Latest news with #Bill31
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Changes coming to city grant program for rail-affected businesses
The City and County of Honolulu's financial relief effort for small businesses negatively affected by ongoing construction of the over-$10 billion Skyline project is on track for proposed changes. That's because the city's so-called transit construction mitigation fund, or TCMF, grant program—which Mayor Rick Blangiardi signed into law under Bill 40 in February 2024—was supposed to individually award any struggling, eligible business located along the rail corridor into Kakaako with a $10, 000 grant. But the city says only a few grants—out of the dozens of applications its received thus far—were actually awarded. 'Five awards of $10, 000 have been paid, ' Ryan Wilson, a city spokesperson, told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser this week. Wilson noted the city has received 34 applications submitted by local businesses. Of those, 15 applications were deemed ineligible. And 19 applications were returned for revision. To date, six applications were awarded—one on first submission, five on second submission, he said. 'The sixth business owner has not returned multiple calls and emails from the city, ' Wilson asserted. 'A letter will also be sent to the business owner providing a deadline to comply with the Hawaii Compliance Express (HCE ) certificate requirement, or the award will be terminated.' Legislation to expand eligibility to floundering businesses along the rail line who could receive TCMF funds recently materialized. The Honolulu City Council's Budget Committee on Tuesday voted to pass Bill 31, which seeks to increase the maximum allowed annual revenue for small businesses to $1 million, up from $750, 000. The measure's other proposed amendments would remove the number of employees limit, previously locked at 15 or fewer workers ; and require the applicant business to have opened at least 12 months prior to the start of any rail project construction within the transit construction mitigation zone in which the business is physically located, as determined by the city Department of Budget and Fiscal Services director. Previously, a grant applicant's business had to be open for business at their current physical location before Jan. 1, 2022. The full Council may review Bill 31 for possible approval at its meeting on Wednesday. Before the vote at Tuesday's committee meeting, Council member Radiant Cordero—who co-sponsored the measure in March with Tyler Dos Santos-Tam—asked BFS Director Andy Kawano 'if there's a need for rule-making again since there's going to be new criteria with this program ?' Kawano replied, 'Yes, we're going to have to amend the rules we currently have in place.' 'One requirement, for instance, is the limitation on employees ; I think it's 15 or fewer right now, ' he added. 'So that's going to have to be amended.' Kawano confirmed that a 'public notice ' will have to be issued over the program's potential changes. After the meeting, Dos Santos-Tam noted Bill 31 updates will expand the grant program's requirements. 'The expansion of eligibility for the (TCMF ) shows our commitment to making assistance more accessible and inclusive, allowing more small and medium-sized businesses to receive the support they need, ' he said in a statement. 'Rail project construction can create significant disruptions that impact day-to-day operations, and this bill helps ease those burdens so businesses can continue to serve their customers and maintain their employees.' Cordero agreed. 'These businesses provide more than just jobs and services ; they bring life and identity to our neighborhoods, ' she said in a statement. 'Supporting Bill 31 ensures our small businesses, which play a vital role in our communities, can keep thriving as our city grows and changes.' Cordero and Dos Santos-Tam—who respectively represent portions of the Kalihi and Iwilei communities—co-sponsored Bill 40 as well. Meanwhile, Anthony Han, owner of Soul Chicken and Bliss Lounge on the 1000 block of Dillingham Boulevard, said he's hanging on to his business in the face of Skyline's construction that's slated through year 2030. 'I've made a little more money than last year or a few years ago, but I'm still struggling, ' Han told the Star-Advertiser. 'That's why I'm thinking about whether to close this place or not.' Han said he currently owes $60, 000 in unpaid rent. 'I have another debt around $45, 000, ' he asserted. 'That is a true story.' Still, he confirmed the city approved his $10, 000 grant application earlier this year : he received a check in the mail in April. 'It's not enough though, ' Han claimed, 'the cost of everything went up.' In January, the city started offering $10, 000 grants to applicant businesses located near the rail line. At the time, TCMF grants were to be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, based on authorized and available funding for the program. But by early February, the city had to extend the time to submit applications. That month, the Mayor's Office said the extension—to Feb. 21—was due to TCMF grant applicants not properly filing business documentation with the city. 'Many of the applications that were submitted to the portal needed to be returned to applicants for revisions, especially because they lacked the required documentation, ' Ian Scheuring, the mayor's deputy communications director, told the Star-Advertiser previously. He noted errors led to applicants being denied grant funding. 'The city has received numerous applications for the (TCMF ) program that did not qualify, or were not in compliance with the rules of the program and were rejected, ' Scheuring said previously. According to the city, the total dollar amount spent on this program so far includes $50, 000 for the five $10, 000 awards ; $13, 585 for the program's one-year payment toward its information management system ; and $967.94 to publish legal notices regarding administrative rules hearings on this city-run program.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
