What's Happening in our Community & at the Capitol

Aloha!

The 2023 Legislative Session is powering up, and so much has been accomplished since I took office in November. We welcomed our Session Staff (more below), started organizing our office, attended multiple Finance Committee Informational Briefings, met with constituents, reviewed bill drafts, and signed legislation.

I will be introducing 20 bills this year and five resolutions. We've also started to send out mailers to a portion of the District and initiated this e-newsletter.

The first day of the Session is next week, Wednesday, January 18. I'm looking forward to welcoming our constituents, 'ohana, and friends traveling from the District to participate in the festivities and ceremonial activities.

We are now active on Facebook and Instagram, and you can follow our posts and stories @repmahinapoepoe. Please share with family and friends and help us build a following! Also, if you have community events, you'd like to publicize, please email [email protected] for inclusion in our next e-newsletter.

Mahalo nui loa,

Mahina

Meet Our Staff

Bringing over 15 years of experience at the Capitol, Charlotte Farmer is our office manager. Her background is in business and communications, and she is a longtime resident of Kailua in Windward O'ahu. She has a passion for the ocean and water and is an avid OC1 & OC6 paddler. She is committed to protecting our resources and promoting sustainability for our island home.

Sheila Ringor recently graduated from the University of Hawai'i with a double major in Political Science and Sustainability. She has a strong interest in conservation and environmental law and is now our Committee Clerk for House Committee on Water & Land. She values a work-life balance, and during her free time, she likes spending time with her loved ones as well as trying out new recipes and restaurants.

Born and raised in Honolulu, Pualani Tupper will be serving as our Legislative Analyst for the 2023 Session. As a recent college graduate, she is joining us with the goal of reconnecting to her community and learning about Hawaii through a lens of governance. Pualani hopes to one day become a published writer, but in the meantime is working towards applying for MFA programs in Creative Writing.

New Laws for 2023

This past session 317 bills passed, many which have already become law, however, the following Acts became effective January 1, 2023:

Act 15, SLH 2022 (SB2376 SD1) – Relating to Tobacco Taxes

Repeals and eliminates the deferred payment purchase option for cigarette tax stamps. Requires licensees to pay for stamps at the time of purchase using cash, certified check, or bank transfer.

Act 47, SLH 2022 (SB2162 CD1) – Relating to Ranked Choice Voting

Establishes ranked-choice voting for special federal elections and special elections of vacant county council seats.

Act 49, SLH 2022 (SB2185 CD1) – Relating to Fireworks

Requires the auditor of fireworks and articles pyrotechnic records for each county fire department to submit to the Legislature an annual report detailing inventory, recordkeeping, and sales of fireworks to license or permit holders.

Act 56, SLH 2022 (HB1619 CD1) – Relating to Peer-to-Peer Car-Sharing Insurance

Establishes provisions relating to peer-to-peer insurance coverage.

Act 57, SLH 2022 (HB1681 SD1) – Relating to Transportation Network Companies

Establishes requirements and permitting procedures for transportation network companies operating in the State. Makes permanent insurance requirements for transportation network companies and transportation network company drivers.

Act 58, SLH 2022 (HB2111 CD1) – Relating to Insurance

Establishes provisions relating to care obligation of insurers and producers.

Act 62, SLH 2022 (HB2272 CD1) – Relating to Condominium Associations

Amends provisions relating to contents of declarations under condominiums laws.

Act 69, SLH 2022 (SB2685 CD1) – Relating to Planned Community Associations

Establishes provisions relating to cumulative voting for directors under the planned community associations law

Act 76, SLH 2022 (HB137 CD1) – Relating to Liquor

Amends provisions relating to cooperation between the Department of Taxation and county liquor commissions.

Act 88, SLH 2022 (SB2279 CD1) – Relating to Catalytic Converters

Regulates the purchase of catalytic converters by used motor vehicle parts dealers and palladium, platinum, and rhodium by scrap dealers and recyclers. Subjects persons who violate related provisions to a class C felony. Establishes the felony offense of theft of catalytic converter.

Act 94, SLH 2022 (SB3165 CD1) – Relating to Operating a Vehicle under the Influence of an Intoxicant

Amends provisions relating to operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant under use of intoxicants while operating a vehicle law.

Act 97, SLH 2022 (HB956 CD1) - Relating to Statewide Interoperable Public Safety Communications

Establishes a statewide interoperable communications executive committee and subcommittee for public safety communications and the position of the statewide interoperable communications coordinator. Defines "interoperable communications".

Act 141, SLH 2021 (HB1102 SD2) – Relating to Litter Control

Prohibits the intentional release of balloons inflated with a gas that is lighter than air.

Act 159, SLH 2022 (SB2679 CD1) – Relating to Driver's Licenses

Extends the renewal period from two years to four years for licensees who are seventy-two years of age or older but younger than eighty years of age.

Act 161, SLH 2022 (SB3121 CD1) – Relating to Funding for Parking for Disabled Persons

Establishes an Accessible Parking Special Account within the Disability and Communication Access Board Special Fund. Increases the state annual vehicle registration fee by $1 and requires that $1 from each annual vehicle registration fee be deposited into the Accessible Parking Special Account.

Act 165, SLH 2022 (HB1475 CD1) – Relating to Mandatory Ethics Training

Requires state legislators and employees to complete mandatory live or online ethics training courses every four years, subject to certain requirements.

Act 169, SLH 2022 (HB2416 CD1) – Relating to Campaign Spending

Establishes provisions relating to donors; consent; notice.

Act 217, SLH 2022 (HB1982 CD1) – Relating to Taxes

Establishes provisions relating to withholding of tax by persons claiming the motion picture, digital media, and film production income tax credit under the general excise tax law.

Act 218, SLH 2022 (SB2378 CD1) – Relating to the Taxation Board of Review

Amends provisions relating to the taxation board of review; appointment; removal, compensation.

Act 283, SLH 2022 (SB555 HD1) – Relating to Campaign Fundraising

Prohibits elected state and county officials from holding any fundraiser event to raise contributions for which any price is charged or any contribution is suggested for attendance during a regular session or special session of the state legislature.

Act 286, SLH 2022 (SB3085 CD1) – Relating to the Hawaiʻi Code of Military Justice

Adopts a new Hawaiʻi Code of Military Justice to promote order and discipline in the state military forces by fostering an independent military justice system and updating nonjudicial punishment and courts-martial procedures.

Act 298, SLH 2022 (HB1688 CD1) – Relating to Registration of Vehicles

Subjects U-drive motor vehicles to the same motor vehicle registration fees as other motor vehicles. Authorizes the counties to use certain motor vehicle registration fees to mitigate and address the impacts of tourism-related traffic congestion.

COMMUNITY NEWS

Legislative Calendar

Deadlines for the 2023 Regular Session are set and the legislative calendar published.

Session opens on Wednesday, January 18, at 10:00 a.m., and legislators have until January 25 to introduce their bills.

The calendar can be found under the Public Access Room's (PAR) “Events” tab. It is also available on the Public Access Room (PAR) website on the “Current Legislature” page, where you’ll also find the famous “Which Deadlines Apply to My Bill?” handout.

You can access the calendar here.

Come Visit the Capitol!

The Capitol is completely reopened to the public. However, it will continue to offer hybrid options for hearings and testimony. Following is specific information that may be helpful:

Capitol Hours: Building hours for the State Capitol are 7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday. Photo identification is required for entry into the building. All guests will receive an entry wristband upon completing the security checkpoint.

Paid Public Parking: The Capitol parking lot has reopened for paid public parking.

Spread the word...let your neighbors & friends know we'd love to share our newsletter with them!

Rep. Mahina Poepoe

District 13 House of Representatives

415 S. Beretania Street Room 331

Honolulu, HI 96813