Video & Transcript Research : 'Hilo-Kona'
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HI
Keywords:
Waiakea peninsula, community development, economic revitalization, cultural preservation, infrastructure improvement, workers' compensation, vocational rehabilitation, injury recovery, employment services, return to work, nonprescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, healthcare providers, reimbursement rates, Hilo-Kona, transportation, pilot program, economic development, mobility, treatment plans
HI
Keywords:
coral reefs, sunscreen, environmental education, student stewardship, marine conservation, tree canopy, public schools, environmental equity, shade coverage, education, HCR183, House Concurrent Resolution, Department of Education, DOE, immigration enforcement, ICE, federal immigration officers, sensitive locations, school safety, student protection
HI
Hawaii 2025 Regular Session
JDC, AEN-JDC Public Hearings 03-19-2025
Transcript Highlights:
- third circuit's proposal for a Kona third circuit's proposal for a Kona Women's<00:25:44.640>
- the Kona women's court and how we can help Hilo.
- , talking we're talking about the Kona, talking we're talking about the Kona, the<00:36:03.599>
- What about Hilo? Have you guess. Yes. What about Hilo?
- court and how we can help Hilo. court and how we can help Hilo.
Summary:
The Judiciary Committee heard testimony on HB 400, the Judiciary’s biennium budget, and HB 727, a proposal to create a women’s court pilot program. On HB 400, Judiciary officials said the request includes operating funds of about $6.17 million in FY 2026 and $6.25 million in FY 2027, 17 permanent positions and one temporary position, plus $11.9 million for capital improvements. Testifiers from the legal services community, including the Legal Clinic, Legal Aid Society of Hawaii, and the Hawaii State Bar Association, supported the budget and emphasized the need for civil legal services and immigration-related legal help. Judge Kim also highlighted Big Island needs, including courthouse design funding and an additional district court judge.
HB 727 drew extensive testimony in support from Judiciary officials, treatment court staff, legal and behavioral health organizations, prosecutors, and individuals with lived experience in drug court. Supporters said women in the justice system often face trauma, abuse, addiction, and mental health challenges that are not adequately addressed in existing programs, and argued that a women’s court could improve rehabilitation and reduce recidivism. Judiciary witnesses explained that the proposed program would be a specialty court within the drug court framework, initially focused on the Kona division of the Third Circuit, with possible future expansion to Hilo. A probation officer and a former drug court participant described the benefits of treatment court and the need for women-specific services, including spiritual counseling options.
After testimony, the committee recessed briefly for lack of quorum and later returned to vote. HB 400 was passed with amendments, including added amounts in the committee report for civil legal services and immigration-related legal services, and a revised defective date. HB 727 was also passed with amendments, including changes to the purpose section to make the First Circuit women’s court permanent, create a three-year Third Circuit Kona women’s court pilot, and remove the broader expansion language for the time being. The committee adopted both measures by vote, with Senator Chang excused.
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- I have a few schools from Kona.
- Uh, one school from Kona, one school from Kaou, but we'll start first from Kyua Kona.
- We have start first from Kyua Kona.
- The Vikings, Hilo High School, the Titans, Wa Intermediate, and Hilo Intermediate.
- The Vikings, Hilo uh Hilo High up?
HI
Hawaii 2026 Regular Session
EIG DEFER Public Hearing 04-21-2026
Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs
Keywords:
pedestrian safety, raised crosswalks, Honolulu, traffic infrastructure, school zone, HCR154, Hele-On, Hele-On Shared Ride Program, County of Hawaii, Hawaii County, Mass Transit Agency, shared ride, paratransit, accessible transportation, ADA, mobility devices, wheelchair accessible, kupuna, seniors, elderly
Summary:
The Committee on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs reconvened on April 21 and took up a series of House Concurrent Resolutions, with no public testimony. Members first approved HCR 43, urging raised crosswalks near Ala Wai Elementary at University Avenue, Malkiki Street, and Kamoku Street to improve student safety, and HCR 154, asking Hawaii County to expand the Heleon shared ride program islandwide, including rural and underserved areas. They also passed HCR 165, calling for permanent pickleball nets and court lighting at Kamilo Iki Community Park, and HCR 186, urging the U.S. Department of Defense and Defense Health Agency to extend health care authorization renewals for people affected by the Red Hill water contamination crisis.
The committee then approved HCR 200, which urges the Department of Defense to reassess prior CERCLA-related closure decisions in light of evolving PFAS science. Members said the measure was intended to help keep PFAS out of the water system. HCR 202, establishing a legislative task force on Hawaii’s future energy pathways, was amended before passage to expand the task force’s scope to include separation of generation from transmission and distribution, add Senate leadership representation, and include representatives from the Agricultural Development Corporation and the Farm Bureau. Several members supported the amended version with reservations, expressing concern about possible cost impacts from separating generation and distribution.
Finally, the committee passed HCR 206 HD1, which requests the Hawaii State Energy Office to convene a working group to study the impacts of large data centers on utilities, ratepayers, natural resources, and climate goals. All measures were adopted by the committee, with HCR 202 passing with amendments and the others passing unamended. The meeting then adjourned.
HI
Hawaii 2026 Regular Session
WAM-AEN, WAM-JDC Informational Briefings 01-09-2026
Hawaii Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- I give our staff in the Hilo facilities credit because with the overflow of the additional Kona folks
- Kona or Hilo? This would be Kona. Table six. Are we still on table six?
- Kona<02:05:58.320>
or <02:05:58.480>Hilo? - Oh, it does say Hilo. Yeah, it says there and you got Kona up there.
- Um, believe it's Kona. Kona is, yes, it's for Kona. Okay.
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- >> is one of which is which is at the Hilo >> is one of which is which is at the Hilo
- which<00:15:35.680>
is <00:15:35.839>at <00:15:36.160>Hilo which is at Hilo which - Kohlui, Niluille, and Hilo, it's $8. Kohlui, Niluille, and Hilo, it's $8.
- And we also support Kona side as well.
- And we also Honolulu, and in um, Hilo.
Keywords:
water carriers, transportation, public utility, Department of Transportation, liability, agricultural rates, certificates of convenience, cruise ship, passenger head fee, harbor, capital improvement, funding, environmental impact, active intelligent speed assistance, intelligent speed assistance, speed limiter, speed limiting device, speed governor, vehicle telematics, traffic safety
Summary:
The joint committees on Transportation, Labor and Technology, and later Transportation and Economic Development and Tourism, heard several bills. SB 2573 would allow administrative driver’s license revocation hearings to be held by interactive conference technology such as Zoom and permit electronic exchange of evidence. The chief adjudicator for the ADLRO supported it as a non-mandatory option that has worked well since 2021, improving attendance and saving time and money; DOT also supported it. The committees voted to pass SB 2573 with technical, non-substantive amendments.
SB 3215 would make permanent the requirement that securing mooring lines at commercial docks be performed by labor subject to collective bargaining by repealing the sunset date in existing harbor safety law. DOT did not submit testimony, and the chair noted support from longshore labor. The committees voted to pass SB 3215 unamended.
The committees also heard SB 2693, which authorizes $15 million in general obligation bonds for planning, design, and construction of a 50,000-square-foot aerospace hangar and related facilities at Hilo International Airport. A Phoenix Space executive testified in support, saying Hawaii and Hilo have geographic advantages and that the project could support aerospace investment and jobs; several other organizations and individuals submitted supportive testimony. Committee members questioned whether federal matching funds or airport capacity existed, and DOT said it had no assurance of federal participation and would need to check on capacity and potential users. The hearing then moved to SB 2698, which would create a cruise ship special fund and impose a per-passenger head fee on cruise ships docking in state commercial harbors while repealing the existing cruise ship TAT framework effective January 1, 2026. DOT supported the bill but requested amendments to clarify that the new fee is in addition to existing passenger, port entry, and dockage fees and to raise the fee from $6.50 to $10; DOT said the higher amount would better fund harbor improvements such as shore power. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings testified in support but said the added fee would significantly increase costs, while a local ship supply business supported the cruise industry and opposed the TAT approach, saying cruise activity benefits local farmers and jobs. No final vote on SB 2698 was taken in the excerpt provided.
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- First off, I'd like to congratulate the Hilo High School Vikings, my alma mater, the girls water polo
- Sorry, Senator De- [laughter] Senator Kanuha at the Kona Community Aquatic Center.
- But I just wanted to add as well that the thriller congratulate the Hilo High School congratulate the
- >> Senator Senator Kanuha at the Kona >> Senator Senator Kanuha at the Kona Community
- He was an entrepreneurial visionary who returned to Hilo and transformed our landscape.
Keywords:
immigration enforcement, sanctuary policy, detainer, ICE, federal immigration authorities, 8 U.S.C. 1357(g), 8 U.S.C. 1373, 8 U.S.C. 1644, deportation, undocumented immigrants, noncitizen, migrant rights, local police cooperation, law enforcement cooperation, hold request, judicial warrant, probable cause, civil immigration enforcement, county police, state police
HI
Hawaii 2025 Regular Session
House Chamber - Fri Apr 4, 2025, 12:00PM HST - Day 46
Hawaii House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- It will allow local families to be able to continue to live in Kona.
- It's a pilot project, and future water development in Kona is critical for housing.
- It will allow local families to be able to continue to live in Kona.
- It will allow local families to be able to continue to live in Kona.
- , and killed that little boy from Hilo, and killed that little boy from Hilo, who<01:16:14.000>
HI
Hawaii 2026 Regular Session
House Chamber - Wed Feb 11, 2026, 12:00PM HST - Day 13
Hawaii House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- He is here from Kona. He is president of the Hawaii Society of Naturopathic Physicians.
- He is here from Kona. He is Trob. He is here from Kona.
- Uh, you I coached at Hilo High coach.
- <00:19:05.919>
And football back in Hilo and over here. - And football back in Hilo and over here.
Bills:
HB2391, HB2294, HB2374, HB1997, HB2147, HB2185, HB1641, HB2195, HB2023, HB2031, HB2033, HB1937, HB2586, HB2575, HB2030, HB2115, HB2233, HB1801, HB1546, HB2132, HB2102, HB2356, HB2457, HB2292, HB2554, HB676, HB1528, HB2061, HB2094, HB2095, HB2181, HB2369, HB2578, HB2493, HB1642, HB1991, HB1652, HB2104, HB2593, HB1553, HB1823, HB1918, HB1860, HB2604, HB2605, HB2001, HB2437, HB1947, HB2384, HB2473, HB2140, HB1458, HB2603, HB2411, HB1611, HB2138, HB2141, HB2284, HB1568, HB1924, HB1928, HB2570
Keywords:
tax holiday, school supplies, general excise tax, Hawaii, consumer savings, education, land transfer, public schools, Department of Education, property conveyance, Act 307, Kauai, Maui, shade trees, fruit trees, educational program, climate change, tree canopy, environmental education, native plants
HI
Hawaii 2026 Regular Session
JDC, JDC Public Hearings 03-31-2026
Transcript Highlights:
- Um He's been a part of the Kona Um He's been a part of the Kona community<01:08:47.600>
for We love Kona and we call Kona home. We love Kona and we call Kona home.- We have lived in Kona since our arrival in Hawaii. We love Kona and we call Kona home.
- We support the University of Hawaii Hilo Athletics as well as Hilo High School Athletics, and we support
- of Hawaii Hilo Athletics as well<01:13:18.600>
as <01:13:18.720>Hilo <01:13:18.960>
Summary:
The Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the confirmation of Kursha Kauahi Kani Mililani Durrant to the District Court of the First Circuit, but announced it would not vote until April 2. The chair also noted a backup plan if Zoom failed. Testimony was limited to two minutes per speaker. The hearing focused on Durrant’s qualifications, judicial temperament, and readiness for the bench, with no opposition presented.
