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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0313.001 2014-2016DENNIS "FRESH" ONISHI Council Member District 3 MEMORANDUM HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL 25 Aupuni Street, Hilo, Hawaii 96720 DATE: May 12, 2015 PHONE: (808) 961-8396 FAX: (808) 961-8912 EMAIL: donishQ&o.hawaii.hi.us 0 v+ 3 la%7 -v %0 TO: Dru Mamo Kanuha, Council Chair And Members of the Hawaii County Council 0 FROM: � Dennis "Fresh" Onishi, Council Member SUBJECT: Minutes of the September 15, 2014, Hawaii State Association of Counties Executive Committee Meeting. Attached are the minutes of the Hawaii State Association of Counties Executive Committee meeting, held on September 15, 2014, in Honolulu. Please place this item on the agenda for the next available Government Relations and Economic Development Committee meeting. DO:ma Att C'7 On C= C:) z Comm. No. 316.1 Hawai `i Count}, is an Equal Opportunith Provider and Employer. Rei. To: 7i V2.EDL tef. Dote AY 19 7015 t as tiY111 t MINUTES HSAC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING R E CE I N fr r) September 15, 2014 Honolulu Hale, Committee Meeting Room Honolulu, Hawaii '14 OCT 17 P Z :58 1. CALL TO ORDER FIGS f' F The HSAC Executive Committee was called to order by Pr ent Ai1el Rk dio a# 10:05 a.m. The following members comprising a quorum,present: County of Kauai: President Mel Rapozo County of Hawaii: Vice President Dennis "Fresh" Onishi City and County of Honolulu: Alternate Ikaika Anderson County of Maui: Treasurer Michael Victorino Others Present: Maui Council Chair Gladys Baisa Honolulu staff Andrew Sekine Honolulu staff Brandon Mitsuda Kauai staff Ashley Bunda Maui staff Kim Willenbrink Melissa Miranda -Johnson, Office of Mayor Caldwell Mari -Ela Chock, Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems Kristine McCoy, HHSC Primary Care Training Program Julie Tulang, Hilo Medical Center Foundation Nathan Eagle, Civil Beat Richard Minatoya, Maui Department of the Prosecuting Attorney it APPROVAL OF AGENDA The Committee approved the agenda. Page 1 of 7 III. MINUTES The Committee approved the minutes of the August 25, 2014, Executive Committee meeting. IV. REPORTS A. Treasurer's Report Treasurers Report for August 2014 as submitted by the HSAC Treasurer The Committee approved the August 2014 Treasurer's Report. B. County Reports Maui County Report. Treasurer Victorino reported on Maui's styrofoam bill and the lawsuit against the GMO ballot initiative. Maui Council Chair Balsa reported on proposed Department of Health administrative rules changes regarding cesspools. 2. Hawaii County Report. Vice President Onishi reported on Hawaii County's consideration of voting by mail. 3. City and County of Honolulu Report. Alternate Anderson reported on the Honolulu Council's consideration and passage of "sit -lie" and "urination -defecation" legislation and consideration of "housing first" and other affordable housing proposals. 4: Kauai County Report. President Rapozo reported on the court's invalidation of Kauai County Ordinance 980 and increases in real property tax bills. The Committee received the county reports. C. NACo Report Treasurer Victorino reported on various issues discussed at the recent NACo leadership conference. The Committee received the NACo report. Page 2 of 7 D. WIR Report President Rapozo reported on the WIR conference to be held in Kauai in 2015. The Committee received the WIR report. V. UNFINISHED BUSINESS A. Discussion with the Hawaii Council of Mayors (HCOM) regarding the counties' strategy, legislative priorities and the 2015 HSAC Legislative Package for the 2015 Hawaii State Legislative Session (deferred 8/25/14). President Rapozo stated that the Committee did not receive this item at the August 25, 2014, meeting. The Committee received the item. B. Discussion regarding mid -year conferences, pursuant to Section 16 of the bylaws of the Hawaii State Association of Counties (deferred 8/25/14). (This item was moved to the end of the agenda.) VI. NEW BUSINESS A. Communication (August 20, 2014) from County Clerk Danny A. Mateo, County of Maui, transmitting for the Executive Committee's consideration, Resolution Nos. 14-89 and 14-90, regarding the following proposals and priorities to be included in the 2015 HSAC Legislative Package and the 2015 HSAC Legislative List of Priorities, which were approved by the Maui County Council on August 19, 2014. 1. A Bill for an Act Relating to Transient Accommodations Tax Treasurer Victorino stated that the draft bill relating to Transient Accommodations Tax attached to the agenda should be corrected by underlining "chapter" on page 3, line 1. A motion was made and approved to correct the draft bill. Responding to a question from Vice President Onishi, President Rapozo stated that the proposals have been transmitted to the mayors, but the mayors have not made a response. A motion was made and approved to include the item in the 2015 HSAC Legislative Package. Page 3 of 7 2. Legislative priorities relating to the following: a. Transient Accommodations Tax b. Retail Sales Tax C. General Excise Tax d. Open Government (including the Sunshine Law and Uniform Information Practices Act) e. Transportation f. Capital Improvement Projects Treasurer Victorino stated that having a list of legislative priorities will enable HSAC to respond expeditiously if any of the subject priorities are brought up at the legislature and that the priorities are intended to reflect the interests of all the counties. A motion was made and approved