City aims to loosen requirements to help more small businesses
HONOLULU (KHON2) — The transit construction mitigation fund was created to assist businesses hit hard by rail construction along Dillingham Boulevard according to Honolulu City Council member Tyler Dos Santos-Tam. 'We put this program in place last year knowing that a lot of the businesses have been suffering for years and so we wanted to create a pathway to get some kind of relief from the city,' he explained. Search continues for missing kayak fisherman off Kona coast Anthony Han, owner of Soul Chicken, is one of the few small business owners that qualified for the $10,000 grant. 'Luckily I got approved for this,' Han said. 'So I just got the check. Just so lucky I got it.' According to the city, only 34 applications were submitted. They said 15 were ineligible — for a number of reasons — and 19 applications were returned for revisions. In the end, only six small businesses were awarded. The city had allocated $250,000 for the fund, expecting to help over 20 businesses.'The restrictions were a little bit tight and only a few businesses were able to qualify than we wanted,' Dos Santos-Tam said. So he said he and Councilmember Radiant Cordero want to loosen the requirements. They are proposing the annual max revenue limit of $750,000 be increased to $1 million or less. They want to eliminate the maximum employee requirement completely and change the date a business had to have opened from Jan. 1, 2022 to at least 12 months prior to the start of any rail project construction. 'What makes Kalihi special are all these old mom-and-pop businesses,' Dos Santos-Tam added. 'And we want to make sure that they get a chance to survive.' Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news Construction along Dillingham Boulevard to relocate the power lines in preparation for rail, is expected to be completed some time in 2026. But businessowners said without more assistance they're not sure they can make it that long. Han said he is grateful for the $10,000 grant, but that it's not enough to keep him from going under. 'This is the beginning of the construction. So it's going to be getting worse the situation soon,' Han said. Honolulu City Council will be discussing proposed changes to Bill 31 regarding the Transit Construction Mitigation Fund in a meeting Tuesday at 9 A.M. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Alaska House reapproves another missed-deadline bill from last year
Fishing boats are seen in Kodiak's St. Paul Harbor on Oct. 3, 2022. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon) Last year, Gov. Mike Dunleavy vetoed five bills, citing the fact that the Alaska Legislature passed them after the constitutional end of the legislative session. So far in 2025, four of those five bills have been reapproved by either the House or Senate. On Friday, the Alaska House of Representatives voted 37-0 to remove a requirement that fishing vessels register with the state Department of Motor Vehicles if they're already registered with the U.S. Coast Guard and Alaska Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission. That removal will become law if the Senate and Gov. Mike Dunleavy also approve House Bill 31, which contains the removal and was the fourth of the five bills vetoed last year because of the missed deadline. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, in both years. Of the remaining missed-deadline bills, the Legislature has already passed two: one that allows state borrowing for a cruise ship dock in Seward, and another that allows teens to serve alcohol at restaurants, lodges and similar establishments. Senate Bill 15 is awaiting the governor's action. The Senate — but not the House — has passed a bill allowing employers to pay employees via 'payroll cards.' The last of the vetoed-and-reintroduced bills, which would have banned insurance companies from denying coverage or charging higher rates to elected officials, has not received a hearing. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Fox News
08-04-2025
- Health
- Fox News
Texas lawmakers consider bipartisan bill aimed at clarifying exceptions to state's abortion restrictions
