Alewa Heights Kalihi DISTRICT Kalihi Valley Moanalua Gardens 14 Moanalua Valley Kapalama community Red Hill Halawa Heights Volume 37, No. 1 Aiea bulletin Spring 2020 Aloha, Friends and Neighbors he 2020 session of the Legislature convened on LEGISLATION Quality Education. Legislation will target TJanuary 15, and we can anticipate the usual mix I have introduced several proposals to promote teacher recruitment and retention, strengthen civic of debate, controversy, and accomplishment over transparency and effi ciency at the University of education, increase revenue sources to support sec- the direction of our government and future of our Hawaii; strengthen protection for our kupuna; ap- ondary education, and expand career and technical state during the coming weeks. prove sports betting in Hawaii; and allow the use learning opportunities for the workforce. We’re already very busy reviewing proposals car- of campaign funds to pay for certain child care Work and Economic Growth. Senators will ried over from last year, such as the proposal to raise expenses. back bills to promote sustainable economic growth, the minimum wage, plus the governor’s request These measures are described in more detail job creation and workforce development, innova- for additional budget money and new proposals on this page. tion, and business plans to invest in the state’s future. proffered by legislators. Reduced Inequalities. Raising the minimum NATIONAL LEADERSHIP wage will be high among the senators’ priorities, COMMITTEES In November, I was named chair of the National along with requiring paid family leave and creating I have the same three committee responsibilities Foundation for Women Legislators (NFWL), a a retirement savings program. this year: chair of the Committee on non-partisan, non-profi t educational organization Sustainable Cities and Communities. The Leg- Higher Education, which has oversight over the for elected women serving in the state, county, and islature will seek to expand the inventory of afford- University of Hawaii; vice chair of the Committee municipal governments. able and transitional housing, reduce homelessness, on Education, a body that scrutinizes legislation I’ve been a member of NFWL since 2013 increase local food production, protect agricultural affecting our public schools and libraries; and and look forward to achieving the founda- lands, and invest in transportation modernization. membership on the Judiciary Committee, which tion’s mission of empowering and inspiring Climate Action. Proposals in this arena will tar- examines a host of bills on myriad topics. women to become thoughtful leaders who get carbon neutrality, ocean conservation, sustain- The former two committees will review shape America’s future. able land use, and watershed protection. educational spending proposals, including those Peace, Justice, Strong Institutions. Legisla- proposed by the executive branch. tors will explore ways to restructure government, increase Hawaii’s presence at the international level, BUDGET enhance public safety, improve social services, ex- In that regard, the Ige administration has pand the sister-state program, and support the state submitted a supplemental budget request to add archives. to the biennium appropriation the Legislature Partnerships. Achieving the UN goals will approved last year. He is asking for $62.5 million require effective public, private, and civic partner- for the forthcoming fi scal year and another $429 ships, establishing a cohesive policy for sustainable million for the following year. I should point development, and balancing sustainable develop- out that these are requests for the Legislature to ment with economic goals. approve spending, no matter what the source of the money. SENATOR’S PRIORITIES The proposal includes $41 million for extra Senator Kim is introducing a number of mea- compensation for classroom teacher shortage salary sures covering a range of topics. Among them: differentials; another $19 million for the expansion 2020 ALL-MAIL ELECTIONS University Transparency. Several bills will seek of the Hawaii Promise scholarships for all Univer- We will be having an election this year, with to promote transparency and effi ciency at the Uni- sity of Hawaii campuses; and