2022-11-WAIANAE-NB

SENATOR MAILE SHIMABUKURO 2022 HAWAII STATE LEGISLATURE

NOVEMBER 2022 Waiʻanae - Nānākuli - Maili - Ko Olina - Honokai Hale - Kapolei - Kalaeloa

Momentous Ground Breaking for the Pu’uhonua ‘o Wai’anae Farm Village A huge step forward for the first phase of this unique community effort to house 25 homeless persons in 11 unit clusters on 20 acres of land to form a self-reliant tight communal farming complex in Wai’anae Mauka.

Future expansions hope to create space for more options to house the homeless members of Wai’anae by building a truly sustainable ‘ohana.

ABOVE: Sen.Shimabukuro and Rep. Gates present

a congratulatory certificate (below) to community

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.

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 of Hawai‘i.

DLNR GRANT APPLICATION PERIOD IS STILL OPEN FOR THE STATE LEGACY LAND CONSERVATION PROGRAM

The state is offering $5.9 Million in grant funding for public or private nonprofit agencies seeking to both conserve and protect Hawaii’s natural beauty and all natural resources for the benefit of present and also future generations. The Hawaii State Land Legacy Conservation Fund is used to acquire and then protect land/resources for the public benefit in perpetuity.

INFO: (808) 586-0921 LegacyLand@hawaii.gov <CLICK (left) FOR APPLICATION>

JOIN OUR MAILOUT LIST BY EMAILING SenatorMaile@gmail.com

2022 Legislative Accomplishments of the

Senate Ways & Means Committee Summary As an active member of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, I wanted to provide this End-of-Session report on behalf of each of its hard working committee members focused on the Westside’s homeless, health, education, environment, and assistance. ~ Senator Maile FOCUSED BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS (HB 1600) General Fund: $8.7 Billion Department of Accounting and General Services • $500,000 for a creative grant program for the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts.

• $2,000,000 to support the mission of Iolani Palace.

• $10,000,000 for capital improvements to Bishop Museum • $7,500,000 to support programming and operations of the Bishop Museum Department of the Attorney General • $1,635,000 to revitalize the statewide-career criminal and victim witness program.

• $114,500 to establish a victim witness support team to assist victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking.

• $1,588,000 to establish a new office for human trafficking abatement.

Department of Budget and Finance • $33,333,334 to leverage federal funds to expand broadband deployment.

Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism • $13,874,350 for infrastructure upgrades for Kalaeloa to improve roadways, regional connections, utilities and additional water and power infrastructure.

• $5,000,000 for Affordable Homeownership.

Department of Hawaiian Home Lands • $10,000,000 for Planning and Development for Hawaiian Homesteads.

• $1,043,548 funds 20 positions for land leases, loans, & fiscal services.

Department of Transportation (Highways) • $10,000,000 to fund a stored property and debris removal program to clean up unauthorized encampments on state lands and store important belongings.

University of Hawaii • $7,200,000 million & $800,000 in funds for UH Manoa and UH Hilo Athletics • $1,670,000 expand JABSOM's grad residency program for neighbor islands • $85,500 and three positions for the Hawai’i Institute of Marine Biology.

Senate Ways & Means Committee Focused End-of-Session Report 2022 Page 3 of 4

Department of Education • $32,500,000 to address several areas including: hard to staff concerns in certain geographical locations, to retain and recruit teachers for special education, and provide Hawaiian language immersion for students.$6,360,000 to furnish and equip new classrooms and school buildings across the state.

• $117,019 to add one position for the Papahana O Kaiona Learning Program.

• $2,716,984 to add twenty-one positions to establish a new nursing section to coordinate and provide clinical supervision for schools.

• $1,150,000 increase for the Indexed Complex Area Administration program for classroom supplies, instructional materials, materials and resources for professional learning communities, and technology to provide equity of access to students.

• $600,000 for "Grow Our Own Teacher Stipends".

