In early June, the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawai‘i ("ACLU of Hawai‘i") sent a questionnaire to the 160 candidates running for Hawai‘i State Senate and State House in 2020. We crafted this questionnaire to highlight key civil rights and civil liberties issues affecting the people of Hawai‘i and to allow voters to make informed decisions about who represents them at the Legislature. Topics include privacy and technology, criminal legal reform, policing, education justice, houselessness, and the criminalization of poverty. Candidates were given the option of selecting “YES,” “NO” or “PREFER NOT TO ANSWER,” and were able to elaborate on their position for each question.

Learn more about the ACLU of Hawaii's policy work.

The ACLU of Hawai‘i is 501(c)(4) nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to defending the fundamental freedoms enshrined in the U.S. and state constitutions. The ACLU of Hawai‘i does not endorse or oppose candidates for elected office, but offered this opportunity to candidates to explain their positions on key civil rights issues to the communities they hope to serve. This questionnaire was sent to all candidates running for Hawai‘i State House and State Senate in the 2020 election. The intent of this questionnaire is for the sole purpose of producing and disseminating informational or educational communications that are not made to influence the outcome of an election, question, or issue on a ballot.

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1. Privacy and Technology: A recent study by the National Institute of Standards and Technology found that the majority of facial recognition technology programs exhibited disproportionate rates of error when analyzing the faces of women and people of color. In 2018, the ACLU tested Amazon’s facial recognition technology software by running the photographs of sitting members of Congress against an arrest database. Twenty-eight false matches came back, including those of six Congressional Black Caucus members. Multiple jurisdictions across the U.S. have instituted bans and/or moratoriums on government use of this technology. Do you support legislation limiting private entities' use of facial recognition technology without the clear, written consent of the subject?

A.Privacy and Technology: A recent study by the National Institute of Standards and Technology found that the majority of facial recognition technology programs exhibited disproportionate rates of error when analyzing the faces of women and people of color. In 2018, the ACLU tested Amazon’s facial recognition technology software by running the photographs of sitting members of Congress against an arrest database. Twenty-eight false matches came back, including those of six Congressional Black Caucus members. Multiple jurisdictions across the U.S. have instituted bans and/or moratoriums on government use of this technology. Do you support legislation limiting private entities' use of facial recognition technology without the clear, written consent of the subject?

A.

Senate

Senate District 2

  • Smiley Burrows (D): No Response
  • Rob G. Ka-Ipo (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Joy San Buenaventura (D): No Response

Senate District 5

  • Christy, Kajiwara-Gusman (R): No Response
  • Rynette Ipo Keen (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Gil S. Coloma Keith-Agaran (D): No Response

Senate District 8

  • Ronald Dan Kouchi (D): No Response

Senate District 9

  • Stanley Chang (D): No Response
  • Sam Slom (R): No Response

Senate District 10

  • Jesus Arriola (D): No Response
  • Vicki B. Higgins (D): No Response
  • Les S. Ihara, Jr. (D): No Response
  • Paul Shiraishi (Nonpartisan): Yes

Senate District 11

  • Brian Taniguchi (D): Yes

Senate District 13

  • Kevin McDonald (D): Prefer not to answer; I am not very well versed on the complications of this issue, I will say though, That private businesses should have the right to use this technology on their own property with the proper signage posted.
  • Karl Rhoads (D): Yes

Senate District 14

  • Donna Mercado Kim (D): No Response

Senate District 15

  • Glenn Wakai (D): No Response

Senate District 19 

  • Rida Cabanilla Arakawa (D): No Response
  • John H. Clark III (D): Yes; Yes, I support legislation limiting private entities’ use of facial recognition technology without the clear, written consent of the subject. Because human faces can – and do – change, facial recognition technology software can trigger incorrect results. And because existing research indicates that facial recognition technology has a higher likelihood to be incorrect when reading the faces of people with darker skin, I believe the technology should only be used when explicitly requested by an authorized user – and only when the risks are clearly communicated to the users of the technology.
  • Kurt Fevella (R): No Response

Senate District 20

  • Feena Bonoan (Libertarian): Yes
  • Mike Gabbard (D): Yes

Senate District 22

  • Thora-Jean Cuaresma (D): No Response
  • Donovan Dela Cruz (D): No Response
  • Banner S. Fanene (Nonpartisan): Yes
  • John E. Miller (R): Yes

Senate District 25

  • Chris Lee (D): No Response
  • Kristina Kim-Marshall (R): No Response

State House

State House District 1

  • Mark M. Nakashima (D): No; It would depend on the purpose for using facial recognition technology.
  • Lorraine Pualani Shin (R): No Response

State House District 2

  • Devin Shaw Kealohapumehanaokalani McMackin Sr. (Aloha Aina): No; Once again if consent is not given, then it is illegal and should not be allowed. Never should private or government entities be able to do so unless consent is given
  • Christopher L.T. Todd (D): No Response

State House District 3

  • Frederick F. Fogel (D): No; The government loves to limit private freedoms in the name of protecting the innocent, when in reality it is simply another step on personal freedoms for the purpose of power projection.
  • Susan Hughes (R): Yes
  • Shannon Lopeka Matson (D): Yes
  • Richard H.K. Onishi (D): N.A

State House District 4

  • Hope (Alohalani) Cermelj (R): No Response
  • Desmon Antone Haumea (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Greggor Ilagan (D): No Response
  • Brian Ley (Nonpartisan): No
  • Eileen Ohara (D): Yes; I would uphold the rights of citizens to not reveal Personal Information.

State House District 5

  • Colehour Bondera (D): Yes; I do not support the unauthorized use of a person's image.
  • Citlalli Johanna Decker (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Jeanné Kapela (D): Yes; Corporations, like the government, shouldn't be allowed to violate people's privacy or employ technology that undermines our efforts to end discrimination, especially at a time when protests across the nation are highlighting our need to reform policing methods that are prone to bias.
  • Michael L. Last (Libertarian): Yes

State House District 6

  • Nicole Lowen (D): No Response

State House District 7

  • David Tarnas (D): Yes; But I will study the issue to see if we need to take action to outlaw it here in Hawai‘i.

State House District 8

  • Ka‘apuni Aiwohi (D): Yes
  • Troy Hashimoto (D): Yes
  • Robert G. Hill III (D): No Response

State House District 9

  • J. Kahala Chrupalyk (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Justin Woodson (D): No Response

State House District 10

  • Kanamu Balinbin (R): No Response
  • Travis Gyldstrand (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Angus L.K. McKelvey (D): No Response
  • Leonard K. Nakoa III (D): Yes

State House District 11

  • Don Couch (D): Yes
  • Howard E. Greenberg (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Tina M.L. Wildberger (D): No Response

State House District 12

  • Simon Russell (D): Yes
  • Kyle T. Yamashita (D): No Response

State House District 13

  • Lynn DeCoite (D): No Response
  • Theresa Kapaku (Aloha Aina): Yes; No one should be able to take advantage of a person's facial 'map' for identification without their permission, especially private entities. 
  • Walter Ritte (D): Yes; Informed Consent is very important.
  • Robin Vanderpool (R): No; I believe it will help fight crime and terrorism

State House District 14

  • Steve Monas (R): No Response
  • Nadine K. Nakamura (D): No Response

State House District 15

  • James Kunane Tokioka (D): No Response
  • Steve Yoder (R): No Response

State House District 16

  • Ana Mo Des (R): No Response
  • Daynette Morikawa (D): No Response

State House District 17

  • Keith Kogachi (D): Yes; The use of such technology must be improved and full disclosure must be made regarding the purpose and use of such technology after first vetting through the legislative process for acceptable uses of such technology in the private sector.
  • Gene Ward (R): No Response

State House District 18

  • Tommy Driskill III (D): No Response
  • Mark Jun Hashem (D): No Response
  • Lori Ford (R); Yes

State House District 19

  • Wayne Chen (American Shopping): No Response
  • Bertrand Kobayashi (D): No Response
  • Michael L. Parrish (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 20

  • Julia E. Allan (R): No Response
  • Becky Gardner (D): Yes; However, we need to carefully examine what type of private entity is seeking to use this technology, and for what purpose; and ensure that limiting legislation is appropriate and narrowly tailored to their needs.  For example, facilities that are to be safe havens for domestic violence victims may wish to use such technology for greater protection.
  • Jay I. Ishibashi (D): No Response
  • Jackson Sayama (D): Yes; As private entities further integrate facial recognition technology into its services and products, there must be safeguards to protect user information. I would support legislation that would require private entities to receive explicit consent prior to the use of facial recognition technology.
  • Derek A. Turbin (D): READ HERE

State House District 21

  • Scott Y. Nishimoto (D): No Response

State House District 22

  • Tom Brower (D): No Response 
  • Nicholas R. Ochs (R): No Response
  • Adrian Tam (D): Yes

State House District 23

  • Dale Kobayashi (D): No Response

State House District 24

  • Della Au Belatti (D): No Response
  • Andy Sexton, Jr. (Aloha Aina): No Response

State House District 25

  • Sylvia Luke (D): No Response

State House District 26

  • Kim Coco Iwamoto (D): Yes
  • Scott K. Saiki (D): No Response

State House District 27

  • Takashi Ohno (D): No Response

State House District 28

  • John M. Mizuno (D): No Response

State House District 29

  • Daniel Holt (D): No Response
  • James Logue (D): Yes

State House District 30

  • P.M. Azinga (R): Yes; Unfortunately, facial recognition is not 100% foolproof Dark skin, identical twins . There has been misrepresentation, misidentification, even case of miss micro-expression.
  • Romy M. Cachola (D): Yes
  • Sonny Ganaden (D): Yes
  • Tess Abalos Quilingking (R): Yes; Facial recognition technology can be an invasion of privacy and face recognition data can be prone to error, which can implicate people for crimes they haven't committed.

State House District 31

  • Aaron Ling Johanson (D): No Response

State House District 32

  • Linda Ichiyama (D): No Response

State House District 33

  • Tracy Arakaki (D): Yes
  • Jenny Boyette (R): Yes; Technology companies should have the expressed written consent of the subject, and not just a sentence or two addressing the issue in a user agreement. It should be asked in a separate area where the individual may opt out an any time.
  • Sam Satoru Kong (D): No Response

State House District 34

  • Keone F. Simon (R): No Response
  • Gregg Takayama (D): Prefer not to answer

State House District 35

  • Carl E. Hood (R): No Response
  • Keline Kahau (Aloha Aina): Prefer not to answer
  • Roy M. Takumi (D): No Response

State House District 36

  • Trish La Chica (D): Yes; For one, private entities are often not subject to the same public scrutiny and access as the government. This can result in many of the same negative impacts with fewer remedies, such as Fourth Amendment protections or access by way of Freedom of Information Act requests. In addition, the increased presence of the private sector in our national security and law enforcement arenas means there is also a real possibility of government access and misuse of any gathered data.
  • Marilyn B. Lee (D): No Response
  • Val Okimoto (R): No Response

State House District 37

  • Emil Svrcina (R): No Response
  • Ryan I. Yamane (D): No Response

State House District 38

  • Henry J.C. Aquino (D): No Response 

State House District 39

  • Ty J.K. Cullen (D): No Response
  • Austin L.S. Maglinti (R): No Response

State House District 40

  • Rose Martinez (D): No Response
  • Bob McDermott (R): Yes

State House District 41

  • David Alcos (R): No Response
  • Matt LoPresti (D): Yes
  • Mokihana Maldonado (D): No Response
  • Amanda J. Rathbun (D): No Response
  • Ryan Isamu Uehara (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 42

  • Sharon Har (D): No Response
  • Vickie L.P. Kam (D): Yes; This seems a clear violation of our right to privacy and without citizens giving consent for our image to be used, stored, or analyzed, this practice needs to stop.

State House District 43

  • Stacelynn Kehaulani Eli (D): No Response
  • Diamond Garcia (R): Yes
  • Shaena Dela Cruz Hoohuli (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Michael Kahikina (D): Yes; More to it should have consequences for private misuses that leads to criminal and/or civil rights violation!

State House District 44

  • Maysana Aldeguer (R): No
  • Cedric Asuega Gates (D): No Response
  • Jo Jordan (D): Yes
  • Joseph K. Simpliciano, Jr. (Aloha Aina): No Response

State House District 45

  • Michael Chapman (D): Yes; We need to proceed cautiously when it comes to the use of data, including an individual's likeness. We need to get ahead of this technology before it grows out of control.
  • Lauren Matsumoto Cheape (R): No Response

State House District 46

  • Aaron James Kaleo Agsalda (D): No Response
  • Amy Perruso (D): Yes

State House District 47

  • Sean Quinlan (D): No Response
  • Boyd Ready (R): Yes

State House District 48

  • Lisa C. Kitagawa (D): No Response
  • Kau‘i Pratt-Aquino, Esq. (D): Yes

State House District 49

  • Kilomana Danner (R): Yes; Private entities have no business tracking private individuals.
  • Scot Matayoshi (D): No Response

State House District 50

  • Patrick Pihana Branco (D): Yes; Yes, I do, as facial recognition technology is a significant violation of an individual’s right to privacy.  In the absence of imminent compelling state interest (as would not exist in private cases), consent should guide all use.
  • Micah Pregitzer (D): Yes
  • Kanai Souza (R): No Response

State House District 51

  • Alan K. Akao (D): Yes; In the private sector I believe that facial recognition can be used for a variety of functions and be expanded on for research and technological uses. However, I do believe that data collection through facial recognition technology should be given with clear consent by the subject or parties. Privacy and consent are important factors and rights that people hold and it should not be infringed upon for the sake of technological advance, when that advance can still come through willing participation and collaboration.
  • Coby K. K. Chock (D): No Response
  • Doni Leina‘ala Chong (R): No Response
  • Scott Grimmer (D): No Response
  • Erik K. Ho (Aloha Aina): Yes; Businesses have the benefit of utilizing their legal departments to type convoluted documents in order for individuals to use the businesses technology. Any use of facial recognition software should be mentioned at the forefront of any user agreement along with other pertinent information regarding collection of personal information of users.
  • Kukana Kama-Toth (R): Prefer not to answer; Depends what they are using it for. They are a private entity who can operate freely but if civil rights are being disregarded then we would need to have the discussion about the affects of such usage.
  • Lisa Marten (D): Yes; It is a violation of privacy.

2. Privacy and Technology: Do you support legislation ending government use of facial recognition technology?

A.Privacy and Technology: Do you support legislation ending government use of facial recognition technology?

A.

Senate

Senate District 2

  • Smiley Burrows (D): No Response
  • Rob G. Ka-Ipo (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Joy San Buenaventura (D): No Response

Senate District 5

  • Christy, Kajiwara-Gusman (R): No Response
  • Rynette Ipo Keen (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Gil S. Coloma Keith-Agaran (D): No Response

Senate District 8

  • Ronald Dan Kouchi (D): No Response

Senate District 9

  • Stanley Chang (D): No Response
  • Sam Slom (R): No Response

Senate District 10

  • Jesus Arriola (D): No Response
  • Vicki B. Higgins (D): No Response
  • Les S. Ihara, Jr. (D): No Response
  • Paul Shiraishi (Nonpartisan): Yes

Senate District 11

  • Brian Taniguchi (D): Prefer not to answer

Senate District 13

  • Kevin McDonald (D): Prefer not to answer; I do not support a government data base for tracking criminals’ movements, but I can get behind using facial recognition to solve crimes or track down wanted individuals.
  • Karl Rhoads (D): Yes

Senate District 14

  • Donna Mercado Kim (D): No Response

Senate District 15

  • Glenn Wakai (D): No Response

Senate District 19 

  • Rida Cabanilla Arakawa (D): No Response
  • John H. Clark III (D): Yes; Yes, I support legislation ending government use of facial recognition technology. It has been established that facial recognition technology delivers a hi-tech surveillance method that is more precise than the human eye. Government use of these systems to augment public safety will likely increase as the technology evolves and improves. However, unlike biometric information like fingerprints and DNA, human faces change. Accordingly, facial recognition technology software can trigger incorrect results by fluctuations in body weight, hairstyle, facial hair, and the effects of aging. Perhaps most frighteningly, research indicates that facial recognition technology is likely to be incorrect when reading the faces of people with darker skin.
  • Kurt Fevella (R): No Response

Senate District 20

  • Feena Bonoan (Libertarian): Yes
  • Mike Gabbard (D): Yes

Senate District 22

  • Thora-Jean Cuaresma (D): No Response
  • Donovan Dela Cruz (D): No Response
  • Banner S. Fanene (Nonpartisan): Yes
  • John E. Miller (R) Yes; If your statements above are correct then my answer is yes.

Senate District 25

  • Chris Lee (D): No Response
  • Kristina Kim-Marshall (R): No Response

State House

State House District 1

  • Mark M. Nakashima (D): Yes
  • Lorraine Pualani Shin (R): No Response

State House District 2

  • Devin Shaw Kealohapumehanaokalani McMackin Sr. (Aloha Aina): Prefer not to answer; My believe is that the use of Facial Recognition is a violation of ones civil rights. As well as my believe is that when using this technology, appropriately, ie a warrant, then yes the use of it is then legal due to the warrant. However, the use of the facial recognition to obtain a warrant is and should always be a violation to my civil rights to privacy. Such laws should be voted on by the local municipality.
  • Christopher L.T. Todd (D): No Response

State House District 3

  • Frederick F. Fogel (D): No; As with any tool, it depends how it is used (or abused). There is a place for nearly everything.
  • Susan Hughes (R): Yes
  • Shannon Lopeka Matson (D): Yes
  • Richard H.K. Onishi (D): N.A

State House District 4

  • Hope (Alohalani) Cermelj (R): No Response
  • Desmon Antone Haumea (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Greggor Ilagan (D): No Response
  • Brian Ley (Nonpartisan): No
  • Eileen Ohara (D): Yes; Until such a time as this type of software can be vastly improved to provide credible results, it should not be used in the criminal justice system.