Support came from the Office of the Public Defender, Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation, Native Hawaiian Bar Association, Hawaii State Bar Association, Hawaii Women’s Lawyers, and numerous individuals. Witnesses described Durrant as highly experienced in both criminal and civil practice, including district, family, circuit, appellate, ICA, and Supreme Court work. Several speakers emphasized her legal reasoning, mentorship, civility, cultural grounding, and ability to listen and treat litigants with dignity. Personal supporters also highlighted her public service, hula background, and character.
Committee members questioned Durrant about how she would approach district court cases involving repeat offenders, mental illness, substance abuse, houselessness, and diversion. Durrant said she would follow the law, consider the full range of sentencing factors, and use available probation, diversion, and treatment options where appropriate. She said she would be committed to using legislative tools such as Act 26 and other diversion powers, and to looking beyond advocacy toward practical justice and reducing recidivism. She also said her clerkship with Judge Marsha Waldorf, including exposure to drug court and mental health court, shaped her approach to problem-solving on the bench.
HI
Hawaii 2025 Regular Session
FIN Info Briefing - Wed Jan 8, 2025 @ 9:00 AM HST
Hawaii House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- and Hilo.
- and Hilo.
- and Hilo.
- and Hilo.
- That will be a huge benefit to places like Hilo and Kona and my Memorial as well.
Summary:
The Committee on Finance held an informational briefing with the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations on its budget, staffing, and operations. The director reviewed department leadership and reported on recruitment and retention efforts, including a 14% vacancy rate, a 10.5% workforce increase from filling 189 positions, and the Hela Imua internship program, which has placed 516 interns since inception and led to 62 permanent hires. The department also described modernization efforts, including the UI Huakai project and the Disability Compensation Division’s electronic case management system, and said the unemployment compensation trust fund exceeded $71.5 million, triggering Schedule C for calendar year 2025.
The department’s main budget requests included $2.9 million for fiscal year 2026 to support maintenance and operations of the electronic case management system, plus restoration of two enforcement specialist positions. Officials said those positions are needed to address a decline in investigators from 11 to six since 2009, improve compliance, and handle Hawaii Compliance Express certificate work. Additional requests included two human resources specialists to address recruitment backlogs, two labor enforcement specialists to reduce a backlog of Chapter 104 prevailing wage and wage cases, and two positions for the Office of Community Services to expand immigrant services and access centers. The department also discussed federal funding for unemployment insurance and workforce programs, including National Dislocated Worker Grants and Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act funds, and said some funding is received in increments and may require extensions.
Members asked about Kauai inspection coverage, federal funding uncertainty, the size of the special unemployment insurance fund, and whether the department could ramp up staffing during a future crisis. Officials said Kauai is currently served by inspectors from Honolulu and there are no plans to open a permanent island position because of staffing constraints. They said the department is meeting federal guidelines and is not in jeopardy, and that the special unemployment insurance fund has about $10 million, with current UI operations funded at a little over $15 million, meaning the fund may need to cover roughly $5 million if federal support declines. The director said the department would use the special fund to supplement shortfalls, but noted that federal funding cuts and the loss of ARPA support have already affected operations.
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- of Hawai care choices Hospice of Hilo of Hawai care choices Hospice of Hilo for<00:18:33.440>
- Kona Historical Society? Also not present.
- <02:29:43.080>
Historical Center not present Kona Historical Center not present Kona Historical - next Japanese cultural center of kona next Japanese cultural center of kona not<02:37:30.960>
- I'm president of Hūlōlōʻi out of Hilo.
Summary:
The joint Ways and Means and Finance informational briefing on grants and aids was held February 14 and was organized as a high-volume public testimony session with strict procedures: no Q&A, one representative per applicant, one minute per testimony, in-person testimony first, and then Zoom participants. The chairs also announced a recess at 11:00 a.m. for floor sessions and a reconvening at 1:00 p.m. Testimony was heard first from neighbor island applicants, then Oʻahu applicants, with members repeatedly directing speakers to line up and keep remarks brief.
