JON RIKI KARAMATSU

On March 7, 2003, I did a floor presentation celebrating the public unveiling of the Hawai‘i Learning Interchange’s Archetype and commending the Hawai‘i Arts Education Partners and Apple Computer for creating a national model of academic excellence

Floor Speech Supporting an Economic Diversification Authority
Tuesday, March 4, 2003

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of Standing Committee Report Number 836.

Mr. Speaker, many of our state departments and agencies work hard to economically develop their subject matters. However, there needs to be greater coordination between these government entities to ensure economic diversification occurs. House Bill 1579 House Draft 1 addresses this by creating an authority that will coordinate the State's efforts to create a plan, develop policies, strategize in how we market Hawaii, and find ways to eliminate or reduce barriers to diversify our economy. Therefore, to make Hawaii competitive in the global market, we must take action now to diversify our economy.

Thank you Mr. Speaker

Floor Speech on Contraceptives for Sexual Assault Survivors in Hospital Emergency Rooms
Tuesday, March 4, 2003:

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of Standing Committee Report Number 838.

Mr. Speaker, the statistics on sexual assault in our country and Hawaii are staggering. One in four girls are sexually abused before the age of 18. One out every 6 American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime. In 2001, the Department of the Attorney General reported a 16.8% increase in reported forcible rape in Hawaii from 2000.

However, research indicates that less than 30% of all sexual assaults are reported. If everything were reported, the statistics would drastically increase. Personally, I have friends who have never reported or sought help for their sexual assault.

When I was a student leader at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, I served on the Sexual Harassment Policy Committee and was astounded to hear the stories of sexual assault just at the college level, many of which were not reported beyond the University's sexual assault counselor. Part of the problem is that our society is very quiet about this crisis. Consequently, survivors feel unsupported or even at fault for their predicament.

House Bill 189 House Draft 2 takes a positive step in their healing process. This measure will help inform sexual assault survivors of all options available to them including emergency contraceptives for sexual assault survivors in emergency rooms.

After the attack, many of these women and girls are traumatized and may not be able to think clearly. Many survivors develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, the same disorder suffered by survivors of war. This measure will help our women and girls at the beginning of their lifelong struggle. As statistics indicate, many will eventually face drug abuse, eating disorders, sleep disturbances, sexual dysfunction, and even suicide, in addition to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Restricting information and options available at our hospitals does not make the process any easier for them. We must do all we can to support survivors, and not re-victimize them by withholding all options available in their time of need.

Mr. Speaker, seven years ago, when I was in college, I tried to do what I could to help a friend who survived a rape she experienced as a teenager that was not reported. My friend implied that there was nothing I could do. I entered politics determined to make a difference, especially for those who feel abandoned. And so today I stand before the House of Representatives in support of this measure to send a message to the women and girls of Hawaii that they are not alone. I want them to know that their leaders will do all they can to ensure sexual assault survivors have all information and options before them because their welfare is the top priority.

Thank you Mr. Speaker.

Floor Speech on the Enterprise Zone Bill
Tuesday, March 4, 2003

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of Standing Committee Report Number 849.

Mr. Speaker, the enterprise zone program was created in 1986 to encourage business activity, job creation, and economic diversification where they are most needed through regulatory flexibility and tax incentives. However, with the threat of war and economic uncertainty, time is of the essence, therefore, we must go further and work proactively to support areas losing a great number of jobs.

Current law allows each county in the State of Hawaii to select six areas for designation by the Governor as enterprise zones. House Bill 685 House Draft 2 would go further by directing the governor to work with the city and county of Honolulu to create additional enterprise zones in areas where commercial real estate have a vacancy rate of fifteen percent or more. Underutilized commercial real estate and the loss of jobs in these areas must be addressed before the situation worsens.

Although this measure would waive the requirements in sections 209E-4 and 209E-5 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, relating to zone designation and application review, the strict eligibility requirements in section 209E-9 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes will still be applicable for these two-year period enterprise zones.

Accordingly, to be eligible, a business located in an enterprise zone must earn at least half of its annual gross revenue from trade or business within the zone. In addition, businesses must satisfy one of the following hiring requirements. “New” businesses must increase their average annual number of full time employees by at least 10 percent the first year. At the end of Year 2, the average annual number of full-time employees must not drop below the required Year One average. For “Existing” businesses, they must increase their annual average number of full-time by at least 10 percent the first year. In Year 2, existing businesses will need to continue their average annual number of full-time employees by at least 10 percent as well. Therefore, businesses must still work to receive state and city incentives.

