The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutREP GOEAC 163 2026-09-01 2024-2026REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS DATE: September 1, 2026 Re: Comm. No. 10481Res. No. 664-26 PLACE: Council Chambers Hilo, Hawaii TIME: 9:02 a.m. Council Chair and Members Hawaii County Council Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Your Committee on Governmental Operations and External Affairs, to which was referred Resolution No. 664-26, reports as follows: Resolution No. 664-26, transmitted by Council Member Heather L. Kimball, via Communication No. 1048, dated August 13, 2026, approves the Hawaii County Council Legislative proposals and priorities to be considered for inclusion in the 2027 Hawaii State Association of Counties (HSAC) Legislative Package. Resolution No. 664-26 includes proposals prohibiting the capture and sale of aquatic life for commercial aquarium purposes, allowing counties to request a state land use boundary amendment from agricultural to rural districts for small parcels, requiring denitrification in individual wastewater systems, extending the county surcharge of general excise tax until 2045, and updating eligible criteria for housing assistance applicants to allocate a percentage of housing units to be used by State or County employees under chapter 201II; and seven policy priorities relating to: (1) herbicide usage on public property; (2) solar system installation on public property and renewable energy generation; (3) watershed management, riparian areas, and flood control; (4) mental and behavioral health resources; (5) economic development and diversification; (6) wastewater infrastructure and cesspool conversion; and (7) implementation of safe routes to school programs. Committee Chair Jenn Kagiwada stated that she has an amendment to introduce and therefore would be relinquishing the Chair duties over to her Vice Chair, Matt Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder. Committee Member Heather L. Kimball explained that this is the second step in creating the packet to send to the HSAC after the initial conversation had at Council a few weeks prior. Member Kimball explained that the priorities were kept broad to allow for more flexibility to participate in testifying on various legislation as it comes up throughout the upcoming session. Additionally, she mentioned that due to the canceled committee meetings after Hurricane Lala they are approaching the deadline to submit this to HSAC, therefore she encouraged members to support moving this forward to Council today, and make further amendments that need to be made there. Member Kagiwada introduced an amendment via Communication No. 1048.1, which would include additional legislation that had been in the HSAC packet on the prior year's priority list. She also shared one new priority regarding increased wages. Acting Chair Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder questioned if legislation had been passed at the state level regarding tobacco legislation. Member Kagiwada stated that nothing regarding preemption was passed. Additional discussion was held around the procedures regarding how these bills and priorities are GOEAC Report No. 163 GOEAC-163 Page 2 September 1, 2026 handled by HSAC and whether bills needed to be included along with the priorities. Member Kimball clarified procedures for the members. Committee Member Ashley L. Kierkiewicz asked for clarification for the record regarding including priorities which allows HSAC flexibility to support similar bills that end up being introduced. Member Kimball said that yes, often there are very similar measures that get introduced and their HSAC bylaws allow them to advocate for whichever bills aim to achieve the same goals even if it is not the bill that was originally included in the packet. Acting Chair Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder asked for an additional explanation regarding the language regarding increased wages. Chair Kagiwada stated that the language was being kept broad to allow for HSAC to weigh in on various legislation that comes up regarding finding additional ways to support our working families who are struggling to make ends meet. Committee Member Dennis "Fresh" Onishi stated that he was in disagreement with including language regarding increased wages as he believed the conversation should be focused on reducing the cost of living instead. Chair Kagiwada said that if he wanted to include addressing the cost of living as a priority that he could introduce that language as an amendment. Resolution 664-26 was amended to Draft 2 with the contents of Communication 1048.1 with eight "ayes" and Mr. Onishi voting "no." Member Kimball shared that this resolution, once passed by Council, will go to the HSAC Executive Committee and get condensed or revised down to usually around ten items as that is all they have capacity to track in one session. She then added that they are looking at additional tracking tools in the next legislative session, thanks to artificial intelligence technology, that may help them track bills in a better manner to help with submitting testimony. Member Onishi inquired about the item in Exhibit A regarding aquatic life and if the recent Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) hearing covered this. Member Holeka Goro Inaba stated that there was overwhelming testimony asking BLNR to reject the recently proposed rules, which is why the legislation included in this packet is asking the state legislature to enact an overall statewide ban on harvesting aquatic life for commercial aquarium purposes. Your Committee on Governmental Operations and External Affairs is in accord with the purpose and intent of Resolution No. 664-26, as amended to Draft 2, and recommends its adoption. slm AYES NOES ABS EX GALIMBA X HUSTACE X INABA X KAGIWADA X KANEALI'I- KLEINFELDER X KIERKIEWICZ X KIMBALL X ONISHI X VILLEGAS X Respectfully submitted, COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS 0 W7,", .J/ • '•' NO.: • ADOPTED: