SENATOR MAILE SHIMABUKURO 2022 HAWAII STATE LEGISLATURE
NOVEMBER 2022 Waiʻanae - Nānākuli - Maili - Ko Olina - Honokai Hale - Kapolei - Kalaeloa
All Wai’anae Coast Classrooms are Slated for Air Conditioning I worked with Rep. Kapela, Rep. Gates, Rep. Eli and other colleagues to pass SB2862 which will allocate $10M to cool classrooms fully by next year in all Waianae Coast class rooms. Funding to Support Wai‘anae’s Local Agriculture The Grow Hawai`i Agriculture Initiative 2021, was a $1.5 million appropriation to fund a program aimed at assisting established local agricultural enterprises to quickly scale up production and increasing the state’s gross domestic product.
This is a dream come true. I remember visiting school rooms and portables and they were really like ovens. Learning is stifled when class conditions are uncomfortable. Over the last several years, the state made cooling class rooms and learning spaces a priority. I recently filmed a video with our WHS Searider Productions to announce that Wai’anae High School installed huge warehouse-style fans in their gym and cafeteria. I’m so grateful to the DOE. For working so hard. ~ Maile
Benefitting from those funds were Island Farms (hogs) and Zhao Produce (basil) who are both located in Wai‘anae. The Senate Ways and Means Committee visited to learn how their $250k Grow Hawai`i Agriculture Initiative awards were utilized, and the impacts the funding has had upon their respective efforts to build local production of sustainable agriculture across the entire state.
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2022 Accomplishments of the Senate
Agriculture & Environment Committee The Senate had a laser focus on many pressing issues including but limited to Climate Change, Food Security , and Chemical/Plastics Regulation. We were fully committed to bringing tangible change and palpable results for all our constituents. ~ Senator Maile FOCUSED SUMMARY OF AGRICULTURAL HIGHLIGHTS Agricultural Bills (Red Bills were vetoed) •
HB2062 ($1,500,000) Increased funds in the Agricultural Revolving Fund
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HB1705 Authorizes Dept of Ag (DOA) to extend agricultural park leases
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SB2284 Establishes new provisions for the DOA Aquaculture Program.
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HB1517 ($ 1,000) DOA conducts Coffee Labelling Economic Impact Study
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SB2986 Extends the sunset date which authorizes hemp production
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SB3004 ($ 1,000,000) Establishes/funds Compost Reimbursement Programs.
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HB1992 ($ 55,000) Allows composting operations in ag districts. Funds staff
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HB871 Authorizes DOA to modify infrastructure & accept DLNR ag lands
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SB2621 ($ 50,000) DOA to control Bovine TB on Moloka‘i. Funds staff
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SB3197 ($ 300,000) Funds DOA Farmer Apprentice Mentoring Program..
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SB2218 ($ 1,500,000) Creates & funds DOA’s 5-yr Food Hub Pilot Program.
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SB2960 ($ 265,000) DOA PPP for Food Safety Certification Training Program.
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HB2307 ($ 300,000) For DOA education on FDA’s sea salt food safety rules.
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SB339 Extend Important Ag Land Qualified Ag Cost Tax Credit claim time
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HB1568 Specifies terms for food procurement from local ag products.
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HB2280 Prohibits condo association from restricting personal ag gardens
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SB3379 ($ 525,000) Funds DOA’s Ports-of-Entry Biosecurity Programs.
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SB1297 Extends authorization of SPRBs for Maui Grown Coffee, Inc
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SB2990 ($ 300,000) DOA’s Cover Crop Reimbursement Pilot Program.
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HB2466 GET Exemption on proceeds from sales of unprocessed taro
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SB2798 Provides for relief & courtesy reciprocity for licensed veterinarians <continued>
Senate Agriculture & Environment Committee Focused End-of-Session Report 2022 Page 2 of 2
FOCUSED SUMMARY OF ENVIRONMENTAL HIGHLIGHTS Environmental Bills Passed •
SB3325 Creates HI Carbon Smart Land Mngmnt Assistance Pilot Program
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SB289
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SB2998 Requires DOH a risk-based trigger for beverage distributor audits
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HB1640 Expands the Electronic Device Recycling & Recovery Act Policies
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HB1810 Defines majority quorum of the Environmental Advisory Council
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HB2147 Gives DOH authority to permit federal municipal solid waste landfills
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HB1644 Prohibits use of PFAS in food packaging & firefighting foam
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HB1800 ($ 350,000) Creates State Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards
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SB2290 Prohibits sale/use of plastic microbeads except certain drugs
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SB2065 Prohibits use of unmanned aerial vehicles for fishing in state waters
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SB2070 ($ 50,000,000) Assist Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative LLC
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HB573 Requires Habitat Conservation Plans have contingency services
($ 500,000) Creates DOA’s Healthy Soils Farmer Education Program
Committee Resolutions •
SCR76/SR69 Prohibits unapproved residential use of farm dwelling
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HCR92 DOA assists coffee farmers to purchase organic fertilizers
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SR93 Implements plans to optimize fed funds for climate resilience & equity.
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SR130 Study and report on green transportation & public infrastructure
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HCR75 Honolulu in partnership with public to promote aquaculture.
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SCR90/SR80 Upgrade on Marine Corps Base, Kane’ohe.
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SR52 To endorse New Plastics Economy Global Commitment
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SR61 To study past 5 yrs of pesticide inspections & strengthen enforcement
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SR165 Dept of Ag to expand Plant Quarantine Branch’s facility
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SR161 To develop process to certify privately-owned quarantine facilities
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SCR140/SR124 Create protocols for TV/Film industry reduce single-use plastics
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SR134/HCR111 To improve Waianae Convenience Center services <end>
WAI’ANAE COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER TO HELP PŌKA’Ī BAY
BACKGROUND:
After reading that Surfrider Foundation (SF) tests water quality around the state, I reached out to see if they are able to kõkua with addressing community concerns at Pōka’ī Bay, and they said yes! Over a 16 month period, my liaison, Patrice Tanna, will be overseeing volunteers who are collecting water samples from Pōka’ī Bay.. Mahalo to Rep. Cedric Asuega Gates for passing HR122 (2017), which urges the government to address water quality issues at Pōka’ī Bay.. Thanks also to Surf Foundation (SF) volunteer Daniel Amato, who generously agreed to pay for the independent testing, oversee this complex process, and pursue a federal National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) grant to now further advance this effort.. Keili McEvilly of SF also provided the training on how to collect the samples, as well as the bottles and field sheets for each sampling.
UPDATE: Medium Bacteria Levels Detected on 9/4/2022. Water samples are collected every other Sunday morning and driven to Honolulu for testing by Surfrider Foundation, and results are posted on Monday. Track the water testing results for Pokai Bay (bay side), Pokai Bay (ocean side) & Kaupuni Stream using the Blue Water Task Force. The link is at https://bwtf.surfrider.org/report/44 .
for current weather and ocean data. Also, here’s the link for Magic Seaweed: https://magicseaweed.com/Hawaii-Surf-Forecast/51/
Mahalo nui loa to volunteers Patrice Tanna, Cisco Santos, Linda & Tam Reeves, Mary Ellen Apostol, Karen Young, Carmen and Joseph Simpliciano, and many others. If you are interested in volunteering, contact Sen. Shimabukuro’s liaison, Patrice Tanna, at p.tanna@capitol.hawaii.gov or call 808-586-7793.