Aloha!
We are wrapping up our bill signing period, where I sign into law many bills that aim to help and support our working families. I have been committed to helping families find homes they can afford, making Hawai‘i healthy and safe, providing good educational opportunities and creating jobs that pay good wages.
Affordable Housing:
This past legislative session, one of my top priorities – affordable housing for low and middle-income families – received a major infusion of $200 million for the Hawai‘i Housing Finance and Development Corporation’s (HHFDC) Rental Housing Revolving Fund (Act 39). The new law appropriates $10 million to the Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund (DURF), extends the general excise tax exemption for certain affordable rental housing projects, and increases the limit on GET exemptions to $30 million until 2030.
Housing has been a top priority for my administration from day one. We have been advocating for increased investment in the Rental Housing Revolving Fund for nearly four years now. I’m so glad the Legislature is funding these very important programs. Since I took office, the state has completed 5,300 new homes across the state, including 2,000 affordable units. There are an additional 1,400 units under construction and another 4,000 in the planning phases.
Education:
I signed HB 2501 which appropriates funding for the Hawai‘i Promise Program, making it possible for everyone in our community to have access to a college education, and increase their potential to earn a good living. This program provides scholarships to eligible UH community college students who pay what they can for tuition and other expenses, while the state makes up the difference.
Environment:
For our children, I signed into law SB 3095, which bans pesticides containing the chemical chlorpyrifos. The new law also requires users of that pesticide to report annually to the state Department of Agriculture, and applies restrictions around schools until 2023 -- when the chemical will be completely banned in our state.
VOLCANIC ERUPTION and FLOODS:
Since April, our state and county governments have been working hard to help residents rebuild their lives following the volcanic eruptions on Hawai‘i Island and the floods on Kaua‘i and O‘ahu. We have been working closely with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as it sets up disaster assistance centers for federal, state and county services to help individuals qualify for aid. We’re making emergency loans available to farmers, and have released millions of dollars to the counties of Hawaii Island, Kaua‘i and O‘ahu for disaster-related repair of roads and public facilities.
I have requested emergency declarations for federal assistance, including individual assistance for both the Big Island eruption and the floods on Kaua‘i and O‘ahu. Requests for both public and individual assistance have been granted, and residents are currently in the process of applying for aid. In the meantime, I released an initial $12 million to Hawai‘i County to help with the mounting costs of emergency supplies and temporary shelter-related services. This will help the county to continue protecting the health and safety of Hawai‘i Island residents.
I have been to Hawaii Island on numerous occasions since the latest eruption began in May, to check in with emergency management officials, Mayor Harry Kim, FEMA officials, and of course our affected residents. I continue to be amazed by the overall resilience of those whose lives have been disrupted by the eruption, those who have lost homes and property, and also the community -- which has stepped up to help in so many ways.
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