November 13,2017
Representative Ing leads Coral Reef Informational Briefing
HONOLULU - Hawaii's coral reefs and nearshore fisheries are facing unprecedented threats that put their future in question.
That's the blunt assessment of a group of Hawaii scientists who delivered an informational briefing to lawmakers Thursday.
Scientists say they've got more than evidence nearshore fisheries are depleted. "What we found was pretty overwhelming. About 40 percent of the species will be classified as overfished," said Alan Freidlander, of the University of Hawaii Fisheries Ecology Lab and chief scientist of the National Geographic Society's Pristine Seas project. "The correlations are more people, less fish."
He said gear restrictions and size limits help, but bag limits and quotas don't work.
Still, some fisherman say current regulations are good enough.
"If the fishermen don't stand up and come down here and fight for fisherman's rights now, we'll lose more than we can possibly ever imagine," said Makani Christensen, of the Hunting, Farming and Fishing Association.
For the north coast of Molokai, the state is asking for input on community-based subsistence fishing rules, but the proposed regulations are controversial.
"Our challenge is to find rules which are protective of the intent which is to provide for subsistence fishing for the community, but recognizing that these are state waters. It's a public resource and everyone has a right to be there," said Bruce Anderson, chief of the Aquatic Resources Division at the Department of Land and Natural Resources.
In 2014 and 2015, Hawaii's reefs suffered major bleaching due to climate changes. While it's stabilized, more severe and frequent bleaching is predicted.
"In the 2030s, 30 to 50 percent of the years will have major bleaching events in Hawaii," said Kuulei Rogers, of the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology.
Hawaii scientists say management plans are in place, but there's no one solution to managing and protecting Hawaii's ocean's resources.
State Rep. Kaniela Ing, chairman of the Committee on Ocean, Marine Resources & Hawaiian Affairs, organized the briefing and said the consensus was that the governor's goal to protect 30 percent of nearshore fisheries by 2030 needs to have teeth. He said he'll introduce a mandate to establish a statewide network of marine-protected areas and he believes Hawaii should join every other state and issue non-commercial fishing licenses.
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November 13,2017
Representative Ing Proposes Lower Beer Tax
State Rep. Kaniela Ing wants to reduce the state tax on beer by half, a proposal he says is a matter of “class fairness.”
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January 30,2017
Legislator Responds to Zuckerberg's Lawsuits
Rep. Kaniela Ing (D-South Maui) issued a statement in response to the controversy surrounding Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg’s 100-acre Kauai estate, and will be introducing legislation through his House Committee on Ocean, Marine Resources, and Hawaiian Affairs to address issues with “quiet title” and “Kuleana Lands” law.
January 30,2017
Rep. Ing Sponsors Legislation for Minimum Wage Increase to $15
State Representative Kaniela Ing (D-South Maui), is sponsoring legislation to increase Hawaiʻi’s minimum wage to $15 by 2019 and $22 by 2022.
The bill will also tie the minimum wage to the Consumer Price Index and eliminates the exemption for tipped employees.
Ing says the bill will be the nation’s most progressive “living wage” law, and encompasses the spirit of the grassroots Fight for $15 movement.
“Hawaiʻi is the most expensive state in the nation. Other high cost of living states and cities like Seattle, California, and New York have already passed $15 minimum wage laws,” said Ing.
“Working families are struggling, so we as legislators have a moral obligation to act. The evidence shows that raising the minimum wage to at least $15 an hour is the single most impactful policy for Hawaiʻi’s most vulnerable,” said Rep. Ing.
January 30,2017
Ka Huli Ao and OHA to conduct newly mandated Native Hawaiian law training
Effective July 1, 2015, Governor David Ige signed HB 207 (Act 169) into law mandating specific state board, commission, and council members to attend a training course on the state’s fiduciary duties and trust obligations to protect Hawaiʻi’s natural resources and Native Hawaiian traditional and customary practices.
Ka Huli Ao Center for Excellence in Native Hawaiian Law, in partnership with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA), has held three such training courses since 2013. State and county decision makers who have taken the course have given it overwhelmingly positive reviews. The next Native Hawaiian law training course will be offered on Saturday, August 1, 2015, at the UH Mānoa William S. Richardson School of Law.
State Representative Kaniela Ing, speaking at the Governor’s signing of Act 169, stated, “This measure takes basic steps to ensure that the next generation of public servants will be more knowledgeable of the historical and cultural context of the place for which they are tasked to make decisions.”
Act 169 mandates that members of the Land Use Commission, Board of Land and Natural Resources, Commission on Water Resource Management, Environmental Council, Board of Directors of the Agribusiness Development Corporation, Board of Agriculture, Legacy Land Conservation Commission, Natural Area Reserves System Commission, Hawaiʻi Historic Places Review Board, and the Board of Health take the OHA sponsored training course. The act also allows other state and county decision makers and staff to take the Native Hawaiian Law training course. knocked on doors in my neighborhood, people have made it clear that this is South Maui’s top priority,” said Rep. Kaniela Ing (Kīhei, Wailea, Mākena), who has advocated for this project since he was first elected in 2012. “As my o‘o hit the ground, I couldn’t help but get emotional. We have achieved the number one goal that we have set out to do. The people of South Maui should be very proud of themselves.”
January 30,2017
Long-Awaited Kīhei High School Breaks Ground
After decades of petitioning and planning, the long-awaited Kīhei High School in South Maui broke ground off Pi‘ilani Highway at 9 a.m. this morning, Monday, Jan. 11.
According to the final EIS document, the proposed Kīhei High School project site encompasses 77.2 acres of undeveloped land on the mauka side of Pi‘ilani Highway across from the Pi‘ilani Village residential subdivision.
The school will serve grades 9 to 12 in the South Maui region, and is designed to support an enrollment capacity of 1,650 students and approximately 206 supporting staff and faculty.
“As I knocked on doors in my neighborhood, people have made it clear that this is South Maui’s top priority,” said Rep. Kaniela Ing (Kīhei, Wailea, Mākena), who has advocated for this project since he was first elected in 2012. “As my o‘o hit the ground, I couldn’t help but get emotional. We have achieved the number one goal that we have set out to do. The people of South Maui should be very proud of themselves.”
June 30, 2014
Same-Day Voter Registration Passes
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April 24, 2013
Budget includes $130M for Kihei High School
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February 12, 2013
Kaniela's Social Media Privacy Bill Advances
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February 5, 2013
Organ Donation Awareness Requirement Sought for Driver's Ed
Maui lawmaker, Rep. Kaniela Ing introduced a bill that aims to increase organ and tissue donor awareness by requiring the information is included in Driver's Education course material.
Rep. Ing, who is serving his first term as the House Representative for constituents in Kihei, Wailea, and Makena, said, "I introduced this creative and cost-free bill to increase public awareness and encourage more young people to consider being an organ donor."
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February 5, 2013
House Takes Steps to Address PLDC
Rep. Kaniela Ing of South Maui said that while he recognizes the need for increased state revenues and improved public land efficiencies, he said "the goals must be achieved without posing a threat of undermining public input or skirting environmental regulations."
"The people I have spoken with on Maui who understand the implications of PLDC support a full repeal," said Rep. Ing. "The people, especially on the neighbor islands, are saying 'try again' - we, as lawmakers, need to listen to them."
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February 5, 2013
Maui Lawmaker Introduces Bill to Ban Smoking on Beaches
Freshman Rep. Kaniela Ing of South Maui called Maui beaches "world-renown," saying cigarette butts are still one of the primary causes of litter on Maui.
Last year, Community Work Day program's three-hour "Get the Drift and Bag it" event collected over 7,600 cigarette butts on Maui.
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February 5, 2013
Lawmakers seek changes to election procedures
Rep. Kaniela Ing, a Democrat from Maui, said allowing voters to register on Election Day would help improve youth voter turnout.
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February 5, 2013
Hawaii Lawmakers Push Ethics Code Reform
Rep. Kaniela Ing (D, South Maui) introduced a bill Thursday that requires lobbyists to submit monthly disclosures during the legislative session and requires lawmakers to file their financial disclosures at the beginning of the session. The Democrat representing southern parts of Maui said the goal is to increase accountability and public trust.
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