District 24 News

MAKIKI, TANTALUS, PAPAKLEA, MCCULLY, PWAA, MNOA MARCH 2014

The Shortlist
ART AT THE CAPITOL Friday, April 4, 2014 5:00-7:00 PM Hawaii State Capitol 415 South Beretania Street Peruse the Hawaii State Capitol's Art in Public Places collection-which consists of nearly 1000 pieces of artwork by local artists displayed in offices throughout the Capitol. Meet the artists, enjoy the Capitol, and be sure to stop by Room 331 to visit with Representative Belatti and her 2014 staff. 6th ANNUAL MAKIKI EASTER EGG HUNT & COMMUNITY FOOD DRIVE Saturday, April 12, 2014 9:00-11:00 AM Makiki District Park 1527 Keeaumoku Street Peter Cottontail will be hopping into Makiki for the annual Makiki Easter Egg Hunt and Community Food Drive sponsored by the Friends of the Makiki Community Library. Bring your canned food donations for the Parish of St. Clements Food Pantry and join us for fun arts & crafts, an Easter egg hunt, and even get a picture with the Easter Bunny. SPECIAL MAKIKI DOG PARK ALL ADVOCATES MEETING Wednesday, May 7, 2014 5:00-7:00 PM Makiki District Park 1527 Keeaumoku Street Get updated on efforts to establish an off-leash dog park in Makiki by Advocates for a Makiki Community Dog Park! Weigh in on the possibility of the dog park being at the corner of Punahou Street and Wilder Avenue and see how you can support the Advocates in the work ahead. Volunteers and community supporters are needed.
If you have questions about the listed community events, please contact Representative Belatti at (808) 586-9425

State Capitol (March 20, 2014) (L-R): As part of 2014 Education Week, Representatives Isaac W. Choy & Della Au Belatti congratulate Christel Collins of Manoa Public Library who was recognized as the 2013 State Librarian of the Year.

Dear Neighbor,
On March 11, 2014, the Council on Revenues issued its most recent forecast lowering its growth projections of the States economy for fiscal year 2014 from 3.3 percent to zero growth. While the flat rate of growth was a little surprising, (the State House Finance Committee was) already planning for a 1-percent worse-case scenario when constructing the House draft of the budget, explained Finance Chair Sylvia Luke. Thats the reason we lowered the Governors operating and (Capital improvement project) requests. Consequently, even under the Councils latest projections, I think we will be handing over to the Senate a budget thats much more within the ballpark than if we hadnt been as prudent. As the session progresses, the changed landscape due to the Councils lowered projections will impact discussions and continue the Houses cautious approach on bills, proposed initiatives, and funding requests being considered by legislators.

Please contact my office at repbelatti@capitol.hawaii.gov or at (808) 586-9425 if you have specific questions or concerns about the legislative or budgeting process. Sincerely,
Della Au Belatti State Representative, District 24

or at repbelatti@capitol.hawaii.gov.

Mid-Session Highlights as Senate and House Exchange Bills

Clearer picture of bills under consideration by lawmakers develops as Legislature makes First Crossover deadline.
Every year, legislators in the House and Senate introduce thousands of bills that would create new laws, revise existing statutes, and set priorities for spending. During the first half of the session, the number of bills alive decrease as they pass through committees. On Day 26 of the 60-day legislative session, bills cross over and move from the originating chamber to the other (i.e. from House to Senate); and the process of hearing bills received from the originating chamber is restarted. This session, First Crossover occurred on March 6. Second Crossover is set for April 10, and will be followed by Conference Committees being convened to hash out any remaining differences between both chambers on bills that have survived their journey through the legislative hearing process. As of First Crossover, a number of high-profile House bills such as HB2580 HD1 that gr adually incr eases the minimum wage to $10 by January 1, 2018, have survived. In addition to these bills, the following are highlights from the hundreds of bills that survived First Crossover. STATE BUDGET & FINANCE Government Accountability; Departmental Budgets (HB2508). Improves governmental accountability within the legislative budgeting process by prohibiting the use of funds appropriated or authorized by the Legislature for vacant state positions, for any purpose, including the payout of vacation credit to transferred or discharged state employees, other than payment of salary or wages for the position. Government Transparency; Repeal of Non-general Funds (HB2427 HD1). Suppor ts ongoing gover nment transparency and efficiency by eliminating several unused, inactive, and obsolete funds and accounts. children with priority to children in the year prior to kindergarten eligibility and underserved or at-risk children.

Charter School Facility Funding (HB2576 HD1). Establishes and appropriates monies to a special fund for the development of charter school facilities. Establishes an income tax credit for taxpayers who make contributions to the development of charter school facilities.
Epinephrine; Emergency Treatment (HB1777 HD2). Author izes the provision of emergency medical care to public school students by authorizing Department of Education employees and agents with proper instruction and training from a qualified health professional to administer epinephrine to students in anaphylactic shock and authorizing the Department to make injectable epinephrine supplies available. URBAN MATTERS HCDA Reforms and Accountability (HB1866 HD2). Provides for administrative appeal, judicial review, and intervention in Hawaii Community Development Authoritys (HCDA) development permit application proceedings. Amends requirements for notice, hearing, approval, and vesting of rights for developmental permits. Amends HCDA membership and appointment. Requires provision of affordable housing within development districts. Requires legislative oversight of fiscal actions. Prohibits set-asides of public lands within a development district by executive order. Creates statutory height restrictions for Kakaako Community Development District.
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Hurricane Reserve Trust Fund; Appropriation (HB2280 HD1). Appropriates funds for fiscal year 2014-15 to support state fiscal stability by recapitalizing the Hurricane Reserve Trust Fund.
EDUCATION Mandatory Kindergarten (HB14 HD2). Amends the compulsory education law to make kindergarten mandatory. Develops a statewide individualized kindergarten readiness system, and beginning with the 2015-16 school year, requires all public and charter schools to adopt the system. Early Education Program (HB2276 HD1). Establishes the Ear ly Childhood Education Program, to be administered by the Executive Office on Early Learning, upon the ratification by the voters of Hawaii of a constitutional amendment authorizing the use of public funds to provide early childhood education through private providers. This Program will provide high-quality early childhood education to three and four-year old
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Rental Housing Trust Fund; Conveyance Tax (HB2059 HD2). Restores the Rental Housing Trust Fund for the development of affordable rental housing in the State to its pre-recession level by reinstating the annual allocation of 50% of Conveyance Tax revenues to the Trust Fund and appropriates Trust Fund monies to promote a significant increase in new affordable rental units. Funding for Programs Targeted at Ending Homelessness (HB1886 HD1). Pr ovides funding for Housing First Initiative that places chronically homeless individuals into permanent housing with comprehensive support services. Provides matching funds for the US Department of Housing and Urban Developments Continuum of Care Permanent Supportive Housing Program, which provides housing subsidies for homeless individuals with disabilities; and funding the Shallow Subsidy Program that assists homeless working households in moving from transitional housing into more permanent, market-rate units by providing small subsidies for rent payments.
Obstruction of Public Sidewalks (HB1660 HD1). Pr eser ves sidewalk access by expanding the offense of obstructing to include blocking a paved public sidewalk without leaving at least one meter of space for passage, which would allow for passage by a wheelchair, and, if participating in a gathering that obstructs a public highway or passage, failing to obey a reasonable request or order by a law enforcement officer to cease any activity that causes the obstruction. HEALTHCARE Hawaii Health Connector Reforms (HB2529 HD3). Reduces Connector board of directors from 15 to 10 members and changes the composition and voting

State Capitol (2014 Session) (L-R): Members of the House Committee on Health, Representatives Marcus Oshiro, Mark Hashem, Jo Jordan, Lauren Matsumoto, Vice Chair Dee Morikawa, Chair Della Au Belatti, Bertram Kobayashi and Richard Creagan, participate in Committee hearing.

status of board members. Creates the consumer, patient, business, and health care advisory group; health insurers advisory group; and the insurance producers advisory group to advise the Connector board of directors. Creates the Connector legislative oversight committee to review the financial and operational plans of the Connector. Establishes a sustainability fee to be collected through 6/30/2018, to support operations of the Connector. State Innovation Waiver Task Force from the Affordable Care Act (HB2581 HD3). Establishes and funds the State Innovation Waiver Task Force to create a more effective alternative to the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care act that qualifies for federal funding under that Act and provides affordable healthcare to individuals, taking into account Hawaiis unique market factors, history as a healthcare innovator, Prepaid Health Care act, and existing Med-QUEST Medicaid Waiver Program.

