001Good afternoon. It is now 3:00 p.m. and we have a joint committee meeting between the committees on public safety and military affairs and energy and intergovernmental affairs. Uh, this meeting is being streamed live on YouTube. In the unlikely event that we have to end this hearing due to technical difficulties, the committee will reconvene to discuss any outstanding business at 3 p.m. February uh 18th at uh 3:00 in conference room 016. And a public notice will be posted on the legislator's website. Each testifier will be given one minute to testify today. Uh if you've already submitted written testimony, we encourage you to limit your time to highlighting important facts or standing on your testimony. First up between the joint committees is relating to the state building code council and for uh state office of planning and
002sustainable development we have Mary Alice Evans or her designate. Welcome. Aloha chairs. Diana Sutnis with the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development. O LPSD stands on his written testimony and support with amendments and we are available for any questions. Thank you. >> Thank you. Um next we have let's see Hawaii Food Industry Association on Zoom. Lauren Zerel >> not present on Zoom chair. >> Okay. Next we have uh testifying for Chamber of Commerce Hawaii uh in person a representative from the chamber. >> Good afternoon. Chamber of Commerce and one testimony support. >> Thank you very much. Uh we also had additional testimonies and support. Uh six total, one with comments. Is there anyone else who would like to testify on Senate Bill 3048? Okay. If not, maybe uh questions. None. Okay. I do have uh
003let's see one followup for office of uh state planning. I believe there was a request um for an appropriation to fund the acquisition and maintenance of software licensing or to amend the language. And is that the reference you're making as far as amendments? >> Yes. um because the bill does require the state building code council to establish a public dashboard to post all of that permitting data. But if they don't have any financing in order to acquire the software to do that, they're not going to be able to effectuate the appropriation or fuate the measure. Um but they could start by just creating a plan for how they would do that and look at some different companies that they'd be interested in using their software. >> Okay. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >>
004Okay. Uh turning next to Senate Bill 3083 relating to protective orders. Um on this one we have US Department of Defense state leazison office Kelly May Douglas on Zoom. Welcome. >> Thank you. Good afternoon chairs, co-chairs or vice chairs and members of the committee. My name is Kelly May Douglas with the US Defense State Liaison Office and I will stand on our written testimony and support. Thank you. >> Thank you very much. Uh next we have Brigier General Walter Ross for Hawaii National Guard, State Department of Defense or his designate. Uh next testifying for Military and Community Relations Office at DBED, John Green. Good afternoon, chairs, members of the committee. Thank you for the opportunity to testify. John Green, the deputy director, the military and community relations office. We stand on our written testimony and
005support. Our office is seeing a need for better communication between the judiciary, police forces, and the military when it comes to protective order notification. Ensuring that military security forces are notified within 24 hours allows commands to take appropriate action, reinforce compliance, and provide additional oversight where necessary. Early awareness supports accountability, helps prevent escalation, and strengthens coordination among agencies responsible for safety and enforcement. Military affiliated individuals often face handling both civilian and military systems when a prot protective order is issued. This measure will create a more efficient and cohesive system where individuals will be better protected. Thank you and I'm available for any questions. >> Thank you so much. Uh next we have judiciary Jesse Hall or a judiciary representative. >> Afternoon chairs, members of the committee. My name is Jesse Hall. I'm a family court
006judge. Although our testimony looks like we are in opposition, we are not in opposition to the intent of the bill until September of 2025. We did have a system that was in place where we were providing the military with orders for protection against some their the respondents that we knew to be their members. Um, since September 2025, we've lost contact. We are asking that the bill be deferred to give us the opportunity to reconnect with the military so that a better system can be put back in place. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. Next we have um Angelina Marcato testifying for Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Let's see anyone else uh here to testify on Senate Bill 3083. Please come forward. >> How you doing? My name is Titus Graham. I'm a local
007resident here, retired United States Marine Corps. Um this u Senate bill is um very pertinent that we get make sure any misconduct that's handled out in town for a military member is reported immediately to it says security forces to the base local base commanders so that we can u basically have that military member um under the uniform code of military justice. That's the justice we use to make sure we have the integrity and the justice within us marine and the mil military because if we don't we have the integrity of the uniform code marine military justice and also the integrity of the military that we are hold to a high higher standard in society u will be as strong. So reporting that it'll basically alleviate from military members getting misconduct out of town and also
