The state Legislature returned to a pretty normal opening day for its 32nd session Wednesday in House and Senate ceremonies filled with guests, music, hula, hugs and more at the state Capitol after two years under coronavirus restrictions.
Ambitions to achieve high-priority goals — including more affordable housing, gun-use legislation, mental health service improvements, special fees for tourists and possibly another income tax rebate for residents — were also presented by leadership in the Democrat-controlled Legislature.
Entertainment included the Makaha Sons playing two sets in the House chamber where the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra Quartet played a prelude.
In the Senate, the Kamehameha Schools Kapalama Hawaiian Ensemble performed hula to two songs followed later by Amy Hanaiali‘i singing four songs that included one where the audience sang the chorus that began, “Hawaii you are my home.”
Invited guests included family members and friends of lawmakers, four former Hawaii governors, three county mayors, three members of Congress and others who produced a standing room-only audience in the House and a more limited capacity on the floor of the Senate in light of continued COVID-19 precautions.
Gov. Josh Green, who split his time between portions of both House and Senate ceremonies, said the atmosphere was vastly better than the past two years when he was lieutenant governor and coronavirus mitigation measures curtailed all or nearly all grandeur and gathering. “The last two sucked because there was nobody there,” he said.
Wednesday’s floor sessions also included condolences expressed to family and friends of former state lawmaker and Honolulu City Council member Ron Menor, who died Monday.
Behind the scenes, some discord brewed between the two Republican members in the Senate over minority leadership roles. And offices of many lawmakers offered spreads of food and drink to visitors.
“It’s been a real pleasure to resume in front of people,” Senate President Ron Kouchi (D, Kauai-Niihau) said during the nearly two-hour Senate ceremony. “It’s been lonely (previously) with the gallery and the floor empty and impersonal meetings on Zoom, and so thank you very much.”
The Senate chamber floor was filled to 60% capacity under the direction of Kouchi, who said he tried to find a middle path for the event given persisting coronavirus infections.
Last year the Senate opening ceremony featured no guests, 18 of 25 members attending in person and the national and state anthems delivered via video. The whole event was broadcast on the Senate’s YouTube channel.
Kouchi on Wednesday highlighted several goals from Senate leadership including another boost for affordable-housing production after the Legislature appropriated $300 million for a state rental housing fund last year, and another tax rebate to residents after one delivered last year ranging from $100 to $300 per person depending on income.
A fee charged to visitors also is a priority, though Kouchi advocated for an approach that would charge entry fees to more state parks for nonresidents instead of Green’s proposal to charge visitors upon entering the state to generate revenue to benefit natural resources.
“Visitors should be paying for their impact on our natural resources,” Kouchi said.
Kouchi estimated that about $15 million in such nonresident park fees flowed last year from three sites — Haena State Park on Kauai, Diamond Head Monument on Oahu and Wainapanapa on Maui. By expanding to more parks well suited for such fees, Kouchi said $20 million to $40 million could be generated.
Following Kouchi’s speech, the minority leader in the Senate was scheduled to speak, but that didn’t happen.
Sen. Kurt Fevella (R, Ewa Beach-Ocean Pointe-Iroquois Point) last year was the only Republican in the Senate and this year is listed at the Legislature as minority leader, while recently elected Sen. Brenton Awa (R, Kaneohe-Laie-Mokuleia) is listed as minority floor leader.
Awa, however, on Tuesday notified Senate Chief Clerk Carol Taniguchi in writing that he rescinded his vote for Fevella to be Senate minority leader.
Fevella declined to comment on the issue Wednesday. Awa said the issue will be worked out.
In the House, the gallery and floor were packed with friends and family and children. The gallery was standing room only, including more than a dozen people who wore blue United Public Workers union T-shirts.
House Speaker Scott Saiki began his remarks by referring to the power struggle in the U.S. House of Representatives that finally resulted in Rep. Kevin McCarthy being named speaker. “Thank you for not taking 15 votes to elect the speaker,” Saiki said to laughter.
