Gary Hooser's email on HB1247, a really nasty kukae sandwich of a bill (sorry) and some other news.
My darn email won't stop ringing 
It's like there's a 3 alarm fire.
Wait, there is a 3 alarm fire! It's called HB1247 and is scheduled to be heard tomorrow, Feb. 3rd at 10:35am - and it needs your testimony in opposition!
I've read HB1247 and agree with Isaac.
"I’m reading it front to back right now, and it’s not even tied to affordable housing. It exempts all housing developments.” says Isaac Moriwaki, Managing Attorney Earthjustice.
HB1247 mentions affordable housing (kinda barely) but it applies to all housing. It's attempting to fly under the flag of affordable housing while dismantling important environmental safeguards for all housing development, regardless of the price point or market they will serve.
HB1247 is retroactive to 2019 which begs the question - Who will benefit? What specific projects will benefit? What specific developers will benefit?
Inside baseball stuff: Clearly the forces of big development want to use affordable housing as a hammer and a wedge against the environmental community - who they will no doubt blame for being "against affordable housing" bla bla bla. Be aware.
The true Publicly Funded Election bills, SB1543 and HB967 have not yet been scheduled and so no testimony is needed at this time.
Mahalo to all who testified on HB95 saying basically thanks but no thanks and asking the committee to instead amend the bill to reflect the contents of HB967 - which is a true publicly funded elections bill. The Committee passed an amended version and Chair Tarnas stated it was not possible for HB95 to be amended to reflect the contents of HB967. Unfortunately Chair Tarnas did not acknowledge the need to hear HB967 nor did he indicate that he was willing to do so. The results of the committee meeting and see the testimony here. (they may take a day or two to post updates)
Inside baseball: The Chair stated that amending HB95 with the contents of HB967 would be an "illegal gut and replace", which is only an accurate statement if the Chair failed to hold a hearing on the amended bill. It is a given that the cleanest way to accomplish the goal is for him to schedule HB967 which was co-sponsored by 20 member of the House. Whether he agrees to schedule this measure remains to be seen.
Read blog post: Dancing with the devil on why public funding of elections is so important.
Mahalo also to those who testified in support of HB89 which “prohibit elected officials...from soliciting and accepting campaign contributions during any regular session or special session of the State Legislature” - This measure passed without amendment, unanimously See the Committee results and testimony here.
Please also submit testimony supporting HB955 - on midwifery - ASAP. There is a hearing scheduled in the House HLT Committee Friday 02/03 @ 8:30am.
This is an important bill that would preserve different pathways for birth practitioners and maintain freedom of choice for people who actively seek out and prefer different types of home-birth providers.
Essentially, HB955 bill has two elements:
1. Extends timeline for existing exemptions for traditional birth attendants to continue practicing under certain conditions (aligning us with Oregon where our existing statute was derived).
2. Allows all Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) to be eligible for licensure.
Finally: Contact Rep. Scot Matayoshi Chair of the House Labor and Government Relations Committee, before the end of the day Friday if possible, and ask him to schedule a hearing for HB235 (paid sick leave) and HB236 (paid family leave). These two measures are critically important for working people and deserve a public hearing and open vote.
Hawaiʻi County Friends: Check out HuliPac!. They're good people, doing good work. Please join them if you can.
Maui Heads-Up - Maui County Councilmember Keani Rawlins-Fernandez has introduced Resolution 23-28 emphasizing the unique birthing needs of the rural areas in Maui County, and urging the legislature to pass a bill legalizing all birth attendants. This resolution has a hearing this Friday 02/03 @ 9:00am, Maui residents, please testify in support of Resolution 23-28 ASAP! Email testimony to county.clerk@mauicounty.us and/or testify virtually via https://maui.bluejeans.com/295235670
Kauaʻi friends The Coco Palms I Ola Wailuanui saga continues: You might enjoy (in a perverse kind of way) my recap of the recent Planning Commission Meeting. Coco Palms - Pulling Back The Curtain AND Here are 4 things you can do now to help – Coco Palms – I Ola Wailuanui
Apologies for any redundancy or typo's...too much stuff to do. Please help if you can.
Sincerely,
Gary Hooser
*Friends who run their business putting people and the planet first: Check out the Chamber of Sustainable Commerce - a statewide Hawaiʻi non-profit group committed to doing the right thing, for the right reasons.
*I know you’re thinking, “Does it really make a difference?” The short answer is yes. Trust me on this. Yes, even if your email testimony is short, please send it in - and late testimony is better than no testimony at all!
There are too many bills so please don’t count on me to know them all!
To "sign up" for action alerts from various organizations covering various subject matter - I am posting this list on my blog
Disclosure: No individual nor any organization pays me to write this stuff nor does anyone pay for the Mail Chimp service, except yours truly. This is a labor of love and not for money. Not by a long shot.