008remaining with our ranks and basically blanket on the other of the military which they could probably um get away with or looked as higher favorable. So this bill will help make sure that everybody get dealt with immediately. >> Okay. Thank you very much for your testimony. Uh members, any questions for the prior testifiers? Okay. If not, uh, chair has one question for maybe a judiciary representative. >> I guess either a representative of state national if anyone else would like to come forward. You know, it seems as though there was a um working process that had been in place in the past and uh with a lot of the testimony from the judiciary, the I guess the scale of what would be required under this bill seems to be uh really overwhelming. So I guess questions
009to both of you would be to what extent has um the department of defense macro and others engaged with the um judiciary since the time when um I guess >> the prior arrangement u kind of disappeared. Um we kind of took our our guidance from uh from a national level looking at existing laws here in the state with regards to uh temporary restraining orders or protective orders for military individuals to see if there was any existing statute which govern that and we didn't see any. So we wanted to make sure that a bill was put in place that as judge mentioned there's a there's a process in place currently but we're not familiar with any kind of state mandate or state law that requires it. So our concern is that if there's a procedure that
010ends there, there's no mandate that it continue. >> And to be upfront, they did have the House version of this bill held this morning, the hearing, and we did connect at that time. And we will be communicating to see what we can do to create a policy that could uh amend the language and make it a formal policy versus just our internal policy that we were working with. >> Okay. Thank you both very much. Okay. Um that brings us to the end of uh this agenda. We will recess and take a short break. >> Okay. Thank you very much. Uh we're going to reconvene and recommend action on Senate Bill 3048 and Senate Bill 3083. Uh for the first bill relating to the state building code, two co-chairs have conred and recommend that we adopt
011the OS uh P amendments to um recommend the specific uh action to be taken with um without necessarily adding a new appropriation. So the goal is to pass with amendments to add the effective effective date. Uh the I guess the committee on PSM does not have quorum. So at this point we will defer until we receive quorum later in today's hearing. >> For members of EIG, we gladly accept those amendments. Any discussion? If not, Senator Chang, I vote yes. >> Chair's recommendation for Senate Bill 3048 is to pass with amendments. Chair votes yes. Vice chair votes I. Senator Decoy is excused. Senator Richards >> I. Senator Flla is excused. The recommendation is adopted. >> Thank you. >> Okay. For Senate Bill 3083 relating to protective orders, uh we certainly acknowledge, you know, some of the
012the difficulties um that have arisen since the uh previous arrangement halted. However, we do want to encourage both the military leadership as well as judiciary to come up with a solution to this need for protective orders. So chairs are recommending that we pass this measure with amendments inserting a defective effective date for the measure and noting many of the concerns that were raised uh by the judiciary in our committee report. Any discussion questions? If not, we'll defer to EIG. >> Okay. PSM will vote at a later time for members of EIG. We are happy to take those amendments of the defective date. Any discussion? If not, Senator Chang, I vote yes. >> Chair's recommendation for Senate Bill 3083 is to pass with amendments, noting the absence of the excusals of Senators Decoy and Favlla, the
013members present. Are there any objections or reservations? Hearing none, the recommendation is adopted. >> Thank you. This concludes our joint hearing. convening this afternoon's uh committee on public safety and military affairs agenda. We have two measures. The first one on this agenda is Senate Bill 3010 relating to animal endangerment. And for I guess this bill we have Lindsay for healing testifying for animal legal defense fund. Is she available on Zoom? Welcome. >> I am here. Good afternoon, chair, vice chair, and members of the committee. My name is Lindsay Verhilik, testifying on behalf of the animal legal defense fund. Um, as an organization, we support good Samaritan bills like this one across the country because they are a common sense and easy way to protect animals and the the people who step in to rescue them.
014Um, we all know that cars can reach extremely high temperatures when parked, but many don't realize just how quickly it can happen, and that even on a nice 70° day, the temperature can rise to deadly temps in just a matter of minutes. Um, and dogs lack a way to cool themselves, making them at a much higher risk of heat stroke, even on a mild a relatively mild day. Um, so this bill would just allow people to rescue a dog in distress without fear of retaliation or that they will get in trouble for damages. And um, across the 16 other states that have enacted similar laws, we we haven't seen a rash of car window smashings or anything like that. Um, and the steps that a good Samaritan has to take as outlined in the bill
015provide extra security to ensure that people are not making rash decisions. Um, so thus we strongly support SB310 and respectfully urge you to pass it out of committee. Thank you for your time. >> You next we have Evan Oi testifying for Hawaii Association for Justice or Representative on Zoom? >> Not present on Zoom. Chair. >> Okay. Uh, we also have among the testimonies that have been submitted four testimonies in support. one in opposition and one who has submitted comments. Is there anyone else who'd like to comment on Senate Bill 310? Okay. If not, um well, do you want to ask questions of any of the prior testers? [laughter] Not >> I don't think so. We're think we're okay. >> Okay. Uh next up is Senate Bill 3187. This one is uh relating to off-site construction.