State House District 5

  • Colehour Bondera (D): Yes; Facial recognition software is problematic.  There are insufficient government regulations to prevent potential abuse, including law enforcement agencies.  It has proven to be inaccurate in identifying people of color.  Then there is the issue of whether this technology would undermine a citizen's right to privacy.
  • Citlalli Johanna Decker (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Jeanné Kapela (D): Yes; Facial recognition technology has been proven to be biased against minorities and invites violations of personal privacy.
  • Michael L. Last (Libertarian): Yes

State House District 6

  • Nicole Lowen (D): No Response

State House District 7

  • David Tarnas (D): No; But I will study the issue to see if we need to take action to outlaw it here in Hawai‘i.

State House District 8

  • Ka‘apuni Aiwohi (D): Yes
  • Troy Hashimoto (D): Yes
  • Robert G. Hill III (D): No Response

State House District 9

  • J. Kahala Chrupalyk (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Justin Woodson (D): No Response

State House District 10

  • Kanamu Balinbin (R): No Response
  • Travis Gyldstrand (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Angus L.K. McKelvey (D): No Response
  • Leonard K. Nakoa III (D): Yes

State House District 11

  • Don Couch (D): Yes; At least in it's current level of accuracy. I would be willing to consider limited use once it is more accurate. Consider — not support.
  • Howard E. Greenberg (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Tina M.L. Wildberger (D): No Response

State House District 12

  • Simon Russell (D): Yes
  • Kyle T. Yamashita (D): No Response

State House District 13

  • Lynn DeCoite (D): No Response
  • Theresa Kapaku (Aloha Aina): Yes; People have stated that facial recognition technology is invasive to their privacy.
  • Walter Ritte (D): Yes; This technology is not ready for such an important job.
  • Robin Vanderpool (R): No; I believe it will help fight crime and terrorism.

State House District 14

  • Steve Monas (R): No Response
  • Nadine K. Nakamura (D): No Response

State House District 15

  • James Kunane Tokioka (D): No Response
  • Steve Yoder (R): No Response

State House District 16

  • Ana Mo Des (R): No Response
  • Daynette Morikawa (D): No Response

State House District 17

  • Keith Kogachi (D): Yes; The use of technology in all aspects of our daily lives has been in my view beneficial but accuracy must be significantly improved in facial recognition technology before being deployed.
  • Gene Ward (R): No Response

State House District 18

  • Tommy Driskill III (D): No Response
  • Mark Jun Hashem (D): No Response
  • Lori Ford (R): Yes

State House District 19

  • Wayne Chen (American Shopping): No response
  • Bertrand Kobayashi (D): No Response
  • Michael L. Parrish (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 20

  • Julia E. Allan (R): No Response
  • Becky Gardner (D): Yes; Government use of such technology puts us on a dangerously slippery slope; and smacks of Big Brother authoritarianism. There is great potential for abuse, particularly through racial profiling, which puts Hawaii’s diverse ethnic population at greater risk. Moreover, over-reliance on such technology invites more sophisticated hacking efforts, and may make things more dangerous. With its demonstrable high degree of false matches, we should be very wary of this dehumanizing technology unless and until it becomes more developed; and the public must be satisfied with any parallel efforts that are instituted to avoid false matches and racial profiling.
  • Jay I. Ishibashi (D): No Response
  • Jackson Sayama (D): Yes; I do not support the use of facial recognition technology, especially if the technology is unreliable and disproportionately affects people of color. In addition to technological concerns, a proliferation of security and facial recognition technology would present serious privacy concerns. Until such technology is improved and instituted with coordination and consent from the community, I support ending the use of facial recognition technology.
  • Derek A. Turbin (D): READ HERE

State House District 21

  • Scott Y. Nishimoto (D): No Response

State House District 22

  • Tom Brower (D): No Response 
  • Nicholas R. Ochs (R): No Response
  • Adrian Tam (D): Yes

State House District 23

  • Dale Kobayashi (D): No Response

State House District 24

  • Della Au Belatti (D): No Response
  • Andy Sexton, Jr. (Aloha Aina): No Response

State House District 25

  • Sylvia Luke (D): No Response

State House District 26

  • Kim Coco Iwamoto (D): Yes; As a Lifetime Member of the ACLU and former board member of ACLU Hawaii, I have always been strongly opposed to government overreach and intrusion into citizen privacy.
  • Scott K. Saiki (D): No Response

State House District 27

  • Takashi Ohno (D): No Response

State House District 28

  • John M. Mizuno (D): No Response

State House District 29

  • Daniel Holt (D): No Response
  • James Logue (D): Yes

State House District 30

  • P.M. Azinga (R): No; A qualified no with the exception being airports and elementary school, playground areas, Federal Reserve Banks, White House, Supreme Courts, House of Representatives, the Senate and FBI, CIA, NSC, the Secret Service.
  • Romy M. Cachola (D): Yes
  • Sonny Ganaden (D): Yes
  • Tess Abalos Quilingking (R): Yes; Facial recognition is risking individual’s privacy.

State House District 31

  • Aaron Ling Johanson (D): No Response

State House District 32

  • Linda Ichiyama (D): No Response

State House District 33

  • Tracy Arakaki (D): Yes; The use of 'Facial Recognition' I believe is an invasion of privacy.
  • Jenny Boyette (R): Yes; I do not support blanket use of facial recognition software due to privacy issues.
  • Sam Satoru Kong (D): No Response

State House District 34

  • Keone F. Simon (R): No Response
  • Gregg Takayama (D): Prefer not to answer

State House District 35

  • Carl E. Hood (R): No Response
  • Keline Kahau (Aloha Aina): Yes; I would like to know more about this and to have a better understanding of this technology.
  • Roy M. Takumi (D): No Response

State House District 36

  • Trish La Chica (D): Yes; In addition to the disparate impacts mentioned, the concern with facial recognition technology is that it allows for large scale and undetectable, persistent government surveillance that could run afoul of our Fourth Amendment privacy rights.  A false match can have a very real and serious impact on individuals and their families, including false arrests and dangerous interactions.  Any such program must thus be heavily scrutinized, with the intrusive nature being weighed against any security benefits.  If facial recognition technology were to be allowed, the government must have the burden of demonstrating why the technology would be needed, and it should not be allowed to proceed if this burden is not met.
  • Marilyn B. Lee (D): No Response
  • Val Okimoto (R): No Response

state House District 37

  • Emil Svrcina (R): No Response
  • Ryan I. Yamane (D): No Response

State House District 38

  • Henry J.C. Aquino (D): No Response 

State House District 39

  • Ty J.K. Cullen (D): No Response
  • Austin L.S. Maglinti (R): No Response

State House District 40

  • Rose Martinez (D): No Response
  • Bob McDermott (R): Yes; However, I would want law enforcement to have access to this sort of technology for criminal and terroristic matters.

State House District 41

  • David Alcos (R): No Response
  • Matt LoPresti (D): Yes; I've made privacy concerns one of my top priorities while serving in the legislature.
  • Mokihana Maldonado (D): No Response
  • Amanda J. Rathbun (D): No Response
  • Ryan Isamu Uehara (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 42

  • Sharon Har (D): No Response
  • Vickie L.P. Kam (D): Yes; As there are currently no legal regulations yet established to address the potential for abuse of this technology, nor are there any systems to gain our consent as citizens, the use of government facial recognition technology should be ended.

State House District 43

  • Stacelynn Kehaulani Eli (D): No Response
  • Diamond Garcia (R): Yes
  • Shaena Dela Cruz Hoohuli (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Michael Kahikina (D): Yes; Violates our civil rights that’s sustaining the racial and political violence in America!

State House District 44

  • Maysana Aldeguer (R): Yes
  • Cedric Asuega Gates (D): No Response
  • Jo Jordan (D): Yes
  • Joseph K. Simpliciano, Jr. (Aloha Aina): No Response

State House District 45

  • Michael Chapman (D): Yes
  • Lauren Matsumoto Cheape (R): No Response

State House District 46

  • Aaron James Kaleo Agsalda (D): No Response
  • Amy Perruso (D): Yes

State House District 47

  • Sean Quinlan (D): No Response
  • Boyd Ready (R): No; It is inevitable in law enforcement but needs strict civil liberties and privacy-protection oversight.

State House District 48

  • Lisa C. Kitagawa (D): No Response
  • Kau‘i Pratt-Aquino, Esq. (D): Yes

State House District 49

  • Kilomana Danner (R): Prefer not to answer; The big brother government has gotten way out of hand. They are trying to gain more and more control over individual citizens, businesses and religious organizations. It is time to stop present action of this kind, and erase past action of this kind.
  • Scot Matayoshi (D): No Response

State House District 50

  • Patrick Pihana Branco (D): Yes; I support the regulation of the practice through five key standards, and if these regulations cannot be implemented, I would prefer the government not be allowed to use facial recognition tech. 1) An absolute prohibition on real time use. 2) Law enforcement facial recognition databases should only include data related to those with outstanding warrants for violent crimes. 3) The technical process for developing this software should be available to those who have the responsibility to hold companies and the government to a set of moral and legal standards. 4) Law enforcement should not be permitted to use facial recognition technology without first giving the local community official notice and soliciting public comment. 5) Deployment of facial recognition should be prohibited until law enforcement can demonstrate at least a 95 percent identity confidence threshold across a wide range of demographic groups If government agencies are to purchase and use such software, such use should be at the 95% threshold for accuracy (gender, race, age, etc.).
  • Micah Pregitzer (D) Yes
  • Kanai Souza (R): No Response

State House District 51

  • Alan K. Akao (D): Yes; Technology was the promise of being the great equalizer when it came to our justice system. Yet consistently we have seen that technology, whether it be facial recognition or polygraph, has continued to be used as a basis to discriminate and convict innocent people. Until the technology is proven to be accurate and comprehensive, we should not allow for it to be a basis for law enforcement or government actors to over-reach and prosecute.
  • Coby K. K. Chock (D): No Response
  • Doni Leina‘ala Chong (R): No Response
  • Scott Grimmer (D): No Response
  • Erik K. Ho (Aloha Aina): No; Although there are margins of error in any analysis, facial recognition software is a valuable asset. Every file utilizing facial recognition should be vetted by at least two senior officials before sent out for assignment to ensure there are no errors.
  • Kukana Kama-Toth (R) Yes; It seems that the technology has a bias that needs to be fixed within its system. I would be interested in learning more regarding the pros and cons of this technology.
  • Lisa Marten (D): Prefer not to answer; While I am sensitive to the shortcomings of the technology that may wrongfully implicate people of color, I do not know enough about the topic to rule out possible desirable uses.

3. Police Reform: Do you support legislation establishing a uniform policy for law enforcement use of body cameras?

A.Police Reform: Do you support legislation establishing a uniform policy for law enforcement use of body cameras?

A.

Senate

Senate District 2

  • Smiley Burrows (D): No Response
  • Rob G. Ka-Ipo (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Joy San Buenaventura (D): No Response

Senate District 5

  • Christy, Kajiwara-Gusman (R): No Response
  • Rynette Ipo Keen (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Gil S. Coloma Keith-Agaran (D): No Response

Senate District 8

  • Ronald Dan Kouchi (D): No Response

Senate District 9

  • Stanley Chang (D): No Response
  • Sam Slom (R): No Response

Senate District 10

  • Jesus Arriola (D): No Response
  • Vicki B. Higgins (D): No Response
  • Les S. Ihara, Jr. (D): No Response
  • Paul Shiraishi (Nonpartisan): Yes; Body cameras benefit both law enforcement and the public. They bring transparency and context to interactions in which the public would otherwise not have any.

Senate District 11

  • Brian Taniguchi (D): Yes

Senate District 13

  • Kevin McDonald (D): No; Part of what makes this country great is that we allow different local governments to decide what rules work best for their needs.
  • Karl Rhoads (D): Yes

Senate District 14

  • Donna Mercado Kim (D): No Response

Senate District 15

  • Glenn Wakai (D): No Response

Senate District 19 

  • Rida Cabanilla Arakawa (D): No Response
  • John H. Clark III (D): Yes; Yes, I support legislation establishing a uniform policy for law-enforcement use of body cameras. I hold our community police in high regard. In fact, today’s police are faced with solving a wide range of issues, beyond the already complex mission of law-enforcement. Beginning with the end in mind, I believe the establishment of a uniform policy for law enforcement use of body cameras facilitates transparency and protection for community members and law-enforcement officers within the criminal-justice system, including citizens, police, and other stakeholders. And though HPD policy specifically requires recordings to be stored for at least three years following any use of force or any encounter that leads to a complaint or administrative investigation, I believe today’s technology affords the capability to retain all recordings (for a specified timeframe), regardless of the type of encounter.
  • Kurt Fevella (R): No Response

Senate District 20

  • Feena Bonoan (Libertarian): Yes
  • Mike Gabbard (D): Yes

Senate District 22

  • Thora-Jean Cuaresma (D): No Response
  • Donovan Dela Cruz (D): No Response
  • Banner S. Fanene (Nonpartisan): Yes
  • John E. Miller (R): Yes

Senate District 25

  • Chris Lee (D): No Response
  • Kristina Kim-Marshall (R): No Response

State House

State House District 1

  • Mark M. Nakashima (D): Yes
  • Lorraine Pualani Shin (R): No Response

State House District 2

  • Devin Shaw Kealohapumehanaokalani McMackin Sr. (Aloha Aina): Yes; It's been said that if you have nothing to hide then an officer shouldn't be afraid of the body camera because it will exonerate them from wrong doing. The use of them will help in reducing falsification of documents and statements of all parties.
  • Christopher L.T. Todd (D): No Response

State House District 3

  • Frederick F. Fogel (D): Yes; Law enforcement transparency would go a long way to reforming the police department, just as legislative transparency would go a long way to reforming legislative processes.  Unfortunately we all know how that is working out.
  • Susan Hughes (R): Yes
  • Shannon Lopeka Matson (D): Yes
  • Richard H.K. Onishi (D): N.A

State House District 4

  • Hope (Alohalani) Cermelj (R): No Response
  • Desmon Antone Haumea (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Greggor Ilagan (D): No Response
  • Brian Ley (Nonpartisan): Yes
  • Eileen Ohara (D): Yes; While body cameras alone will not resolve many of our law enforcement issues, it is one tool that should be considered.

State House District 5

  • Colehour Bondera (D): Yes; Body cameras have now proven to provide a unique unbiased perspective on events that are essential to determining what actually occurred.
  • Citlalli Johanna Decker (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Jeanné Kapela (D): Yes; Legislation standardizing body camera usage is essential to ensuring that police are held fully accountable for their actions and abuses of power.
  • Michael L. Last (Libertarian): Yes

State House District 6

  • Nicole Lowen (D): No Response

State House District 7

  • David Tarnas (D): Yes

State House District 8

  • Ka‘apuni Aiwohi (D): Yes
  • Troy Hashimoto (D): Yes
  • Robert G. Hill III (D): No Response

State House District 9

  • J. Kahala Chrupalyk (Aloha Aina): Yes; I like the way you think!
  • Justin Woodson (D): No Response

State House District 10

  • Kanamu Balinbin (R): No Response
  • Travis Gyldstrand (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Angus L.K. McKelvey (D): No Response
  • Leonard K. Nakoa III (D): Yes

State House District 11

  • Don Couch (D): Yes
  • Howard E. Greenberg (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Tina M.L. Wildberger (D): No Response

State House District 12

  • Simon Russell (D): Yes
  • Kyle T. Yamashita (D): No Response

State House District 13

  • Lynn DeCoite (D): No Response
  • Theresa Kapaku (Aloha Aina): Yes; Video footage has championed awareness and convictions in police brutality and violations of people's legal and human during encounters with law enforcement.
  • Walter Ritte (D): Yes; Trust in the use of equipment by law enforcement is very important.
  • Robin Vanderpool (R): Prefer not to answer; I am fine with cameras as long as it does not interfere with their job of fighting crime.

State House District 14

  • Steve Monas (R): No Response
  • Nadine K. Nakamura (D): No Response

State House District 15

  • James Kunane Tokioka (D): No Response
  • Steve Yoder (R): No Response

State House District 16

  • Ana Mo Des (R): No Response
  • Daynette Morikawa (D): No Response

State House District 17

  • Keith Kogachi (D): Yes
  • Gene Ward (R): No Response

State House District 18

  • Tommy Driskill III (D): No Response
  • Mark Jun Hashem (D): No Response
  • Lori Ford (R); Yes

State House District 19

  • Wayne Chen (American Shopping)
  • Bertrand Kobayashi (D): No Response
  • Michael L. Parrish (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 20

  • Julia E. Allan (R): No Response
  • Becky Gardner (D): Yes; I think it’s essential that the use of body cameras is standardized across the state to avoid happenstance; inconsistent use; class and racial profiling; as well as other abuses.  I cannot think of any good reason why this should not be standardized - such reasons would easily serve as pretext for an innately discriminatory practice.
  • Jay I. Ishibashi (D): No Response
  • Jackson Sayama (D): Yes; While we place great responsibility and trust in our law enforcement, it is crucial this trust be maintained through accountability. Using body cameras as standard procedure is a great step towards ensuring members of law enforcement do not abuse the community’s trust.
  • Derek A. Turbin (D): READ HERE

State House District 21

  • Scott Y. Nishimoto (D): No Response

State House District 22

  • Tom Brower (D): No Response 
  • Nicholas R. Ochs (R): No Response
  • Adrian Tam (D): Yes

State House District 23

  • Dale Kobayashi (D): No Response

State House District 24

  • Della Au Belatti (D): No Response
  • Andy Sexton, Jr. (Aloha Aina) No Response

State House District 25

  • Sylvia Luke (D): No Response

State House District 26

  • Kim Coco Iwamoto (D): Yes
  • Scott K. Saiki (D): No Response

State House District 27

  • Takashi Ohno (D): No Response

State House District 28

  • John M. Mizuno (D): No Response

State House District 29

  • Daniel Holt (D): No Response
  • James Logue (D): Yes

State House District 30

  • P.M. Azinga (R): Yes; For the protection of both.
  • Romy M. Cachola (D): Prefer not to answer
  • Sonny Ganaden (D): Yes
  • Tess Abalos Quilingking (R): Yes; It’s for transparency, to keep them accountable and also use for their safety and training.