Neighbor island testimony focused on a wide range of capital and operating requests. Health and community projects included Hawaii Island Community Health Center’s workforce housing in Kau, Wuli Hawaiian Homestead Association’s learning center and predevelopment work, Rescue Tube Foundation’s beach rescue tube expansion, Puna Community Medical Center’s planned hospital/ER campus, Maui Humane Society’s free veterinary care after the wildfires, Hawaiʻi Care Choices’ palliative care readiness, and the Lyman Museum’s HVAC replacement. Other requests included the Maui Advanced Manufacturing Alliance’s Pāʻia Mill redevelopment, Laua 2020’s preschool and learning lab, Mālama Aina’s USDA-compliant meat processing facility, the Hawaiian Lifeguard Association’s water safety programs, Kaha P Organization’s agriculture education support, Ohana Arts’ youth performance project, Friends of the Children’s Justice Center’s emergency closet, EOA Pacific’s Marshall Islands teacher training, and the Central Pacific Youth Athletic Club’s new facility.
Oʻahu testimony included the YWCA Oʻahu/Pythink Center’s renovation of Juliet M. Atherton Hall and its community kitchen, West Oʻahu Community Health Center’s wildfire protection and security needs, the Early School’s playground improvements, Surfing the Nations’ food distribution center expansion, and Sounding Joy Music Therapy’s weekly services for people with disabilities. Speakers generally emphasized community benefit, workforce development, health access, food security, disaster recovery, and support for children, seniors, and underserved populations. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the briefing.
HI
Hawaii 2025 Regular Session
HRE-WTL, TCA-WTL, WTL-AEN Public Hearings 02-12-2025
Transcript Highlights:
- Let's take Hilo. Hilo has a robust tuna fishery. Who would pay for that EIS?
- And then if you have a bottom fishery in Hilo, is that a separate EIS?
- You go to Kona—who pays for that?
- island let's take Hilo Hilo has a robust island let's take Hilo Hilo has a robust uh<00:48:32.280
- And, you know, our local DOA office in Hilo, they have a trappers list.
Summary:
The joint committees first heard SB 1146, which would appropriate funds to the University of Hawaiʻi to develop an action plan and pre-engineering concept plan for debris management and water quality control in the Ala Wai Watershed. Testimony was largely supportive from DLNR, a UH student, and a special improvement district representative, while one speaker suggested the work should be coordinated with existing efforts to avoid duplication. Committee discussion focused on the multi-jurisdictional nature of the watershed, existing debris-trap work that captures only about 20 to 30 percent of debris, the role of the university in capstone projects and recommendations, and the relationship to the existing Geni project and other community efforts. Members also asked about costs, tracking progress, and the difference between water-quality improvements and the larger debris problem.
The committees then voted to pass SB 1146 with amendments, including blanking out the appropriation and deferring the effective date to July 31, 2050. The motion passed in both committees, with votes recorded in support and no opposition noted during the decision-making.
The committees also heard SB 321, which would deem certain fee simple privately owned lands transferred to adjacent property owners or community associations if specified conditions are met. Testimony was in support from several individuals, but members raised concerns about the lack of input from counties and the state, and about how the bill might affect roads already used by the public or maintained by local governments. After discussion, the committees voted to advance SB 321 unamended to the next committees, with the measure adopted in both committees despite one recorded no vote in the Water and Land committee.
HI
Hawaii 2025 Regular Session
WAM-LBT, WAM-TCA, WAM-HHS Informational Briefings 01-16-2025
Hawaii Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- There are two, one in Kona and one in Hilo. Yes, sex trafficking victim support.
- There are two, one in Kona and one in Hilo. Yes, sex trafficking victim support.
- There are two, one in Kona and one in Hilo. Yes, sex trafficking victim support.