016It implements certain recommendations of the speed task force. First up, we have office of state planning. Aloha chair, vice chair, uh Diana SNES from the office of planning and sustainable development. OPSD stands on his written testimony offering comments and I am available for any questions. >> Okay. Thank you. Anyone else here who would like to testify on this measure? Okay. If not, I think we will take a brief recess um to see if we might be able to uh round up some additional members for forum recess. Thank you very much. We are reconvening our public safety and military affairs committee. We have two uh decision-making uh actions that we would like to take up. First is from this afternoon's 2:00 agenda with the Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee on Senate Bill 3048 relating to the
017state building code council. The um recommendation was to pass with amendments proposed by Office of Planning and Sustainable Development and to add a defective effect book date. Any questions, concerns? If not, then for the vote. Vice Chair Lee >> voting on Senate Bill 3048. Recommendations to pass with amendments. Chair Fuganaga >> I. >> Vice Chair votes I. Senator Hashi Moto and Senator Yoi excused. Senator Dort >> I. >> Chair the recommendations adopted. >> Okay. Thank you. On the next bill, Senate Bill 3083 relating to protective orders. On this one, uh there was a number of um there were concerns raised by judiciary. So recommendations to pass with amendments noting the concerns regarding implementation in the committee report and adding a defective effective date. Any questions, concerns? Okay. If not, Vice Chair Lee >> voting voting
018on Senate Bill 3083. The recommendation is to pass with amendments, noting Senators Hashimoto and Yoya excused. Are there any reservations or no votes? Hearing none, the recommendations adopted. >> Okay, thank you. Uh, next up are two bills that we heard previously. The first one is Senate Bill 3040 relating to gun violence prevention. [clears throat] This uh measure replaces the Gun Violence and Violent Crimes Commission with the Office of Gun Violence Prevention. And uh the bill also appropriates funds. So, chair would like to recommend that we blank out the dollar amount, noting the contents. I mean, noting the amount in the committee report and passing this with uh defective effective date. Any questions, concerns? Okay. If not, Vice Chair Lee >> voting on SB 3040. The recommendation is to pass with amendments, noting senators Hashimoto and
019Ninoi excused. Are there any reservations or no votes? none measures adopted. >> Okay. Next bill is 3107 relating to parole eligibility. And during the hearing, there was considerable discussion between the department of corrections and rehabilitation and the oversight commission and a number of those uh who have been advocating for parole eligibility. So to keep the conversation going, chair recommends that we pass with amendments inserting a defective effective date and noting some of the concerns raised in the committee report. Any questions, comments? If not, then vice chair Lee for the vote. >> Voting on Senate Bill 3107. The recommendation is to pass with amendments, noting chairs Hashimoto, no excused. Are there any reservations or no votes? Hearing none, the recommendations adopted. Okay, that brings us to the end of um these first two agendas and we
020are again going to recess so that we can reconvene with the committee on education which is >> we heard um our agenda 30th 187. >> Oh okay. You are correct. Uh the third agenda that we had for this afternoon at 3:01 p.m. included Senate Bill 3010 relating to animal endangerment. This one would allow law enforcement officers, animal control officers, and firefighters to enter an unattended vehicle to protect the health, safety, or well-being of a pet animal. On this one, we had um testimony from the um Hawaii Association for Justice which recommended a small amendment. So, chair would like to include that amendment in the bill and to pass this with amendments. Any discussion, questions? If not, vice chair Lee for the vote. >> Voting on Senate Bill 3010. The recommendation is to pass with amendments.