State House District 31

  • Aaron Ling Johanson (D): No Response

State House District 32

  • Linda Ichiyama (D): No Response

State House District 33

  • Tracy Arakaki (D): Yes; The use of body cams are not only for the suspect but to protect the officers.
  • Jenny Boyette (R): No; A blanket decree demanding body camera use by the Federal government is an overreach into municipal governance.  It's a jurisdiction issue.  City counties and States should be able to enact policies which best suit their community.
  • Sam Satoru Kong (D): No Response

State House District 34

  • Keone F. Simon (R): No Response
  • Gregg Takayama (D): Yes

State House District 35

  • Carl E. Hood (R): No Response
  • Keline Kahau (Aloha Aina): Prefer not to answer; I would like to see what the legislation established on uniform policy for law enforcement.
  • Roy M. Takumi (D): No Response

State House District 36

  • Trish La Chica (D): Yes; Having a uniform policy requiring law enforcement to wear body cameras increases transparency, accountability, and trust between police officers and their communities.  In addition, the video can help with resolving factual disputes that may arise.  A uniform policy is also needed to regulate such things as when a body camera is worn or when body camera footage will be publicly released, to avoid an intrusion into our citizens’ privacy while also ensuring the footage is available during incidents of police misconduct.
  • Marilyn B. Lee (D): No Response
  • Val Okimoto (R): No Response

State House District 37

  • Emil Svrcina (R): No Response
  • Ryan I. Yamane (D): No Response

State House District 38

  • Henry J.C. Aquino (D): No Response 

State House District 39

  • Ty J.K. Cullen (D): No Response
  • Austin L.S. Maglinti (R): No Response

State House District 40

  • Rose Martinez (D): No Response
  • Bob McDermott (R): Yes; Yes. I have come to the realization that body cameras protect all parties involved.

State House District 41

  • David Alcos (R): No Response
  • Matt LoPresti (D): Yes; I have introduced legislation to implement body cameras.
  • Mokihana Maldonado (D): No Response
  • Amanda J. Rathbun (D): No Response
  • Ryan Isamu Uehara (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 42

  • Sharon Har (D): No Response
  • Vickie L.P. Kam (D): Yes; Establishing a uniform policy regarding body cameras provides protection to law enforcement and the general public alike. The potential for accurately gathering data to inform training practices for law enforcement, as well as, evidence produced for incidence is a valuable tool.

State House District 43

  • Stacelynn Kehaulani Eli (D): No Response
  • Diamond Garcia (R): No
  • Shaena Dela Cruz Hoohuli (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Michael Kahikina (D): Prefer not to answer

State House District 44

  • Maysana Aldeguer (R): No
  • Cedric Asuega Gates (D): No Response
  • Jo Jordan (D): Yes
  • Joseph K. Simpliciano, Jr. (Aloha Aina): No Response

State House District 45

  • Michael Chapman (D): Yes; We entrust law enforcement officers with a tremendous amount of responsibility. We need to make sure that this responsibility comes along with a sufficient amount of accountability.
  • Lauren Matsumoto Cheape (R): No Response

State House District 46

  • Aaron James Kaleo Agsalda (D): No Response
  • Amy Perruso (D): Yes

State House District 47

  • Sean Quinlan (D): No Response
  • Boyd Ready (R): Yes

State House District 48

  • Lisa C. Kitagawa (D): No Response
  • Kau‘i Pratt-Aquino, Esq. (D): Yes; I would support a pilot program in partnership with the Honolulu Police Department, SHOPO and other key stakeholders. Collaboration is key in order to achieve success.

State House District 49

  • Kilomana Danner (R): Yes; Body cameras must be worn at all times. For the protection of the officer and for the protection of those they have sworn to serve. Few cops are bad apples, most are not. Body cameras protect the good and deter the bad.
  • Scot Matayoshi (D): No Response

State House District 50

  • Patrick Pihana Branco (D): Yes; Yes, I do. Body cameras serve as a deterrent to police misconduct and protect law enforcement officers from spurious accusations.  Their required use serves the law enforcement community and the community at large.
  • Micah Pregitzer (D) Yes
  • Kanai Souza (R): No Response

State House District 51

  • Alan K. Akao (D): Yes; As an attorney in the area of criminal law, I regularly receive, watch and review police body camera video in my daily work. I also review police reports and commentary where police body camera footage is omitted and the reasoning behind the deactivation of body cameras. We need legislation that is consistent and transparent as to the training, testing, operation and recording of police and other law enforcement use of body cameras. The body camera is as much a tool for protection for the public as it is for the police.
  • Coby K. K. Chock (D): No Response
  • Doni Leina‘ala Chong (R): No Response
  • Scott Grimmer (D): No Response
  • Erik K. Ho (Aloha Aina): Yes; Many industries are rapidly changing in this technological world. The public sector is not immune from it. Societal changes now strongly encourage the use of body cameras by police officers on duty. I support having a discussion on this topic.
  • Kukana Kama-Toth (R) Yes; This technology can and will help with transparency.
  • Lisa Marten (D): Yes; I strongly support such legislation.  Body cameras protect everyone, including good police.

 

4. Police Reform: Hawai‘i law allows law enforcement to seize—and keep—personal property without ever charging the property owner with a crime. This is done through a process called civil asset forfeiture. The Legislature passed—and Governor Ige vetoed—a bill in 2019 reforming Hawaii’s civil asset forfeiture law by prohibiting civil asset forfeiture except where the property owner had been convicted of a felony connected to that piece of property. Do you support this reform?

A.Police Reform: Hawai‘i law allows law enforcement to seize—and keep—personal property without ever charging the property owner with a crime. This is done through a process called civil asset forfeiture. The Legislature passed—and Governor Ige vetoed—a bill in 2019 reforming Hawaii’s civil asset forfeiture law by prohibiting civil asset forfeiture except where the property owner had been convicted of a felony connected to that piece of property. Do you support this reform?

A.

Senate

Senate District 2

  • Smiley Burrows (D): No Response
  • Rob G. Ka-Ipo (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Joy San Buenaventura (D): No Response

Senate District 5

  • Christy, Kajiwara-Gusman (R): No Response
  • Rynette Ipo Keen (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Gil S. Coloma Keith-Agaran (D): No Response

Senate District 8

  • Ronald Dan Kouchi (D): No Response

Senate District 9

  • Stanley Chang (D): No Response
  • Sam Slom (R): No Response

Senate District 10

  • Jesus Arriola (D): No Response
  • Vicki B. Higgins (D): No Response
  • Les S. Ihara, Jr. (D): No Response
  • Paul Shiraishi (Nonpartisan): Yes; Civil asset forfeiture is a system ripe with abuse across the country. "Business as usual" cannot be accepted in this case. In 2018, property was seized and sold in 26 percent of Hawaii civil asset forfeiture cases with no corresponding criminal convictions.

Senate District 11

  • Brian Taniguchi (D): Yes

Senate District 13

  • Kevin McDonald (D): Yes; I support this. No government should be able to seize property and keep it without good reason.
  • Karl Rhoads (D): Yes; I introduced a bill on this topic, Senate Bill 1467.

Senate District 14

  • Donna Mercado Kim (D): No Response

Senate District 15

  • Glenn Wakai (D): No Response

Senate District 19 

  • Rida Cabanilla Arakawa (D): No Response
  • John H. Clark III (D): Yes; Yes, I support reforming Hawaii’s civil asset forfeiture law. Incentives matter.  As everyday citizens, renters, and homeowners, when we expect better services from a contractor, waitress, or any other service provider, we might entice potential service providers with a bonus payment or a generous tip. Similarly, the existing law appears to incentivize law-enforcement officials to seek ways to profit from citizen-and-police interactions that have not resulted in a criminal offense that has been proven in a court of law.  It would appear that this is in conflict with the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which states that no one shall be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law. Similarly, Hawaii’s civil asset forfeiture law would seem to violate the Fourteenth Amendment, which places a legal obligation on all states in the Union - and specifically addresses citizenship rights and equal protection under the law.  In this regard, the Fourteenth Amendment limits the actions of all state and local officials, and also those acting on behalf of such officials. And though Hawaii’s Attorney General must provide annual forfeiture reports to the Legislature, key details are often missing, especially data on whether or not forfeitures were civil or criminal or whether related charges were filed.
  • Kurt Fevella (R): No Response

Senate District 20

  • Feena Bonoan (Libertarian): No; The bill was passed by legislation, the bill should have been passed. I question the intentions and reasons for civil asset forfeiture, stealing from thieves is still stealing.
  • Mike Gabbard (D): Yes

Senate District 22

  • Thora-Jean Cuaresma (D): No Response
  • Donovan Dela Cruz (D): No Response
  • Banner S. Fanene (Nonpartisan): Yes
  • John E. Miller (R): Yes

Senate District 25

  • Chris Lee (D): No Response
  • Kristina Kim-Marshall (R): No Response

State House

State House District 1

  • Mark M. Nakashima (D): Yes
  • Lorraine Pualani Shin (R): No Response

State House District 2

  • Devin Shaw Kealohapumehanaokalani McMackin Sr. (Aloha Aina): Yes; If the property was used in the course of a criminal act then that property should be forfeited to the state for the use of repair or damages done to the city, Ka Lahui o Hawaii, and/or the entity that the crime was upon.
  • Christopher L.T. Todd (D): No Response

State House District 3

  • Frederick F. Fogel (D): Yes; Taking personal property without due legal process and the opportunity for the defendant to speak up is not representative of a society free from the heavy hand of government.
  • Susan Hughes (R): Yes
  • Shannon Lopeka Matson (D): Yes
  • Richard H.K. Onishi (D): N.A

State House District 4

  • Hope (Alohalani) Cermelj (R): No Response
  • Desmon Antone Haumea (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Greggor Ilagan (D): No Response
  • Brian Ley (Nonpartisan): No
  • Eileen Ohara (D): Yes; This was a measure put forth and championed by the representative whose office I am seeking as she has vacated the office to run for the State Senate. I am in accord with this measure.

State House District 5

  • Colehour Bondera (D): Yes; Civil asset forfeiture laws contain an inherent potential for abuse by law enforcement.  Such abuses have been documented across the nation where similar laws are on the books.
  • Citlalli Johanna Decker (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Jeanné Kapela (D): Yes; As a representative, I will introduce legislation reforming our unconstitutional asset forfeiture policies, which violate people's right to due process and create a culture of policing for profit, not community protection.
  • Michael L. Last (Libertarian): Yes

State House District 6

  • Nicole Lowen (D): No Response

State House District 7

  • David Tarnas (D): Yes

State House District 8

  • Ka‘apuni Aiwohi (D): Yes
  • Troy Hashimoto (D): Yes
  • Robert G. Hill III (D): No Response

State House District 9

  • J. Kahala Chrupalyk (Aloha Aina): Yes; Civil asset forfeiture = armed robbery
  • Justin Woodson (D): No Response

State House District 10

  • Kanamu Balinbin (R): No Response
  • Travis Gyldstrand (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Angus L.K. McKelvey (D): No Response
  • Leonard K. Nakoa III (D): Yes

State House District 11

  • Don Couch (D): Yes
  • Howard E. Greenberg (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Tina M.L. Wildberger (D): No Response

State House District 12

  • Simon Russell (D): Yes
  • Kyle T. Yamashita (D): No Response

State House District 13

  • Lynn DeCoite (D): No Response
  • Theresa Kapaku (Aloha Aina): Yes; Any retention of personal property by law enforcement without a charge of a crime is theft.
  • Walter Ritte (D): Yes
  • Robin Vanderpool (R): Prefer not to answer; I would have to read the legislation and judge accordingly.

State House District 14

  • Steve Monas (R): No Response
  • Nadine K. Nakamura (D): No Response

State House District 15

  • James Kunane Tokioka (D): No Response
  • Steve Yoder (R): No Response

State House District 16

  • Ana Mo Des (R): No Response
  • Daynette Morikawa (D): No Response

State House District 17

  • Keith Kogachi (D): Yes
  • Gene Ward (R): No Response

State House District 18

  • Tommy Driskill III (D): No Response
  • Mark Jun Hashem (D): No Response
  • Lori Ford (R); Yes

State House District 19

  • Wayne Chen (American Shopping)
  • Bertrand Kobayashi (D): No Response
  • Michael L. Parrish (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 20

  • Julia E. Allan (R): No Response
  • Becky Gardner (D): Yes; This property is likely to contain vital documents necessary for one’s existence and eligibility for a host of social programs that could provide one with meaningful assistance. This property is also likely comprised of one’s prized possessions – especially the houseless. There is a high degree of cruelty and crassness in seizing and disposing what may be all that’s left of one’s material possessions. I understand, however, that storing this property is costly and presents certain public health and safety concerns – so it’s important to find ways to address this.  I would look to other jurisdictions for ideas on how to manage this ethically, safely, and cost-effectively.
  • Jay I. Ishibashi (D): No Response
  • Jackson Sayama (D): Yes; The seizure of private property must be predicated on the fact that the owner of the property is convicted of a crime relevant to the property in question. Reform for civil asset forfeiture would prevent abuse of law enforcement by taking private property without justification.
  • Derek A. Turbin (D): READ HERE

State House District 21

  • Scott Y. Nishimoto (D): No Response

State House District 22

  • Tom Brower (D): No Response 
  • Nicholas R. Ochs (R): No Response
  • Adrian Tam (D): Yes

State House District 23

  • Dale Kobayashi (D): No Response

State House District 24

  • Della Au Belatti (D): No Response
  • Andy Sexton, Jr. (Aloha Aina) No Response

State House District 25

  • Sylvia Luke (D): No Response

State House District 26

  • Kim Coco Iwamoto (D): Yes
  • Scott K. Saiki (D): No Response

State House District 27

  • Takashi Ohno (D): No Response

State House District 28

  • John M. Mizuno (D): No Response

State House District 29

  • Daniel Holt (D): No Response
  • James Logue (D): Yes; As one who fully believes in democracy and the democratic institutions on which a democracy is built I fully object to the notion that a person's property can be seized before they are convicted. This practice does nothing more than funds police departments which, in turn, gives incentive to the officers to seize people's property. Then, in order for the person to get their property back they have to fight in the courts which costs money and many people opt not to because they can not afford it. This practice must be stopped as we pave a path forward of an overhaul to how police departments and officers operate.

State House District 30

  • P.M. Azinga (R): No; Protection of both.
  • Romy M. Cachola (D): Yes
  • Sonny Ganaden (D): Yes
  • Tess Abalos Quilingking (R):  No; It’s unfair and it’s unjust.

State House District 31

  • Aaron Ling Johanson (D): No Response

State House District 32

  • Linda Ichiyama (D): No Response

State House District 33

  • Tracy Arakaki (D): Yes
  • Jenny Boyette (R): No; "Civil asset forfeiture is a tool which law enforcement can use to go after drug dealers, human traffickers and organized crime.  Yes there is a possibility of misuse of the power. There should be a reviewing mechanism or body to limit abuse and provide an avenue for the innocent to reclaim what was seized."
  • Sam Satoru Kong (D): No Response

State House District 34

  • Keone F. Simon (R): No Response
  • Gregg Takayama (D): Yes

State House District 35

  • Carl E. Hood (R): No Response
  • Keline Kahau (Aloha Aina): Prefer not to answer
  • Roy M. Takumi (D): No Response

State House District 36

  • Trish La Chica (D): Yes; Civil asset forfeiture is inherently flawed, for it inserts profit motivation into the criminal justice system.  That alone warrants enhanced scrutiny of the current law.  In addition, one of the foundations of our criminal justice system is that one is innocent until proven guilty.  According to the Hawaii State Auditor, however, in 2015 a criminal charge did not follow a forfeiture in 26% of the asset forfeiture cases.  This means that one in four defendants in civil forfeiture cases was never charged with, or convicted of, a crime.
  • Marilyn B. Lee (D): No Response
  • Val Okimoto (R): No Response

State House District 37

  • Emil Svrcina (R): No Response
  • Ryan I. Yamane (D): No Response

State House District 38

  • Henry J.C. Aquino (D): No Response 

State House District 39

  • Ty J.K. Cullen (D): No Response
  • Austin L.S. Maglinti (R): No Response

State House District 40

  • Rose Martinez (D): No Response
  • Bob McDermott (R): Yes

State House District 41

  • David Alcos (R): No Response
  • Matt LoPresti (D): Yes; I've been a strong supporter of disallowing civil asset forfeiture when a person is not charged with a crime.
  • Mokihana Maldonado (D): No Response
  • Amanda J. Rathbun (D): No Response
  • Ryan Isamu Uehara (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 42

  • Sharon Har (D): No Response
  • Vickie L.P. Kam (D): Yes; Supporting this reform is an important step in protecting individual rights. I can see no valid reason to keep someones personal property if there has been no crime committed.

