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Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hawaii Legislature ends 2025 session on sour note
RELATED PHOTO GALLERY The last day of the legislative session ended Friday just like it did in 2023 : with House Republicans snapping at one another on the House floor shortly after senators walked across the state Capitol, held hands with House members and sang 'Hawai 'i Aloha.' Then, moments later, Republicans began squabbling openly among themselves over the latest version of Senate Bill 1434, which provides state funding for 'universal ' immunization, which prompted Republican Reps. David Alcos III (R, Ocean Pointe-Barbers Point ) and Garner Shimizu (R, Moanalua-Aliamanu-Foster Village ) to speak about other immunization bills that already died this session. Their Republican colleague, Rep. Kanani Souza (R, Kapolei-Makakilo ), twice rose to say that their comments had nothing to do with SB 1434, which she voted for and the House ultimately passed. The second time Souza spoke in support of SB 1434, Shimizu interrupted and said, 'Is this referring to the bill ?' prompting Souza to say, 'Excuse me, sit down. I'm speaking. You're out of order, ' prompting laughter. House Speaker Nadine Naka mura then struck her gavel and called for another recess to bring the House to order. During two recesses, House Majority Leader Sean Quinlan (D, Waialua-Haleiwa-Punaluu ) strode across the House floor in an unusual move to talk to some of the eight members of the Republican caucus. Following the dust-up among Republicans, majority caucus leader Rep. Chris Todd (D, Hilo-Keaau-Ainaloa ) then rose to make one of the last comments of the legislative session and said that his speech 'was not intended to be funny, but it is a little funny now.' Before Todd could elaborate, Nakamura cut him off, pounded her gavel again and said, 'Recess, ' leading Nakamura and Quinlan to speak quietly to Todd as people laughed. Todd did not finish his comments. Later, House Minority Leader Lauren Matsumoto (R, Mililani-Waipio Acres-Mililani Mauka ) said, 'One of the beautiful things about the floor is we can have debate and you can have different ideas. … Maybe you can see it as refreshing that we do have a lot of dialogue happening.' Asked to explain what was said between him and House Republicans, Quinlan said, 'It was a robust discussion about the House rules … but ultimately we ended with a smile and handshakes.' The last day of the 2023 legislative session also ended with Souza in a public dispute with her fellow Republicans when she interrupted Matsumoto for saying in her floor speech that 'this is the most cohesive the caucus has been.' Souza later told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 'I found that to be a blatant lie.' Following her interruption of Matsumoto, Republican Rep. Diamond Garcia (R, Ewa-Kapolei ) then interrupted Souza on the House floor. 'I found it very rude and brash, and so I had to call it out, ' he later told the Star-Advertiser. Throughout this year's legislative session, Matsumoto repeatedly praised the 'unprecedented ' cooperation between majority Democrats and the Republican minority. So the outbursts Friday among her own Republican members particularly stood out among a day of picture taking, presentations of lei and speeches thanking supporters and House staff and the singing of 'Hawai 'i Aloha.' The House and Senate did finalize other important bills Friday that now head to Gov. Josh Green for consideration. SB 97, in particular, generated last-minute, impassioned speeches on both the House and Senate floors. It would increase penalties for drivers convicted of excessive speeding three or more times within five years, impose a mandatory minimum jail sentence of 30 days and allow judges to order vehicles used in the offenses to be surrendered. Sen. Joy San Buenaventura (D, Puna ) voted against SB 97 because of the forfeiture provision, which she said could result in the loss of the only vehicle shared by a multigenerational household. 'When that vehicle is forfeited because of the reckless actions of one—I agree with punishing that one person, ' she said. 'But when you start punishing a family by removing their ability to go to work or go to school, then I have a problem with that.' Sen. Chris Lee (D, Kailua-Waimanalo-Hawaii Kai ) noted that vehicle forfeiture would be at the discretion of a judge. The bill passed the Senate by an 18-7 vote. The House voted 44-4 to pass it. Both chambers' approval of SB 1396 represented the most significant progress yet in Green's efforts over the past three legislative sessions to have tourists, primarily, generate millions of dollars in new revenue to help the state adapt to climate change and reduce the risk of future wildfires through a so-called climate impact fee, or 'green fee, ' that Green said he will sign. In a statement, Green called it 'the first of its kind in the nation ' and said it 'represents a generational commitment to protect our 'aina. Hawai 'i is truly setting a new standard to address the climate crisis, and I want to thank lawmakers for their unrelenting work these past two years in bringing this to fruition.' It will increase Hawaii's transient accommodation tax to 11 % from 10.25 % on top of the 3 % county tax that each county already charges, resulting in an overall 14 % TAT. The state Department of Taxation told the Star-Advertiser that revenue has been projected to raise $90 million to $100 million annually. 'Given the devastation we saw on Maui in August of 2023, this measure is crucial because it will help us to deal with wildfire risk resulting from the climate change crisis, ' Green said in his statement. 'It is foundational to our ability to provide a safe and secure Hawai 'i for our children, our residents, our visitors and the environment.' Senate President Ron Kouchi cited the importance of tourism to Hawaii's economy and the need to protect the islands' natural beauty. 'The greatest thing that we have to sell is the people of Hawaii and the aloha spirit, ' he said. 'But what makes our people so special is the beautiful landscape with which we stand. And it's challenging in finding the ways to protect our natural resource. But without the quality of the natural resource, then the beauty of our people will not shine as brightly as it has, and it is imperative that we find ways to ensure that we take care of our natural resources, and there are no easy choices. So I appreciate all of the discussion, the debate. We'll see going forward if that (bill ) works.' He noted the passage of other bills, including greater enforcement against illegal fireworks, and SB 1044, which would have a pair of state entities sell property loss insurance to condominium associations in an effort to stabilize insurance premium spikes. In the 25-member Senate, the final day of this year's regular legislative session was more congenial than in the 51-member House, with courteous dissent and debate, while a first-term member who is one of three Republican senators expressed appreciation to all her colleagues. Sen. Samantha DeCorte (R, Nanakuli-Waianae-Makaha ) told all of her Senate colleagues that she absorbed something good from every one of them. 'As I conclude my very first session here in the Senate, in the Hawaii state Legislature, I just wanted to really take the time to thank all of my colleagues, ' she said on the Senate floor. 'Everybody that is sitting here on the floor has been responsible of some kind of lesson learned.'
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Veteran GOP state lawmaker Gene Ward served with distinction, fervor
COURTESY PHOTO Gene Ward 1 /4 COURTESY PHOTO Gene Ward COURTESY CATHY LEE Lei drape former Rep. Gene Ward's desk as House members pay tribute to him Friday morning. 2 /4 COURTESY CATHY LEE Lei drape former Rep. Gene Ward's desk as House members pay tribute to him Friday morning. WEST HAWAII TODAY / 2017 State Rep. Gene Ward addresses the West Hawaii Republican Convention at Waikoloa Village. Ward, a longtime Republican East Oahu representative, died Friday morning at age 82. 3 /4 WEST HAWAII TODAY / 2017 State Rep. Gene Ward addresses the West Hawaii Republican Convention at Waikoloa Village. Ward, a longtime Republican East Oahu representative, died Friday morning at age 82. STAR-ADVERTISER / JAN. 15, 2020 Ward addresses fellow representatives about the problem of the Hawaii's high cost of living with a bag of groceries at his side in 2020. 4 /4 STAR-ADVERTISER / JAN. 15, 2020 Ward addresses fellow representatives about the problem of the Hawaii's high cost of living with a bag of groceries at his side in 2020. COURTESY PHOTO Gene Ward COURTESY CATHY LEE Lei drape former Rep. Gene Ward's desk as House members pay tribute to him Friday morning. WEST HAWAII TODAY / 2017 State Rep. Gene Ward addresses the West Hawaii Republican Convention at Waikoloa Village. Ward, a longtime Republican East Oahu representative, died Friday morning at age 82. STAR-ADVERTISER / JAN. 15, 2020 Ward addresses fellow representatives about the problem of the Hawaii's high cost of living with a bag of groceries at his side in 2020. Former state Rep. Gene Ward was remembered Friday for nearly 30 years of service in the Legislature and other accomplishments that included helping Native Hawaiians and people in poor countries around the world. Ward, 82, died Friday morning after prolonged health issues kept him sidelined from the state Capitol since January and led him to resign Monday after representing his East Honolulu district, which includes Hawaii Kai, for 27 years. During Friday's House of Representatives floor session, Ward's desk was adorned with a flower arrangement and lei. After adjourning, House members gathered around the desk still bearing Ward's nameplate and sang 'Hawai 'i Aloha.' 'Esteemed colleagues of the House, it is with a heavy heart that I rise today to formally inform this body of the passing of our dear friend, my mentor and our colleague, Representative Gene Ward, who peacefully passed away early this morning, ' said Rep. Diamond Garcia, a former office manager and chief of staff for Ward. 'Gene Ward was more than just a legislator, ' said Garcia (R, Ewa-Kapolei ). 'He was a true statesman. He devoted his life to serving others, from the villages of the Peace Corps to the halls of this Capitol.' Gov. Josh Green ordered U.S. and Hawaii flags to be flown at half-staff Friday through Monday at state facilities in recognition of what Green described as Ward's unwavering service. 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 passing of Gene Ward is a profound loss for Hawaii, ' Green said in a statement. 'Gene dedicated his life to public service with passion, integrity and an unwavering commitment to the people he represented. From his service in the Peace Corps and the Vietnam War to his decades in the State House, he brought a global perspective and deep love for Hawaii to everything he did. His leadership in supporting small businesses, strengthening international relations and advocating for local communities has left a lasting impact on our state.' Ward was born in Ohio and moved to Hawaii in 1965 where he trained in Hilo for volunteer Peace Corps service before being sent to Borneo, an island largely shared by Malaysia and Indonesia. According to old campaign advertising, Ward became an assistant land development officer for the Malaysian Department of Agriculture, and his job included clearing 10, 000 acres of jungle, establishing oil palm plantations and developing roads, bridges, villages and a school where he became principal. 'My crew chief for the jungle clearance project was an ex-head-hunter who used to squat down with me and smoke cigarettes while we planned our next step, ' Ward was quoted in the ad. 'It was a real hands-on lesson on working with people from incredibly diverse backgrounds.' In 1969, Ward, who spoke Malay, Indonesian and Vietnamese, served in the U.S. Army as a language specialist with the Military Assistance Command in Vietnam. Back in Hawaii, Ward earned a degree in Asian studies at the University of Hawaii and a doctorate in business sociology. As part of his doctoral thesis, Ward studied success factors of Hawaiians in business compared with Caucasians in business, according to campaign advertisements, and that led him to co-found the nonprofit Hawaii Entrepreneurship Training and Development Institute in 1977 with George Kanahele to train unemployed people to start their own businesses. Ward also for a time was a small-business owner with his wife, Faredah, a cousin of a past Malaysian prime minister whom Ward met in 1970 at the East-West Center. Ward and his wife imported and sold hand-painted batik fabrics from Malaysia in a store they opened in 1994 at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. Most of Ward's career was spent in politics. He credited his Peace Corps service with leading him there. 'I'm a product of Kennedy idealism that put me in the jungles of Borneo without electricity or running water for two years to prove that you can make a difference, ' he said in a campaign statement in the 1990s. 'Without the Peace Corps experience, I would not be in politics.' As a local Christian conservative GOP leader, Ward in 1988 was co-chair of the Pat Robertson for President Committee, an umbrella organization for new right-wing Republicans. After Robertson lost in the primary to then-Vice President George H.W. Bush, Ward led Hawaii's delegation at the National Republican Convention in New Orleans and appeared on national TV to cast the state's vote for Bush. Ward also ran for the state House in 1988, but lost to Democrat Fred Hirayama by 250 votes for the seat then representing Hawaii Kai to Aina Haina. Two years later Ward unseated Hirayama by nearly 300 votes—4, 249 to 3, 958. Also in 1990, Ward was honored in a Bush White House ceremony as the U.S. Small Business Administration's National Minority Business advocate of the year. Ward served in the House until 1998 when he tried to make a leap to Congress by running against Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep Neil Abercrombie, who later became governor. After losing to Abercrombie, Ward became a presidential appointee under the Bush administration in a USAID office promoting democracy throughout the world from 1999 to 2004. Then Ward served as a Peace Corps country director for the Southeast Asian island nation of East Timor from 2005 to 2006 supervising humanitarian efforts with a $1 million budget. Ward was reelected to his old House seat in 2006. Because Ward was a Republican in the Legislature heavily dominated by Democrats, it's hard to cite bills introduced by the veteran House member that became law. But Ward backed many bills that were enacted, and often chastised his colleagues from the opposing party. 'Democracy is good when there are differences of opinions, ' said Garcia. 'When debate happens, that's not a bad thing. It's a good thing and we need more debate.' Garcia recalled one instance in 2018 when Ward was trying to question officials in Gov. David Ige's administration about a missile attack alert that was sent to the public by mistake and took 38 minutes to correct. 'Please indulge me … I've waited for an hour and a half, ' Ward said to a House colleague running the meeting as he tried to ask more than two questions. 'Please don't cut me off.' Ward was cut off, and flung his microphone down in disgust as he left the meeting room. 'Typical Gene, ' Garcia said. 'He could get fiery at times, but he was always passionate. He would make sure that his thoughts were spoken loud and clear no matter what.' House Republican Leader Lauren Matsumoto said in a statement that during her 12 years in the Legislature with Ward, he would always say that Republican members might not have the votes but have the voice. 'And he lived up to that ideal every day he served, ' Matsumoto said. Over the years, Ward held multiple leadership roles, including House minority leader, House minority policy leader and, most recently, House minority caucus leader for the 2025 legislative session. Ward introduced several bills this year backed by colleagues, including one to establish a general excise tax holiday on the first Saturday of each month for Hawaii small businesses, one to legalize recreational use of cannabis by adults no younger than 21, one to replace a parking lot around Iolani Palace with a pedestrian promenade, and one to limit legislative terms to 12 years. However, since the beginning of this year's legislative session on Jan. 15, Ward had not been present at the state Capitol due to health issues. On March 21, Ward released a statement explaining that he had been experiencing anemia, sciatica, pneumonia and other health challenges that prompted him to resign from office effective March 31. 'Despite the many efforts of medical professionals, my recovery has been much slower and more painful in the last few weeks, ' he said. House Speaker Nadine Nakamura on Friday extended heartfelt condolences to Ward's family and community. 'Representative Ward served the East Honolulu community and the State of Hawaii with unwavering dedication, determination, and spirit, ' she said in a statement. 'His institutional knowledge, leadership, and flair were appreciated by colleagues on both sides of the aisle. Ward's contributions leave a lasting impact in the Legislature and throughout our state.' Former Gov. John Waihe 'e III recognized Ward for his service, which included twice being on the East-West Center's Board of Governors. 'Gene's unwavering commitment to service was truly inspiring, and his tenacity pushed us all to aim higher, ' Waihe 'e, the center's current board chair, said in a statement. 'Even in times of opposition, he approached conversations with respect and aloha. Our community will not be the same without him, and we will carry his memory forward in our service to the Center's mission that he cared about so deeply.' U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, called Ward a statesman and genuinely effective member of the loyal opposition. 'The people of Hawaii Kai and the people of Hawaii have lost a very good and decent public servant, ' Schatz said in a statement. Funeral service and public memorial arrangements are to be announced at a later date.