021Noting senators Hashimoto excused. Are there any reservations or no votes? Hearing none, the recommendations adopted. >> Okay. And on the last one, Senate Bill 3187. This is relating to off-site construction uh implementing recommendations of the speed task force. This one uh appropriates funds for a working group within the state building code council to develop proposals. Chair would like to recommend that we delete the dollar amount, include the reference in the committee report and pass with a defective effective date. Any questions, concerns? If not, vice chair Lee for the vote. >> Voting on Senate Bill 3187. The recommendation is to pass with amendments noting excused absences of senators Hashimoto. Are there any reservations or no votes? Hearing none, the recommendations adopted. >> Okay. Thank you very much, uh, Senator Dort. That brings us to the end
022of this agenda and we will take a brief recess while we await the uh presence of the committee on education. Good afternoon. We are convening this afternoon's uh joint committee hearing between the public safety and military affairs committee and committee on education. We have three bills on the agenda this afternoon and we'd like to get started with Senate Bill 2138. Relating to the Hawaii National Guard State Tuition Assistance Program. Testifying for uh US Defense State Leazison Office, we have Kelly May Douglas on Zoom. Welcome. Please proceed. >> Good evening, chairs and members of the committee. I don't I'm I'm not uh testifying on this bill. >> Oh, okay. Thank you. >> I'm sorry. >> My apologies. Uh the first up on this bill is uh University of Hawaii Gomes. Is that >> Yes. I'm on
023Zoom. >> Yes. >> Welcome. >> Aloha chairs, vice chairs, and members of the committee. I am Farah Marie Gomes, associate vice president for student affairs with the University of Hawaii system. Uh we have provided testimony on behalf of our vice president for academic strategy, Debbie Halbert. Um I'm testifying in support of this bill today and I'm available to provide any um to answer any questions. We stand on our written testimony and appreciate the opportunity to provide testimony and support of this measure. Mahalo. >> Thank you very much. Uh next we have testifying for Department of Defense for uh Major General Logan. Welcome. >> Yeah. Aloha chairs, vice chairs, and members of the committee. Uh Brigger General retired Neil Matsioshi. Um the department stands on it written testimony and support. Uh but I just want to
024highlight that um competition for recruits between services has really never been um more competitive than it is now. and this bill will give us the flexibility to ensure the Hawaii National Guard gets to retain the best and brightest. Um, so just appreciate the committee's support on this and prepare to answer any questions you may have. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you. Uh, next up we have see Brigadier General Walter Ross. Okay. If not, moving on to uh Colonel Ronald Hogen for Hawaii Army National Guard. Welcome. >> Aloha chairs, vice committee members. My name is Colonel Damon Hogson. I currently serve as the Hawaii Army National Guard Chief of Staff and the Hawaii National Guard stands firm on our our written testimony in favor of this bill. I just add one one comment of the incredible
025importance of the state tuition assistance program to our to our guard members to allow them to continue to to their education benefits and this bill will afford them the opportunity to expand to graduate programs to continue to professionalize our workforce. Thank you. Mahalo. >> Thank you very much. Is there anyone else who would like to provide testimony? We had um received 13 testimonies in support and no testimonies in opposition uh on this measure. Okay members, any questions? Yeah, I have a question of the guard. >> So right now you're prohibited from um offering it to graduates >> senator. Currently the the latest that state law is written it just specifically says undergraduate degrees. So we're just adding the language to allow the authority in the in the law to be able to extend to graduate
026programs. >> Okay. So you are you are prohibited or not allowed in this current session which is why you need the bill and you're not asking us for any money. You folks already have the funds, >> right? We will execute the program within the current budget. Okay, >> that's good. Thank you. Okay. >> Turning the rest of this uh agenda over to education committee. Okay. Thank you. Uh, Senate Bill 2614 relating to education authorizes Department of Education to award a high school diploma to qualified persons who did not receive a high school diploma as a result of compulsory or voluntary induction into the armed services of the United States or whose high school high school education was interrupted due to wartime practices during World War II, the Korean War, or the Vietnam War. And we
027have Mr. ing. Um, Kelly May Douglas in support on Zoom. Here you are. Aloha. >> Hi. >> Aloha. Good evening, uh, chairs and vice chairs and members of the committee. My name is Kelly May Douglas with the US Defense State Leaison Office and we stand in support of this measure and also stand on our written testimony. Thank you. >> Thank you. Uh, Kayashi, Department of Education. Aloha chairs, vice chairs, members of the committee. I'm Elizabeth Higashi on behalf of the Department of Education. We start on our written testimony in support and thank you for the opportunity. Okay. Thank you. Uh we have nine seven others um that sent in testimony. Anyone here wishing to testify on this measure? Hearing none. Uh questions. Members, I just have Go ahead, Senator. for the DOE. Have you awarded
028diplomas in the past? >> Aloha, Senator. Thank you so much for the question. Previously, this bill was um before 2020. So, we did award at that time 12 coupon diplomas to veterans. Since then, we do have two individuals um veterans who are interested in receiving their diplomas. At this time, we've issued them certificates. We wanted them to have the opportunity to celebrate and participate in graduation ceremony and we're hoping that if this bill passes we'll be able to issue them actual diplomas. >> So the bill in 2020 doesn't allow you to continue to do this. You have to come back every year to ask for those. >> We're hoping that with this amendment we'll be able to continue um but it did sunset in 2020 so we had to stop at that time. >> So