State House District 43

  • Stacelynn Kehaulani Eli (D): No Response
  • Diamond Garcia (R): Yes
  • Shaena Dela Cruz Hoohuli (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Michael Kahikina (D): Yes; Time for reconstruction of our “Public Doctrine” that reflect true American Democracy! For and by the people! Governor Ige should be impeached!

State House District 44

  • Maysana Aldeguer (R): Yes
  • Cedric Asuega Gates (D): No Response
  • Jo Jordan (D): Yes
  • Joseph K. Simpliciano, Jr. (Aloha Aina): No Response

State House District 45

  • Michael Chapman (D): Yes; In 2019, I submitted testimony to Governor Ige, urging him not to veto this bill. I was extremely surprised when he vetoed this measure, and found the explanation incoherent. This reform, if passed, would still allow law enforcement to seize assets while a case was pending. Therefore, it would continue to have the exact same utility as a public safety tool that it currently has. The difference is that law enforcement would not be allowed to sell the assets until the individual was convicted; if the defendant was found 'not guilty,' they would have to return the property to the defendant. In other words, this reform would only do one thing – remove the potential for law enforcement to profit from seizing and selling the property of innocent individuals.
  • Lauren Matsumoto Cheape (R): No Response

State House District 46

  • Aaron James Kaleo Agsalda (D): No Response
  • Amy Perruso (D): Yes

State House District 47

  • Sean Quinlan (D): No Response
  • Boyd Ready (R): Yes; This reform is long past due.

State House District 48

  • Lisa C. Kitagawa (D): No Response
  • Kau‘i Pratt-Aquino, Esq. (D): Yes

State House District 49

  • Kilomana Danner (R): Yes; I have experienced this hewa loa personally.  It is an intimidation tactic that has no place i the merican system. It is disgraceful shameful and unconstitutional.
  • Scot Matayoshi (D): No Response

State House District 50

  • Patrick Pihana Branco (D): Yes; Yes, I do.  Civil asset forfeiture is a significant violation of an individual’s right to private property.  The reforms included in the 2019 legislation are prudent and ought to be reintroduced in a subsequent legislative session.
  • Micah Pregitzer (D) Yes
  • Kanai Souza (R): No Response

State House District 51

  • Alan K. Akao (D): Yes; The government should not profit off of asset forfeiture when there is no conviction for criminal wrongdoing. Furthermore, I believe there needs to be a strong nexus that the items or property confiscated and seized is the by product or source which stems directly from the criminal act. Trust in law enforcement and government will continue to lack transparency and accountability if our standard for civil asset forfeiture remains to be guilty first and without a strict and consistent process to challenge the asset forfeiture process.
  • Coby K. K. Chock (D): No Response
  • Doni Leina‘ala Chong (R): No Response
  • Scott Grimmer (D): No Response
  • Erik K. Ho (Aloha Aina): Yes; Civil asset forfeiture is wrong and should be banned from practice across the world. If the state can prove that an item was acquired as part of ill-gotten gains, it should be subject to confiscation. I support this reform.
  • Kukana Kama-Toth (R) Yes; I support the reform. Why should law enforcement have the right to seize personal property without a crime being committed? If a crime was committed in connection to the personal property then that is justifiable for seizure. Why veto such a straight forward bill as this?
  • Lisa Marten (D): Yes; Civil asset forteiture violates property rights. Victims are disadvantaged in reclaiming their property particularly if they are poor.

 

5. Police Reform: Hawaiʻi law provides special protections for the disclosure of police disciplinary records. Do you support legislation repealing such special protections and disclosing the disciplinary records of all law enforcement officers in Hawaiʻi?

A.Police Reform: Hawaiʻi law provides special protections for the disclosure of police disciplinary records. Do you support legislation repealing such special protections and disclosing the disciplinary records of all law enforcement officers in Hawaiʻi?

A.

Senate

Senate District 2

  • Smiley Burrows (D): No Response
  • Rob G. Ka-Ipo (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Joy San Buenaventura (D): No Response

Senate District 5

  • Christy, Kajiwara-Gusman (R): No Response
  • Rynette Ipo Keen (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Gil S. Coloma Keith-Agaran (D): No Response

Senate District 8

  • Ronald Dan Kouchi (D): No Response

Senate District 9

  • Stanley Chang (D): No Response
  • Sam Slom (R): No Response

Senate District 10

  • Jesus Arriola (D): No Response
  • Vicki B. Higgins (D): No Response
  • Les S. Ihara, Jr. (D): No Response
  • Paul Shiraishi (Nonpartisan): Yes

Senate District 11

  • Brian Taniguchi (D): Yes

Senate District 13

  • Kevin McDonald (D): Yes; Yes, I support repealing these protections. The police work for the public and so the public should be able to track how well their police are performing.
  • Karl Rhoads (D): Yes

Senate District 14

  • Donna Mercado Kim (D): No Response

Senate District 15

  • Glenn Wakai (D): No Response

Senate District 19 

  • Rida Cabanilla Arakawa (D): No Response
  • John H. Clark III (D): No; No, I don’t support legislation repealing such special protections and disclosing the disciplinary records of **ALL** law enforcement officers in Hawaiʻi. As stated in my other answers elsewhere in this questionnaire, I hold our community police in high regard. Indeed, today’s police are faced with solving a wide range of issues, beyond the already complex mission of law-enforcement. As a veteran who has served in a war zone, I have experience with living and working in a high-stress, high-demand, dynamic and evolving environment where the quality of split-second decision-making can be the literal difference between life and death. Over time, continuous stress in highly dynamic situations can have an adverse effect on people and their decision-making process.  Subsequently, errors will be made.  Some of those errors will be minor; others of some importance… and others of great significance. For this question, I believe disclosing the disciplinary records of SOME (as opposed to ALL) law enforcement officers in Hawaiʻi is warranted, but only for the most serious and often recurring errors of judgement. To be sure: there needs to be a clearly established threshold of what is expected of our community police force. I sincerely believe police are our friends, neighbors, and community partners. They are a part of us.  Yet, their chosen field of work necessitates a higher standard of expectation. While serving as an Active Duty Naval Officer, I clearly understood and accepted my oath to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. As a member of the Armed Forces of the United States of America, I was subject to not only Constitutional law, statutory law, treaties, administrative regulations, and the common law… but also to the Uniform Code of Military Justice – a separate law that ensured my fellow brothers and sister-in-arms and I adhered to a higher standard. Similarly, police officers, who are literally law-EN.
  • Kurt Fevella (R): No Response

Senate District 20

  • Feena Bonoan (Libertarian): Yes
  • Mike Gabbard (D): Yes

Senate District 22

  • Thora-Jean Cuaresma (D): No Response
  • Donovan Dela Cruz (D): No Response
  • Banner S. Fanene (Nonpartisan): No
  • John E. Miller (R) No

Senate District 25

  • Chris Lee (D): No Response
  • Kristina Kim-Marshall (R): No Response

State House

State House District 1

  • Mark M. Nakashima (D): Yes
  • Lorraine Pualani Shin (R): No Response

State House District 2

  • Devin Shaw Kealohapumehanaokalani McMackin Sr. (Aloha Aina): Yes; Government transparency is paramount in the success and operation of a government. The Government is of the people so nothing should be hidden from the people.
  • Christopher L.T. Todd (D): No Response

State House District 3

  • Frederick F. Fogel (D): Yes; The more facts the people know, the better constructive change.  Public ignorance is bliss for the police.
  • Susan Hughes (R): Prefer not to answer
  • Shannon Lopeka Matson (D): Yes
  • Richard H.K. Onishi (D): N.A

State House District 4

  • Hope (Alohalani) Cermelj (R): No Response
  • Desmon Antone Haumea (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Greggor Ilagan (D): No Response
  • Brian Ley (Nonpartisan): No
  • Eileen Ohara (D): Yes; Yes with caveat that in cases where the disciplinary action was found to be retaliatory due to problematic behavior by those doing the disciplining, the entire record of all involved would need to be scrutinized.

State House District 5

  • Colehour Bondera (D): Yes; I support the police reform laws soon to be introduced in the Hawai'i state legislature, which would effectively repeal special protection laws and require disclosure of disciplinary records.
  • Citlalli Johanna Decker (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Jeanné Kapela (D): Yes; Police misconduct records should be made public, so people have clarity about abuses of power being committed using taxpayer money by those who are authorized to utilize potentially lethal force against community members.
  • Michael L. Last (Libertarian): Yes

State House District 6

  • Nicole Lowen (D): No Response

State House District 7

  • David Tarnas (D): Yes

State House District 8

  • Ka‘apuni Aiwohi (D): Yes
  • Troy Hashimoto (D): Prefer not to answer; I generally support transparency, but it depends how this specific legislation is written. It is a delicate balance between keeping personnel matters private and the public's right to know. In this case, details will matter, including the circumstances.
  • Robert G. Hill III (D): No Response

State House District 9

  • J. Kahala Chrupalyk (Aloha Aina): Yes; Those records ought to be public information and should be made available in the Office of the Prothonotary or something.  But the records are and must be kept as public information.  We donʻt protect possible corruption.  Where are the checks and balances?
  • Justin Woodson (D): No Response

State House District 10

  • Kanamu Balinbin (R): No Response
  • Travis Gyldstrand (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Angus L.K. McKelvey (D): No Response
  • Leonard K. Nakoa III (D): Yes

State House District 11

  • Don Couch (D): No; I would support legislation that required disclosure for other than administrative reprimands.
  • Howard E. Greenberg (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Tina M.L. Wildberger (D): No Response

State House District 12

  • Simon Russell (D): Yes; Public servants need to be transparent with their actions
  • Kyle T. Yamashita (D): No Response

State House District 13

  • Lynn DeCoite (D): No Response
  • Theresa Kapaku (Aloha Aina): Yes; Transparency is paramount to preventing and holding law enforcement accountable for their negative actions.
  • Walter Ritte (D): Yes; Trust...the more you disclose the better the trust.
  • Robin Vanderpool (R): Prefer not to answer; I trust the police.

State House District 14

  • Steve Monas (R): No Response
  • Nadine K. Nakamura (D): No Response

State House District 15

  • James Kunane Tokioka (D): No Response
  • Steve Yoder (R): No Response

State House District 16

  • Ana Mo Des (R): No Response
  • Daynette Morikawa (D): No Response

State House District 17

  • Keith Kogachi (D): Yes
  • Gene Ward (R): No Response

State House District 18

  • Tommy Driskill III (D): No Response
  • Mark Jun Hashem (D): No Response
  • Lori Ford (R): Yes; I support disclosing officers who have committed serious disciplinary violation(s). More specifically, I support disclosing records if an officer is facing criminal charges.

State House District 19

  • Wayne Chen (American Shopping)
  • Bertrand Kobayashi (D): No Response
  • Michael L. Parrish (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 20

  • Julia E. Allan (R): No Response
  • Becky Gardner (D): Yes; However, there may be some disciplinary matters unrelated to a police officer’s effectiveness and integrity as a public safety officer – i.e., personality conflicts with a superior; religious objections to a policy; etc.   This may require a balancing test that looks at relevance while upholding a foundational value in transparency.
  • Jay I. Ishibashi (D): No Response
  • Jackson Sayama (D): Yes; Disclosure of disciplinary records for Hawai’i law enforcement would be an incredible step towards strengthening accountability. Just as public servants are subject to scrutiny from the public, our law enforcement officers should be held to a high standard as they enforce the law justly.
  • Derek A. Turbin (D): READ HERE

State House District 21

  • Scott Y. Nishimoto (D): No Response

State House District 22

  • Tom Brower (D): No Response 
  • Nicholas R. Ochs (R): No Response
  • Adrian Tam (D): Yes

State House District 23

  • Dale Kobayashi (D): No Response

State House District 24

  • Della Au Belatti (D): No Response
  • Andy Sexton, Jr. (Aloha Aina) No Response

State House District 25

  • Sylvia Luke (D): No Response

State House District 26

  • Kim Coco Iwamoto (D): Yes; My opponent, as Speaker of the House, has allowed public oversight legislation to stall on this very point. With all the awakening to racism and police abuse of power happening all over the world, we hope he will move it through during the remaining part of this session.
  • Scott K. Saiki (D): No Response

State House District 27

  • Takashi Ohno (D): No Response

State House District 28

  • John M. Mizuno (D): No Response

State House District 29

  • Daniel Holt (D): No Response
  • James Logue (D): Yes; I am 100% against special protections for anyone no matter their career, title, position, rank, etc. Especially when funded by tax payer dollars and in a position of community interaction. We are causing unnecessary harm to people who fall victim to repeat offenders when we hide their records. These officers get fired or relieved of duty and then simply apply to another department who has no knowledge of their history. This has been proven to be a terrible policy as many victims have come forward with stories about officers that who we find out (thanks to investigative journalists) that they had similar incidents in their previous department.

State House District 30

  • P.M. Azinga (R): Yes; Regain public confidence.
  • Romy M. Cachola (D): Prefer not to answer; Before I make my final decision, I would always like to weigh the pros and cons on these measures.
  • Sonny Ganaden (D): Yes; In light of recent events around the world, and the history of corruption regarding the Honolulu Police Department and the Honolulu Office of the Prosecutor, disclosing disciplinary records of law officers is a reasonable and necessary measure.
  • Tess Abalos Quilingking (R):  No; Their privacy is just as important as everyone.

State House District 31

  • Aaron Ling Johanson (D): No Response

State House District 32

  • Linda Ichiyama (D): No Response

State House District 33

  • Tracy Arakaki (D): Prefer not to answer
  • Jenny Boyette (R): No; " The general public should not be able to access that private information at will.  There are procedures and policies in place to handle disciplinary actions taken against law enforcement.  It would be like having your entire work file on display for the world to see.  No one person is perfect.  When an officer is implicated in a crime, the court is then in receipt of that information, once entered, it's a matter of public record.
  • Sam Satoru Kong (D): No Response

State House District 34

  • Keone F. Simon (R): No Response
  • Gregg Takayama (D): Yes

State House District 35

  • Carl E. Hood (R): No Response
  • Keline Kahau (Aloha Aina): Prefer not to answer
  • Roy M. Takumi (D): No Response

State House District 36

  • Trish La Chica (D): Yes; While it is important to weigh the public’s interest and employee privacy concerns, we need legislation requiring the disclosure of law enforcement disciplinary records.  This would increase transparency, rebuild public trust, and support the safety of our community.
  • Marilyn B. Lee (D): No Response
  • Val Okimoto (R): No Response

State House District 37

  • Emil Svrcina (R): No Response
  • Ryan I. Yamane (D): No Response

State House District 38

  • Henry J.C. Aquino (D): No Response 

State House District 39

  • Ty J.K. Cullen (D): No Response
  • Austin L.S. Maglinti (R): No Response

State House District 40

  • Rose Martinez (D): No Response
  • Bob McDermott (R): No; A police officer's job is unlike other government jobs; they put their life on the line daily. They have a very dangerous job, must make split second decisions with no room for error.

State House District 41

  • David Alcos (R): No Response
  • Matt LoPresti (D): Yes
  • Mokihana Maldonado (D): No Response
  • Amanda J. Rathbun (D): No Response
  • Ryan Isamu Uehara (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 42

  • Sharon Har (D): No Response
  • Vickie L.P. Kam (D): Yes; Public trust in our law enforcement officers is important in order to maintain the public order. Accountabilty measures will help to weed out those not suited to the job and build public trust in those that are to serve and protect.

State House District 43

  • Stacelynn Kehaulani Eli (D): No Response
  • Diamond Garcia (R): No
  • Shaena Dela Cruz Hoohuli (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Michael Kahikina (D): Yes; Equality and justice means all citizens in my book! Judges, lawyers, lawmakers (including myself if elected!) etc. should be held to the same standards!

State House District 44

  • Maysana Aldeguer (R): No
  • Cedric Asuega Gates (D): No Response
  • Jo Jordan (D): Yes
  • Joseph K. Simpliciano, Jr. (Aloha Aina): No Response

State House District 45

  • Michael Chapman (D): Yes; Responsibility must come with accountability. Law enforcement have difficult, high-stakes jobs. We should acknowledge this not by giving them special protections, but by holding them to the highest standards.
  • Lauren Matsumoto Cheape (R): No Response

State House District 46

  • Aaron James Kaleo Agsalda (D): No Response
  • Amy Perruso (D): Yes

State House District 47

  • Sean Quinlan (D): No Response
  • Boyd Ready (R): No; Only those pertaining to egregious misbehavior and dismissal from the force should be public, but oversight by police commission should include any and all disciplinary records for consideration in executive session.

State House District 48

  • Lisa C. Kitagawa (D): No Response
  • Kau‘i Pratt-Aquino, Esq. (D): Prefer not to answer; I need more information on this issue before taking a position on this matter.

State House District 49

  • Kilomana Danner (R): Yes; Yes. This is important. Very important. I am currently battling this exact problem
  • Scot Matayoshi (D): No Response

State House District 50

  • Patrick Pihana Branco (D): Yes; I generally support increasing public access to disciplinary records of law enforcement officers in Hawaii. I would not support removing all restrictions, as I believe information about active misconduct investigations should remain confidential.  However, this should only remain in effect for a certain period of time until the public has access to the disciplinary records.
  • Micah Pregitzer (D) Yes
  • Kanai Souza (R): No Response

State House District 51

  • Alan K. Akao (D): Yes; I think there needs to be a clear reform of Hawaii's disclosure laws regarding law enforcement records. On top of that we need a police standards review board and standards for law enforcement licensing. While I do believe that internal investigation and union review is important, the lack of transparency and special protections lead to secrecy that tarnishes the confidence of law enforcement in our state.
  • Coby K. K. Chock (D): No Response
  • Doni Leina‘ala Chong (R): No Response
  • Scott Grimmer (D): No Response
  • Erik K. Ho (Aloha Aina): Yes; During my time in the Air Force, the base commander sent out a monthly email with the crimes convicted of, rank and disciplinary action of the offender to everyone assigned to the wing. I believe something along these lines would be appropriate for use in Hawaii with our law enforcements officers.
  • Kukana Kama-Toth (R) Yes; I support it because that's part of transparency.
  • Lisa Marten (D): Yes; Police misconduct should be reported to the legislature just as is done for all other government employees.