an additional $220 numerous seats at stake in the Legislature, county versity of Hawaii. She will introduce a bill requiring million in construction for public schools and $87 mayors and councils, and Congress. the Board of Regents to live-stream their meetings million in improvements for the UH campuses. This will also be the fi rst year we will have all- and have the recordings available for future viewing. The executive branch wants $20 million mail voting, meaning you will receive your primary Sports Betting. A Kim measure would create a more for public housing and $2.5 million election and general election ballots in the mail, task force to examine and make recommendations for the preparation costs for the School Street with only a few polling stations open. on the feasibility of sports gambling in the islands. redevelopment. This is a significant change, which we’ve Campaign Spending. The senator will propose State agencies are seeking $20 million for infra- explained in detail elsewhere in the Commu- that political campaign funds be allowed to pay for structure construction for the Royal Kunia Agricul- nity Bulletin. Our voting participation is very childcare costs for candidates while they are cam- tural Park; funding for positions in the industrial poor, among the poorest in the nation with less paigning, under certain conditions. hemp effort; and $700,000 for the rapid ohia death than half the eligible voters casting ballots. Sev- Elder Center. She will propose that the Uni- response. eral years ago, I introduced legislation calling for versity of Hawaii convert the Charles Atherton The H-1 Freeway, from Waikele to Halawa, all-mail voting. It took several years to garner YMCA in Manoa to a Kupuna Health, Wellness, would be widened if the Legislature okays $200 enough support for the Legislature to approve and Innovation Center that would ideally include million in revenue bonds. a test for Kauai. But the idea has gained traction an intergenerational lifelong learning retirement Governor Ige is also seeking $30 million for the and it was okayed for statewide elections be- and assisted-living facility to be integrated with the Veteran’s Administration long-term care facility on ginning this year. Let’s hope this new system school’s Center on Aging, schools of Nursing and Oahu, more security positions at Maui Community will improve participation in our democracy. Social Work, and other units, including the John A. Correction Center, and $1.5 million for the Kupuna As always, I encourage you to keep me Burns School of Medicine’s Geriatrics Department Caregivers program, which I’ve supported from its apprised of your ideas and thoughts as the and Offi ce of Public Health Studies. inception. session progresses. Iolani Palace and Bishop Museum. As the only palace on American soil and an important histori- HIGHER EDUCATION SENATE MAJORITY OUTLINES cal repository, Senator Kim will propose dedicated The Higher Education and Ways and Means com- KEY THEMES funding for these two institutions to ensure ad- mittees held public hearings on the University of The Senate’s Democratic majority has adopted equate their operation and preservation, to come Hawaii in December and January, with testimony its legislative platform for the 2020 session, with a from hotel room tax revenues. leaving us with more questions than answers about continued focus on the United Nations’ “Sustain- the direction of the campuses and the Board of Re- able Development Goals” adopted previously. gents’ oversight of the institution. (See “Hot Seat” Priorities for legislation will follow these Mahalo for your support, on page 3 for more details.) themes. You can expect a continuation of our review Good Health and Well-being. The Legislature into the university during the session. will promote health and well-being for all ages by improving access to health care, reducing youth Donna Mercado Kim vaping, and fi nding new uses for underused state Senator, 14th District facilities. community surveyy2019 LEGISLATURE Community Survey 2019 Senator Kim is seeking your input on legislation that may be considered during this session of the Legislature, as well as on other issues. e results will be published in the next edition of the Community Bulletin.

Should Hawaii join the list of states voter registration. This translates into AUTONOMOUS offering some form of sports bet- improved access to voting, enhanced VAPING ting? election security, and savings on re- VEHICLES sources that would have been used Last October, the Health Department Autonomous vehicles, or self-driving _____ Yes in traditional paper registration and issued an advisory urging anyone cars, are being refi ned and tested in _____ No postage. who vapes to stop immediately until growing numbers. The technology is more is known about why people advancing so rapidly that these vehi- If adopted, where would you like the Would you support automatic voter across the country who use vaping cles could be available to motorists in proceeds to go to, e.g., education, registration? devices are getting gravely sick and the next six to 10 years. Twenty-two housing/homeless, etc. even dying. The state investigated _____ Yes nearly a dozen vaping-linked lung other states have adopted autono- ______No mous vehicle legislation. In order illnesses last year. Nationally, there for Hawaii to be in the forefront and have been more than 2,100 reports attract this type of business, we need of serious lung illnesses linked to to have our laws amended so road BULKY ITEM PICKUP PHYSICIAN SHORTAGE vaping, and 42 people have died so far. Health offi cials suspect vitamin E testing can proceed. Tests show that The City and County of Honolulu has The graying of many of our physi- driverless vehicles are safer and have switched from scheduled, monthly, acetate as a possible culprit behind cians, our high cost of living, hous- the vaping-related illnesses. fewer accidents because they are not curbside bulky-item pickups to an ing costs, parental care obligations, prone to human error, distractions appointment system. and dissatisfaction with the medical Do you use vaping devices? like phone texting, driving under the community have been cited as some infl uence, and speeding, to name a Have you used the new system? of the reasons for the shortage of _____ Yes few. _____ Yes physicians, a problem that is likely to _____ No _____ No How likely are you to ride in a driv- grow as greater numbers of doctors Health offi cials are advising people erless vehicle? retire. The problem is particularly to stop vaping until more informa- If so, was your experience: severe on the Neighbor Islands. _____ Favorable tion is known, but should the state _____ Very likely ban vaping altogether? _____ Somewhat likely _____ Unfavorable Would you be in favor of granting _____ Not at all _____ No opinion tuition waivers to medical school _____ Yes students who commit to practicing _____ No Have you noticed an increase or in Hawaii for a certain number of SPORTS BETTING decrease in curbside trash in your years? Should we tax vaping products like neighborhood since the new system _____ Yes we do with tobacco products? Betting on the outcomes of sports, was introduced? _____ No of all kinds, is a multi-billion-dollar _____ Increase _____ Yes enterprise. In 2018,the U.S. Supreme _____ Decrease If yes, for how long should they stay _____ No Court struck down a 1992 federal _____ No difference in Hawaii? law that banned commercial sports _____ At least 1 year betting in most states, opening the _____ Under 5 years LAW SCHOOL LOAN door to legalizing the estimated AUTOMATIC VOTER _____ More than 5 years REDUCTION PROGRAM $150 billion in illegal wagers on REGISTRATION The University of Hawaii School of professional and amateur sports that Should we provide taxpayer-funded Law is proposing an educational loan Americans make every year. With automatic voter registration, cash and/or housing incentives to eligible citizens are automatically reduction program for law school attract doctors from elsewhere to graduates who commit to working in The decision brought profound registered to vote when applying for practice in rural areas? changes to the nation’s relationship or renewing their Hawaii driver’s rural areas. There is a similar program with sports wagering. Bettors will license or identifi cation, unless they _____ Yes offered to eligible health profession- no longer be forced to use offshore refuse. Hawaii has always been an _____ No als, in which they receive assistance wagering or illicit bookies. Thirteen “opt in” state, meaning one needs to Should we offer tax incentives to with the repayment of their qualifi ed states have some form of legalized, choose to become a registered voter, hospitals and medical clinics to ex- educational loans in exchange for a controlled gambling on sports, and then engage in the registration pand in underserved communities? minimum two-year commitment to with many more now considering process. Making this an “opt out” _____ Yes work in rural and underserved areas. legislation to authorize it. Such le- process means voters are automati- _____ No galization could provide revenue for cally registered unless they decline. Would you support a program like state, which would in turn provide Other ideas: ______this for law school graduates? additional funding for state Currently, 17 states and the District of _____ Yes programs and services. Columbia have approved automatic _____ No

Mahalo for taking the time to respond. OPTIONAL: Please send your completed survey to: Name Donna Mercado Kim Senator, 14th District Address E-mail Hawaii State Capitol Comments Honolulu, Hawaii 96813

2 community bulletin Donna Mercado Kim | facebook.com/DonnaMercadoKim VOLUME 37, NO. 1 | SPRING 2020 In this edition, Senator Kim responds to constituents who Senator Kim inquired about the critical audit of adult care home licensing on and the proposed the veterans care home hotseat in Aiea I was outraged to learn that left us less than confi dent that the board multiple faculty classifications and many executive and managerial is upholding its responsibilities as the teaching workloads to see whether they personnel at the University of policy-setting and oversight body for the comply with board policies. Hawaii were given huge pay raises. institution. Yes, the state constitution and laws Why were these raises granted, In addition to the executive pay hikes, grant the UH a fair amount of autonomy, particularly when student which raised eyebrows among legislators but with that autonomy comes the need enrollment is down and so many and faculty alike, there have been other for the Board of Regents, not to mention of the buildings on campus are concerns raised about management at the administrators, to exercise a greater falling apart and are in desperate need of major repairs? institution. degree of oversight and hold high-paid For example, a costly contract was executives accountable for their actions to I understand your frustration. I, too, awarded to a private consulting fi rm to ensure taxpayer money, tuitions, fees, and questioned the university’s decision to stimulate enrollment, but has yet to yield other revenue is spent prudently. grant such exorbitant salary raises, during signifi cant results. There are concerns Unfortunately, the regents’ testimony a joint budget briefi ng held in December about tuition reserves, special funds, led us to believe that they have been largely and January by the Senate Higher and fringe benefi ts; the Daniel K. Inouye passive in their oversight responsibilities, Education Committee, which I chair, and College of Pharmacy at the Hilo campus; leaving UH executives to make major the Ways and Means Committee. and certain construction projects. decisions with little questioning on the Prompted by many complaints from You’ll recall that less than a year ago, part of the regents—who are supposed faculty members, we heard testimony that our legislative oversight revealed that to serve as the public’s representatives in the University of Hawaii administration UH employees and other personnel the governance of the UH system. This led had awarded sizable pay raises to a were not following institutional travel me to introduce a measure to revamp the handful of executives, this at a time when policies and procedures, including how Regents Candidate Advisory Council and enrollment is declining and tuition rates authorized administrators were reviewing the process of how regents are nominated are rising. and approving travel. We asked the UH and screened. We simply wanted to know what to examine how the West Oahu campus This is not the end of the matter. scrutiny and oversight the Board of was spending certain federal funds and You can expect a continuation of our Regents was exercising over these types other extramural funding. We asked the examination into the university during of actions. Board of Regents to examine the school’s the weeks ahead. Unfortunately, the regents’ testimony ELECTIONS GO EXCLUSIVELY MAIL IN 2020 Last year, the Legislature authorized county Clerk’s Office to confirm the placed and sealed in the return envelope. all-mail voting beginning with the 2020 accuracy of your registration. You must sign the return envelope for elections. Here is what you need to know Unregistered citizens can register your ballot to be counted. about this new method. online or complete an application and submit it to the appropriate Clerk’s Offi ce RETURNING THE BALLOT AUTOMATIC MAILING (honolulu.gov/elections/). Applications Ballots must be received by the Clerk’s All registered voters will automatically are also available at post offi ces, public Offi ce by 7:00 p.m. on the day of the receive a mail ballot packet about three libraries, the Hawaiian Telcom Yellow election. That means mailing the ballot weeks before each election. Election dates: Pages, and most government agencies. at least 2 or 3 days before the election or dropping it off in-person at a Voter Service Primary Election: Saturday, August 8 THE BALLOT General Election: Tuesday, November 3 Center or the Clerk’s Offi ce. Your ballot packet will contain: (a) a Locations and hours of the ballot drop If you fail to receive your ballot in time, ballot for your district, (b) a secret ballot sites and Voter Service Centers will be contact the City and County Clerk’s Offi ce envelope, (c) a return ballot envelope, and published in May. at 768-3800. (d) instructions. VOTING AND REGISTERING REGISTRATION The Elections Offi ce reminds voters to review the instructions, contests, and IN-PERSON Your ballot will be mailed to your Voters can also vote in-person. Voter current mailing address, as refl ected in candidates on both sides of the ballot and mark the ballot completely with a black Service Centers will be open 10 days your voter registration record. If you’ve before each election for voting and same- moved or changed your name or mailing or blue pen. If you make an error, contact the Clerk’s Offi ce for a replacement. day registration. Again, the locations and address, you must update your voter hours will be confi rmed in May. registration. Check online or call the Ballots are to be refolded, placed and sealed in the secret ballot envelope, and

Donna Mercado Kim | facebook.com/DonnaMercadoKim community bulletin 3 VOLUME 37, NO. 1 | SPRING 2020 70 Years of Service for Kalihi- donna mercado PRSRT. STD. Palama Library U.S. POSTAGE kımSTATE SENATOR DISTRICT 14 PAID Senator Kim and HONOLULU, HI Senator Glenn Wakai PERMIT NO. 2071 presented an honorary certifi cate in September to Trisha Murakami, branch manager of the Kalihi- Palama Public Library, on the occasion of the library’s 70th anniversary. The library opened its doors as a small, one-room library in Palama Settlement. Now located on Kalihi Street, the library

has grown to have a collection of 60,000 books, CDs, and PAID FOR BY FRIENDS OF DONNA MERCADO KIM DVDs, and continued to serve the needs of the community. 1745 Ala Amoamo Street, Honolulu, Hawaii 96819 | facebook.com/DonnaMercadoKim.com Disabled Young Adults Showcase Senator Joins Seniors for Talents at Job Fair Grandparents Day In a long-time tradition, Senator Kim made the rounds of senior centers on Grandparents Day in September to honor kupuna in her district. She visited gatherings in Halawa (pictured here), Aiea, and Moanalua.

Young adults with disabilities had a golden opportunity Hawaii Volleyball Teams Capture to highlight their skills and land their fi rst jobs at the state’s Two National Titles second annual Reverse Job Fair at the State Capitol on October 29. Hawaii’s Spike and Serve girls and boys volleyball teams each won The 77 candidates stationed at individual booths met with the 2019 USA Junior National Volleyball Championships, held in June human resource representatives from 93 local companies in Indianapolis. This was the fi rst time in the local program’s history and state and county government agencies. They included that both teams captured national championships in the same year. Aloha Gas, Central Pacifi c Bank, CVS/Longs, Hard Rock Senator Kim, whose son Micah serves as the head coach for the boys Café, Hawaiian Airlines, Hawaiian Electric, Hawaiian Telcom, team, organized the proclamation ceremony with Governor David Ige Hilton Hotels, Queens Medical Center, Y. Hata, YMCA, at his offi ce on August 1. University of Hawaii, and state departments of Human Resources, Agriculture, Taxation, and Transportation. Senator Kim, who was co-chair of the Legislative Host Committee, said, “The goal of building a diverse workforce is made easier for businesses through this Reverse Job Fair. This event gives our young adults with disabilities the exclusive opportunity to connect with potential employers, showcase their abilities and value, and fi nd meaningful employment.” PACT Feeds Keiki Senator Kim volunteered to serve lunch to children during Senator Joins UH Gym Reopening a summer food program sponsored by PACT, Parents And Senator Kim joined University of Hawaii coaches, administrators, Children Together. The event was and fellow legislators for the September reopening of the renovated held on July 26 at Kuhio Park practice gym for the men’s and women’s volleyball teams. The 40-year- Terrace Family Center in Kalihi. old facility is the second gym to be fi xed, following the renovation of the practice gym used by the school’s basketball teams. The gym Aiea Public Library Celebrates has new fl ooring, three practice courts, lights, scoreboards, a sound system, and air-conditioning. The senator chairs the Higher Education Fifth Year Committee, which oversees the university. Aiea Public Library marked the fi fth anniversary of its relocation to the grounds of the old Aiea Sugar Mill. Library branch manager Tina Takamoto (center) was presented with a joint certifi cate on July 13 from the Senate and House of Representatives by, from left, Representative Sam Kong, Senator Kim, Representative Aaron Ling Johanson, and Representative Gregg Takayama.

4 community bulletin Donna Mercado Kim | facebook.com/DonnaMercadoKim VOLUME 37, NO. 1 | SPRING 2020