For the sake of fiscal responsibility, House Bill 685 House Draft 2 is very specific. On Tuesday, February 25, 2003 before the House Committee on Finance, The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT) in its written testimony, stated, “…we have determined that of the three types of commercial real estate: office, industrial and retail space, there are few geographic areas on Oahu that have a vacancy rate of 15% or more in any of these categories.” Hence, this bill will not be applied freely but rather prudently to areas in dire need.

For members concerned about “home rule,” the city and county of Honolulu can choose not to provide any of its incentives set forth in section 209E-12 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes if it is unable or unwilling to participate. Such a decision by the City will not terminate the temporary enterprise zone term of two years. Moreover, qualified businesses in these temporary enterprise zones will still be eligible to receive the state tax incentives until the zone terminates as a result of this measure’s two year sunset clause.

Finally, this measure supports our goal in diversifying our economy by allowing a variety of industries to participate in this program, including a good number from the knowledge-based industries.

Thank you Mr. Speaker.

Floor Presentation for Teachers Leonard Villanueva and Lynne Aki Johnson, Recipients of the Milken Family Foundation 2002-2003 National Educator Award

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution.

When it comes to heroes, Mr. Kanemoto, Mrs. Higashi, and Mrs. Chun come to mind. They were also my teachers.

The unsung heroes are the teachers who try to keep our young people engaged in their education. They serve as a member of each child's extended “ohana,” as they counsel, discipline, and support our children for nearly six hours a day, five days a week, nine to ten months every year.

Critics complain about the school system and call it “broken.” They are so eager to make a point about some of the failures of the system, but forget to recognize and honor the many positive things that are happening. Regardless if we have one, seven, or a hundred boards of education, it is people that make are schools great.
Leonard Villanueva, a teacher at Honowai Elementary School in my district, and Lynne Aki Johnson, a teacher at Aikahi Elementary School in Representative Thielen's district, represent the best in teaching because they make small miracles happen everyday in the lives of the children in their classrooms.

They too, are heroes.

Leonard Villanueva dreamt about becoming a teacher and has lived his dream for the past 15 years. He is a fourth grade teacher at Honowai Elementary School and with his knowledge of standards-based education and high expectations of his students, he is affectionately called “Mr. Standards.”

By his presence and example, he energizes his students and motivates them to learn. Even in his free time, he still teaches as a volleyball coach and an after-school tutor. And, through all his activities and by his example, he involves and continues to teach his son as a single parent. It is for these reasons The Milken Family Foundation named Mr. Villanueva as a recipient of their 2002-2003 National Educator Award, citing him for his exceptional and exemplary classroom practice and leadership. I am proud to present him before our honorable body to be able to say thank you for teaching and loving our children.

Mr. Villanueva, can you please rise. Also joining Mr. Villanueva today are his parents: Jose and Judith Villanueva.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am currently working on my floor speeches for Third Reading bills that will be on the floor on Tuesday, March 1, 2003. My House Bill 685 HD2 relating to enterprise zones will be up for third reading on that day as well.

For third reading on the House floor, I made a floor speech my House Bill 691, which would basically allow contractors to join together as a joint venture in the bidding process so long as each contractor individually has paid state taxes for the past two years. This bill would help small companies to participate in the bidding process when individually, it would be hard to do. House Bill 691 passed third reading with no opposition and will be heading over to the Senate.

This morning I participated in Honowai Elementary School's drug free march in the neighborhood. I took some pictures of the school's library because it is in need of air conditioning.

My enterprise bill passed Finance Committee with amendments and will be up for third reading.

This is the latest update on some of my bills that are still alive.

I am working hard with the Chair of Finance Committee, Dwight Takamine on my Capital Improvement Project requests for Honowai Elementary, Kaleiopuu Elementary and Waikele Elementary Schools. Honowai Elementary wants air conditioning for their library. Kaleiopuu Elementary requested an emergency gate in the back of their school. Finally, Waikele Elementary hopes to extend their parking lot. The fiscal situation is tight, but being that I am on the Finance Committee, I intends to do my best to see these projects funded.

My enterprise zone bill will be decided tomorrow in Finance Committee. My ethics bill is in Judiciary committee and grant-in-aid bill for Waipahu Cultural Garden is in Finance Committee. My Health Employer Medical Insurance Company bill needs to be heard by the Judiciary Committee in the Senate if it is to go on to third reading. I will be defending my procurement bill on third reading this Thursday. On that day, I will also be presenting my first floor speech.