 

6. Police Reform: The Legislature passed a law establishing a Law Enforcement Standards Board in 2018. To date, this board has met on two occasions and has not set any standards for law enforcement. Do you support legislation to strengthen the board’s independence, increase citizen oversight, set deadlines, and provide the board additional resources?

A.Police Reform: The Legislature passed a law establishing a Law Enforcement Standards Board in 2018. To date, this board has met on two occasions and has not set any standards for law enforcement. Do you support legislation to strengthen the board’s independence, increase citizen oversight, set deadlines, and provide the board additional resources?

A.

Senate

Senate District 2

  • Smiley Burrows (D): No Response
  • Rob G. Ka-Ipo (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Joy San Buenaventura (D): No Response

Senate District 5

  • Christy, Kajiwara-Gusman (R): No Response
  • Rynette Ipo Keen (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Gil S. Coloma Keith-Agaran (D): No Response

Senate District 8

  • Ronald Dan Kouchi (D): No Response

Senate District 9

  • Stanley Chang (D): No Response
  • Sam Slom (R): No Response

Senate District 10

  • Jesus Arriola (D): No Response
  • Vicki B. Higgins (D): No Response
  • Les S. Ihara, Jr. (D): No Response
  • Paul Shiraishi (Nonpartisan): Yes

Senate District 11

  • Brian Taniguchi (D): Yes

Senate District 13

  • Kevin McDonald (D): No; If this board has only met twice in two years, and has accomplished nothing in that time, then this board should be disbanded and their funds put to better use.
  • Karl Rhoads (D): Yes

Senate District 14

  • Donna Mercado Kim (D): No Response

Senate District 15

  • Glenn Wakai (D): No Response

Senate District 19 

  • Rida Cabanilla Arakawa (D): No Response
  • John H. Clark III (D): Yes; Yes, I support legislation to strengthen the board’s independence, increase citizen oversight, set deadlines, and provide the board additional resources. Policing is not merely a law-enforcement function. To me, police are community partners, and the act of policing is a key aspect of community partnering.
  • Kurt Fevella (R): No Response

Senate District 20

  • Feena Bonoan (Libertarian): No; The board has failed to meet expectations. I cannot in good conscience use taxpayer money to create another oversight committee for a board whose job is supposed to set the standards and to be the oversight. I support deadlines, citizen oversight, and independence, but I will not support a failed board with additional resources.
  • Mike Gabbard (D): Yes

Senate District 22

  • Thora-Jean Cuaresma (D): No Response
  • Donovan Dela Cruz (D): No Response
  • Banner S. Fanene (Nonpartisan): Prefer not to answer
  • John E. Miller (R) Prefer not to answer; I do not have enough knowledge of the working of this board to answer the question.

Senate District 25

  • Chris Lee (D): No Response
  • Kristina Kim-Marshall (R): No Response

State House

State House District 1

  • Mark M. Nakashima (D): Yes; The initial legislation for the Standards Board, much like the bill passed really accomplished nothing, which is why I did not pass the legislation as House Labor Chair when it came before my committee in the past.
  • Lorraine Pualani Shin (R): No Response

State House District 2

  • Devin Shaw Kealohapumehanaokalani McMackin Sr. (Aloha Aina): Yes; The policing policies should be updated and unilaterally improved throughout a set date such as every three to five years. As new technologies, techniques, and tactics are constantly improved or found to be archaic even outright, unnecessary. As well as setting standards higher so on every island across Hawaii we have the best Policemen in the nation who are in shape, intelligent, great communicators and more importantly members of the community.
  • Christopher L.T. Todd (D): No Response

State House District 3

  • Frederick F. Fogel (D): Yes; If it is one thing the legislature is good at its kicking the can down the road with studies and boards.
  • Susan Hughes (R): Prefer not to answer
  • Shannon Lopeka Matson (D): Yes
  • Richard H.K. Onishi (D): N.A

State House District 4

  • Hope (Alohalani) Cermelj (R): No Response
  • Desmon Antone Haumea (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Greggor Ilagan (D): No Response
  • Brian Ley (Nonpartisan): Yes; I would require body cams for each police officer.
  • Eileen Ohara (D): Yes; 

State House District 5

  • Colehour Bondera (D): Yes; These reforms are being proposed because time has proven the original intent of the Law Enforcement Standards Board has not been manifested.  These reforms would address the weaknesses in the original legislation.
  • Citlalli Johanna Decker (Aloha Aina): No; Yes increase citizen oversight of the board, no to letting the board be independent of checks and balances.
  • Jeanné Kapela (D): Yes; We have to fully fund the Law Enforcement Standards Board and empower it to have greater oversight authority in cases of police misconduct. Doing so is imperative to police accountability and community safety.
  • Michael L. Last (Libertarian): Yes; I support legislation to strengthen the board's independence, increase citizen oversight, set deadlines, yet I do not support the additional resources coming from the taxpayers.

State House District 6

  • Nicole Lowen (D): No Response

State House District 7

  • David Tarnas (D): Yes

State House District 8

  • Ka‘apuni Aiwohi (D): Yes
  • Troy Hashimoto (D): Yes
  • Robert G. Hill III (D): No Response

State House District 9

  • J. Kahala Chrupalyk (Aloha Aina): Yes; Just like with any other business, if that board is not producing accordingly, then we must shut down police departments for non-compliance.
  • Justin Woodson (D): No Response

State House District 10

  • Kanamu Balinbin (R): No Response
  • Travis Gyldstrand (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Angus L.K. McKelvey (D): No Response
  • Leonard K. Nakoa III (D): No

State House District 11

  • Don Couch (D): Yes
  • Howard E. Greenberg (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Tina M.L. Wildberger (D): No Response

State House District 12

  • Simon Russell (D): Yes
  • Kyle T. Yamashita (D): No Response

State House District 13

  • Lynn DeCoite (D): No Response
  • Theresa Kapaku (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Walter Ritte (D): Yes; It is not working, reform is called for.
  • Robin Vanderpool (R): No; Let the police do their job.

State House District 14

  • Steve Monas (R): No Response
  • Nadine K. Nakamura (D): No Response

State House District 15

  • James Kunane Tokioka (D): No Response
  • Steve Yoder (R): No Response

State House District 16

  • Ana Mo Des (R): No Response
  • Daynette Morikawa (D): No Response

State House District 17

  • Keith Kogachi (D): Yes
  • Gene Ward (R): No Response

State House District 18

  • Tommy Driskill III (D): No Response
  • Mark Jun Hashem (D): No Response
  • Lori Ford (R): Yes

State House District 19

  • Wayne Chen (American Shopping)
  • Bertrand Kobayashi (D): No Response
  • Michael L. Parrish (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 20

  • Julia E. Allan (R): No Response
  • Becky Gardner (D): Yes; In doing so, it would be necessary to examine the extent to which this board was empowered to function, whether it was adequately funded and staffed to execute its mission, and how duplicative it may or may not be of the relevant county commissions.  However, given the public outcry to reform police departments and curb police brutality, the mission and effective operation of this board is all the more imperative.
  • Jay I. Ishibashi (D): No Response
  • Jackson Sayama (D): Yes; While establishing the Law Enforcement Standards Board was a step in the right direction, it must be followed up with substance and action. With greater demand for accountability and transparency of local law enforcement, the board must take this opportunity to reassess programs and standards for training and certification of law enforcement officers. However, I would caution putting too much emphasis on the board to lead the types of reform that are being demanded as the board’s primary function is in the training and certification of new officers.
  • Derek A. Turbin (D): READ HERE

State House District 21

  • Scott Y. Nishimoto (D): No Response

State House District 22

  • Tom Brower (D): No Response 
  • Nicholas R. Ochs (R): No Response
  • Adrian Tam (D): Yes

State House District 23

  • Dale Kobayashi (D): No Response

State House District 24

  • Della Au Belatti (D): No Response
  • Andy Sexton, Jr. (Aloha Aina) No Response

State House District 25

  • Sylvia Luke (D): No Response

State House District 26

  • Kim Coco Iwamoto (D): Yes
  • Scott K. Saiki (D): No Response

State House District 27

  • Takashi Ohno (D): No Response

State House District 28

  • John M. Mizuno (D): No Response

State House District 29

  • Daniel Holt (D): No Response
  • James Logue (D): Yes

State House District 30

  • P.M. Azinga (R): Yes; Restore citizen participation.
  • Romy M. Cachola (D): Yes
  • Sonny Ganaden (D): Yes; In addition to setting standards and maintaining independence from other governmental entities, the appointment process of this board must be reviewed.
  • Tess Abalos Quilingking (R): Prefer not to answer

State House District 31

  • Aaron Ling Johanson (D): No Response

State House District 32

  • Linda Ichiyama (D): No Response

State House District 33

  • Tracy Arakaki (D): Yes
  • Jenny Boyette (R): Prefer not to answer; This is not a clear yes or no answer.  Yes, there should be legislation which outlines meetings and deadlines, however providing the board additional resources in the age of COVID19 is not a need, it is a want.  Sunshine laws regarding board meetings also take care of the citizen oversight point.
  • Sam Satoru Kong (D): No Response

State House District 34

  • Keone F. Simon (R): No Response
  • Gregg Takayama (D): Yes

State House District 35

  • Carl E. Hood (R): No Response
  • Keline Kahau (Aloha Aina): Prefer not to answer
  • Roy M. Takumi (D): No Response

State House District 36

  • Trish La Chica (D): Yes; I fully support strengthening and fully funding the activities of the board.  As the last state to create a standards board, we must become more proactive in providing law enforcement oversight and reevaluating our criminal justice process.  This is necessary to provide our police force the tools and knowledge they need to fully uphold and enforce the law while respecting our civil liberties.
  • Marilyn B. Lee (D): No Response
  • Val Okimoto (R): No Response

State House District 37

  • Emil Svrcina (R): No Response
  • Ryan I. Yamane (D): No Response

State House District 38

  • Henry J.C. Aquino (D): No Response 

State House District 39

  • Ty J.K. Cullen (D): No Response
  • Austin L.S. Maglinti (R): No Response

State House District 40

  • Rose Martinez (D): No Response
  • Bob McDermott (R): No; I need to be convinced that adding citizens, unaware of police procedures, culture, and job expectations and requirements, somehow adds value to the force.

State House District 41

  • David Alcos (R): No Response
  • Matt LoPresti (D): Yes; I supported legislation establishing a Law Enforcement Standards Board and I also share concerns that it needs more serious attention to truly make a difference.
  • Mokihana Maldonado (D): No Response
  • Amanda J. Rathbun (D): No Response
  • Ryan Isamu Uehara (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 42

  • Sharon Har (D): No Response
  • Vickie L.P. Kam (D): Yes; I see this as parallel to the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board which monitors qualification, training and licensing of Hawaii public school teachers. Having a set of clear standards to be met is important for increased professionalism. The establishment of this board could be a strong tool to support law enforcement officers in career advancement as well.

State House District 43

  • Stacelynn Kehaulani Eli (D): No Response
  • Diamond Garcia (R): No; I believe the way it’s structured now, is adequate.
  • Shaena Dela Cruz Hoohuli (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Michael Kahikina (D): Yes; Peter Drucker is known as the father of “Administration” and in his books he refers to “scope of control” or power? And by the inefficiency of the Governors hand picked members, why be surprised? The next excuse will be money?!! Simple will and desire goes much further than what money alone can buy!

State House District 44

  • Maysana Aldeguer (R): No
  • Cedric Asuega Gates (D): No Response
  • Jo Jordan (D): Yes
  • Joseph K. Simpliciano, Jr. (Aloha Aina): No Response

State House District 45

  • Michael Chapman (D): Yes; It is essential that we maintain meaningful oversight to ensure quality in law enforcement.
  • Lauren Matsumoto Cheape (R): No Response

State House District 46

  • Aaron James Kaleo Agsalda (D): No Response
  • Amy Perruso (D): Yes

State House District 47

  • Sean Quinlan (D): No Response
  • Boyd Ready (R): Yes

State House District 48

  • Lisa C. Kitagawa (D): No Response
  • Kau‘i Pratt-Aquino, Esq. (D): Yes

State House District 49

  • Kilomana Danner (R): Yes; Absolutely.
  • Scot Matayoshi (D): No Response

State House District 50

  • Patrick Pihana Branco (D): Yes; I would support efforts to strengthen the Law Enforcement Standards Board, as civilian oversight of law enforcement operations is an important and necessary function of government.  Having a non-functional board that exists in law but not in practice does not serve the interests of the public, and providing resources and empowering the board’s independence is the appropriate response to this disparity.
  • Micah Pregitzer (D) Yes
  • Kanai Souza (R): No Response

State House District 51

  • Alan K. Akao (D): Yes; As noted in my previous response, the effectiveness of a law enforcement standards board while needed, has not garnered the type of responsiveness that the community and government has called for. There is a stunning lack of confidence in the operation of the Board and I believe there does need to be stronger legislation so that the board can provide oversight and recommendations to the legislature and to the greater community as to addressing the issues or concerns we have with law enforcement operation.
  • Coby K. K. Chock (D): No Response
  • Doni Leina‘ala Chong (R): No Response
  • Scott Grimmer (D): No Response
  • Erik K. Ho (Aloha Aina): Yes; I would support this type of legislation.
  • Kukana Kama-Toth (R) Prefer not to answer; Its clear this is a need since it went through the process of becoming law. Is this being poorly funded? I chose not to reply until I can better understand why this group has only met twice since its creation in 2018.
  • Lisa Marten (D): Yes; The board needs to be funded in order to do its job, and the proportion of board members who are police officers should not be increased.

 

7. Education Justice: Evidence shows that school suspensions and school-based arrests lead to further contacts with the juvenile justice system and adult criminal legal system, as well as higher dropout rates and lower academic performance. Currently, students are being suspended for up to 92 days—over half of the school year—for even smelling like cannabis. Do you support further limiting the number of days that schools can suspend students?

A.Education Justice: Evidence shows that school suspensions and school-based arrests lead to further contacts with the juvenile justice system and adult criminal legal system, as well as higher dropout rates and lower academic performance. Currently, students are being suspended for up to 92 days—over half of the school year—for even smelling like cannabis. Do you support further limiting the number of days that schools can suspend students?

A.

Senate

Senate District 2

  • Smiley Burrows (D): No Response
  • Rob G. Ka-Ipo (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Joy San Buenaventura (D): No Response

Senate District 5

  • Christy, Kajiwara-Gusman (R): No Response
  • Rynette Ipo Keen (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Gil S. Coloma Keith-Agaran (D): No Response

Senate District 8

  • Ronald Dan Kouchi (D): No Response

Senate District 9

  • Stanley Chang (D): No Response
  • Sam Slom (R): No Response

Senate District 10

  • Jesus Arriola (D): No Response
  • Vicki B. Higgins (D): No Response
  • Les S. Ihara, Jr. (D): No Response
  • Paul Shiraishi (Nonpartisan): Yes; School discipline policies prevent students from receiving their right to an education. The harm cause by excessive suspensions far outweigh any perceived benefit.

Senate District 11

  • Brian Taniguchi (D): Yes

Senate District 13

  • Kevin McDonald (D): Yes; Yes, this rule needs reform. If you take a student out of school for over half the school year, you cannot expect that student to keep up or perform at the same level with the other students. Another alternative must be available.
  • Karl Rhoads (D): Yes

Senate District 14

  • Donna Mercado Kim (D): No Response

Senate District 15

  • Glenn Wakai (D): No Response

Senate District 19 

  • Rida Cabanilla Arakawa (D): No Response
  • John H. Clark III (D): Yes; Yes, I support further limiting the number of days that schools can suspend students. During my tenure as the founder and Executive Director of Teen Building USA, a non-profit organization focused on increasing the high-school graduation rate among high-school students, I have gained tremendous insight into the lives of today’s teenagers. Through the free seminars provided by Teen Building USA, I have shared stories of success with thousands of middle-school and high-school students.  Equally important, those same students have shown me that, in many ways, they are far more informed on current events than we were when we were teenagers. Perhaps many adults have forgotten that some of our best lessons come from our apparent failures.  Many adults seem to have forgotten that a mistake is only a mistake if we don’t learn from the mistake.  When students “make mistakes, they can still learn from the experience. The question is, will we give them the opportunity to learn from their mistake… or will we basically punish them for simply immersing themselves in the learning process? By limiting the number of days that schools can suspend students, we afford students time to learn from their mistakes, and we raise expectations on how to creatively engage some of our most challenged and challenging students.
  • Kurt Fevella (R): No Response

Senate District 20

  • Feena Bonoan (Libertarian): Yes
  • Mike Gabbard (D): No

Senate District 22

  • Thora-Jean Cuaresma (D): No Response
  • Donovan Dela Cruz (D): No Response
  • Banner S. Fanene (Nonpartisan): Yes
  • John E. Miller (R) No; I believe that should be left up to the schools who know more about the behavior of the students. But there should accountability if the suspensions are for minor infractions.