- There are two, one in Kona and one in Hilo. Yes, sex trafficking victim support.
- There are two, one in Kona and one in Hilo. Yes, sex trafficking victim support.
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- Up next, we have the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo via Zoom.
- Question for AD Gan with Hilo.
- Repairs are going on, including the coffee station—that's Kona station.
- Repairs are going on, including the coffee station—that's Kona station.
- University of Hawai at Hilo as well as University of Hawai at Hilo as well as uh<02:03:25.360>
West
Summary:
The House Committee on Higher Education met at the University of Hawaiʻi’s Bachman Hall and heard testimony on several UH-related bills. HB 542 would expand the Hawaiʻi Promise Program to provide unmet-need scholarships at four-year UH campuses. UH system officials, the UH Student Caucus, and a Honolulu Community College student testified in support, emphasizing college affordability, student retention, and workforce needs. Committee members asked about current program data, eligibility, transfer patterns, and cost; UH said it had data available, noted about 10% of current Hawaiʻi Promise students transfer to four-year campuses, and estimated the full expansion would cost about $12 million. UH also suggested a possible alternative of focusing on transfer opportunities from two-year to four-year campuses.
The committee then heard HB 840, which concerns athletics appropriations for UH. UH Mānoa and UH Hilo supported the bill. UH officials said the funding would help cover recurring athletics operating costs, women’s sports travel and recruiting, Austin Awards, and a new nutrition fueling station, while Hilo said the money would help with travel, per diem, and conference-related costs. Members asked about the history of the athletics funding, the difference between Austin Awards and special talent waivers, NIL planning, and whether the appropriation should be restored to the base budget. UH explained that a $4 million athletics appropriation was originally made in 2018 or 2019, later removed from the base, and has been reappropriated annually since then.
Finally, the committee heard HB 842, which would fund three additional permanent mental health practitioner positions at UH Mānoa’s Counseling and Student Development Center. UH supported the bill, and Academic Labor United and a high school student testified in favor, citing student stress, overwork, and the need for more counseling access. In questions, members discussed the current counselor-to-student ratio, recruitment challenges in a tight labor market, and strategies for hiring, including looking at candidates on soft-money grants who may be seeking stable employment. No votes or final committee actions were taken during the portion of the meeting provided.
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- <00:32:36.760>
got <00:32:36.919>a maybe 7:00 um um staff in Hilo got a maybe 7:00 - , and one in Hilo.
- and aahu two two on Maui um one in Kona and one<00:40:07.960>
in <00:40:08.319>Hilo <00 - The Maui and the Kona positions have been historically very difficult to fill.
- And the last question I have is, I know this is more of a research institute in Hilo, right?
Summary:
The joint hearing focused on a bill reorganizing Hawaiʻi’s biosecurity and invasive species framework, including moving or renaming responsibilities within the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity and clarifying the role of the Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council (HISC). Testimony from the Hawaiian Invasive Species Council, DLNR, Oʻahu and Big Island invasive species committees, the Sierra Club, farmers, and community members generally agreed that invasive species management is critical, but many opposed consolidating HISC or broader biosecurity functions into a single department. Supporters of the existing interagency model emphasized HISC’s statewide coordination role, its links to DLNR and other agencies, and its ability to fill gaps with federal funding and cross-agency collaboration.
Several testifiers raised concerns that the bill could weaken existing authority or create unintended legal and operational problems. The Sierra Club and others warned about possible interstate commerce issues, loss of authority to regulate movement of infested material within an island, and the need to preserve HISC as an independent or elevated coordinating body rather than placing it inside one agency. Community testimony described real-world impacts from little fire ants, coqui frogs, and landscaping-related introductions, and argued that the current system has produced service gaps and duplication when funding or responsibilities shift. One testifier also urged removing hemp movement reporting provisions, saying they do not aid biosecurity and should be treated like other crops.