Texas lawmakers are considering a bipartisan bill to clarify the state's abortion ban, as many doctors have expressed concerns that the law is not clear about when they may step in to protect the life of the mother without committing a crime. The state has a near-total abortion ban, but doctors, using reasonable medical judgment, are permitted to take action in cases where a pregnant woman faces a life-threatening physical condition or substantial impairment of major bodily function. Now, the state legislature is seeking to pass a measure to clarify how narrow that exception is, which will give doctors a more clear idea of when they can intervene in situations where there are pregnancy complications. House Bill 44 and Senate Bill 31 are matching bills that have each been introduced in their respective chambers, with the Texas House Public Health Committee hearing testimony on Monday regarding the version in the lower chamber. "This is not someone who is six weeks and driving to Planned Parenthood because they don't want their baby," Catholic Conference of Bishops executive director Jennifer Alman said, according to FOX 4. "This is a woman who very much wants her baby at 20 weeks and having a medical emergency where she has lost her child," Alman continued. "Even if it's not fully dead yet, her child is in the act of dying and the only way she can survive to parent her other children is to accept that death, protect her life and that is what the bill seeks to strike a balance of." The legislation, also called the Life of the Mother Act in both chambers, has brought together major pro-life groups, doctors, hospitals, Republicans and Democrats, said GOP Rep. Charlie Green, who authored the House version. "We know women's bodies have been horribly injured because doctors and hospitals are afraid to provide abortions that could save their bodies," Green said, according to FOX 4. "That's because some of the language in our current law is not clear to doctors and hospitals." The lack of exceptions under Texas' abortion ban prompted a lawsuit brought by 20 women, according to FOX 4, though it was rejected by the state Supreme Court. The court also called on the Texas Medical Board to provide clarity for doctors on when an abortion may be permitted under state law. The medical board said its job is not to clarify the law, sending the issue back to lawmakers, the outlet reported. Some who testified expressed concerns that the legislation would allow a loophole in the abortion ban. On the other side, some of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit argue the bill does not go far enough since it does not take into account fatal abnormalities of the fetus. Sarah Harrison said she was pregnant with twins when one of them had a fatal condition, according to FOX 4. "What if I got pregnant with twins again and I have to leave again? The trauma is real. It is real. It's intense. Of course, I feel scared to get pregnant in this state," she testified. Rep. Ann Johnson, a Democrat, said: "This bill does not include fetal abnormality. It does not include rape. But it does include a bipartisan approach to try to address the challenges." "I heard you guys say not sick enough. This bill does an important thing that does say you do not delay treatment. This bill does try to address that delay in time," she continued. The legislation appears to have enough support for approval.
CBS News
23-03-2025
- Health
- CBS News
After reported deaths, Texas lawmakers file bills to clear confusion over medical exceptions to state's near abortion ban
Texas lawmakers are hoping new bills will clear up the confusion over medical exceptions to the state's near abortion ban. The legislation comes after critics blamed uncertainty over the law for putting women's health in jeopardy and in some cases, leading to death. Republican and Democratic lawmakers have filed legislation in the Texas Senate and House. Under Texas law, the only exception to the state's near abortion ban is to save the life of the mother. At a news conference last week at the Texas Capitol, dozens of religious leaders praised the bills. While lawmakers are not creating new exceptions, they say are making the existing ones clearer, so that women, their doctors, and hospitals are all on the same page. State Senator Bryan Hughes , R-Mineola filed Senate Bill 31. He told CBS News Texas this would ensure that doctors who practice obstetrics and gynecology must take a course to know what the law is, and the course must also be available to hospital lawyers as well. "Our goal is to make the statutes crystal clear," said Hughes. "So there is no excuse, no delay in treating moms that need help and making sure that docs know what the law is." State Representative Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth, introduced House Bill 44. At the news conference at the Capitol he said, "It's an honor to carry the Life of the Mother bill. There are too many women who've suffered, too many have died. If one has died, it's too many and more have." Rev. Danielle Ayres of the Friendship West Baptist Church in Dallas said, "For us, pregnancy and motherhood are sacred. So, because of that, the past four years we have been more engaged with dealing with black maternal mortality rates because black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy related issues. So we do believe and we support the Life of the Mother Act." If doctors are found guilty of performing an abortion when they shouldn't have, they could still face criminal charges, civil lawsuits, fines, and losing their licenses. Watch Eye On Politics 7:30 a.m. Sunday on air and streaming on CBS News Texas.
