December 5, 2025 News Read > Hawaii Free Press

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Friday, December 5, 2025

December 5, 2025 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 6:22 PM :: 118 Views

JSC Finally Gets Enough Applicants for Chief Justice

OHA: We Are Shut Out of Green’s Army Negotiations

Babylon Bee challenges state law criminalizing political speech

Sen Awa Fined for Filming Campaign Ad at Legislative Office

South, Central Maui Water 'Crisis' Suddenly Over

Fanatics starts sports prediction app, not subject to state taxes in Hawaii

Case, Tokuda split votes on removal of Chinese government influence from US schools

ASD: … Hawai‘i Reps. Jill Tokuda and Ed Case were split on three bills this week, beginning with the Combating the Lies of Authoritarians in School Systems Act, or CLASS Act, on Wednesday. That bill prohibits any public elementary or secondary school that receives federal funding from accepting any funds or contracts with the Chinese government or any organization acting on behalf of China or the Chinese Communist Party.

The bill acts in tandem with the Transparency in Reporting of Adversarial Contributions to Education Act (or TRACE Act) and the Promoting Responsible Oversight to Eliminate Communist Teachings for Our Kids Act (or PROTECT Our Kids Act), which the House passed Thursday.

The TRACE Act requires that any school receiving federal funds notifies parents of their right to request information about “foreign influence” in schools. Said influence could include any donations or contracts between the school and a foreign country or agency.

Meanwhile the PROTECT Our Kids Act cuts federal funding for any school that has any partnership with a cultural or language institute that is funded by the Chinese government. The bill specifically refers to “Confucius Classrooms,” language and cultural programs funded by the Chinese International Education Foundation.

All three bills passed with similar votes — CLASS passed 242-176, TRACE passed 247-166 and PROTECT passed 247-164. Votes on all three measures were largely split down party lines, although a cadre of about 30 Democrats broke with the rest of the party to support each bill, Case among them….

BACKGROUND:

read … CONGRESS WATCH: Case splits with Dems on Chinese education bills

Court: US Can Intervene in Cruise Line Challenge to Hawaii ‘Green Fee’

BL: … The US can intervene in order to back a lawsuit challenging Hawaii’s environmental tax on cruise line ships, a federal district court held.

The federal government met Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 24(b)(2) because its motion was timely, it’s a federal governmental agency or officer, it administers a law at dispute in the case, and its intervention wouldn’t prejudice the parties, the US District Court for the District of Hawaii said Thursday.

The motion was filed before a decision on Hawaii’s motion to dismiss the case, and it’s still early in the proceedings, the court said….

BACKGROUND:

read … US Can Intervene in Cruise Line Challenge to Hawaii ‘Green Fee’

With Hilo Burning, State Fire Marshall Priorities are ‘Staffing and Budget’

SA: … Q4. What are the “must dos” for 2026?

A4. There are a ton of things I could list here, but the big two for 2026 would be staffing and budget.

(BETTER IDEAS: Red Tag inspection of Union Bldg on Bishop St, then fly to Hilo and begin inspecting old wooden structures packed with low-income tenants. But that would be action, not talk.)

Staffing the office with well-qualified and experienced personnel is critical. Charting out future staffing and program needs is a step toward building a proactive, future-ready team to rebuild Hawaii’s fire safety infrastructure.

Increasing the budget for the next biennium and identifying sustainable funding mechanisms is vital to the office’s success or failure. The current budget authorized only my position and seven staff.

Additional funding will be required for equipment, facilities, training and statewide programs to increase the state’s fire and disaster readiness ….

Nov 30, 2025: Three Hilo Flop Houses Burn Down in a Month: Fire Kills 2 in Hilo Quonset Hut Legally Converted into Sec 8 Housing

Nov 21, 2025: Slow-Moving Honolulu Officials Are Doing Little To Help 'Hell-Hole' Tenants

read … 5 Questions: Dori Booth, state fire marshal | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

State funding during shutdown less than expected

SA: … The price tag to Hawaii was projected at $40.6 million for the Hawaii Emergency Food Assistance Program funded by the state Department of Human Services.

But DHS Deputy Director Joseph Campos told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that the state now expects to tap into federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Family reserves at the end of the year, which will lower Hawaii’s cost to only $15 million.

The 43-day shutdown began Oct. 1…

Green also pledged $2 million in state funding for Hawaii’s food banks to help them keep up with the sudden surge in demand as pop-up distribution centers opened.

