LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
The Hawaii Catholic Conference serves as the official public policy advocate for the Roman Catholic Church in Hawaii, conveying and championing our moral and ethical principles within the public arena. This encompasses active engagement at both the federal and state levels, where we collaborate with fellow advocacy organizations to address issues pertinent to the Catholic community.
Every legislative session, our conference focuses on issues that help families thrive no matter their income or social status. The beginning of the session is always a whirlwind of activity because bills are heard simultaneously in both chambers — the House and Senate.
Sometimes the bills are identical and so we find ourselves testifying twice on the same issue. Once crossover is reached, the bills will coalesce, and we will have more of a consolidated report.
As part of the Hawaii True Cost Coalition, Catholic Charities Hawaii actively advocates for legislative support, urging increased funding for service providers’ contracts and addressing budgetary needs for the fiscal biennium 2023-2025.
Housing issues include bills to raise the conveyance tax ($4 million value) and create more affordable housing by the issuance of general obligation bonds for the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corp. and Hawaii Public Housing Authority. Proposals also cover appropriations to the Hawaii Public Housing Authority for the rehabilitation, remodeling, renovation and repair of housing units, and include new priorities for projects with a perpetual affordability commitment.
Another issue that is a critical component of housing assistance is the temporary emergency rental assistance and landlord-tenant mediation program that was created during the COVID-19 pandemic to prevent evictions. This effort kept tens of thousands of families steadily housed during the pandemic. A bill under consideration attempts to recreate the lessons learned from this effort and adds the critical and necessary component of additional rental relief.
Issues that directly affect our kupuna include efforts to support funding for the Lanakila Multi-Purpose Senior Center and a bill to establish a program to help locate and safeguard vulnerable missing persons (Silver Alert). There is also another bill to provide funding and training regarding fall prevention.
Mental health remains an issue that requires much work and consideration.
One bill proposes an appropriation to the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division of $900,000 to contract for the provision of community-based child and adolescent mental health services. Another bill establishes provisional or associate-level licensure requirements for marriage and family therapists, mental health counselors and psychologists which is critical as shortages of providers continue to be reported.
Other bills that promote and protect the family cover issues relating to paid family leave, the establishment of a three-year pilot program for job opportunities and services to homelessness, expanding eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to include any individual or household whose monthly income is equal to or less than 300% of the federal poverty level, paid family leave, free school breakfast and lunch for all public school students, and funding for the Department of Human Services to purchase, staff and operate two mobile clinics to serve homeless persons residing in ohana zones.
A pressing concern facing our community is the legislative push toward the legalization of recreational marijuana. If Hawaii were to embark on this path, it would join the ranks of 24 other states permitting its commercial use.
The conference is deeply apprehensive about the potential repercussions of such legalization on the vital work of our social service organizations. We fear that the fabric of our efforts to nurture resilient and secure families would be profoundly impacted by this legislation. Thus, we hold onto hope that the Legislature will decide against its legalization.
On March 7, all bills that are still active will “cross over” from one chamber to the next where consideration will begin anew.
As the legislative session reaches its halfway point, the Hawaii Catholic Conference remains committed to advancing our advocacy efforts. While progress has been made, there is still much work to be done.
With determination and collaboration, we look forward to continuing our engagement with legislators and stakeholders to address the pressing issues facing our community.
Eva Andrade is the executive director of the Hawaii Catholic Conference.