DLNR and Department of Agriculture representatives said they support the overall goal of stronger biosecurity but stressed that invasive species work is broader than agriculture alone. They noted that DOA, DLNR, and other partners each have different missions and capabilities, and that staff safety, terrain, and training matter when responding in remote areas. The department said it was recruiting for new positions, with some of the 44 funded positions still being finalized, and that implementation would require phased rulemaking, standards, training, and outreach. Members asked about the bill’s practical impact, staffing needs, and whether inspectors are prohibited from hiking; the department said no blanket prohibition exists, but staff use judgment based on safety and terrain. No vote or final action was taken in the portion provided.
HI
Hawaii 2026 Regular Session
HED Info Briefing - Fri Jan 30, 2026 @ 10:30 AM HST
Hawaii House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- We visited all 10 institutions as well as the Palomenui location on the Kona side of the Big Island.
- We visited all 10 institutions as well as the Palomenui location on the Kona side of the Big Island.
- We visited all 10 institutions as well as the Palomenui location on the Kona side of the Big Island.
- We visited all 10 institutions as well as the Palomenui location on the Kona side of the Big Island.
- uh on the Kona side of the Big Island. uh on the Kona side of the Big Island.
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- The first and only Kona District Court judge position was added nearly 40 years ago.
- The first and only Kona District Court judge position was added nearly 40 years ago.
- Is there a difference between Hilo and Kona or the divisions, or where does the overtime happen?
- 00:31:35.320>
divisions <00:31:36.000>or <00:31:36.320>where Hilo and Kona or the - divisions or where Hilo and Kona or the divisions or where does<00:31:36.840>
the <00:31:37.120
Summary:
The Joint Committee on Labor and Judiciary heard the Judiciary’s budget presentation from Brandon Kimura and other court administrators. The Judiciary outlined its mission and access-to-justice programs, including specialty courts, self-help centers, online small claims dispute resolution, and e-reminders. It requested an operating budget of $6.17 million in FY 2026 and $6.25 million in FY 2027, along with 17 permanent and one temporary position, and described a series of staffing and program requests tied to specialty courts, district court operations, technology, and public guardianship.
Major program requests included making women’s court permanent by converting seven temporary positions to permanent and adding a substance use counselor; expanding truancy court and the Early Education Intervention Program on Oahu; and making the driving while impaired court permanent. The Judiciary also sought staffing and funding for the new Wahiawa District Court, including security, janitorial, IT, clerical, bailiff, and social worker support, plus an additional district court judge and staff in Kona. Technology requests included cybersecurity tools and a cybersecurity unit, enhanced email protection, and replacement of aging network switches. Other operating requests included continued funding for the Criminal Justice Research Institute, restoration of 12 positions cut during the pandemic, and added support for the Office of the Public Guardian.
For capital improvement projects, the Judiciary’s top priorities were $4 million to design a new South Kohala District Court, $900,000 to replace an aging AC chiller on Kauai, and $5 million for lump-sum facility preservation work. Members asked questions about purchase-of-service contract rates, implementation of court-appointed fee increases, federal grant dependence, specialty court effectiveness, truancy court outcomes, and the condition of the Ewa District Court site. Judiciary witnesses said they were working to raise provider rates through contracts and a separate bill, cited low recidivism and reduced petitions as evidence that specialty courts and truancy efforts are working, and said the Ewa site has significant foundation issues that may require further assessment or a different location.
HI
Hawaii 2025 Regular Session
AGR Public Hearing - Tue Mar 12, 2025 @ 9:00 AM HST
Agriculture & Food Systems
Transcript Highlights:
- Like, because Hāwī Island, for example—Kona, we just started the infestation; we don't have it in Hilo
- Like, because Hāwī Island, for example—Kona, we just started the infestation; we don't have it in Hilo
- Like, because Hāwī Island, for example—Kona, we just started the infestation; we don't have it in Hilo
- Like, because Hāwī Island, for example—Kona, we just started the infestation; we don't have it in Hilo
- Like, because Hāwī Island, for example—Kona, we just started the infestation; we don't have it in Hilo