• $1,022,499 to add seventeen positions to make the pilot Special Education Teacher Mentor Program permanent.

• $1,000,000 to deploy a sensor network in air-conditioned classrooms to optimize classroom conditions for students and staff.

• $750,000 for public libraries to purchase digital and physical materials for community use.

• $2,000,000 to provide Menstrual products at schools.

• $250,000 for Education Programs for incarcerated women.

• $2,000,000 for Charter Schools Hawaiian Immersion teachers.

• $855,000 to add three positions for a Waianae fish hatchery program.

Department of Health • $5,000,000 for COVID-19 Testing.

• $16,320,700 for Hawaii Health Systems Corporation.

• $8,923,000 for the Maui Health System.

• $16,320,700 for the HHSC Oahu Region.

• $537,542, and eight positions including three clinical psychologists and three psychiatrists for Adult Mental Health – Outpatient.

• $3,487,633 for the Hawaii State Hospital Forensic Building operations.

• $14,000,000 Hawaii State Laboratory modernization of existing lab facility.

• $60,780 to restore funding for one Communication Access Specialist whose primary responsibilities include credentialing sign language interpreters and communications access for State programs and services.

• $2,650,000 million for Kupuna Care program.

• $1,500,000 for Aging & Disability Resource Ctr for counties across the State.

• $204,876 for one Program Specialist for Office of Language Access as well as funds for capacity building of qualified interpreters and translators. <continued>

Senate Ways & Means Committee Focused End-of-Session Report 2022 Page 4 of 4

Department of Human Services • $4,021,809 annually to increase the Temporary Assistance for Other Needy families (TAONF) program allotment level of assistance per family.

• $500,000 in additional funding for the Rental Assistance Services Program.

• Two additional Social Worker positions for the Child Protective Services Program.

• $3,006,048 in operating costs and twenty-five positions to implement a childcare subsidies program within the department, statewide for eligible low-income families.

• In addition, $6,960,000 to assist families with child-care payments.

• $2,080,000 to fund a database and a wage subsidy for early learning educators.

• $450,000 to fund maintenance and repair, as well as services to transfer youth to mental health residential programs.

• $400,000 for sex trafficking victims support services • $1,842,000 for the Exit Retention Bonus Payment Program to help families successfully exit the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program.

• $6,000,000 for the TANF program to procure innovative afterschool services.

• $23,094,000 to fund additional housing subsidies of up to $500 per month to TANF and TAONF program participants participating in the First-to -Work Program.

• $5,897,505 to expand post-partum coverage from 2 to 12 months for MedQuest patients to increase lifesaving screening services, provide preventative treatment, and address healthcare parity.

• $25,952,297 to provide adult dental benefits to MedQuest patients under "Option 2," including both cleaning and treatment services.

Department of Land and Natural Resources • $1,800,000 in additional funds for first responder overtime, helicopter contracts, and repair of firefighting equipment for the Native Resources & Fire Protection program.

• $1,700,000 in additional funds for Rapid Ohia Death response.

• $1,500,000 in additional funds for the Hawaii Invasive Species Council. .

• $614,280 for fourteen new positions at the Historic Preservation department to handle the anticipated workflow accompanying incoming infrastructure federal funds.

• $400,000 additional operational funding for the Kahoolawe Island Reserve.

• $291,888 and twelve positions for the Marine Security Division to provide additional protection for Hawaii's beaches and wildlife.

• $72,000 and two Cultural Resource Specialist positions.

• $200,000 for the Aha Moku Advisory Committee.

Department of Labor and Industrial Relations • $5,293,416 and seven positions for high school and post-high internships across State departments • $321,000,000 for the Unemployment Insurance Benefit Payment Program to increase unemployment benefit payments.

• $152,500 to fund five positions for the Office of Community Services to administer Grant in Aid awards.

• $2,000,000 for emergency food assistance programs in all four counties statewide. <end>