logo
Housing, clean energy bills pass key committee

Housing, clean energy bills pass key committee

Yahoo26-02-2025

The critical state Senate Ways and Means Committee has moved out four bills on the eve of next week's deadline to keep bills alive, including one that would provide more state funding to improve and upgrade low-income housing projects.
Collectively, the four bills that passed the Senate's finance committee would address some of Hawaii's 'most urgent needs during this legislative session, ' Ways and Means Chair Donovan Dela Cruz (D, Mililani-­Wahiawa-Whitmore Village ) said in a statement.
'Through these measures, we are investing in Hawai 'i's future by building a more resilient, self-sustaining economy and a higher quality of life for our residents, ' Dela Cruz said.
Legislators in both the House and Senate are working to move out bills ahead of the March 6 deadline to send bills that originate in the House or Senate to the opposite chamber and keep them alive this session—or essentially kill them by the 'crossover ' deadline.
The bills that passed out of WAM this week are :—The latest version of SB 65, which would fund repair and maintenance needs for residents in low-income housing projects.
Don 't miss out on what 's happening !
Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE !
Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA.
The upgrades are just one part of the state's overall strategy to provide affordable housing for virtually all income levels to help make Hawaii more affordable and stem the exodus of residents leaving for states with lower housing costs.
Hawaii needs an estimated 50, 000 additional affordable housing units.—The latest version of SB 125, which would create tax incentives for local farmers and businesses that process local farm products, to help them compete with outside markets.—The latest version of SB 448, which would help maintain agriculture lands involved in food production, especially in Central Oahu.
It would allow the state Agribusiness Development Corp. to preserve the lands for food production.—The latest version of SB 1269, which would provide funding to the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism to look at geothermal energy potential in the neighbor islands—particularly Hawaii island, home to the Puna Geothermal Venture, which generates power from geothermal gas from Kilauea Volcano.
Exploring more geothermal energy opportunities would be part of Hawaii's larger effort to find clean, reliable and cost-effective energy and reach its net-zero carbon emissions goal while providing more affordable power.
DBEDT Director James Tokioka said in written support of SB 1260 that 'Hawaii's heavy reliance on imported fossil fuels has historically resulted in some of the highest electricity costs in the nation.
'Increasing our geothermal capacity presents a strategic opportunity to enhance grid reliability, reduce dependency on volatile global oil markets, and provide cost-effective energy solutions that benefit both businesses and consumers.'
Geothermal energy also has the potential to expand a tech industry that, Tokioka said, could spur 'future economic growth, particularly in sectors such as advanced manufacturing and data centers. These industries depend on reliable and affordable electricity to remain competitive. Without a stable energy supply, Hawaii risks losing out on investment opportunities that could otherwise diversify our economy, create high paying jobs, and foster technological innovation.'
But Keoni Shizuma opposes expanding geothermal technology.
He and others submitted identically worded testimony in opposition that said : 'Unlike wind, solar, or wave energy generation, geothermal requires permanent damage and desecration to the environment. The drilling into the 'aina, once done, can't be undone.
'In Hawaiian culture, the surface of the ground is sometimes seen as a body form of our goddess Papaha ­naumoku. To drill into the ground would be to desecrate parts of her, while if wind, solar, or even wave energy generation was pursued, all the structures would be temporary and merely sit on the surface (or in the ocean ).
'I would request that out of respect for Hawaiian cultural values and beliefs, Hawaii not pursue geothermal energy generation. We live in the perfect environment for innovations in renewable energy technology. Let Hawaii become a leader in new techniques and technologies in this field, push forth the field at University of Hawaii, and learn from international leaders of energy technology.'
Hawaii County Mayor Kimo Alameda said in his written testimony that the Big Island's early geothermal efforts have 'not yet translated into tangible economic outcomes. Now is the time to take the next step, to see if these resources can be developed to power our economy and benefit our communities.'
The bill would ensure safeguards for construction of a future geothermal power plant, Alameda wrote.
'This roadmap is designed with clear, measurable benchmarks so that legislators can easily assess whether or not the project is on track. If the benchmarks are met, it will demonstrate that this is a wise investment for the state, with the potential for significant returns in the form of reliable, renewable energy. If the benchmarks are not met, the legislature will have the clarity to redirect funds and efforts elsewhere. This approach ensures that we only continue to invest in geothermal if it proves to be a commercially viable and sustainable solution for Hawaii's energy future.'
The latest version of SB 65 has received no written opposition.
Its House companion, House Bill 907, has not been scheduled for a hearing and appears unlikely to cross over to the Senate.
In written testimony in support of SB 65, Hakim Ouansafi—executive director of the Hawaii Public Housing Authority—wrote, 'The age of Hawaii's public housing inventory presents significant challenges ' to house people that include families that earn less than 30 % of the area median income, people with disabilities and kupuna.
'Many properties were constructed over 50 years ago and require extensive updates to remain safe and habitable, and the HPHA faces a capital needs backlog of approximately $720 million, ' Ouansafi wrote. 'Additional funding is urgently needed to address this backlog and to ensure public housing units remain safe, decent and sanitary and available to those who need them most. As the HPHA relies on federal funding for approximately 90 % of its operations, and as this funding is tied to unit occupancy, the rehabilitation of vacant units is critical to maximizing federal support. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD ) does not subsidize vacant units, and HPHA's administrative fees to pay staff are also tied to occupancy, compounding the urgency of this work.'
Catholic Charities Hawaii wrote in support of increased funding, in part because it will make affordable units available 'to house homeless persons and many elders who face homelessness. The HPHA offers the most affordable housing available to the community. Tenants pay only 30 % of their incomes for rent. This makes these units affordable even to homeless persons, seniors struggling with limited income, and very low-income families. However, many units cannot be occupied due to health and safety issues in the units. These units must be brought into shape ASAP to house our state's residents with extremely limited incomes.
'These units are 'low hanging fruit' that should be immediately repaired to add them to our inventory of safe and decent housing, ' Catholic Charities wrote. 'These units do not need to wait years for permits or construction. Legislative funding could make them available very fast compared with funding for new construction.'