to approve the foregoing list of HSAC legislative priorities for the 2015 legislative session. B. Communication (August 18, 2014) from County Clerk Stewart Maeda, County of Hawaii, transmitting for the Executive Committee's consideration, Resolution Nos. 490-14,496-14, and 497-14, regarding the following proposals to be included in the 2015 HSAC Legislative Package, which were approved by the Hawaii County Council on August 20, 2014: 1. A Bill for an Act Relating to the Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Studies Vice President Onishi stated that HSAC's support is requested for this proposal because last session, the organization received only a portion of its requested funding and after the session, its CIP funding was taken away. Mari -Ela Chock, Public Information Officer for the Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems (PISCES), spoke in support of the proposal. A motion was made and approved to include the item in the 2015 HSAC Legislative Package. 2. A Bill for an Act Relating to the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation Primary Care Training Program Vice President Onishi stated that he would like to amend the proposal by requesting an appropriation of $3.2 million instead of Page 4 of 7 $2.8 million. President Rapozo responded that it is unclear whether the Committee has the authority to make a substantive amendment to a proposal that has already been approved by the Hawaii County Council. Vice President Onishi agreed to let the appropriation request in the proposal remain at $2.8 million. Kristine McCoy, Director of the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation Primary Care Training Program, spoke in support of the proposal. A motion was made and approved to include the item in the 2015 HSAC Legislative Package. 3. A Bill for an Act Relating to Abuse of Family or Household Member Vice President Onishi stated that the proposal would clarify the period of separation in domestic abuse cases. Richard Minatoya, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, Maui Department of the Prosecuting Attorney, spoke in support of the proposal. A motion was made and approved to include the item in the 2015 HSAC Legislative Package. C. Communication (August 28, 2014) from Council Chair Jay Furfaro, Kauai County Council, transmitting for the Executive Committee's consideration, the following proposals to be included in the 2015 HSAC Legislative Package, which were approved by the Kauai County Council on August 27, 2014: 1. A Bill for an Act Relating to Evidence President Rapozo stated that the proposal is intended to be a cost savings measure that would allow video conference testimony for non-resident victims of property crimes. A motion was made and approved to include the item in the 2015 HSAC Legislative Package. 2. A Bill for an Act Relating to Zoning President Rapozo stated that the proposal would allow counties to phase out nonconforming transient vacation rental uses on residential and agricultural zoned areas. Page 5 of 7 A motion was made and approved to include the item In the 2015 HSAC Legislative Package. D. Communication (September 3, 2014) from HSAC President Mel Rapozo, requesting the Executive Committee's approval for seed money In the amount of $10,000 for the 2015 WIR Conference being held at the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa on May 20-22, 2014. The requested amount will be utilized to place any deposits required for the NACo1WIR Board of Directors Reception, the WIR Conference -Wide Event, and other miscellaneous expenses. Responding to a question from Treasurer Victodno, President Rapozo clarified that a separate checking account for the above -stated purpose is included in the request. A motion was made and approved to approve the request. V. UNFINISHED BUSINESS B. Discussion regarding mid -year conferences, pursuant to Section 16 of the Bylaws of the Hawaii State Association of Counties. (This item had been moved to the end of the agenda.) Treasurer Victorino proposed that a one -day mid -year conference be held on Oahu in November to discuss the 2015 legislative session. President Rapozo asked the Committee if a mid -year conference should be held. There were no objections. The item was received. VII. ANNOUNCEMENTS A. Schedule next meeting. 1. HSAC, Executive Committee meeting: October 24, 2014, 10:00 a.m., at Honolulu Hale. 2. HSAC Mid -Year Conference: November 13, 2014, 10:00 a.m., Honolulu. Page 6 of 7 B. Other announcements. 1. Honolulu Alternate Anderson reported that Honolulu Councilmember Chang has introduced proposals for inclusion In the 2015 HSAC legislative package that would raise the age for purchasing tobacco products from 18 to 21 and ban smoking on beaches. Alternate Anderson stated that he opposes the former proposal philosophically but will support the proposal if the measure passes the Honolulu Council. President Rapozo stated that although the deadline for the Committee to consider legislative package proposals has passed, the Committee will consider the proposals if they pass the Honolulu Council. 2. Honolulu Alternate Anderson reported that it is likely that he and Honolulu Council Chair Martin will exchange roles on HSAC — he would become the HSAC representative and Council Chair Martin would become the alternate. Discussions are still underway regarding Honolulu's NACo board of directors member. VII. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 11:50 a.m. Very truly yours, Y. MARTIN, Secretary Hawaii State Association of Counties Page 7 of 7