001Hello mako and good afternoon. Mahalo for joining today's AEN edu uh HWN hearing. I am Mike Gabbert, chair of the A committee. It's Tuesday, February 3rd, and we're convened here in room 224 and also video conferencing, which includes the audio and video of remote participants. It's being streamed live on YouTube. In the unlikely event that this hearing is cut short, the committee will reconvene to discuss any outstanding business on Thursday, February 5th at 1 p.m. during Hawaiian's time slot. Uh, and a public notice will be posted on the legislaturator's website. And because of our 90inut time limit for hearings, there will be a two-minute time limit for all testifiers. And we'll have a virtual countdown timer on the Zoom screen. We have one bill on our agenda today. It's SP 2178. Industrial hemp program establishes
002an industrial hemp program in the department of agriculture and biocurity that includes comprehensive licensing, education and support for noncanabonoid industrial hemp cultivation and use. Establishes the industrial hemp program advisory board to develop a strategic plan to establish and expand the processing infrastructure and commercialization of industrial hemp. requires the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience to support research and development focused on local adaptation, sustainability, and economic development goals. Requires DAB to promote partnerships with Native Hawaiian practitioners, cooperatives, and inabased programs, and adopt state building codes for hemp based materials, including Hemp Creek. So, first up to testify, we have uh Parender Griewall from uh Hello chair and vice chair and chairs uh dean of seat um we uh stand on our uh written comments that we have submitted and I'm here for
003any questions if you might have. >> Thank you very much. >> Next is Travis Toon or Christopher J. Leong from the Attorney General's office. Says Zoom here. You're in person. I'm honored to have you. [laughter] >> Good afternoon, Deputy Attorney General Travis Moon. Uh we previously provided our written comments. Um and I'm here for any questions if you have any. Thank you. >> Thank you. And next we have Dimat Kalai Man from Humana Pono. Hello delay man co- manager monopono a1 advocacy corporation operating on wai coast with our beautiful senator over here you [laughter] >> tita you tita all right yeah so we strongly support this bill um finally we get something that probably that native wines could could get into um we know we're always coming to the to the legislature begging for money
004every year this could probably be something that we could become self-sufficient where the where the state legislature is said in 1990 when you created section 101 of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act that uh we you guys um want to get Hawaiians on the land in a prompt and efficient manner 36 years ago you said that this could be something that could help us get our people on the help become self-sufficient. I mean, I participated with brother Marcus um in a a thing all day in Wahiwa. And what I learned that day was the the the fiber from the stalk of the hemp was able to weave that and the thing is so strong, it's even stronger than the coconut fiber that we use to put uh to to wrap our armor on a canoe with.
005Yeah. So, it seems like this is something that uh industry that can explode to allow native wines to be at at the table and to be able to um thrive on our own homeland. So, I really support this bill and I'm glad that there's a lot of support out there and I appreciate the effort. Aloha. >> Uh next is Marcus Serrano from the Hawaii Industrial Pan. Aloha chair and members of the committee. My name is Marcus Srano and I represent Hawaii Industrial Hemp. Um we are in strong support of this bill. This is a program that really focuses on the community. I've had the opportunity to meet with some of you in respects to this bill talking about its benefits for the community and for the the islands in Hawaii. Over the past two week,
006as just mentioned, uh we held workshops across Aahu, uh Maui, and Big Island. With the support of the communities here in Hawaii, we were able to bring uh Danny Dejares from the lower sus over to Hawaii to help facilitate the workshops and we were able to demonstrate how industrial hemp can be used in our homes and providing a solution to a lot of what's being discussed these days. SP 2178 really matters because it gives us a framework to start something, something that is community-based, rooted in community. It is something that everybody at the workshops that we hosted kept asking us how and why where can we get involved? Why aren't we doing this yet? And so with that SB278, the only recommendation that we have around it is to form the committee first as opposed
007to putting rules any kind of limitations on in in jumping into the industry. I think that the advisory board can look at how to best help our farmers, our industry. And with that, thank you. I appreciate it. >> Thank you. >> Okay, we have uh Brian Miamoto from the Hawaii Farm Bureau. Aloha chairs Gabard, Kim, and Richards, members of the committees. I'm Brian Miamoto here on behalf of the Hawaii Farm Bureau. Hemheay chair, you normally start these hearings with that. [laughter] >> Um, you have our written support. We support the intent. We've we've been longtime supporters of hemp as a a crop that our farmers can grow, a crop that was once a promising crop, a crop that had a little bit more focus and attention. So, we are pleased that there seems to be
008a little bit more focus and attention back on hemp. You've heard our concerns in the past where um again overregula regulations we're not for but there needs to be some guard rails where there's some duplicity between state and federal and we don't want to overburden our farmers. I have to do the same thing with the state and federal governments but again with reasonable guardrails and we believe this bill can can assist in that. Chair you've talked about hemprete about hemp seeds for food for value added. There's so many opportunities with hemp, but we seem to lost the focus on hemp. What's encouraging is behind me is the new hemp coordinator within Department of Agriculture Bio Security. So again, there seems to be some focus um back on hemp. Uh I was just on Kauaii on
009Saturday and that's where we we all know that the facility, the one that's been in a lot of investment, Kaneshiro Farms, uh and and it doesn't sound like there's as much activity there anymore. So we need to ramp back up, put a little bit more focus on another crop that our farmers can grow that has some soil remediation, all the benefits of another crop, another option for farmers. So thank you. We appreciate the committees and the chairs uh hearing this and we we support the intent again with some guards and making sure that it doesn't overburn the farmers, but we also have some regulatory oversight. Thank you for the opportunity to testify. >> Thank you, Brian. Next is Dabs, Farm Bag Bio Security. Aloha chairs, vice chairs, members of the committee. Cedric Gates here on
010behalf of the Department of Agriculture and Bio Security. The department supports the intent of this measure and offers comments. And we have our subject matter experts in the room to answer any questions. >> Thank you, Senator. Uh let's see. Regina Peterson Nani is on Zoom. >> Not present on Zoom. Chair. >> Okay. Okay. Anyone else wishing to testify on this measure here in person? Come forward. Anyone online? >> Members questions. >> A question. >> Senator Kim, >> the department Are you one of the experts from DEA? >> I'm uh chairs uh vice chairs. I'm June uh Jun Tulio. I'm uh the I serve as the hemp program specialist for Department of Agriculture and Biocurity. >> You are the expert. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you uh for being here. In the testimony on the last
011second to the last uh line here, you talk about that should this measure be adapt enacted, you would require additional staffing for resources. Um >> if uh this bill is enacted, so uh we uh the department um the department's position um should have uh additional uh staffing and resources in order for this uh responsibilities to be fulfilled. So can you explain that I mean what exact what more responsibilities we're putting together [clears throat] this um >> so for education so >> advisory board right >> uh we need uh staffing uh to implement the uh education that is being uh proposed in the bill and also uh staffed in order to do this uh enforcement activities uh for the hemp uh including monitoring testing um And >> can you give us a breakdown of exactly how
012many positions and what you need and what their responsibilities under? >> So we think of the two to three uh including me. >> What do you do now? >> So right now um I as I mentioned earlier I serve as the hemp program specialist. Uh so we do the monitoring of the transportation reports. We also monitor the uh um hemp buffer uh growing buffer zones and aside from that I als I'm also uh helping uh our division uh particularly the um the uh commodity branch in you know uh food safety certification audit this because of also a lack of the um staffing in our uh >> so how many how many people in your division right now. >> So, >> or how many that do hemp? >> I'm the only hemp guy. >> You're the
013only hemp guy. >> Yes. Um >> Okay. >> But I also do and other other uh um resp uh I I have responsibilities uh in order to help our division. >> Well, they should find the regular people to do that. If you're doing hemp, then you should be doing hemp 100% of the time instead of us having to hire more people to do hemp. I mean they need some support but I think >> so so right now because of my hemp uh um uh the activities you know uh for hemp is not that so I try to help that >> right so again um I would like to see if you can the department can provide to us exactly what your duties are going to be under this and what other uh personnel you need
014and what they're going to be doing so that we can be assured that these people are are actually have uh work to do and that are doing it and not doing other things in the department and then what the cost would be. Have you guys estimated the cost? What's the cost? Um so for [clears throat] for this uh uh the proposed uh uh bill um ask uh uh so this is the industrial program. So we uh need to um uh issue licensing for the growers. We also >> Okay. The question is how much do you folks need and for what how much money do you need for just for positions? >> So like um around um 80,000 for each uh position. >> And how many positions? Three. >> Three. three plus yourself. >> Okay. Please
015get us that information before we get to the ways if and when we get to the ways and means committee because we're going to have to know more details and these cost and positions. >> Thank you. Uh do you folks have any revenue plan that you folks are expecting to be able to fund your own organization at some point and how long will that be? in 2000 uh when we had this industrial um hemp pilot program. So we collected some revenue for that and I think that's around $200 we have that that's uh all the money we have. So, um, [snorts] okay. Uh, but projecting forward once you folks are establishing hopefully maybe your folks program, what are you projecting the revenue to be? I mean, I think the point I'm trying to make is
016that hopefully we can have a department that actually funds itself at some point. So, I was just wondering if that was something you folks had projected within your strategic plan. So uh I think if um if this bill will be uh enacted so there's u uh this uh fees that be collected so I think that will be used by the program uh to uh you know to support the uh for the department to support the program. >> Sure. And then I noticed in your bill which I agree with uh the exemption for Native Hawaiian uh for that fee to be exempted. uh do you have any kind of reporting on how much you're expecting licensing to come in from Native Hawaiian organizations as opposed to non-native Hawaiian organizations? So um [snorts] right now since it's
017it's um uh we the licensing now is under USDA. So um and they don't charge anything. So we uh I think there's um um a gaps there that we need to address because uh some uh farmers are al uh they have concern with this licensing to licensing fees that uh uh will be uh charged with this uh uh bill. right now they are not they are getting free for USDA. So um >> we're good. Thank you. Thank you chair. >> Anyone else? >> So speaking of gaps, how is uh responsibilities of currently what USDA and what this bill provide? What's the difference? So how many more gaps responsibil and cost for the spring. >> So for the USDA is uh um the the the state of Hawaii is uh being uh regulated by USDA right
018now and they are doing the licensing. They are doing the testing, monitoring and all this uh um that is being um uh uh put forward in this bill. >> Yes. So would USDA continue to do this or would this be the responsibility? >> Our position is uh is to remove this uh duplication of uh oversight. So since there's already uh the USDA so uh the department thinks that it's it we have several concerns from the farmers. we talk with them and I think the first concern is this uh um overlapping regulations and also added fees that will uh burden the industry and also harm its economic viability. So that's why we we have in our uh testimony we uh pointed that out that uh you know this um duplication is a bit of concern for
019the department. >> I guess chair my my question or concern is will USDA give up responsibility because we passed this bill? I I think it's it it depends on on on if this bill is going to be uh enacted. So whether you know because we have to also uh uh USDA also um requires us to you know put our state plans and for them to uh approve it so with this bill. So if we are going to be uh going to this route uh through this bill, we should also be uh applying for uh you know uh approval from the USDA to um run our uh hemp uh uh program in Hawaii. >> Okay. I don't really think that answers my question. >> Anyone else? Chair. >> Yes. >> Um, yeah. Thank you, Chair. So,
020I don't think it's an if, it's a when. The intent is to drive this to get more activity for farmers, building materials, take care of Hawaiians, move things forward, and listening very carefully what [clears throat] Senator Kim was talking about, got to come to us with something set up and structured. It's set in DAB right now. We have the program because you exist. But what we need the the legislature is saying you're going to get this done. We're not asking your permission. We're telling you you need to have this and so that you need to deliver this to us. There's another hurdle to clear which is why I'm coming forth. And at that time the expectation is you will have something lined up. It's my firm belief that this is the right direction. But DAB's
021got to bring to the table so we know exactly where we're going before it gets this final hurdle cleared. So thank you. >> What else? >> Okay, we'll go into decision making. Uh >> okay. >> All right. So uh chairs having conferred the recommendation will be to pass uh SP 2178 with the uh attorney general's office suggested amendments. And we'll also amend the bill to remove the department of agriculture and biocurity licensing requirements and associated responsibilities to avoid duplication of existing USDA licensing authority. Thus will make technical amendments including deferring the date to July 1st 2050. We'll blank the appropriation amount and insert it into the committee report for consideration. So for AEN [clears throat] any discussion chair boats I vice chair recommendation on SP 2178 is to pass with amendments. Uh chair votes I
022vice chair Richards. >> Hi. >> Senator. >> Uh all yes. Senator W. >> Hi. >> Recommendations adopted. >> Thank you members >> for edu. >> Yes >> chair. Senate bill 2178 pass with amendments. Chair votes I. >> Chair votes I. Senator votes I. Senator Fukunaga. >> No, I'm excused. >> Yeah. >> Senator Ashimoto >> Also excused. Senator Decoy. >> Hi. >> And for the committee on Hawaiian Affairs uh on Senate Bill 2178 passing with amendments. Any discussion? and chair votes I. Vice chair. >> Thank you. >> Um committee, we're um going to voting vote on SB 217A. Recommendation of the chair is to pass with amendments. Chair votes I. Vice chair also votes I. Senator Ihara >> I. >> Senator Kio Ko >> I. >> And Senator Dort I. Chair recommendation is adopted. >> Thank
023you vice chair. Hen parade. We adjourn the meeting. Hello everyone. This is the committee on Hawaiian Affairs. This is our first convening of Hawaiian Affairs in the 33rd legislature regular session 2026. We are going to start actually we're going to start out by introducing the committee members that are here. So my name is Tim Richards. I'm chair of Hawaiian affairs. I come from district 4 which is on the big island. Vice chair please. >> Rashelle Lisa representing Senate District 19 parts of P City Papu Honi and Weslock. >> Aloha Jared Koho Kole uh Windward side Koha ano. >> Aloha Samantha Dort Wost. >> Thank you. Thank you Senator. So we'll first start out by a little housekeeping. [clears throat] Hello and thanks everybody for joining us. I'd like to as I said we've introduced everybody
024here. Uh we are being live streamed on YouTube. In the unlikely event that we are have to abruptly end the hearing, the committee will reconvene and discuss any outstanding b business at 10:05 p.m. on the 5th here in this room. A public notice will be posted. testifiers, you have a twominut time limit, so please adhere to that. And we'll give a little slack, but very little slack. We appreciate your understanding and remind you that if you have submitted written testimony, please stand upon that if you don't have anything to add. Uh given that, we're going to dive right into our agenda. First up that was on the agenda, Senate Bill 2260 2260. That has been removed from the agenda. I discussed with the introducer and there are some issues and challenges and I do fully
025appreciate what public testimony has brought forth. U so we are not going to be hearing that measure at this time. Moving on to Senate Bill 2702. We have uh four members or excuse me four testimony and support. Uh, Deont, you're the first. You're here in person. Please come up. >> Stand. >> Okay. Thank you very much. Next. Director Watson. >> Yes. >> Okay. Thank you. Is there anybody else here or on Zoom that would like to publicly testify? Committee members, any questions? Seeing none, move on to our next bill. Senate Bill 2785. It relates to economic development. We have two testimony and support and two in opposition. Uh Deont support. >> Okay. Thank you. And colleague >> same. Same. >> Okay. Thank you. Committee members, any questions? Seeing none, moving on. Senate Bill 2790 relating
026to Hawaiian Homes appropriating funds. Uh that has to do with inventory of Machai irrigation system. Colleague, you're here. >> Okay. Thank you. Uh Deont Kan, co-manager Manopono LLC, Native WC Corporation operating out of Wai Coast and uh we stand in strong support of this one and I really hope that this passes because the independent nation of Mokai as I call them is uh they hurting over there and they need help and they need help with infrastructure and this whole water issue has always been on the table for a long time. It's about time we get this thing done and the department needs all the help it can get. So I I really hope that this bill passes. It's important for our people on Mokai to be able to become self-sufficient and this can help lead
027to that. So I appreciate the effort and appreciate the bill. Aloha. >> Thank you. Is anybody else in the room would like to testify? it. Is anybody on Zoom? >> Uh, no one on Zoom. Chair. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Excuse me. >> Yep. >> Sure. By all means, come up, director. >> Good afternoon, Kyle Watson for the Department of Hawaiian Homelands. Uh, let's see. I I kind of missed on uh Senate Bill 2702. In our testimony, we kind of recommended amendment to delete section two and section 4 of the bill because it uh really doesn't require a Department of Interior approval. That's the only comment I wanted to make >> on 2702. >> Yes. >> Okay. We won't come back when we go into decision making. May I ask you questions on that, director?
028>> All right. So, anything further on 2790? Seeing none, any questions from our committee? Okay, moving on. Senate Bill 2314 uh relating to the Hawaiian language requires Hawaiian version of a law to be held binding. The law in question was originally drafted in Hawaiian or if the law was originally drafted in English and if the law was sub subsequently amended, codified, recodified or reenacted in Hawaiian and meets certain criteria. First up to testify, Jung Min on Zoom, >> not present on Zoom. Chair >> Ian Robertson, Deputy Attorney General. I am uh I'm appearing for uh for Charles uh Jun Jun Ming. Uh we submitted testimony uh submitting some uh some concerns about uh some of the language in the bill. Thank you. >> Yeah, thank you. We are in receipt of those concerns from attorney
029general. Okay, moving on. Uh Joanna Cham in person. >> Aloha. I'm Johanna. >> Yes, I'm Zoom. Go ahead. Aloha. I'm Johanna Chakam just sharing. We stand our on our testimony and appreciate the support of Alohi. Aloha. >> Thank you. Moving on, we have five more in support and we have Heather McVey on Zoom. Good afternoon, chair, vice chair, members of the committee. Heather McVey with the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission in support. And we suggested having it apply to uh or we suggested some language mentioning that it should be uh only for um things that are materially amended. So hopefully they'll cherry get a chance to take a look at that just to strengthen it further. Thank you kindly. Okay, thank you. Is there anybody else in the room like to testify? Seeing none, anybody else
030on Zoom it? >> No one on Zoom. Chair. >> Okay. [clears throat] Um I don't think there's really any reason to adjourn to go in decision making. Um I'll clarify something. Uh it that's let's that's recess. Hi, this is the committee on Hawaiian Affairs reconvening uh making decision on the first measure Senate Bill 2702. Uh we are going to postpone decision making on this until February 5th at 105. got a little bit more work to do and there's some amendments that we'd like to put in. Moving on to Senate Bill relating to economic development. We It's recommendation the chair pass as is. Vice chair for the vote. >> Members, we're voting on SB 2785. Recommendation of the chair is to pass un amended. Chair votes I. Oh, sorry. >> Yeah, that's right. Chair votes I.
031Um, vice chair also votes I, Senator Ihara, >> I, >> Senator Kio Kole, >> I, >> Senator Dort, I, Chair, recommendation is adopted. >> Thank you very much. Moving on to the next measure, Senate Bill 2790 relating to Department of Hawaiian Homes. Recommendation is to and Miss Mokai. This recommendation of the chair to pass as is. Vice chair for the vote. Chair votes I. What members were voting on SB 2790? Recommendation of the chair is to pass un amended. Um noting the presence of everyone here in the committee. Anyone voting with reservations? Anyone voting no. Um all members vote I chair. Your recommendation is adopted. >> Thank you. And final measure making decisions on today's Senate Bill 2314 relating to Hawaiian language. It is the recommendation of the chair to adopt passing with amendments to
032adopt some of the language from the state judiciary. Uh specifically English and Hawaiian are the official languages of Hawaii whenever there is a difference between the English and Hawaiian versions of a law that is material to its interpretation. Priority shall be given to the language that aligns with the intent of the legislature as evidenced by legislative history, context, and purpose. Hawaiian shall not be required for public acts and transaction, but is welcomed on Senate Bill 2314 passing with amendments. Chair votes eye. >> Members voting on SB 2314. Recommendation of the chair is to pass with amendments noting the presence of all members. Chair, anyone um voting with reservations? Anyone voting no? All members vote I. Chair, your recommendation is adopted. >> Thank you, chair. We're at the end of the agenda. We are adjourned.