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Permitless concealed carry in North Carolina faces uphill battle after some GOP pushback
Permitless concealed carry in North Carolina faces uphill battle after some GOP pushback

Hamilton Spectator

time22 minutes ago

  • Hamilton Spectator

Permitless concealed carry in North Carolina faces uphill battle after some GOP pushback

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A bill to let adults carry concealed handguns without a permit cleared the North Carolina legislature on Wednesday, however the path to joining the majority of U.S. states with similar laws remains uncertain. The GOP-backed legislation faces a likely veto from Democratic Gov. Josh Stein, as well as pushback from a handful of Republicans who voted against the legislation in the state House. House Speaker Destin Hall acknowledged those concerns after Wednesday's vote. 'I would imagine that — math being math — that it's probably a low percentage relative to other bills,' Hall told reporters. If the bill becomes law, North Carolina would become the 30th state in the country to legalize permitless carrying of a concealed handgun, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. North Carolina would also be one of the last states in the Southeast to implement that legislation. The legislation allows for eligible people with valid identification over the age of 18 to carry a concealed handgun. More than half of states with permitless concealed carry set their age limit at 21 and older, while the rest have the legal carrying age at 18, according to the NCSL. Currently, a person must be 21 and older to obtain a concealed handgun permit in North Carolina. To qualify, an applicant must pass a firearms safety training course and not 'suffer from a physical or mental infirmity that prevents the safe handling of a handgun,' according to state law. Approving permitless concealed carry has been a goal of gun-rights activists in North Carolina for years, with House Republicans historically supportive of the idea. Some see it as the next step after Republican lawmakers successfully eliminated the permit system that required sheriffs to conduct character evaluations and criminal history checks for pistol applicants in 2023. Conservative advocates for the bill say it would strengthen Second Amendment rights for North Carolinians. Republican lawmakers also disputed that the bill would make the state more dangerous, as 'law-abiding citizens' would be the only people that would benefit from the permit elimination, not criminals, Republican Rep. Brian Echevarria said. 'Rights to keep and bear arms are constitutionally inseparable,' Echevarria said. 'If a person cannot own a firearm, they cannot bear a firearm.' The bill's passage tees up one of the first opportunities for a likely veto from Stein if he stays aligned with his fellow Democrats in the legislature. Stein has a more powerful veto stamp than his predecessor Roy Cooper , after Republicans lost their House supermajority last year that allowed them to override vetoes and enact their legislative agenda with relative ease. Now, House Republicans would need to count on a Democrat to join in their override efforts. Reaching that goal seems especially daunting, considering all of the present House Democrats — and two Republicans — voted against the bill. The governor's office didn't respond to a request for comment on the legislation, but House Deputy Democratic Leader Cynthia Ball said in a committee Tuesday that Stein was opposed to it. Several Democratic legislators said it would make communities unsafe by loosening who can carry a concealed handgun without training. Democrats also raised issue with the age limit set in the bill, saying it would put guns in the hands of young people who aren't yet mature enough to have one. 'Do you not remember when you were 18? We are prone and so susceptible to peer pressure, we are hotheaded, we are emotional,' Democratic Rep. Tracy Clark said on the House floor after retelling her personal experience of losing two friends in college to gun violence. Those seeking a permit for their concealed handgun — such as for the purpose of traveling with a firearm to a state that requires a permit — would still be able to do so. The bill also heightens the felony punishment for those who assault law enforcement officers or first responders with a firearm. A separate bill that makes gun safety courses available at North Carolina community colleges for people 18 and up passed in a near-unanimous House vote directly after the concealed carry permit repeal legislation was approved. ___ Associated Press writer Gary D. Robertson in Raleigh contributed to this report. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .

Permitless concealed carry in North Carolina faces uphill battle after some GOP pushback
Permitless concealed carry in North Carolina faces uphill battle after some GOP pushback

Yahoo

time39 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Permitless concealed carry in North Carolina faces uphill battle after some GOP pushback

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A bill to let adults carry concealed handguns without a permit cleared the North Carolina legislature on Wednesday, however the path to joining the majority of U.S. states with similar laws remains uncertain. The GOP-backed legislation faces a likely veto from Democratic Gov. Josh Stein, as well as pushback from a handful of Republicans who voted against the legislation in the state House. House Speaker Destin Hall acknowledged those concerns after Wednesday's vote. 'I would imagine that — math being math — that it's probably a low percentage relative to other bills," Hall told reporters. If the bill becomes law, North Carolina would become the 30th state in the country to legalize permitless carrying of a concealed handgun, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. North Carolina would also be one of the last states in the Southeast to implement that legislation. The legislation allows for eligible people with valid identification over the age of 18 to carry a concealed handgun. More than half of states with permitless concealed carry set their age limit at 21 and older, while the rest have the legal carrying age at 18, according to the NCSL. Currently, a person must be 21 and older to obtain a concealed handgun permit in North Carolina. To qualify, an applicant must pass a firearms safety training course and not 'suffer from a physical or mental infirmity that prevents the safe handling of a handgun,' according to state law. Approving permitless concealed carry has been a goal of gun-rights activists in North Carolina for years, with House Republicans historically supportive of the idea. Some see it as the next step after Republican lawmakers successfully eliminated the permit system that required sheriffs to conduct character evaluations and criminal history checks for pistol applicants in 2023. Conservative advocates for the bill say it would strengthen Second Amendment rights for North Carolinians. Republican lawmakers also disputed that the bill would make the state more dangerous, as 'law-abiding citizens' would be the only people that would benefit from the permit elimination, not criminals, Republican Rep. Brian Echevarria said. 'Rights to keep and bear arms are constitutionally inseparable,' Echevarria said. 'If a person cannot own a firearm, they cannot bear a firearm." The bill's passage tees up one of the first opportunities for a likely veto from Stein if he stays aligned with his fellow Democrats in the legislature. Stein has a more powerful veto stamp than his predecessor Roy Cooper, after Republicans lost their House supermajority last year that allowed them to override vetoes and enact their legislative agenda with relative ease. Now, House Republicans would need to count on a Democrat to join in their override efforts. Reaching that goal seems especially daunting, considering all of the present House Democrats — and two Republicans — voted against the bill. The governor's office didn't respond to a request for comment on the legislation, but House Deputy Democratic Leader Cynthia Ball said in a committee Tuesday that Stein was opposed to it. Several Democratic legislators said it would make communities unsafe by loosening who can carry a concealed handgun without training. Democrats also raised issue with the age limit set in the bill, saying it would put guns in the hands of young people who aren't yet mature enough to have one. 'Do you not remember when you were 18? We are prone and so susceptible to peer pressure, we are hotheaded, we are emotional,' Democratic Rep. Tracy Clark said on the House floor after retelling her personal experience of losing two friends in college to gun violence. Those seeking a permit for their concealed handgun — such as for the purpose of traveling with a firearm to a state that requires a permit — would still be able to do so. The bill also heightens the felony punishment for those who assault law enforcement officers or first responders with a firearm. A separate bill that makes gun safety courses available at North Carolina community colleges for people 18 and up passed in a near-unanimous House vote directly after the concealed carry permit repeal legislation was approved. ___ Associated Press writer Gary D. Robertson in Raleigh contributed to this report.