029there's no end date on this? >> No. And how does the the DOE um how does a department verify eligibility of these individuals? >> Um great question. So we have an application and with that application they do submit documentation showing that they were enlisted and drafted during that time and then based on that application we then work in proceeding and processing the diploma. >> Very awesome. Thank you. >> Thank you so much. >> Thank you members. If there are no other questions, uh we'll move on to Senate Bill 2687. Description requires Department of Education to develop an imp and implement a 100 infantry battalion history curricula plan beginning with the 2027 2028 school year. Establishes a one-year 100 infantry battalion history curriculum pilot program within certain public high schools during the 2627 school year. requires
030a report to the legislature. U Kathy Hayashi, it's uh aloha chairs and vice chairs. Terry Yoshiima, assistant superintendent from the department of education. So, uh we stand on our testimony providing comments. While the state uh department of education values the history of the 100th infantry battalion, it suggests that SB2687 is not needed because the topic is already integrated into existing social studies standards and the bill conflicts with the board of education policies regarding curriculum governance that is with the teachers and the schools. Thank you for the opportunity to testify. So, you're not you're not in support of um we don't think it's necessary at this time. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Um let's see. Hawaii Military Affairs Council in support. Anyone else here wishing to testify on this measure? Yes, please come forward. Yes.
031Just identify yourself. My name is Kathy Hayashi and I'm the president of the 100th Infantry Battalion. >> Okay. I thought I called you but I guess got mixed up with you. >> I think I got mixed up with the other one. I'm sorry guys. I'm a hayashi too. That's why. >> Okay. May the >> I'm sorry. Go ahead. >> Oh chairs, vice chairs, thank you so much for hearing this. Um we stand on our testimony and we want to strongly support this bill. Um my father Toku Chihashi was in the hundth as well as the 442 and we believe there's a lot of value in sharing the legacy of these men that were plantation workers segregated and distrusted and they were able to rise above all of this to become the most decorated in US
032military history. There are a lot of values on how they were able to do it that we'd like to share like the obligation which is like giri don't shame the family name a lot of values that I think I have uh learned from my father and also I was um senior vice president of Verizon and went to Smith College as well as a lot of leadership and I believe that we should share these values with our kei so they can become high performance thinkers. So we stand ready to work with the DOE on sharing some of this legacy because there's only six living veterans right now. And for my father, you know, we they're we're all in our 70s. So as far as sharing the legacy of living with these men and modeling their behavior,
033I think there's a time is of the essence to to share these values. So any questions you have? >> Thank you. Why don't you sit there? Members, uh, anyone else wishing to testify on this hearing now? Sit. >> Singers. >> I'm fine. Go ahead. Please identify yourself. I think I know you, but you can go ahead and testify. Identify yourself, >> please. [laughter] >> I thought you were talking to somebody on the floor. I'm so sorry. Uh, hi um, committee chair and, uh, committee. Thanks for allowing me to testify today. My name is Steve Sue. I'm a filmmaker currently producing a feature documentary on the 100th 442nd regimenal combat team. I stand on the written testimony that I submitted uh, for SB2687. And I I would like to point out that as a filmmaker, I
034do a lot of research around the community. And if the DOE does have a line item for this type of information, I can tell you that they haven't really been fulfilling that goal because I just know people don't know this story and that's why we're making a movie on it. Now, I would tell you that um I think it's really important that we tell this story because it is a Hawaii strength. It's, you know, Hawaii made independence for this country uh over much of the last 250 years and it's going to continue for the next 250. Um, and I'd also say that this is key job opportunity for our kei. So, education should follow the jobs. It's one of the key industries here. Uh, so I thank you for the time and I remain available
035for questions. >> Thank you very much, Steve. Anyone else wishing to testify? We did get uh 21 testimonies in support, two opposed, and two comments. And with that, members, we are open to questions. Any questions of the DOE? DOE. >> Does not the DOE already have a program? >> Uh, yes. It's um incorporated into our standards and um this is Rosanna Fukura, our social studies specialist and um so she can speak to that. >> Sure. Um, first of all, I really want to say this is an incredibly important topic. I mean, I think everything in social studies is incredibly important. Um, and you know, I I really do. Um, this is something though that I actually worked with the Gopherb Broke National um, education uh, association and with the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii to