Senate District 25

  • Chris Lee (D): No Response
  • Kristina Kim-Marshall (R): No Response

State House

State House District 1

  • Mark M. Nakashima (D): Yes
  • Lorraine Pualani Shin (R): No Response

State House District 2

  • Devin Shaw Kealohapumehanaokalani McMackin Sr. (Aloha Aina): Yes; I believe every person is different and every situation is different. With this in mind My believe is if the suspension isn’t working then maybe we need to look deeper and find out why this is happening. To just keep up on the "sending them home" or "out of school",  this doesn't solve anything always. So let's try mandatory programs for the child, an at least one guardian, legal or with consent of legal guardian. This will help both the student and the family in learning ways to improve the chances of finding a successful treatment and solution to the truancy.
  • Christopher L.T. Todd (D): No Response

State House District 3

  • Frederick F. Fogel (D): Yes; The limiting factor should be the parents, and their ability to transfer the student to a school of their choice through a voucher system.
  • Susan Hughes (R): Prefer not to answer.
  • Shannon Lopeka Matson (D): Yes
  • Richard H.K. Onishi (D): N.A

State House District 4

  • Hope (Alohalani) Cermelj (R): No Response
  • Desmon Antone Haumea (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Greggor Ilagan (D): No Response
  • Brian Ley (Nonpartisan): Yes; I believe in education not legislation.
  • Eileen Ohara (D): Yes; In general, there may be better ways to discipline students than suspensions that actually focus on the real goal of being in school - learning how to be a productive member of society.

State House District 5

  • Colehour Bondera (D): Yes; In general, juvenile social services in our state, including those in our public education system, have been underfunded and inadequate.  It is critical that the cause of problem behaviors, not the symptoms, be identified and addressed, especially since problem behavior in early years tend to escalate with age without effective intervention.  At the very least, legislation should be introduced to require a coordinated approach across service systems, including public education, in addressing youths’ needs.
  • Citlalli Johanna Decker (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Jeanné Kapela (D): Yes; As a Native Hawaiian woman, I am deeply concerned that Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students are suspended at a greater rate than their peers and for greater lengths of time, causing them to miss out on essential instructional services.
  • Michael L. Last (Libertarian): Yes; Decriminalize ALL consensual ("victimless") crimes.  Such as drugs, alcohol, gambling, smoking, prostitution, pornography, homosexual acts, bigamy/polygamy and adultery.  Instead concentrate and prosecute victim crimes; rape, murder, theft and vandalism.

State House District 6

  • Nicole Lowen (D): No Response

State House District 7

  • David Tarnas (D): Yes

State House District 8

  • Ka‘apuni Aiwohi (D): Yes
  • Troy Hashimoto (D): Yes
  • Robert G. Hill III (D): No Response

State House District 9

  • J. Kahala Chrupalyk (Aloha Aina): Yes; I want a tall order change in the DOE - period.  Nothing is okay in there.  I have well thought out plans to present at a later time.
  • Justin Woodson (D): No Response

State House District 10

  • Kanamu Balinbin (R): No Response
  • Travis Gyldstrand (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Angus L.K. McKelvey (D): No Response
  • Leonard K. Nakoa III (D): Yes

State House District 11

  • Don Couch (D): Yes; Depending on the circumstances.
  • Howard E. Greenberg (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Tina M.L. Wildberger (D): No Response

State House District 12

  • Simon Russell (D): Yes
  • Kyle T. Yamashita (D): No Response

State House District 13

  • Lynn DeCoite (D): No Response
  • Theresa Kapaku (Aloha Aina): Yes; Yes. Healthy and progressive alternatives must be identified, established, and utilized.  Programs that engage and empower students on the land and in the community are ideal.
  • Walter Ritte (D): Yes; Suspensions is not a good solution.
  • Robin Vanderpool (R): No; Problem students should be expelled. Bad kids ruin it for the others.

State House District 14

  • Steve Monas (R): No Response
  • Nadine K. Nakamura (D): No Response

State House District 15

  • James Kunane Tokioka (D): No Response
  • Steve Yoder (R): No Response

State House District 16

  • Ana Mo Des (R): No Response
  • Daynette Morikawa (D): No Response

State House District 17

  • Keith Kogachi (D): Prefer not to answer.
  • Gene Ward (R): No Response

State House District 18

  • Tommy Driskill III (D): No Response
  • Mark Jun Hashem (D): No Response
  • Lori Ford (R); Yes

State House District 19

  • Wayne Chen (American Shopping)
  • Bertrand Kobayashi (D): No Response
  • Michael L. Parrish (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 20

  • Julia E. Allan (R): No Response
  • Becky Gardner (D): Yes; Juvenile crime is far more likely to be a symptom of poverty, racism, and other broader social inequities than it is a mark of a deviant criminal mind.  We should not penalize our youth who are acting out in ways that can be expected and predicted from their circumstances.  When symptoms, such as juvenile crime, become apparent, our first response should be to address the root of their malevolent behavior and engage in therapeutic justice.  We also need to examine the patterns of juvenile crimes and address the obvious risk factors through policy and programming.  Depriving our youth of education, social contact, and program guidance as the default policy is the wrong approach.  However, we do need to be careful to determine who may have psychiatric and/or socially deviant personality disorders and take necessary precautions through comprehensive evaluation, screening, and treatment which may require prolonged suspension.
  • Jay I. Ishibashi (D): No Response
  • Jackson Sayama (D): Yes; While disciplinary actions are necessary for students who display inappropriate behavior, disciplinary actions should not be at the expense of a student’s educational progress. Suspending a student from half a school year neither improves their educational outlook nor helps them integrate into the school’s community. I would support limitations on school suspension in tandem with increased investment in improving school counseling and services that address behavioral issues in a more effective manner.
  • Derek A. Turbin (D): READ HERE

State House District 21

  • Scott Y. Nishimoto (D): No Response

State House District 22

  • Tom Brower (D): No Response 
  • Nicholas R. Ochs (R): No Response
  • Adrian Tam (D): Yes

State House District 23

  • Dale Kobayashi (D): No Response

State House District 24

  • Della Au Belatti (D): No Response
  • Andy Sexton, Jr. (Aloha Aina) No Response

State House District 25

  • Sylvia Luke (D): No Response

State House District 26

  • Kim Coco Iwamoto (D): Yes
  • Scott K. Saiki (D): No Response

State House District 27

  • Takashi Ohno (D): No Response

State House District 28

  • John M. Mizuno (D): No Response

State House District 29

  • Daniel Holt (D): No Response
  • James Logue (D): Yes

State House District 30

  • P.M. Azinga (R): Yes; We must stop the classroom to prison express train.
  • Romy M. Cachola (D): Yes
  • Sonny Ganaden (D): Yes; As a Director of a youth program in Kalihi, I am well aware of school suspensions and the practice's impact on children, particularly boys. This is a reasonable measure.
  • Tess Abalos Quilingking (R): Yes; I believe that they will automatically classify themselves that they are no good when faced with such punishment.   If we can create a hands-on disciplinary program after school with positive enforcement as in getting them educated for what they did and get them involve to tell their testimony when they pass the disciplinary class. A program that they don’t have to miss classes, it will give them hope.

State House District 31

  • Aaron Ling Johanson (D): No Response

State House District 32

  • Linda Ichiyama (D): No Response

State House District 33

  • Tracy Arakaki (D): Yes
  • Jenny Boyette (R): No; School suspension should be made on a case by case basis.  There is no one perfect solution, because all children and their circumstances are different.
  • Sam Satoru Kong (D): No Response

State House District 34

  • Keone F. Simon (R): No Response
  • Gregg Takayama (D): No

State House District 35

  • Carl E. Hood (R): No Response
  • Keline Kahau (Aloha Aina): No
  • Roy M. Takumi (D): No Response

State House District 36

  • Trish La Chica (D): Yes; It is imperative that we fully fund our school system and provide our students with the resources they need to excel. Days suspended results in days out of the classroom.  Ultimately, we must prioritize intervention, counseling, and other methods to reduce suspension and protect our students’ right to access education.
  • Marilyn B. Lee (D): No Response
  • Val Okimoto (R): No Response

State House District 37

  • Emil Svrcina (R): No Response
  • Ryan I. Yamane (D): No Response

State House District 38

  • Henry J.C. Aquino (D): No Response 

State House District 39

  • Ty J.K. Cullen (D): No Response
  • Austin L.S. Maglinti (R): No Response

State House District 40

  • Rose Martinez (D): No Response
  • Bob McDermott (R): No; I highly doubt anyone got suspended 92 days for smelling like pot!  Aside from that poorly worded question, the principle needs to have a full tool box to use in manner to secure good order and discipline.

State House District 41

  • David Alcos (R): No Response
  • Matt LoPresti (D): Yes
  • Mokihana Maldonado (D): No Response
  • Amanda J. Rathbun (D): No Response
  • Ryan Isamu Uehara (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 42

  • Sharon Har (D): No Response
  • Vickie L.P. Kam (D): Yes; Suspending a student for Chapter 19 based offenses without a system that provides mandatory counseling or support for the student and family is counterproductive. However, finding a balance to protect all the students impacted by other students’ poor behavior must be considered as well.

State House District 43

  • Stacelynn Kehaulani Eli (D): No Response
  • Diamond Garcia (R): No
  • Shaena Dela Cruz Hoohuli (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Michael Kahikina (D): Prefer not to answer; Reconstruction in the way we all think and react to misbehavior through dialogue, education and encouraging participation from grass roots family and community involvement in the discussions! With support for recorders to transpose the ideas and for community and leaders in their meetings and conversations.

State House District 44

  • Maysana Aldeguer (R): No
  • Cedric Asuega Gates (D): No Response
  • Jo Jordan (D): Yes
  • Joseph K. Simpliciano, Jr. (Aloha Aina): No Response

State House District 45

  • Michael Chapman (D): Yes; Suspensions punish students in a way that ostracizes them. There is a high risk of discrimination in which students are suspended and which are reprimanded in other ways. Education, in many ways, is a self-fulfilling prophecy. If we make students think they're "bad kids," there is a good chance that will come true. We need to give students the help they need, from mental health to peer mediation, to set them on the right path.
  • Lauren Matsumoto Cheape (R): No Response

State House District 46

  • Aaron James Kaleo Agsalda (D): No Response
  • Amy Perruso (D): Yes; I have worked as a teacher and state union leader (HSTA) to develop policies and programs to interrupt and disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline and to adopt restorative justice practices since 2012. This work is slowly being developed and adopted, but we need specific policies to be put in place, including those outlined in these questions.

State House District 47

  • Sean Quinlan (D): No Response
  • Boyd Ready (R): No; But suspensions of high frequency or long duration should be implemented by referral to another educational program suitable to misbehaving youth. 

State House District 48

  • Lisa C. Kitagawa (D): No Response
  • Kau‘i Pratt-Aquino, Esq. (D): Yes

State House District 49

  • Kilomana Danner (R): Yes; Yes. But as a foster parent for many years I know that some children can disrupt the classrooms environment. There are many ways to engage the student aside from expulsion
  • Scot Matayoshi (D): No Response

State House District 50

  • Patrick Pihana Branco (D): Yes; Placing a stricter limit on the amount of days a student can be suspended is a solid policy and one which I support.
  • Micah Pregitzer (D) Yes
  • Kanai Souza (R): No Response

State House District 51

  • Alan K. Akao (D): Yes; The school to prison pipeline will continue to grow if we treat students like criminals. School punishment, suspension and expulsion has been weaponized to rid our school system of bad apples. When in reality they are the very type of student that the system needs to support and address. They are not simply a problem we need to correct. They are human beings, young ones at that, that need guidance and to be treated with respect and understanding. Suspension from school furthers the gap in learning and is not productive.
  • Coby K. K. Chock (D): No Response
  • Doni Leina‘ala Chong (R): No Response
  • Scott Grimmer (D): No Response
  • Erik K. Ho (Aloha Aina): Yes; Removing our students from campus for excessive amounts of time sets them back from their peers. There should be alternative programs available for students who lack the desire to be in an academic setting.
  • Kukana Kama-Toth (R): Yes; The long-term suspensions for our school aged children are ridiculous and is a disservice to our keiki of Hawaii. Suspensions of this magnitude only encourages more TV time, more potential opportunities to be caught up in poor scenarios and is a complete missed opportunity for a positive reform for the student. Factors need to be considered regarding the environment our keiki is growing up in. There are other alternatives that can be made through collaboration with student, students’ family, the school and other community entities. This can be done on a case to case basis. Throwing a 90-day suspension on a student seems more of a cop out to me then truly finding ways to help the student learn from his or her mistake.
  • Lisa Marten (D): Yes

 

8. Education Justice: Do you support ending the use of school resource officers (i.e., police officers permanently placed in certain schools)?

A.Education Justice: Do you support ending the use of school resource officers (i.e., police officers permanently placed in certain schools)?

A.

Senate

Senate District 2

  • Smiley Burrows (D): No Response
  • Rob G. Ka-Ipo (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Joy San Buenaventura (D): No Response

Senate District 5

  • Christy, Kajiwara-Gusman (R): No Response
  • Rynette Ipo Keen (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Gil S. Coloma Keith-Agaran (D): No Response

Senate District 8

  • Ronald Dan Kouchi (D): No Response

Senate District 9

  • Stanley Chang (D): No Response
  • Sam Slom (R): No Response

Senate District 10

  • Jesus Arriola (D): No Response
  • Vicki B. Higgins (D): No Response
  • Les S. Ihara, Jr. (D): No Response
  • Paul Shiraishi (Nonpartisan): Yes

Senate District 11

  • Brian Taniguchi (D): Prefer not to answer.

Senate District 13

  • Kevin McDonald (D): No; Schools need law enforcement like any other place, but schools are special places and so they should have a special kind of law enforcement more tailored to their needs.
  • Karl Rhoads (D): No; Because there is some risk of gun violence in schools that a police officer can help deter.

Senate District 14

  • Donna Mercado Kim (D): No Response

Senate District 15

  • Glenn Wakai (D): No Response

Senate District 19 

  • Rida Cabanilla Arakawa (D): No Response
  • John H. Clark III (D): No; No, I do not support ending the use of school resource officers. Through my experience as a member of the School Community Council, as a member of the Pacific Joint Venture Education Forum (JVEF), as the Education Chairperson of the Ewa Neighborhood Board, and as a facilitator of in-school seminars in the Ewa/Kapolei Complex, I remain engaged with many teachers and administrators of the Hawaii Department of Education. And though there does not appear to be an immediate requirement for officers permanently placed in schools, having an officer available could prove to be a well-placed asset to avert any evolving or emergent school altercations. In accordance with my response to the question regarding my support of further limiting the number of days that schools can suspend students, there should be relevant de-escalation training and concurrent “expectation management” training provided to the Resource Officers so they are specifically trained on the best interaction methods with which to engage today’s teenagers.
  • Kurt Fevella (R): No Response

Senate District 20

  • Feena Bonoan (Libertarian): No; I would rather have a police officer at school than looking for speeders on the H1.
  • Mike Gabbard (D): No

Senate District 22

  • Thora-Jean Cuaresma (D): No Response
  • Donovan Dela Cruz (D): No Response
  • Banner S. Fanene (Nonpartisan): No
  • John E. Miller (R) No; If it saves one life it is worth it. If research shows it is harmful to students then I might be open to support ending it.

Senate District 25

  • Chris Lee (D): No Response
  • Kristina Kim-Marshall (R): No Response

State House

State House District 1

  • Mark M. Nakashima (D): No; The school resource officers I have met provide a positive role model for students.  I think the department screens officers who have the right temperament for the job.
  • Lorraine Pualani Shin (R): No Response

State House District 2

  • Devin Shaw Kealohapumehanaokalani McMackin Sr. (Aloha Aina): No; This is because if in the case of a crime the officer is there already, no need to wait for a response. Second, he should be certified in at least a college course on education and 9/ or child truancy. As well as he should be influencing the kids to be a productive member of society. His primary job shouldn't be the truancy of children but the support in finding pathways to success with them and their ohana.
  • Christopher L.T. Todd (D): No Response

State House District 3

  • Frederick F. Fogel (D): No; Some situations may need it.  Blanket banning is seldom a good idea.
  • Susan Hughes (R): Prefer not to answer.
  • Shannon Lopeka Matson (D): Yes; Yes, with the caveat that there are certain other policies and procedures in place to ensure safety and welfare for all students.
  • Richard H.K. Onishi (D): N.A

State House District 4

  • Hope (Alohalani) Cermelj (R): No Response
  • Desmon Antone Haumea (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Greggor Ilagan (D): No Response
  • Brian Ley (Nonpartisan): No; I believe in a authority presents in the school system.
  • Eileen Ohara (D): Yes; I would support this if an alternative resource were made available to the schools to deal with tough disciplinary challenges.  More counselors trained in abating and redirecting aggressive behavior would likely result in better outcomes.

State House District 5

  • Colehour Bondera (D): Yes; The fact students are now calling for an end to the use of school resource officers should be enough information for any objective decision.
  • Citlalli Johanna Decker (Aloha Aina): Yes; Should be equal among all schools or none at all.
  • Jeanné Kapela (D): Yes; We don't need permanent police officers on school campuses. Putting armed officers on school campuses doesn't stop violence. It makes students feel like criminals.
  • Michael L. Last (Libertarian): Yes

State House District 6

  • Nicole Lowen (D): No Response

State House District 7

  • David Tarnas (D): No; I would not want to stop all use of school resource officers.  Some police officers in some schools could be useful and helpful.