Major student loan changes just came one step closer to becoming law
Major student loan changes just came one step closer to becoming law

USA Today

time43 minutes ago

  • USA Today

Major student loan changes just came one step closer to becoming law

Major student loan changes just came one step closer to becoming law A 71-page bill released by Senate Republicans would cut down on repayment plans and deem certain college programs ineligible for federal financial aid. Show Caption Hide Caption Senators grill Education Secretary Linda McMahon over proposed cuts Education Secretary Linda McMahon testified to Congress over proposed budget cuts. WASHINGTON – Congress is closer than it's been in a long time to massively reforming college financial aid. On June 10, GOP lawmakers in the U.S. Senate proposed their version of the higher education section of President Trump's tax and spending megabill. The 71-page portion of the so-called "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" would set new caps on student loan borrowing while drastically cutting the number of repayment plans. Read more: Republicans propose massive overhaul of student loans, Pell Grants The Senate's version of the legislation is less aggressive than the bill that Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives introduced in late April. While it will likely be further watered down due to congressional budget rules, the scope of the legislation indicates big changes will be enacted soon to how Americans pay for college. Student loan caps proposed When President Donald Trump asked Republicans to find billions of dollars in federal spending cuts, GOP lawmakers in the House drew up measures to eliminate or dramatically curb many student loan programs. In April, they proposed cutting subsidized loans altogether for undergraduates. When students take out a federal direct subsidized loan, the government pays the interest while they're in school (and for a short grace period after the students complete their studies). That idea didn't survive in the Senate version of the bill, which was expected to be slightly more moderate than the House proposal. Read more: Could Trump fail on tax bill? Why going 'big' doesn't always work out as planned Other elements of the House version remain, however. Like the House bill, the Senate measure proposes cutting the number of student loan repayment plans to just two. That change would kill President Joe Biden's Saving on a Valuable Education, or SAVE, program, which former Education Secretary Miguel Cardona repeatedly called the "most affordable repayment plan ever." SAVE has been stalled in court for months, placing roughly 8 million people in forbearance. The Senate bill would also dramatically curb lending for graduate students and parents (though at lower caps than House Republicans wanted). Ben Cecil, a senior education policy advisor at Third Way, a center-left think tank, said he was pleased to see the bill appeared to make compromises. "These loan limits are much more reasonable," he said. Melanie Storey, president of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, said she was "relieved" some of the "most harmful" provisions of the House bill had been nixed. "Still, there are several concerning aspects of this bill that would ultimately make college less affordable for students," she said, including changes that "may drive borrowers to riskier private loans, which are not available to all borrowers." Less concern over Pell Grants One of college access groups' biggest criticisms of the initial bill was a significant change to Pell Grants, federal subsidies that help lower-income students pay for college. House Republicans wanted to increase the number of credits students would need to take each semester to be eligible for Pell Grants. The Center for American Progress, a progressive think tank, estimated that two out of three Pell recipients could've lost their grants or received smaller ones if that requirement were enacted. The Senate version takes a softer approach, codifying a provision to more fully exclude higher-income students qualify for Pell funds. At the same time, the bill expands Pell Grants in ways that could waste money, according to critics such as Sameer Gadkaree, president of The Institute for College Access & Success, a college affordability group. 'While the Senate nixed most of the House's proposed cuts to the Pell Grant program and averts a looming funding shortfall, it regrettably threatens the program's long-term stability by extending Pell eligibility to unaccredited programs that are unlikely to pay off for students," Gadkaree said in a statement. New accountability rules One of the biggest distinctions between the House and Senate versions of the bill is that they lay out two entirely different sets of new accountability rules for colleges. The House proposal would fine colleges for leaving students on the hook for unpaid student loan debt. The Senate's framework suggests taking federal financial aid away from college programs if they can't prove that students who graduate are earning more than they would have without a degree. Mike Itzkowitz, who served in the Education Department under President Barack Obama, said that concept has bipartisan support. "I don't know anyone who would be willing to fork over their time to take on loans to earn less than a high school graduate," he said. But it's possible that particular provision won't survive special Senate rules. To avoid needing the support of Democrats, Republicans are trying to pass Trump's "Big, Beautiful Bill" using the budget process. That strategy comes with challenges. However, the bill must only make changes that spend money or save money. Significant reforms to college oversight might go too far, said Jon Fansmith, the senior vice president of government relations at the American Council on Education, the main association for colleges and universities. "This process isn't designed to do complicated policymaking," he said. "I really do worry about rushing something through without understanding what we're doing." Zachary Schermele is an education reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach him by email at zschermele@ Follow him on X at @ZachSchermele and Bluesky at @

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store