18 out of 20 of my bills have been heard in committees in the House and/or Senate. As of Tuesday, February 11, 2003, 16 out of my 20 bills are still alive and may pass first lateral and enter third reading. If they pass third reading, they will cross over to the Senate, and bills in the Senate will cross over to the House.

(1) HB679 Requires the department of transportation to establish standards for the placement of school zone traffic signals, signage, and crosswalks, on public roads, to help ensure the safety of students, parents, and school personnel.

– The federal, state, and city governments has jurisdiction depending on the ownership of the throughfare. This bill would allow the state to have jurisdiction over school safety signs within a 1/2 mile radius from the center of the school property. The distance can be amended.

(2) HB685 Designates the entire island of Oahu as an enterprise zone for two years from 07/01/2003 to 06/30/2005.

– For strategy reasons, I made the bill broad and had the enterprise zone cover the entire island of Oahu so members of the House can narrow the region down through discussion. For example, if the bill mentioned West Oahu only, it may have a lesser chance of being heard because it may offend politicians not in the region.

(3) HB681 Removes Social Security number requirement for driver’s license. Authorizes the submission of identifying documents; and HB1521 Prohibits the use of social security numbers to verify the identity of a person signing a candidate’s nomination papers.

– I introduced these bills because of the problems that have been occuring with identity theft. HB 681 will be heard in Transportation Committee this week.

(4) HB1523 Requires that rental fees for public school facilities be commensurate with market rates. Dedicates increased rental fees to public/private partnerships established within the school-to-work transition program.

– Because of the bad fiscal situation the state is facing, this bill’s intent is to bring in more revenue into education. On the other hand, I understand how this would put a strain on non-profits looking for a facility at a reasonable cost. This is a bill I introduced in the House on behalf of Senator Brian Kanno.

I am the first primary introducer for the following bills for this 2003 legislative session:

(1) HB678 Establishes the Hawaii Employer Mutual Health Insurance Company to provide health insurance to Hawaii employers.
(2) HB679 Requires the department of transportation to establish standards for the placement of school zone traffic signals, signage, and crosswalks, on public roads, to help ensure the safety of students, parents, and school personnel.
(3) HB680 Provides for mandatory ethics training for legislators, elected members of the board of education, executive department heads and deputies, and trustees of the office of Hawaiian affairs.
(4) HB681 Removes Social Security number requirement for driver’s license. Authorizes the submission of identifying documents.
(5) HB682 Makes appropriation to Department of Health to work with Department of Education and law enforcement agencies to prevent crystal meth use.
(6) HB683 Gives students enrolled in University of Hawaii film courses reasonable access to the Diamond Head film studio.
(7) HB684 Provides a tax credit for the purchase of motion picture and film, and television production and post-production equipment.
(8) HB685 Designates the entire island of Oahu as an enterprise zone for two years from 07/01/2003 to 06/30/2005.
(9) HB686 Provides a tax credit of an unspecified amount to small high-tech companies to encourage expansion.
(10) HB687 Requires HTA to include performance goals, monitoring requirements, and measures of effectiveness in each contract in which public funds are expended for tourism marketing or promotion. Requires annual report.
(11) HB688 Defines “works of art” for purposes of the “art in public places” program to include aesthetic art objects, including digital media.
(12) HB689 Provides matching funds up to $75,000 for the plantation village programs through the Friends of Waipahu Cultural Garden Park.
(13) HB690 Requires Hawaii tourism authority to allocate a portion of its biennial budget to contract with the Hawaii Technology Trade Association to market and promote high technology industries in Hawaii.
(14) HB691 Contract for a public works project, a joint venture of two or more contractors shall qualify for the preference in this section if all joint venture contractors meet the requirements: a state agency shall award the contract to an offeror who has filed all state tax returns due to the State and paid all amounts owing on such returns for two successive years prior to submitting the offer; provided that the amount of that offer is not more than seven per cent higher than the amount offered by any competing contractor who has not filed or paid all applicable state taxes, and the amount of the offer by the state tax paying offeror is $5,000,000 or less.
(15) HB692 Specifies that the jurisdiction of the ethics commission over an elected official begins when the official is elected, not when the official takes office.
(16) HB1521 Prohibits the use of social security numbers to verify the identity of a person signing a candidate’s nomination papers.
(17) HB1522 Establishes an economic zone commission to designate and support economic zones and economic recovery zones such as Waipahu.
(18) HB1523 Requires that rental fees for public school facilities be commensurate with market rates. Dedicates increased rental fees to public/private partnerships established within the school-to-work transition program.
(19) HB1524 Expands the high technology research and development loans and grants provided by the High Technology Development Corporation, to include matching grants for companies that receive small business technology transfer grants. Appropriates moneys for the expansion.
(20) HB1525 RELATING TO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE FORTY-FIRST REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT.
(21) House Concurrent Resolution 64 requests Hawaii’s hotels to provide facilities fro email and internet access for their guests.