State House District 8

  • Ka‘apuni Aiwohi (D): Yes
  • Troy Hashimoto (D): No; When I was attending high school, school resources officers had a positive presence on the campus and interacted well with students. It also takes the right type of officer to hold this position to achieve the intended positive outcome.
  • Robert G. Hill III (D): No Response

State House District 9

  • J. Kahala Chrupalyk (Aloha Aina): Prefer not to answer; Something has to be done with them because they serve no purpose when they are hanging around the front office flirting with the cute, new receptionist.  Those officers are not even trained to be a resource to the students.  However,  if they were properly trained and suited for the position, I wouldn’t mind keeping them. At this current time, they are almost useless, unless an emergency happens. They can report and receive back up a bit faster.
  • Justin Woodson (D): No Response

State House District 10

  • Kanamu Balinbin (R): No Response
  • Travis Gyldstrand (Aloha Aina): No
  • Angus L.K. McKelvey (D): No Response
  • Leonard K. Nakoa III (D): No

State House District 11

  • Don Couch (D): No
  • Howard E. Greenberg (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Tina M.L. Wildberger (D): No Response

State House District 12

  • Simon Russell (D): Yes
  • Kyle T. Yamashita (D): No Response

State House District 13

  • Lynn DeCoite (D): No Response
  • Theresa Kapaku (Aloha Aina): Yes; Police presence is detrimental to the mental health associations of students in schools.
  • Walter Ritte (D): Yes; Students are not guilty, call police when needed.
  • Robin Vanderpool (R): No; I support armed officers and teachers.

State House District 14

  • Steve Monas (R): No Response
  • Nadine K. Nakamura (D): No Response

State House District 15

  • James Kunane Tokioka (D): No Response
  • Steve Yoder (R): No Response

State House District 16

  • Ana Mo Des (R): No Response
  • Daynette Morikawa (D): No Response

State House District 17

  • Keith Kogachi (D): Prefer not to answer.
  • Gene Ward (R): No Response

State House District 18

  • Tommy Driskill III (D): No Response
  • Mark Jun Hashem (D): No Response
  • Lori Ford (R): No

State House District 19

  • Wayne Chen (American Shopping)
  • Bertrand Kobayashi (D): No Response
  • Michael L. Parrish (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 20

  • Julia E. Allan (R): No Response
  • Becky Gardner (D): Yes; I am extremely uncomfortable with the idea of armed public safety personnel in our schools; however, I think it is important that we engage and defer to the wisdom of the DOE in what is necessary in the short-term.  In the long-term, we need to engage in programming and policy work to address the roots of crime and violence in our schools, so we can dramatically reduce the need for “resource officers.”
  • Jay I. Ishibashi (D): No Response
  • Jackson Sayama (D): Prefer not to answer; While School Resource Officers may provide parents and school personnel with a sense of safety, the effectiveness of SROs is inconclusive. Disciplinary action normally addressed by school administrators are, instead, resulting in arrests. This “School to Prison Pipeline” disproportionately affects disabled, low income, and minority students. We need to radically rethink the scope, qualifications, and authority of the School Resource Officer. We need people specialized in working with youth, and the local community to resolve student issues without pushing them into the criminal justice system.
  • Derek A. Turbin (D): READ HERE

State House District 21

  • Scott Y. Nishimoto (D): No Response

State House District 22

  • Tom Brower (D): No Response 
  • Nicholas R. Ochs (R): No Response
  • Adrian Tam (D): Prefer not to answer; I do not hold a position on this issue.

State House District 23

  • Dale Kobayashi (D): No Response

State House District 24

  • Della Au Belatti (D): No Response
  • Andy Sexton, Jr. (Aloha Aina) No Response

State House District 25

  • Sylvia Luke (D): No Response

State House District 26

  • Kim Coco Iwamoto (D): Yes
  • Scott K. Saiki (D): No Response

State House District 27

  • Takashi Ohno (D): No Response

State House District 28

  • John M. Mizuno (D): No Response

State House District 29

  • Daniel Holt (D): No Response
  • James Logue (D): Prefer not to answer; I chose "Prefer not to answer" as this question requires a lot more detail about the schools in which resource officers are placed. While I know many are against it I feel that before removing them we need to implement policies that steer students away from activities that cause them to get in to trouble, and for which these officers were found to be needed. In my opinion, we don't want to simply remove the officers from a school that may have troubled students as they may then get more out of hand which impacts other students, teachers, staff, as well as that student's family. We first need to look at ways to mitigate the reasons why officers are there in the first place.

State House District 30

  • P.M. Azinga (R): No; In addition to trained teachings staff in "Active Shooter" by Homeland Security.
  • Romy M. Cachola (D): Prefer not to answer; Before I make my final decision, I would always like to weigh the pros and cons on these measures.
  • Sonny Ganaden (D): Yes
  • Tess Abalos Quilingking (R): No; I support police placement in certain school when needed

State House District 31

  • Aaron Ling Johanson (D): No Response

State House District 32

  • Linda Ichiyama (D): No Response

State House District 33

  • Tracy Arakaki (D): No
  • Jenny Boyette (R): No; There should always be some element of security on school campuses.  Those folks will be on the front lines should any disturbance occur.  It's a safety issue.
  • Sam Satoru Kong (D): No Response

State House District 34

  • Keone F. Simon (R): No Response
  • Gregg Takayama (D): No

State House District 35

  • Carl E. Hood (R): No Response
  • Keline Kahau (Aloha Aina): No
  • Roy M. Takumi (D): No Response

State House District 36

  • Trish La Chica (D): Yes; The primary role of law enforcement is to enforce laws; any funding allocated for school resources should prioritize support services, including mental health and counseling services, over law enforcement.
  • Marilyn B. Lee (D): No Response
  • Val Okimoto (R): No Response

State House District 37

  • Emil Svrcina (R): No Response
  • Ryan I. Yamane (D): No Response

State House District 38

  • Henry J.C. Aquino (D): No Response 

State House District 39

  • Ty J.K. Cullen (D): No Response
  • Austin L.S. Maglinti (R): No Response

State House District 40

  • Rose Martinez (D): No Response
  • Bob McDermott (R): No

State House District 41

  • David Alcos (R): No Response
  • Matt LoPresti (D): Yes
  • Mokihana Maldonado (D): No Response
  • Amanda J. Rathbun (D): No Response
  • Ryan Isamu Uehara (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 42

  • Sharon Har (D): No Response
  • Vickie L.P. Kam (D): Yes; There are ways to address student issues that do not require a daily police presence in our schools. Offering a space students can be removed to for counseling and de-escalation of the situation would be more in line with school missions to educate and support.

State House District 43

  • Stacelynn Kehaulani Eli (D): No Response
  • Diamond Garcia (R): No
  • Shaena Dela Cruz Hoohuli (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Michael Kahikina (D): Prefer not to answer

State House District 44

  • Maysana Aldeguer (R): No
  • Cedric Asuega Gates (D): No Response
  • Jo Jordan (D): Prefer not to answer
  • Joseph K. Simpliciano, Jr. (Aloha Aina): No Response

State House District 45

  • Michael Chapman (D): Yes
  • Lauren Matsumoto Cheape (R): No Response

State House District 46

  • Aaron James Kaleo Agsalda (D): No Response
  • Amy Perruso (D): Yes

State House District 47

  • Sean Quinlan (D): No Response
  • Boyd Ready (R): No

State House District 48

  • Lisa C. Kitagawa (D): No Response
  • Kau‘i Pratt-Aquino, Esq. (D): Prefer not to answer; I do not have enough information or background on this issue.  As Chair of a school board, we experienced a direct threat to our school from someone who was very dangerous.  Having police offer near or based at our school temporarily was beneficial to ensure the safety of our school.  If the purpose of the school resource officer is to intimidate or penalize students, then I would support ending this practice.  Further, I would support funding for wrap around services to help support those children who may be suffering in the school setting.

State House District 49

  • Kilomana Danner (R): No; I support expanding their roles as models, mentors and ohana to the students. Just a cop in the school program is not enough.
  • Scot Matayoshi (D): No Response

State House District 50

  • Patrick Pihana Branco (D): Prefer not to answer; I don’t support a blanket prohibition on the use of school resource officers, though I believe the practice should be discouraged outside of the direst situations. In situations where violence has invaded a school’s culture, it may be necessary to temporarily use school resource officers to deter such violence.
  • Micah Pregitzer (D) Yes
  • Kanai Souza (R): No Response

State House District 51

  • Alan K. Akao (D): Yes; School security is important. But placing law enforcement in schools is not appropriate. When you make a place of learning something other than a safe space it changes the way in which students grow and express themselves. That is not to safe school campuses should not have security and protocols. But armed police officers with the ability to search and arrest students, especially officers without specialized training to deal with age appropriate situations, should be ended.
  • Coby K. K. Chock (D): No Response
  • Doni Leina‘ala Chong (R): No Response
  • Scott Grimmer (D): No Response
  • Erik K. Ho (Aloha Aina): No; If these schools feel the need to have resource officers as a deterrent and to maintain order, they should remain there. However, the root causes of these concerns should be addressed with school administration, state officials, parents and community organizations coming together to hoʻoponopono
  • Kukana Kama-Toth (R): No; I believe some schools are in need of peace keepers especially the schools that have a lot of physical altercations. Every student should feel safe in their learning environment. But if there are peace keepers whose behaviors are inappropriate then that is something that should be considered from a legislative perspective.
  • Lisa Marten (D): Prefer not to answer; I am not aware that this is the situation in any Hawaii schools.

 

9. Education Justice: Evidence shows that school suspensions and school-based arrests lead to further contacts with the juvenile justice system and adult criminal legal system, as well as higher dropout rates and lower academic performance. Currently, students are being suspended for up to 92 days—over half of the school year—for even smelling like cannabis. Do you support eliminating status offenses for youth, such as truancy?

A.Education Justice: Evidence shows that school suspensions and school-based arrests lead to further contacts with the juvenile justice system and adult criminal legal system, as well as higher dropout rates and lower academic performance. Currently, students are being suspended for up to 92 days—over half of the school year—for even smelling like cannabis. Do you support eliminating status offenses for youth, such as truancy?

A.

Senate

Senate District 2

  • Smiley Burrows (D): No Response
  • Rob G. Ka-Ipo (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Joy San Buenaventura (D): No Response

Senate District 5

  • Christy, Kajiwara-Gusman (R): No Response
  • Rynette Ipo Keen (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Gil S. Coloma Keith-Agaran (D): No Response

Senate District 8

  • Ronald Dan Kouchi (D): No Response

Senate District 9

  • Stanley Chang (D): No Response
  • Sam Slom (R): No Response

Senate District 10

  • Jesus Arriola (D): No Response
  • Vicki B. Higgins (D): No Response
  • Les S. Ihara, Jr. (D): No Response
  • Paul Shiraishi (Nonpartisan): Yes

Senate District 11

  • Brian Taniguchi (D): Prefer not to answer

Senate District 13

  • Kevin McDonald (D): No; No, it is important for the schools to establish a student’s performance and ability to function within the reasonable rules the school sets forth. It is also important for a school to be able to report the results of these concerns to the parents of these students.
  • Karl Rhoads (D): No; At least in some of the areas I represent, skipping school is a big problem.  I'd be open to making the process less penal, but I think we do need a law that says you have to be in school.

Senate District 14

  • Donna Mercado Kim (D): No Response

Senate District 15

  • Glenn Wakai (D): No Response

Senate District 19 

  • Rida Cabanilla Arakawa (D): No Response
  • John H. Clark III (D): Yes; Yes, I support eliminating status offenses for youth, such as truancy. In general, I believe we need to de-criminalize childhood mistakes.  As stated previously, many adults have forgotten that some of our best lessons come from our apparent failures.  In reality, these aren’t failures at all; they are potential lessons to be learned.  After all, no one is perfect.  Yet, many adults seem to have forgotten that a mistake is only a mistake if we don’t learn from the mistake.  When teenagers make a mistake, adults must realize that teenagers are students of life and, as such, they are still learning from their evolving experiences. The question is, “Will we give students the opportunity to learn from their mistake?”  Or will we merely punish them for simply immersing themselves in the learning process? Empirical data proves the decision-making part of the teenager’s brain (the part of the brain where there is an associated link to thoughts about related consequences), the cerebral cortex, is not fully developed.  Accordingly, accurate information processing and lucid decision making is almost impossible for many teenagers.  Accordingly, I support eliminating status offenses for youth, such as truancy.
  • Kurt Fevella (R): No Response

Senate District 20

  • Feena Bonoan (Libertarian): Yes
  • Mike Gabbard (D): Yes

Senate District 22

  • Thora-Jean Cuaresma (D): No Response
  • Donovan Dela Cruz (D): No Response
  • Banner S. Fanene (Nonpartisan): Prefer not to answer
  • John E. Miller (R): Prefer not to answer; I don't have enough information on the effects to the students about status offenses to answer the question.

Senate District 25

  • Chris Lee (D): No Response
  • Kristina Kim-Marshall (R): No Response

State House

State House District 1

  • Mark M. Nakashima (D): Yes
  • Lorraine Pualani Shin (R): No Response

State House District 2

  • Devin Shaw Kealohapumehanaokalani McMackin Sr. (Aloha Aina): Yes; This is because truancy should be tracked and monitored, for the purpose of improving the life of the student not just punishing them. We should be moving toward rehabilitation, rather than punishment. This is our problem that creates more problems due to the criminalizing of children that just don't learn or respond the same as some of the others. We must still try our hardest to uplift them, not step on their back when they're in need.
  • Christopher L.T. Todd (D): No Response

State House District 3

  • Frederick F. Fogel (D): No; Would have to know more about the issue to make an informed choice.
  • Susan Hughes (R): No
  • Shannon Lopeka Matson (D): Yes
  • Richard H.K. Onishi (D): N.A

State House District 4

  • Hope (Alohalani) Cermelj (R): No Response
  • Desmon Antone Haumea (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Greggor Ilagan (D): No Response
  • Brian Ley (Nonpartisan): Yes; I don't believe in labeling children.
  • Eileen Ohara (D): Yes; Such offenses label an individual before they have reached an age to fully understand the implications of carrying a record.  There could be an alternative designation.

State House District 5

  • Colehour Bondera (D): Yes; Status offenses often result because a youth's mental health needs have not been addressed.  After a charge has been made, indigent youth lack the resources for an adequate legal defense.  Again, there should be a coordination between agencies and services practices and policies.  Behavioral issues should not be criminalized.
  • Citlalli Johanna Decker (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Jeanné Kapela (D): Yes; We need to invest in community health programs that uplift working families and prevent financial harm, which will reduce truancy by ensuring that our keiki's basic needs are met.
  • Michael L. Last (Libertarian): Yes

State House District 6

  • Nicole Lowen (D): No Response

State House District 7

  • David Tarnas (D): No

State House District 8

  • Ka‘apuni Aiwohi (D): Yes
  • Troy Hashimoto (D): No; Resorting to this type of punishment should only be the last resort after all other options have been exhausted, but I feel it should be an option for severe repeat offenders.
  • Robert G. Hill III (D): No Response

State House District 9

  • J. Kahala Chrupalyk (Aloha Aina): Prefer not to answer; I’d need to see statistic history before committing to an answer on this question.
  • Justin Woodson (D): No Response

State House District 10

  • Kanamu Balinbin (R): No Response
  • Travis Gyldstrand (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Angus L.K. McKelvey (D): No Response
  • Leonard K. Nakoa III (D): Yes

State House District 11

  • Don Couch (D): No; I am supportive of diverting a juvenile charged with a status offense to other government agencies, which can provide them with counseling, treatment, and other services.
  • Howard E. Greenberg (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Tina M.L. Wildberger (D): No Response

State House District 12

  • Simon Russell (D): Yes
  • Kyle T. Yamashita (D): No Response

State House District 13

  • Lynn DeCoite (D): No Response
  • Theresa Kapaku (Aloha Aina): Yes; Documented offenses on youth criminal records hinder their ability to gain meaningful employment and acceptance into schools.  Especially in cases where students become better participating citizens, their inability to move forward in life due to past choices (as a child) can lead to regression and be detrimental to their ability to contribute meaningfully to their communities.
  • Walter Ritte (D): Yes; We need to improve our school system to show the value of education to students and parents.
  • Robin Vanderpool (R): No; In life there are consequences. Each of these questions has a very long answer. I do support dialog and discipline.

State House District 14

  • Steve Monas (R): No Response
  • Nadine K. Nakamura (D): No Response

State House District 15

  • James Kunane Tokioka (D): No Response
  • Steve Yoder (R): No Response

State House District 16

  • Ana Mo Des (R): No Response
  • Daynette Morikawa (D): No Response

State House District 17

  • Keith Kogachi (D): Prefer not to answer.
  • Gene Ward (R): No Response

State House District 18

  • Tommy Driskill III (D): No Response
  • Mark Jun Hashem (D): No Response
  • Lori Ford (R): Yes; I support legislation to phase out detention of minors for non-criminal behavior.

