade structures.

LĀNAʻI HIGH & ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: $5,000,000

Design, construction, and equipment for upgrades and improvements, which may include but are not limited to gym and floor, roof repairs, teacher housing, basketball and tennis courts and playfield, exterior and interior painting, and building compressor, ground and site improvements, and other related upgrades and improvements.

HĀNA HIGH & ELEMENTARY: $1,174,000

Design and construction for a girl's athletic locker room.

STATE WAYSIDE PARK IMPROVEMENTS, HĀNA: $1,250,000

Plans and construction for projects including but not limited to parking, water systems, facility improvements, and road repair.

WAIANAPANAPA STATE PARK, MAUI: $1,000,000

Comfort station and water & sewer system improvements.

MOLOKAI IRRIGATION SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS: $2,000,000

Design and construction for improvements to the Molokai Irrigation System.

HOʻOLEHUA VETERANS CEMETARY: $585,000

Design and construction of various improvements.

KALAUPAPA SETTLEMENT: $440,000

Remediation of hazardous materials from designated Kalaupapa Settlement structures and related improvements.

MAUI HEALTH SYSTEM FACILITIES REPAIR, RENOVATIONS & UPGRADES (MAUI & LĀNAʻI) TOTAL FUNDING: $27,700,000 FY25: $6,000,000

Plans, design, construction, and equipment for improvements for Maui Memorial Medical Center, Kula Hospital, and Lānaʻi Community Hospital.

KAHULUI AIRPORT: $26,950,000 plus $5,110,000

Construction for improvements to terminals, systems, and facilities at the airport.

VALUE-ADDED PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT CENTER, MOLOKAI: $2,500,000

Plans, design, construction, and equipment for the development of a value-added product development center.

Grant in Aid

ALOHA DIAPER BANK: $40,000

Expands the Diaper Assistance Program to families on Kauai and Molokai.

HALE MAHAOLU: $100,000

Supports Homeownership and Housing counseling programs.

HALE MAKUA HEALTH SERVICES (operating): $150,000

Establishing an adult day health operation on Molokai for family health services.

HALE MAKUA HEALTH SERVICES (CIP): $800,000

Planning, design, and construction of a state-of-the-art rehabilitation center on Maui to accommodate 46 patient beds to serve our kupuna demographic.

MAUI A.I.D.S. FOUNDATION: $50,000

To supplement the expansion of prevention/harm reduction and free clinic services.

MAUI ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BOARD: $100,000

Supports STEMworks programs and resources for teachers and youth.

MAUI HUMANE SOCIETY: $500,000

Expanding capacity of the Pu'unene facility to accommodate the growing need for space.

MOLOKAI HOMESTEAD FARMERS ALLIANCE: $100,000

Establishing a computer lab for Molokai community members.

LĀNA'I ACADEMY OF PERFORMING ARTS, INC.: $20,000

Supporting performing arts programs for the Lanai community.

LĀNA'I COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER: $500,000

Plans, design, and construction for upgrades and improvements to healthcare facilities on Lāna'i.

Important Timelines

(Final Steps for a Bill to Become a Law)

If a bill successfully passes through both chambers of the Legislature, it needs to be presented to the Governor. The procedure for enactment, which is defined in Article III, Section 16 of the Hawai'i State Constitution, varies depending on when the bill is delivered to the Governor and the Governor's subsequent action or inaction in considering the bill.

The following information is based on adjournment sine die occurring on May 3, 2024:

If the bill is sent to the Governor on or before April 15, 2024 (10 or more days before adjournment of the Legislature sine die), then:

If the Governor signs the bill within 10 days, the bill becomes law and is given an act number.
If the Governor neither signs nor vetoes the bill within 10 days, the bill becomes law without the Governor's signature and is given an act number.
If the Governor vetoes the bill within 10 days, the bill does not become law unless the Legislature reconsiders the bill before adjournment sine die and overrides the veto by a 2/3 vote in each chamber.

If the bill is sent to the Governor after April 15, 2024 (less than 10 days prior to adjournment sine die), then:

If the Governor signs the bill by July 10, 2024 (the 45th day after adjournment sine die), the bill becomes law and is given an act number.
If the Governor neither signs nor vetoes the bill by July 10, 2024 (the 45th day after adjournment sine die), the bill becomes law without the Governor's signature and is given an act number.
If the Governor intends to veto the bill, the Governor must inform the Legislature by June 25, 2024 (the 35th day after adjournment sine die) and deliver the veto by July 10, 2024 (the 45th day after adjournment sine die).

If the bill is vetoed, it will not become law unless the Legislature successfully overrides the veto in special session by a 2/3 vote in each chamber. The Legislature must convene in special session at or before noon on July 10, 2024, to override the Governor's veto.

It's Graduation Season!

Here is the Graduation Schedule for Maui County:

Public Meetings for New Telescope Development on Haleakalā

The Department of the Air Force plans to conduct an Environmental Impact Statement for future construction and modification at the Air Force Maui Optical and Supercomputing (AMOS) Site Small Telescope Advanced Research (STAR) Facility on Haleakalā, Maui.

Meeting Schedule

May 13th, 6-9pm @ Kahului Community Center

May 14th, 6-9pm @ Pukalani Community Center

May 15th, 6-9pm @ Kihei Community Center

Comments can also be submitted on the project website at www.amosstareis.com or via email to amosstareis@tetratech.com. Alternatively, comments can be sent by US mail to: AMOS STAR EIS c/o Tetra Tech, 1230 Columbia St., Ste. 1000, San Diego, CA 92101.

Come Visit the Capitol!

The Capitol is OPEN to the public. However, it will continue to offer hybrid options for hearings and testimony.

Capitol Hours: Building hours for the State Capitol are 7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday. Photo identification is required for entry into the building. All guests will receive an entry wristband upon completing the security checkpoint.

Paid Public Parking: The Capitol parking lot has reopened for paid public parking.

Rep. Mahina Poepoe

District 13 House of Representatives

415 S. Beretania Street Room 331

Honolulu, HI 96813

(808) 586-6790

CIP & GIA Funding Highlights

﻿(Subject to Governorʻs Approval)

(Subject to Governorʻs Approval)