Kupuna Care Funding (HB1713). Appropriates funds to support healthcare and social service agency programs that facilitate aging in place, outside of a care facility setting, including the Kupuna Care Program, Aging and Disability Resource Center, and the Department of Healths Executive Office on Aging to conduct a public education and awareness campaign on long-term care options and planning. Dental Sedation Guidelines (HB2459 HD2). Requir es any dentist who prescribes or administers general anesthesia, intravenous-conscious sedation, or conscious sedation in providing dental services to obtain the necessary authorizations issued by the Board of Dental Examiners. Requires site certification for locations where specified anesthesia is prescribed or administered. Health Equity Goals (HB2320 HD1) Establishes health equity as a goal for the Department of Health. Requires the Department to consider social determinants in assessing health needs in the State. To track the progress of these or any measures in the 2014 Legislative session, visit www.capitol.hawaii.gov

Transparency for Health Insurance Premiums (HB2269 HD1). Requires the Insurance Commissioner to annually collect and publish health insurance premium information from managed care providers.
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Caucus Continues Tradition of Advocating for Equal Opportunity for Hawaiis Women and Girls
The Hawaii Womens Legislative Caucus continues its quest for improving the status of women and girls On January 23, 2014, the Hawaii
Women's Legislative Caucus, comprised of the female members of the State Legislature, announced its joint package of priorities for the 2014 legislative session. This years package covers a broad spectrum of issues of concern to women of all ages and economic background.
For more than 20 years, our coalition of women legislators have worked on behalf of the concerns and rights of all women in Hawaii, said Representative Della Au Belatti. By working collectively, we have provided women with a strong voice when it comes to passing measures that will improve womens quality of life and protect their safety and rights. This years initiatives include bills relating to womens health issues, strengthening the family, violence against women, human trafficking, and Title IX, said Senator Rosalyn Baker. Our collaboration involves not only members of the Legislature, but other organizations that focus on womens issues, such as the YWCA, the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, the Organization of Women Leaders, and the State Capitol (March 11, 2014): Hawaii Commission on the Status of WomPatsy T. Mink en honored by the State Legislature for its 50th Anniversary with a floor presenCenter for Busi- tation. Caucus members join former and current Commission members and ness and Lead- executive directors on the House Floor. ership, stated Representative Cynthia Thielen. HB2034 (Relating to Sexual Assault) Proposed bills are voted on by Caucus and HB2038 (Relating to Human members and those that are approved Trafficking) have survived First by at least 75% of Caucus members Crossover and have been scheduled become part of the package. for hearings by various committees. For the 2014 legislative session, the Caucus introduced a total of nine bills and two resolutions. The package is dedicated to the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, celebrating its 50th anniversary, with a special dedication to the late Director Loretta Fuddy for her commitment and passion for maternal and child health. Both the House and Senate successfully moved Caucus bills through First Crossover. Currently, multiple House and Senate bills, including
YWCA Laniakea (January 23, 2014): Womens Legislative Caucus Members and the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women speak to media about upcoming legislative session and measures being supported by the Caucus. 4

HR7 and HCR12, requesting the University of Hawaii to uphold the tenets of Title IX and the 2013 Violence Against Women Act is also scheduled for its final hearing in the House Judiciary Committee. While women have made great strides in many areas, real life experiences and trends suggest we still have a lot of work to do in terms of womens equality and opportunity, as well as their health, safety and wellbeing. commented Senator Suzanne Chun Oakland. To stay updated with the progress of Caucus measures or for more information on the Women's Legislative Caucus, visit the Capitol website at www.capitol.hawaii.gov or visit the Women's Legislative Caucus's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ HawaiiWomensLegislativeCaucus.