036create curricula around the 100th Battalion and the 442nd align directly to our standards. Um, social studies has four required uh credits for graduation and in four courses, modern history of Hawaii, participation in democracy, US history and world history, there are clear opportunities for 442nd 100 um and the larger picture of um Americans of Japanese ancestry um to fit into those standards. And in fact in um modern history of Hawaii um there is a particular standard. So without getting into the whole um structure of our standards but we do um highlight certain uh certain topics that we feel are especially important to be taught and um offer resources around them. And with modern history of Hawaii, very specifically we have written in our standards the 442nd and the 100th. But that's not the only place that
037we um highlight that curricula. We um also in US history and in world history um we bring that forward. US history we definitely talk about the 442nd but in world history we have identified standards um where this curricula is it would fit very very well. So we also have many resources we welcome more we collect resources um specifically around these topics that are available to teachers statewide >> questions. Yes. What grade level will this be taught at? >> So, uh, high school, it's world history, US history, participation, democracy, modern history, boy. And they can be the it's up to schools to depend on which um grades that they will be teaching, but it would be 9th, 10th, um, and 11th usually. >> Thank you. I think it's an important, uh, um, lesson to be taught.
038because absolutely >> my my father >> was part of this battalion >> and he never wanted to tell his story. >> So we don't know the truth. >> Thank you. Thank you, Senator. Any other questions? Members, um Mashi, would you come forward? Are you aware of what's being taught now? >> I am very aware of this. uh what they spoke about is the gopher group broke national education center in Los Angeles collaborated with the JCC and my understanding is that it hasn't been rolled out or you know each principal can decide what they want to do and my understanding is that this important story isn't being done because it's a voluntary thing they can choose whether or not to do it but in other places like in California for decades they have it mandated that
039every kid needs to understand what happened with incarceration. Now, here in Hawaii, we were attacked. And when I talk to kids and I ask them who is Daniel Kinoi, they say, "Oh, I don't know. It's somebody they named the airport after." That means that we are not doing a good job. And for people, you know, people of color sitting here, you wouldn't be sitting here if it wasn't for what these guys did 80 years ago. 9981, President Truman, 1948, desegregated the military because of what these men did. It started right here in Hawaii with the one pukau puka. These kids need to have heroes and this is a hero right here. And they look like us. there are people of color and really um like I said I'm retired I retired from Verizon I don't
040need to be doing this but you know like Senator Hidani I mean this is a very very important story and I feel that the values you know when you look at them breaking through the Gothic line when nobody else could for six months and instead of going the slloy side where everybody kept doing the same thing they called in 100 442 and they said, you know, we're not going to do the same thing. That's insanity to keep doing the same thing and expecting a different outcome. So they had the hundth go down up the slopey side as a decoy and then the third battalion went down like imagine going from the poly lookout to Puka Bridge. I mean they they went down to the bottom and then climbed up like a 85 degree cliff and
041they surprised the Germans from both sides. They broke through the Gothic line and this 100 442 ended the war in Europe like one month later on May 8, 1945. And these are things that our kids need to be very proud of. We need heroes and unless you mandate it like they have in other states and you know that you know there's a push to be you know Asian hate crimes and we but again I don't want to get into this DEI thing but you know these guys could be chartreuse but they are the most decorated in US military history. It has nothing to do with the AsianAmerican thing. I mean, it's a even a more compelling story because they had to overcome so many obstacles, but just in and of itself, it's an American elite
042war story and there's so many values that go along with it. That's what I'm very passionate about. We can also >> Sorry for going on. >> Thank you very much. Can DOE come back on? So is this voluntary? Is this inclusion of >> this? The standards are not voluntary. Um how they how they meet the standards um may vary. So >> can you elaborate on that? >> So what we do is correct. The standards are not voluntary. That's something that governs every school. Um and I'm sure you've looked at some of our standards. So they can be rather specific. But when we developed um the new standards actually 2018, not that long or not that new, but um we did work with content experts in the field um so from universities in Hawaii um on
043the continent etc. And so when we looked at um specific suggested content as being the most relevant, the most important uh Asian Asian I won't say Asian history, but um Americans of Asian descent, Americans of Japanese ancestry, and especially the whole um idea of of the whole history from the bombing of Pearl Harbor even prior. Um we work also very closely with the uh Cororamatsu Instit. It is left up to the individual schools um to decide exactly but the standards are very supportive of that. the standards are supportive. But yes, similarly with the lit financial literacy, we this body has for years wanted fiscal literacy to be embedded and we couldn't get it. And the it's because it's up to the board of education and we just this year they're going to start this next
044school year to have it in, but it's been an elective for a long time, which is something that they said it's embedded, I mean, as an elective and so forth. And that was DOE's excuse for not having financial literacy to be part of the curriculum. And so what does it take other than a law to get to have more consistency through the schools so that the students learn this is part of their history? Well, I can also say the main textbook that is used for modern history of Hawaii, it's from Best Press. um and most schools use that in that course. Um it has heavy um a large portion around the study of the 100th and the 442nd. So even with that textbook >> so when you say most schools use the textbook the not
045>> I can't say 100% of the schools use that textbook. No, I can. >> Is there any curriculum that is done what 100% of the schools and that you folks dictate as to what should be should be done? Is there anything that's so um for our reading and our math curriculum uh we do have a list that um schools are able to choose from. Um prior to that um you it was a little wider um uh but then we um have those vetted lists and um we're in the process now with social studies and science to um do the same thing. >> Okay, I have more to say on that. Anything else? Anybody want to chime in? >> I have some follow-up questions. You know, I think part of what becomes difficult to um uh
046I guess follow with individual schools is they may have access, you know, to the same textbooks, but it seems as though, you know, if um >> if we look at things like robotics or, you know, STEM types of activities, creative media, AI types of programming, it seems as though students today learn best if they're actually doing things or working on projects. you know, which uh also focus on, you know, the stories, but at the same time, they're really helping students understand values as well as other kinds of, uh, experiences which sort of illuminate Hawaii's experience in ways that, you know, uh, textbooks by themselves may not do. And so in your social studies curricula, how much um uh I guess how much does the department require, you know, some level of activity which also would
047tend to incorporate, you know, many of the different kinds of stories which could be used by schools in a a variety of ways. But it seems as though just having the textbook is sort of um inadequate. >> Yes. Um it's not just textbook based. That's one resource. And we do um and you know highly encourage and promote uh the hands-on approach. So several of our schools um you know they do look at pro project based learning and um in social studies uh we also have um those units that um schools may um use and not just you know reading from the textbook. So, one thing though that does go from kindergarten all the way through grade 12 in social studies is a standard um and it's really based on taking informed action. Um and with
048taking informed action that we have it in elementary, middle, and high and it's defined in an elementary way, a middle school way, and a high school way. So, um, this is something because you're exactly right. It's not something that you just know. Um, you have to you have to practice. You have to do. And so I know for example um I think it was I a high school it was a high school that did uh history day and national history day is a big project in Hawaii and they did it on one soldier in the 100th battalion and I think that project came out third in the nation. Um, and so taking informed action really is you're taking the content, for example, this is one standard. Analyze the socopolitical effects of the bombing of Pearl
049Harbor. Great. So, you learn these things, but then what do you do with it? What how are you bringing it forward? What is the legacy of this? So, we encourage um we work with schools across the state on how to take informed action around topics that are the most meaningful to them. Do you have competitions? Do you have award programs like his? >> Well, history day um it it's an opportunity for students to display their knowledge and apply it. And um we do send folks right to >> Oh, we're one of the top states in the nation for National History Day and many of the uh of the topics focus on local Hawaii history. Um we also do have award programs. One program that is um about four years old is called Hawaii Schools of
050Democracy. And um in the Hawaii Schools of Democracy program um the without getting into the whole explanation of it, but the it's um the first section is highly focused on our local history and national history and our local history and um and you know making we we're not mandating that they do Pearl Harbor or um something like that with it, but this is something where We have spoken to schools about um that they how they can integrate all of our local history into this program called Schools of Democracy. So it's not just the 100th and 442nd, but it's immigration um into Hawaii, the history of Hawaii. Um all of that. Yeah. Okay. Thank you. >> Any other questions? >> Okay. hearing on um decision making. >> Yes. So decision making see I think you are
051the lead on the last two for the first bill we proposed to reported amendment. It's just adding that one word. Okay. Um the next one is the diplomas. Um the center we could scale back to the bill transportation. Yeah. To line three and then page three over here. >> Okay. >> Yeah. meetings. >> So take those lines four to seven. >> Yeah. Keep that in mind. voting. >> What if this ask the department to report back and the goal of this would be to encourage the use of a pilot project for us to then determine how best to make that's what we find you to do that. >> Okay. Okay. Excuse me, chair. I have to count you back in. Connor's back. >> Okay. Call the joint committee back to order for decision making. Starting
052out with Senate Bill 2138. Yes, you have the um lead on that one. National Guide tuition. >> Oh, okay. children for um Senate Bill 2138 relating to the uh National Guard tuition assistance program. This is really just adding the word graduates. So, the chair is recommending that we pass this measure in an unmended form. Uh I think it will expand greatly um the students at University of Hawaii who can take advantage of this. So, sounds like a good step forward. Any questions, concerns for uh PSM committee? Vice Chair Lee? >> Voting on Senate Bill 2138. The recommendations to pass un amended, noting excused absences of senators Hashimoto and Enoi. Are there any reservations or nos? Seeing none, the recommendations adopted. >> Same recommendations for committee on education to pass as is. Uh chair votes I.
053Chair votes I. Vice chair votes I. Senator >> I senator Hashimoto. >> Excuse Senator Deort. >> Hi. >> Measures adopted. >> Thank you. We're moving on to Senate Bill 2614. Recommendation on this to authorize Department of Education to award a high school diploma to qualified persons. Our recommendation is to pass as is. Any discussion? Hearing none. Chair votes. >> Chair vzai vice chair vzai. Senator Fukunaga >> I. >> Senator Dort >> I. >> Senator Hashimoto excuse me it's adopted >> on Senate Bill. Hold on one second for PSM committee. >> Same recommendation passing un amended for the vote. Vice chair Lee >> voting on Senate Bill 2614. Recommendations to pass un amended. Noting excused absences of senators Hashimoto and are there any reservations or nos? Seeing none the recommendations adopted. >> Okay. Such an e
054eager beaver here. Senate bill 2687. This is requires department of education to develop and implement the 100th infantry battalion curricular plan. Um members, the recommendation um you know I I believe that this is really important for our students uh to to be well-versed and and understand what happened uh and to have heroes in their life as well. I think that it's not just the 100 infantry but any any of the wars that involved Hawaii and Hawaii residents I think is important. uh also recognize we recognize as chair that um it's the board of education that um mandates the number of hours and so forth that would you be required as far as um teaching and so I will defer to Senator Fukunaga whose bill it is as for recommendation for the amendments. >> Okay. for
055um Senate Bill 2687. I believe the goal is to have Department of Education report back on exactly how it is implementing a lot of the uh stories and the experiences both from the 100th battalion as well as many of the other veterans. And so the recommendation is to incorporate section two up through page pages two and three and end on page three which talks about uh establishing some form of history curricula. We would look to amend the bill with u references to a broader scale and ask the department of education to report back to the legislature on ways that it is implementing its social studies curricula in a manner that does in fact demonstrate you know uh active learning and use of these curricula. And we would retain uh the pilot program at the end
056of the bill to serve as one model that the department of education and groups like the 100th battalion center can work together on. And then the legislature will then have a report from the department as well as the efforts in this pilot project to make a determination next year as to how we might want to strengthen the DOE curriculum and also make available uh new sort of tools and resources that could help uh enliven a lot of the important Hawaii history that we want to capture. Just wanted to add that we wanted to make sure that it's not just school by school, but that it's completely across the state that this curriculum you folks would be looking at implementing and hopefully that if you folks really are serious about it, maybe we won't need a
057bill because then you'll come up with a plan in which you folks can incorporate. Right. Any questions members? Any discussion? Um hearing none. Recommendation is to amend to an SD1. Chair votes I for Senate bill 2687 to pass with amendments. Chair votes I. Vice chair votes I. Senator Heni. >> Senator Hashimotoki. Senator Deport. >> Hi. >> Adopted for PSM committee. Same recommendation passing with amendments. Vice chair Lee. >> Voting on Senate Bill 2687. The recommendation is to pass with amendments. Noting excused absences of senators Hashimoto and No. Are there any reservations or nos? Seeing none, the recommendations adopted. >> Okay. Thanks me and this judge is the chair. Thank you.