And Green dedicated $100 million in federal TANF funds for a separate Hawaii Relief Program designed to help families with children with housing and utility relief assistance.

At the end of last week, the program had received 5,240 applications for the TANF funds, Campos said….

read … State funding during shutdown less than expected | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Council Member Accuses Mayor's Administration Of Coercion Over Housing Vote

CB: … During Wednesday’s monthly council meeting, Okimoto said she received a written message from a “senior administration official” after a September public hearing on Kevin Auger’s appointment to lead the new Department of Housing and Land Management. She did not disclose who sent the message.

“A written message from a senior administration official indicated that the release of my district appropriations will be contingent on the outcome of this vote,” she said at the council meeting. “These funds are not discretionary favors. They are duly appropriated resources approved by this council for the benefit and safety of our constituents. To attach political conditions to the release fundamentally undermines the integrity of this body and the public trust.”

Okimoto has tussled with another mayoral nominee in the past. In February, she postponed a vote on Emergency Services Director Jim Ireland’s reappointment after former EMS employees alleged he fostered a toxic work environment. Eventually, eight council members unanimously confirmed Ireland, with Okimoto as the sole yes with reservations. Council member Andria Tupola was absent for the vote.

On Wednesday, after giving a stirring speech that hailed the importance of checks and balances, Okimoto voted yes with reservations to confirm Auger.….

read … Council Member Accuses Mayor's Administration Of Coercion Over Housing Vote - Honolulu Civil Beat

Honolulu City Council OKs anti-ICE ‘constitutional rights’ resolution

SA: … The Honolulu City Council is urging Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s administration to affirm the constitutional rights of all Oahu residents regardless of citizenship or immigration status.

The move comes as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ramps up its efforts to locate, detain and deport citizens it deems illegal in Hawaii and across the country. The Council’s new Resolution 301, however, does not call out or explicitly name ICE or its activities on Oahu.

The Council approved the measure Wednesday but some members were opposed to the committee draft of the resolution, as well as the idea of the city providing more considerations to those who are illegal residents on Oahu….

read … Honolulu City Council OKs ‘constitutional rights’ measure

Electrical Panels Sparking—so ‘tenants’ go looking for a lawyer

CB: … she emailed the Hawaiʻi Office of Consumer Protection for help with (finding a lawyer to milk money out of the) problems at 1136 Union Mall, a downtown office building whose landlord had rented out commercial suites as unpermitted apartments to dozens of unwary residents (still looking to cash in while pretending to live there).

… allegations about unsafe bathrooms, sparking electrical panels and locked fire escapes, along with an overarching issue that the landlord hadn’t fulfilled the basic duty to provide habitable homes to tenants, as required by law.

(CLUE: Fire inspectors armed with red tag needed.)

“Please direct any question/inquiry regarding the Residential Landlord-Tenant Code concerns and issues to the Hawaii Residential Landlord-Tenant Center,” Scot Robertson, an investigator with the Office of Consumer Protection, wrote to Jordan in September. “Please be advised,” he added, “that the Center does not provide legal advice.” …

(The circus continues. Meanwhile the fire risk is still present. No red tag.)

read … Why Hawai’i Tenants Can Be Left Out To Dry By The State - Honolulu Civil Beat

Hawaiʻi Is A Great Place To Grow Old — But Only For Some

CB: … The high percentage of kūpuna who exercise regularly — along with Hawaiʻi’s good air and water quality and comparatively low rates of depression — help make the state one of the healthiest places in the nation for seniors, according to a report from the United Health Foundation.

The nonprofit, which pulled data from two dozen sources for its 2025 Senior Report, ranked Hawaiʻi as No. 10 for senior health this year. (Vermont earned the top spot in the report, while Mississippi came in last.)

But while the report showcases some of Hawaiʻi’s strengths, it also highlights some troubling realities in a state with a rapidly aging population….

read … Hawaiʻi Is A Great Place To Grow Old — But Only For Some - Honolulu Civil Beat

Ag property tax measure advances

HTH: … The Hawaii County Council voted unanimously Tuesday to advance Bill 103, Draft 2, a measure that would extend a 3% annual property assessment cap to certain former agricultural parcels that also qualify for the homeowner tax class. The bill passed 8-0 in committee and now heads to the full council for first reading….

read … Ag property tax measure advances - Hawaii Tribune-Herald

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