State House District 19

  • Wayne Chen (American Shopping)
  • Bertrand Kobayashi (D): No Response
  • Michael L. Parrish (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 20

  • Julia E. Allan (R): No Response
  • Becky Gardner (D): Yes; As described in my answer to question 7, status offenses like truancy are mostly likely symptoms of other issues relating to family and other socio-economic factors.  The cost of prosecuting and convicting our youth for offenses that do not reflect a criminal intent is wasteful and sells our young people short.  We need to give grace and opportunity to at-risk youth and not blame the victim.
  • Jay I. Ishibashi (D): No Response
  • Jackson Sayama (D): Yes; Status offenses are rather antiquated and fail to address underlying socio-economic and cultural issues that lead to offenses. Making acts like truancy, running away from home, and underage drinking a matter of the law is not an effective deterrent or long-term solution to change behavior. Instead, we should incorporate community-based solutions coupled with specialists in child psychology to encourage troubled youth and their families towards more healthy and productive lifestyles.
  • Derek A. Turbin (D): READ HERE

State House District 21

  • Scott Y. Nishimoto (D): No Response

State House District 22

  • Tom Brower (D): No Response 
  • Nicholas R. Ochs (R): No Response
  • Adrian Tam (D): Yes

State House District 23

  • Dale Kobayashi (D): No Response

State House District 24

  • Della Au Belatti (D): No Response
  • Andy Sexton, Jr. (Aloha Aina) No Response

State House District 25

  • Sylvia Luke (D): No Response

State House District 26

  • Kim Coco Iwamoto (D): Yes
  • Scott K. Saiki (D): No Response

State House District 27

  • Takashi Ohno (D): No Response

State House District 28

  • John M. Mizuno (D): No Response

State House District 29

  • Daniel Holt (D): No Response
  • James Logue (D): Prefer not to answer; Due to the wide array of the types of "status offenses" I cannot answer "YES" or "NO." While the question does state "such as truancy," which I would support eliminating a punishment for, there are other offenses that are considered to be "status offenses" that I do not support eliminating punishment for.

State House District 30

  • P.M. Azinga (R): No; However more creative consequences.
  • Romy M. Cachola (D): No; Before I make my final decision, I would always like to weigh the pros and cons on these measures.
  • Sonny Ganaden (D): Yes
  • Tess Abalos Quilingking (R): Yes; This can give them a new start.  While having that in their record doesn’t really do them any good. They will be labeled as that even when they are ready to change.

State House District 31

  • Aaron Ling Johanson (D): No Response

State House District 32

  • Linda Ichiyama (D): No Response

State House District 33

  • Tracy Arakaki (D): Yes
  • Jenny Boyette (R): No; In regards to truancy, if a student is not ill, not in home-schooling, he or she should be in class.  Students need to understand and learn there are consequences for inappropriate behavior.  Again, this is also something which must be considered on a case by case instance.  Not all children are the same, there is no cookie cutter solution.  The bad behavior is the symptom, not the cause.  The issue which must be addressed is are children engaged within their community?  Are there activities and centers where they can have a positive reinforcement of values, rather than what ever they may glean from their peers?  Are parents checked in or checked out of the raising of their child?
  • Sam Satoru Kong (D): No Response

State House District 34

  • Keone F. Simon (R): No Response
  • Gregg Takayama (D): No

State House District 35

  • Carl E. Hood (R): No Response
  • Keline Kahau (Aloha Aina): No
  • Roy M. Takumi (D): No Response

State House District 36

  • Trish La Chica (D): Yes; Community-based programming has proven to be more effective at meeting the needs of youth than the criminal justice system.
  • Marilyn B. Lee (D): No Response
  • Val Okimoto (R): No Response

State House District 37

  • Emil Svrcina (R): No Response
  • Ryan I. Yamane (D): No Response

State House District 38

  • Henry J.C. Aquino (D): No Response 

State House District 39

  • Ty J.K. Cullen (D): No Response
  • Austin L.S. Maglinti (R): No Response

State House District 40

  • Rose Martinez (D): No Response
  • Bob McDermott (R): No; I highly doubt anyone got suspened 92 days for smelling like pot!  Aside from that poorly worded question, the principle needs to have a full tool box to use in manner to secure good order and dicispline.

State House District 41

  • David Alcos (R): No Response
  • Matt LoPresti (D): Prefer not to answer; Not sure. While I know what truancy is, and we really ought to make sure students are in school and not skipping class, it is not clear to me what a "status offense" is or why that is a civil liberty problem. School is compulsory and children should be in school.
  • Mokihana Maldonado (D): No Response
  • Amanda J. Rathbun (D): No Response
  • Ryan Isamu Uehara (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 42

  • Sharon Har (D): No Response
  • Vickie L.P. Kam (D): Yes; As an educator for the past 2 decades, I would like to see Hawaii's truancy policy reworked as a tool for family support and allow for exceptions for special situations. The expectation of school attendance in order to gain the education to become a contributing member of society cannot be overlooked, however, it does not need to be weaponized to further alienate the student.

State House District 43

  • Stacelynn Kehaulani Eli (D): No Response
  • Diamond Garcia (R): Yes
  • Shaena Dela Cruz Hoohuli (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Michael Kahikina (D): Yes; The schools should be developing programs that meets these students’ needs. Truancy is a reflection of a poor public-school system!

State House District 44

  • Maysana Aldeguer (R): No
  • Cedric Asuega Gates (D): No Response
  • Jo Jordan (D): Yes
  • Joseph K. Simpliciano, Jr. (Aloha Aina): No Response

State House District 45

  • Michael Chapman (D): Yes; Status offenses of this type often worsen the problem, rather than resolving it.
  • Lauren Matsumoto Cheape (R): No Response

State House District 46

  • Aaron James Kaleo Agsalda (D): No Response
  • Amy Perruso (D): Yes

State House District 47

  • Sean Quinlan (D): No Response
  • Boyd Ready (R): No; But home-schooling students should not be subject to truancy laws without specific standards.

State House District 48

  • Lisa C. Kitagawa (D): No Response
  • Kau‘i Pratt-Aquino, Esq. (D): Yes

State House District 49

  • Kilomana Danner (R): Yes; We all fall down.  Don’t hold youth done into their 20’s
  • Scot Matayoshi (D): No Response

State House District 50

  • Patrick Pihana Branco (D): Yes; I would prefer to see a system of positive incentives be used for students & families in situations that would currently be described as chronic truancy. I’m more concerned with the response to the conditions behind truancy than how truancy is classified.
  • Micah Pregitzer (D): Yes
  • Kanai Souza (R): No Response

State House District 51

  • Alan K. Akao (D): Yes; As a society we need to understand and address our youth and the stressors and challenges they face. Juvenile offenses and court system are not often the most productive way to address such challenges. It creates the impression that their actions, while not offensive for adults, is criminal in nature and that juvenile detention now is going to lead to adult incarceration. Positive growth with a focus on understanding and rehabilitation is difficult. But the easy route of treating these issues as criminal is easy. But easy does not make our society better or contribute to improving that youth's life. I support eliminating status offenses such as truancy. 
  • Coby K. K. Chock (D): No Response
  • Doni Leina‘ala Chong (R): No Response
  • Scott Grimmer (D): No Response
  • Erik K. Ho (Aloha Aina): No; These status offenses serve as a cushion from having our youth commit more illicit crimes. They should be thought of as a cushion for our youth to learn not to go further beyond the law.
  • Kukana Kama-Toth (R): Yes; I support reforming the status offenses for youth. This could actually be a tool to help our students instead of just labeling them. The context of these labels is usually left out and that's the most important part when understanding the environment of each student. We need to be able to get to the root of the problem and understanding the environment of that student is the key. I think this "status offenses" are being used in a wrong way. It could mean a new approach needs to be created to get this right.
  • Lisa Marten (D): Yes

 

10. Economic Justice: Only seventeen percent of workers nationwide have access through their employers to paid family leave to care for and/or bond with a new child, or to care for a sick or injured family member. The availability of paid family leave has been shown to increase workers’ loyalty to employers, decrease employee turnover, and has been linked to decreased infant mortality rates and decreased reliance on public assistance. Eight states and Washington D.C. have passed laws that guarantee paid family leave to workers. In December 2019, Congress passed and President Trump signed the Federal Employee Paid Leave Act extending 12 weeks of paid parental leave to most federal employees. Do you support legislation to guarantee 12 weeks of paid family leave to Hawaii’s workers through the establishment of a social insurance program?

A.Economic Justice: Only seventeen percent of workers nationwide have access through their employers to paid family leave to care for and/or bond with a new child, or to care for a sick or injured family member. The availability of paid family leave has been shown to increase workers’ loyalty to employers, decrease employee turnover, and has been linked to decreased infant mortality rates and decreased reliance on public assistance. Eight states and Washington D.C. have passed laws that guarantee paid family leave to workers. In December 2019, Congress passed and President Trump signed the Federal Employee Paid Leave Act extending 12 weeks of paid parental leave to most federal employees. Do you support legislation to guarantee 12 weeks of paid family leave to Hawaii’s workers through the establishment of a social insurance program?

A.

Senate

Senate District 2

  • Smiley Burrows (D): No Response
  • Rob G. Ka-Ipo (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Joy San Buenaventura (D): No Response

Senate District 5

  • Christy, Kajiwara-Gusman (R): No Response
  • Rynette Ipo Keen (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Gil S. Coloma Keith-Agaran (D): No Response

Senate District 8

  • Ronald Dan Kouchi (D): No Response

Senate District 9

  • Stanley Chang (D): No Response
  • Sam Slom (R): No Response

Senate District 10

  • Jesus Arriola (D): No Response
  • Vicki B. Higgins (D): No Response
  • Les S. Ihara, Jr. (D): No Response
  • Paul Shiraishi (Nonpartisan): Yes; We are long overdue for a paid family leave policy, not only in Hawaii, but in this country.

Senate District 11

  • Brian Taniguchi (D): Prefer not to answer.

Senate District 13

  • Kevin McDonald (D): No; While, I support the idea of family leave, I do not believe it is the responsibility of the legislation to require it. Employers should have some say as to what benefits they would like to offer their employees.
  • Karl Rhoads (D): Yes

Senate District 14

  • Donna Mercado Kim (D): No Response

Senate District 15

  • Glenn Wakai (D): No Response

Senate District 19 

  • Rida Cabanilla Arakawa (D): No Response
  • John H. Clark III (D): No; No, legislation to guarantee 12 weeks of paid family leave to Hawaii’s workers through the establishment of a social insurance program would have far-reaching negative effects on Hawaii’s small-business community. According to 2015 data from the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy, though Hawaii small businesses employed 51.8% of the private workforce, over 99% of Hawaii’s businesses are small businesses.  And companies with 100 employees or less comprise the largest share of small business employment. Accordingly, legislation guaranteeing 12 weeks of paid family leave, though seemingly a great asset for the employee, would almost certainly cause unintended negative consequences for 99% of Hawaii’s businesses. Unlike federal, state, and county employers, resources for many Hawaii businesses are severely constrained, especially in this unchartered era of novel coronaviruses. If elected, I would seek to partner with the business community and facilitate other creative-yet-viable methods and incentives to balance family and employer needs.
  • Kurt Fevella (R): No Response

Senate District 20

  • Feena Bonoan (Libertarian): Yes; This is a yes, however I would like to see other options besides creating another social insurance program.
  • Mike Gabbard (D): Yes

Senate District 22

  • Thora-Jean Cuaresma (D): No Response
  • Donovan Dela Cruz (D): No Response
  • Banner S. Fanene (Nonpartisan): Yes
  • John E. Miller (R):Yes

Senate District 25

  • Chris Lee (D): No Response
  • Kristina Kim-Marshall (R): No Response

State House

State House District 1

  • Mark M. Nakashima (D): Yes; The difficulty in Hawaii has been identifying a system to manage this in the state.
  • Lorraine Pualani Shin (R): No Response

State House District 2

  • Devin Shaw Kealohapumehanaokalani McMackin Sr. (Aloha Aina): Prefer not to answer; Do to the openness of this statement I can't agree or disagree due to the fact that if the law is a blanket then small business will lose out and as they are trying to recover from all the devastation that we have experienced here on Big Island that would cause even more businesses to close or to file chapter 11. So this would have to be looked at from multiple sources independently and via the government to come to a solution, that is best for all the people, then voted on., by the people.
  • Christopher L.T. Todd (D): No Response

State House District 3

  • Frederick F. Fogel (D): No; Benefits should be up to the employer, not mandated by the government.  If a person doesn't like the benefits offered by the employer, find a more compatible one.
  • Susan Hughes (R): Prefer not to answer
  • Shannon Lopeka Matson (D): Yes; This is a major part of my platform and I absolutely support Paid Family Leave in Hawaii.
  • Richard H.K. Onishi (D): No Response

State House District 4

  • Hope (Alohalani) Cermelj (R): No Response
  • Desmon Antone Haumea (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Greggor Ilagan (D): No Response
  • Brian Ley (Nonpartisan): No; I believe in tax based credits for businesses that offer family leave.
  • Eileen Ohara (D): Yes

State House District 5

  • Colehour Bondera (D): Yes; Dozens of other countries require paid family leave because they recognize how this individual cost/benefit enhances the health, safety, and welfare for all of society.
  • Citlalli Johanna Decker (Aloha Aina): No; The worker's health insurance should be covering this family paid leave, no new program is needed.
  • Jeanné Kapela (D): Yes; I support the establishment of 16 weeks of paid family leave, actually, which would only cost $58 per year for a person earning $48,000 annually.
  • Michael L. Last (Libertarian): Yes

State House District 6

  • Nicole Lowen (D): No Response

State House District 7

  • David Tarnas (D): No; I support paid family leave, but I don't know enough about the proposed social insurance program to say I will support it.

State House District 8

  • Ka‘apuni Aiwohi (D): Yes
  • Troy Hashimoto (D): Yes
  • Robert G. Hill III (D): No Response

State House District 9

  • J. Kahala Chrupalyk (Aloha Aina): Yes; FMLA guarantees workers this resource.  What is wrong with the fact that people donʻt get to use it?
  • Justin Woodoen (D): No Response

State House District 10

  • Kanamu Balinbin (R): No Response
  • Travis Gyldstrand (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Angus L.K. McKelvey (D): No Response
  • Leonard K. Nakoa III (D): Yes

State House District 11

  • Don Couch (D): Yes
  • Howard E. Greenberg (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Tina M.L. Wildberger (D): No Response

State House District 12

  • Simon Russell (D): Yes
  • Kyle T. Yamashita (D): No Response

State House District 13

  • Lynn DeCoite (D): No Response
  • Theresa Kapaku (Aloha Aina): Yes; Quality time with family and especially to recover from the experience of child birth is critical to the happiness and health of our communities.
  • Walter Ritte (D): Yes
  • Robin Vanderpool (R): No; No, it is a burden on the employer. I support unpaid leave if a temp is secured.

State House District 14

  • Steve Monas (R): No Response
  • Nadine K. Nakamura (D): No Response

State House District 15

  • James Kunane Tokioka (D): No Response
  • Steve Yoder (R): No Response

State House District 16

  • Ana Mo Des (R): No Response
  • Daynette Morikawa (D): No Response

State House District 17

  • Keith Kogachi (D): No; Further analysis is needed regarding the costs of such program as the State and City face significant budget challenges including possible layoffs of pubic employees due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Further, we should also be cognizant of the impact to business especially small business if the cost of this program will be partially or fully funded by the private sector.  Impacts to individuals by having them partially fund this program should also be carefully evaluated for any proposals requiring contributions from our taxpayers.
  • Gene Ward (R): No Response

State House District 18

  • Tommy Driskill III (D): No Response
  • Mark Jun Hashem (D): No Response
  • Lori Ford (R); Yes

State House District 19

  • Wayne Chen (American Shopping): No Response
  • Bertrand Kobayashi (D): No Response
  • Michael L. Parrish (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 20

  • Julia E. Allan (R): No Response
  • Becky Gardner (D): Yes; I fully support paid family leave. It’s important to highlight how much of a gender equity issue this is because so much caregiving work falls on the shoulders of women. I’ve needed Family Leave to give birth to my two children and to be the primary caregiver to my dying mother; and help my grandmother during her last several weeks on hospice.  I don’t think I ever worked as hard as I did at that time.  Yet, we as a society have not shown through our laws and policies that we value the hard work that happens at home - raising and caring for our families.  These policies will also encourage more men to do this valuable care-taking, which I think many are eager to embrace.  This will do much to reduce the gender inequities we face.
  • Jay I. Ishibashi (D): No Response
  • Jackson Sayama (D): Yes; Parents shouldn’t have to decide between caring for their family and keeping their job. With nearly half of Hawaii’s families living one paycheck away from poverty, the State must expand the safety net for when employees must take time off to care for their newborn child or a sick family member. To support employees and their families I would support a family insurance fund like that of SB2491, which delegates the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to provide financial support to qualified individuals up to 16 weeks. To ensure this program’s success I would appropriate an additional $6.5 million towards the program’s administrative operations as was highlighted by DLIR Director Murakami’s testimony.
  • Derek A. Turbin (D): READ HERE

State House District 21

  • Scott Y. Nishimoto (D): No Response

State House District 22

  • Tom Brower (D): No Response 
  • Nicholas R. Ochs (R): No Response
  • Adrian Tam (D): Yes

State House District 23

  • Dale Kobayashi (D): No Response

State House District 24

  • Della Au Belatti (D): No Response
  • Andy Sexton, Jr. (Aloha Aina):No Response

State House District 25

  • Sylvia Luke (D): No Response

State House District 26

  • Kim Coco Iwamoto (D): Yes
  • Scott K. Saiki (D): No Response

State House District 27

  • Takashi Ohno (D): No Response

State House District 28

  • John M. Mizuno (D)˙: No Response

State House District 29

  • Daniel Holt (D): No Response
  • James Logue (D): Yes

State House District 30

  • P.M. Azinga (R): Yes; Promotion of active parenting.
  • Romy M. Cachola (D): Yes; Subject to availability of funds.
  • Sonny Ganaden (D): Yes
  • Tess Abalos Quilingking (R): Yes; Families spending time together nourishes the relationship and for overall well being.  We need to recharge and replenish our batteries.

State House District 31

  • Aaron Ling Johanson (D): No Response

State House District 32

  • Linda Ichiyama (D): No Response

State House District 33

  • