Senator J. Kalani English Member Feed

Senator J. Kalani English's Statement on the Passing of Representative Mele Carroll

I join my fellow Senate colleagues and all of Maui County in expressing our deepest and sincerest condolences to the family of my friend and colleague Mele Carroll.

Mele and I worked closely since my days as a Maui County councilmember and continued with me when I started in the Hawai‘i State Senate. While serving as my chief of staff, Mele garnered the proficiency and knowledge of the County of Maui and the Hawai‘i State Senate. She went on to make her own mark serving the people of Maui and our State and helping all those she came in contact with.

Hawai‘i has suffered the loss of a dedicated leader and honorable public servant. I will dearly miss my friend and colleague Mele Carroll.

MAUI SENATORS WANT MORE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ON WASTEWATER SYSTEMS POLICY CHANGES PROPOSED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

With more than 77,000 cesspools, neighbor islands will be largely impacted

Sen. Roz Baker (District 6 - South and West Maui) has asked the Department of Health (DOH) to hold public hearings on the neighbor islands on proposed wastewater management policy changes, and to provide more time for meaningful comment. The changes will affect more than 77,000 homeowners on the neighbor islands and 11,000 on Oahu.

The proposed changes include prohibiting the installation of new cesspools and requiring sewer connections or upgrades of existing cesspools to a septic tank within 180 days after the sale of a property.

"There is no doubt in my mind that septic tanks are better than cesspools," said Sen. Baker. "However, the department should have been working with the community on a plan that could be supported. I also greatly appreciate DOH wanting to protect groundwater resources by reducing the number of cesspools in the state, but using the administrative rules process rather than actively engaging the affected communities is not the best approach. I would prefer a carrot rather than stick approach to give our community members a genuine voice in any proposal."

DOH has scheduled a public hearing for Thursday, October 2 on Oahu where only about 12 percent of all cesspools in the state are located. Video conferencing is also being made available on Kauai, Hawaii Island and Maui. Residents affected on Molokai, which has over 1,400 cesspools, will not be able to participate in the video conferencing.

In a letter addressed to Director Linda M. Rosen, she has asked DOH to hold public hearings on all neighbor islands, especially on Molokai where access to video conferencing is not available.

"There could be a lot of unintended consequences with these policy changes," said Sen. Baker, "such as

STATEMENT FROM SEN. J. KALANI ENGLISH ON THE RELEASE OF $500,000 FOR NEW LANAI COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER FACILITY

Senator J. Kalani English today released the following statement on the release of $500,000 in capital improvement grant funds for a new Lana‘i Community Health Center (LCHC) facility. Sen. English represents District 7, which includes Hana, East and Upcountry Maui, Moloka‘i, Lana‘i, and Kaho‘olawe.

"My colleagues and I worked hard to secure the $500,000 in the state budget to help fund the LCHC project.

"The people of Lana‘i deserve a new center in a prime location to provide better access for those who need these types of necessary healthcare and dental services. With its larger design in a central location, more people in this remote area will receive care from top-notch professionals.

"The healthcare providers at LCHC have over the years showed their commitment to the people of Lana‘i. In fact, several of the Center's doctors were named in Honolulu Magazine's Best Doctors in Hawaii list. I also applaud the Center's officials and staff on the work they have done to see this new facility come to fruition."

STATEMENT FROM SENATOR J. KALANI ENGLISH ON THE LAUNCH OF THE ALOHA+ CHALLENGE

Sen. J. Kalani English today issued the following statement on the launch of the "Aloha+ Challenge: A Culture of Sustainability - He Nohona ‘Ae‘oia" with a dedication signing by the governor, four county mayors and leaders from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Senator English, chair of the Senate Committee on Transportation and International Affairs, was the primary introducer of SCR 69, a resolution supporting the Aloha+ Challenge.

"The Aloha+ Challenge will help keep us on the path to a sustainable future through coordinated efforts and strategic investments. It's a commitment by government and our partners to hit our goal marks for clean energy, local food production, natural resource management, waste reduction, smart sustainable communities and green jobs and education."

The Aloha+ Challenge sets six targets to be reached by 2030. They include:

1. Clean Energy: 70 percent clean energy, including 40 percent from renewables and 30 percent from efficiency;

2. Local Food: At least double the local food production with a goal of 20-30 percent of food consumed being grown locally;

3. Natural Resource Management: Reverse the trend of natural resource loss mauka to makai by increasing watershed protection, community-based marine management, invasive species prevention and control, and restoration of native species;

4. Waste Reduction: Reduce the solid waste stream prior to disposal by 50 percent, through source reduction, recycling, and bioconversion;

5. Smart Sustainable Communities: Increase livability and resilience in the built environment through planning and implementation at the state and county levels;

6. Green Workforce: Increase local green jobs and education to implement these targets

Click here to view SCR 69.

STATEMENT FROM SENATOR J. KALANI ENGLISH ON THE SIGNING INTO LAW OF SB2742, ESTABLISHING A RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY PARTNERSHIP

Sen. J. Kalani English today released the following statement on the signing into law of SB2742, a bill that establishes the Pacific-Asia Institute for Resilience and Sustainability. Chair of the Senate Committee on Transportation and International Affairs, Senator English is the primary introducer of the measure and worked with stakeholders and colleagues throughout session to see the bill pass out of the legislature.

The measure creates a revolutionary and innovative public-private partnership to better approach community resilience and improve how the world addresses disruptive changes through necessary collaboration on a global level. It would in essence create a significant and well-trained network of support for the issues facing the Pacific-Asia region. The Office of the Lieutenant Governor will act as the State's liaison to assist the Institute in carrying out its duties, and the Institute will be eligible for grants and subsidies under chapter 42F.

"A lot of people put so much work into creating the Pacific-Asia Institute for Resilience and Sustainability and I am thrilled that the governor signed it into law today. Right now, here in Hawaii, we have concerns about rising seawater threatening our shoreline, and as lawmakers we are looking ahead at how we will face these challenges and adapt to changes. The foundation of the Institution is based on helping communities become resilient and sustainable through preventive measures: assess vulnerability, identify solutions and provide support.

"An example of the Institute's work in practice is the collaboration of the State of Hawaii's Department of Defense (DoD), the Pacific Disaster Center with Hawaiian Electric, U.S. Pacific Command, IBM and Mehta Tech Inc. to study the potential enhancement of the security, reliability and dependability of the electric grid on Oahu, and ways to apply analytics to better predict potential risks such as natural disaster," he added. "T

COMPLETELY STOPPED DRIVERS EXEMPTED FROM ELECTRONIC DEVICE BAN
OTHER AMENDMENTS TO THE LAW GO INTO EFFECT JULY 1, 2014

Changes to the cell phone ban passed by the Legislature in 2013, Act 74, which prohibits the use of mobile electronic devices while operating a vehicle, takes effect today.

The amendments to the law include exempting drivers who are completely stopped, changing the penalties for violations and making a violation a traffic infraction.

"After the law was passed in 2013, we at the Legislature received a lot of complaints about the vagueness of the law and the severity of requiring violators to go to court," said Sen. J. Kalani English, a Maui senator and chair of the Committee on Transportation and International Affairs, who introduced the measure. "It was never our intention to require violators to go to court instead of mailing in a fine. We also wanted to be very clear about what a violation was. If someone is on their phone while pulled over and completely stopped with the engine turned off in a safe location out of traffic - that seems like a reasonable and safe use of an electronic device while in a vehicle."

The fines for the new law have changed to a flat fee of $250 for first and multiple violations and $300 for violations in a school or construction zone.

"Driving while using your cell phone or any other electronic device is just plain dangerous and irresponsible," added English. "Fines have proven to deter people from breaking the law, but more importantly, we want to keep the people of Hawaii safe. A person's life is significantly more important than that Facebook post or text message."

For more information on the law, visit: http://capitol.hawaii.gov/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=2729&year=2014

STATEMENT FROM SENATOR J. KALANI ENGLISH ON THE RELEASE OF $820,000 FOR HANA HIGHWAY
Senator J. Kalani English (District 7- Hana, East and Upcountry Maui, Moloka‘i, Lana‘i, Kaho‘olawe), Chair of the Senate Committee on Transportation and International Affairs, issued the following statement on the release of $820,000 in funding for improvements to Hana Highway:

"We are fortunate that no one was injured in this weekend's mudslide on Hana Highway. It is imperative that we start work immediately to prevent these disasters now that the governor has released the funds. My colleagues and I secured funding for rockfall mitigation to prevent disasters such as the mudslide this weekend. Half a million will to go towards removing unstable rock and boulders, installing retaining mesh and anchors, and cutting and vegetating slopes.

"Additionally, the Hana Highway Bridge Preservation Plan will receive $320,000 to determine the disposition of existing bridges along the highway. As a historic highway, the existing infrastructure is aging and requires maintenance to ensure that the bridges are both safe and maintains the original character of the historic highway.

"These safety enhancements will go a long way in preventing disasters and improving the flow of traffic for our residents who depend on these roads to go to work, school, and spend time with family and friends."

STATEMENT FROM MAUI SENATORS ON $305.5 MILLION FOR NEW CAR RENTAL FACILITY AT KAHULUI AIRPORT
Maui's Kahului Airport will receive $305,500,000 in capital improvement projects (CIP) funding appropriated by the legislature. Governor Neil Abercrombie released funds for the construction of a new multi-level consolidated car rental facility and roadway improvements at Kahului Airport.

The car rental facility will include a customer service building, quick turnaround, ready return vehicle parking spaces, four 15,000-gallon fuel storage tanks, a people mover system to and from the terminal, site improvements, roadway connections to airport terminal roadways, additional employee parking spaces and potential flat-plate, non-reflective photovoltaic panels. A new access road to the facility will run from Hana Highway to Airport Loop Road.

"Residents and visitors alike will see improvements in customer service as the new car rental facility will streamline the car rental process," said Senator Roz Baker, who represents South and West Maui. "Airport modernization is good for Maui and the State, and projects like this will certainly improve our tourism industry."

"Right now customers have to drive through the terminal roadway system to get to the existing rental car facilities, causing congestion in front of the terminals," said Senator J. Kalani English, chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, who represents Hāna, east and upcountry Maui, Moloka‘i, Lana‘i and Kaho‘olawe. "A new access road from Hana Highway to Airport Loop will help to alleviate traffic congestion at the airport."

"I'm glad the governor released funds appropriated by the legislature for this large and important project that benefits all of Maui," said Senator Gilbert Keith-Agaran, who represents Wailuku, Waihe'e, and Kahului. "It will create more local construction jobs, stimulate the economy, and improve the overall customer experience for residents and visitors. I am looking forward to work on this p

SENATORS SHOWCASE ART AT THE CAPITOL
Senators opened their doors for an evening at the capitol "museum" during the 6th annual Art at the Capitol event on Friday, April 4 from 4:30 - 7 p.m. Each senator brings a distinct perspective to the decor of their offices through the personalization of their walls according to interest and taste. The works of art are placed in public areas of the Capitol as part of the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts' "Art in Public Places" program, which was established in 1967, and was the first program of its kind in the nation.

Sen. J. Kalani English recently obtained a beautiful canoe designed by Levan Keola Sequeira, a Maui artist, called "Wa‘a Kaulua." It was made in 2008 using koa, yellow cedar, ebony and lauhala. Sequeira learned basic woodcarving from his teachers at Kamehameha Schools but has since taught himself the art of canoe making through museum research.

"I've chosen to display works of art that highlight Hawaiian history," said English. "These pieces remind me of the importance of remaining connected to the Hawaiian culture and its people. Whenever I have meetings, these local pieces always come up in conversation, and I enjoy telling people about the piece, its history and the artist."

MAUI TEEN HONORED BY STATE SENATE
Mason Aquino recognized as Boys & Girls Club of Hawai‘i's Youth of the Year

The Hawai‘i State Senate yesterday honored Maui's Mason Aquino in a special floor presentation as one of five finalists for the Boys & Girls Club of Hawai‘i Youth of the Year. At a luncheon later that day, Mason was named as the Youth of the Year.

The annual award is a premier recognition program for exemplary Club members who give back to their community, achieve academic success and display strong moral character.

"Mason's leadership, resilience against adversity, academic achievement and commitment to his community is an inspiration to his peers," said Sen. Gilbert S.C. Keith-Agaran, who represents Wailuku, Waihe‘e, and Kahului.

"The Boys and Girls Club on Maui really does contribute so much to our community, including influencing keiki to achieve great things," said Sen. Rosalyn Baker, who represents South and West Maui. "It shows in the next generation of leaders like Mason."

"We're so proud of Mason and all of his success," ad