Saiki welcomed 16 newly elected House members — 12 Democrats and four Republicans — “our largest freshman class in 28 years,” he said.
Saiki described some of them as:
>> Rep. Elle Cochran (D, Waihee-Lahaina-Lahainaluna), a surfer who “previously lived off the grid.”
>> Rep. Cory Chun (D, Pearl City-Waipahu-Waikele), “whose entire family — his wife and two children — have names that begin with the letter C.”
>> Rep. Darius Kila (D, Nanakuli-Maili), “a proud Hawaiian and die-hard Taylor Swift fan, Kapolei High School and collegiate football player, and the tallest member of the Legislature.”
>> Rep. Natalia Hussey-Burdick (D, Kailua-Kaneohe Bay), “a former server who fosters stray kittens.”
Saiki also recognized the “sophomore class” that did not get to enjoy the same attention during the COVID-19 pandemic when the Capitol was closed to the public.
“Let’s give everyone here a round of applause for making it through the pandemic,” he said. “We celebrate this moment, and are happy to see so many familiar faces and many new faces.”
Saiki outlined several priorities for the House, including consideration of 31 recommendations from the Commission to Improve Standards of Conduct following the federal guilty pleas of disgraced state Sen. J. Kalani English and Rep. Ty J.K. Cullen in February 2022.
“This House takes reset and reform seriously and will take up the recommendations in earnest this session,” Saiki said.
Later, state Rep. David Tarnas, chair of the House Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, said that all 31 recommendations would be considered but could not ensure all will pass. Some could be handled internally through changes in House rules, Saiki and Tarnas said.
Saiki listed other goals:
>> Provide more financial relief for middle- and lower-income families.
“One potential reform is to adjust the earned income tax credit, which provides comprehensive relief for 108,000 Hawaii households,” he said.
>> Invest $200 million “for low interest pay-as-you-go loans for low and moderate income” for up to 7,600 families to install solar battery systems, “resulting in lower utility bills and preventing the emission of 767,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases over the lifetime of their systems.”
>> “We will work with our mental health partners, the Judiciary and the Department of Health to identify, treat and support these members of our community,” he said. As Saiki spoke about mental health a man in the gallery began yelling and was dragged out by sheriff’s deputies, screaming “I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe. Lemme go. Lemme go” as bystanders shot cellphone video of the incident and yelled at deputies to release him. He was taken away in an ambulance.
“We’re seeing more and more of these cases in the community,” Saiki later told reporters.
>> “We will add another $300 million to finance affordable housing projects, to meet the housing demand for lower-income groups,” Saiki said in his remarks on the House floor.
>> To applause, Saiki also urged creation of a reservation system and uniform additional fees aimed at tourists who visit state parks and trails “to maintain our state parks, trails and other venues.”
>> Also to applause, Saiki said he wants to reauthorize a “special committee for Red Hill and the aquifer, for accountability as well as to formulate a state and local coordinated policy as we step into the stewardship of this entire island, our people, businesses and future. … No issue presents more of an existential challenge than the purity and well-being of our water.”
Saiki, Kouchi and Green all vowed cooperation among the administration and Legislature on Wednesday.
“Speaking of cooperation, as you know, there have been some media reports speculating on the relationship between the Legislature and the governor,” Saiki said. “So let me be clear. The House will work with Gov. Green and his team in good faith and in a positive manner so that we can solve problems and bring results to Hawaii residents.”
Green, after the ceremonies, said he is certain that there will be tax reform to help low-income families, efforts to “supercharge” Hawaii’s housing plans and tackle homelessness, and action on climate change.
The governor also said that if a visitor fee bill is passed by lawmakers, he would sign it.
“I can’t wait to work with speaker and Senate president,” said Green. “I’m open to whatever nuance they have, of course they are our legislative leaders.”
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Staff writer Tori DeJournett contributed to this report.