In finance committee, the Lingle administration did not have their budget proposals again. The informational briefings were postponed in December 2002 so they could make a smooth transition and be ready by January 2003. It looks like the legislature will not see all of the Governor’s proposals until February 2003. The House of Representatives must deck the budget by March 18, 2003.

Last week friday I filed the last of my bills. Non-chair House members are allowed to have twenty bills filed. I will soon list my twenty bills. In addition, I a primary introducer and co-introducer on a number of other bills.

In the finance informational briefing, Representatives heard from DBEDT and DAGS. The departments are still in negotiations with the Governor regarding her five percent reductions and hiring freeze on all departments. The Governor is realizing how hard cutting government can be because of lives that are affected. An area of government I am trying to make more efficient is HTA and HVCB. I would like to see a more diversified approach in its marketing strategies.

Recently, I attended Governor Lingle's State of the State address.

In the meantime, I have been working tirelessly on my bills, many dealing with our economy. Fifteen of my bills were decked today. Last week, I personally met with Senators on the second floor to get my companion bills introduced. Usually staff would be doing this, but I felt it would be better if I personally pushed for my bills. Moreover, it gave me a chance to work with Senators who did not know me too well.

Today, the State of the Judiciary address was done by Chief Justice Moon. The Chief Justice had to correct an error Governor Lingle made in her State of the State address.

I got out of a finance briefing at 8:30 p.m.

“Opening Day” for the 2003 Legislative Session was memorable. For entertainment, there was Korean dancing and Hawaiian music on the House floor.

In my office, we served spicy chicken, tofu salad, fried noodles, vegetables and dip, clam pasta, portugese bean soup, and desert. From 2:30 p.m. until about 8:30 p.m., I had meetings. In the early evening, I was happy to have the opportunity to “talk story” with former Chief Justice William S. Richardson. Tomorrow I will be busy from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Today, Joyce stopped by my office with her granddaughter to fill her employment papers. She brought a kadomatsu and mochi with a tangerine for good luck. Later, Representative K. Mark Takai brought another set of mochi and tangerine. In November, Representative Glen Wakai had a priest bless the office. We sure are getting as much luck as we can as we enter our first legislative session!

I had breakfast with former Senate President Norman Mizuguchi. It was nice to hear his stories and advice. He seems so relaxed now since he’s been out of politics.

Last week, I called former Representative Tom Okamura to “talk story.”

It is such an honor to have the opportunity to talk with former leaders of Hawaii.

I had an enjoyable Christmas with my family and friends. I am so lucky to have them in my life.

I am working on some of my bills. I worked on the usual daily work of letter correspondence and phone calls. My highlight of the day was receiving a call from former President of the Hawaii Senate, Norman Mizuguchi. I hope to finish up what I can and get some after-christmas errands done.

This morning I had a meeting with State Representatives from West Oahu to discuss various issues affecting the Leeward Side of Oahu. I presented six bills I am working on:

1) Support the development of University of Hawaii West Oahu
2) Tax credits for small tech businesses hiring its first employee
3) Allow University of Hawaii’s film school to have access at the Diamond Head Studio.
4) Indicator/data analysis on Hawaii Tourism Authority’s management and spending (Analysis to show how much return the state is getting in comparison to the amount spent?)
5) Allocating monies from Hawaii Tourism Authority to Hawaii Technology Trade Association for marketing of Hawaii’s technology industry.
6) Temporary Enterprise Zone for the entire island of oahu.

Yesterday, I had a great time at the Annual Waipahu Christmas Parade. At the end of the parade, we arrived at Waipahu Town Center where I made a short speech along with other district legislators.

I will be in the Annual Waipahu Christmas Parade, which will begin at Leeward YMCA at 3:00 P.M. and arrive at Waipahu Town Center. Senator Brian Kanno and his supporters will be sharing a trolley with me and my supporters. We will be throwing candies for the kids and families. At Waipahu Town Center, there will be christmas caroling, fun things for the kids to do and picture taking with Santa Claus.

My 28th birthday is today.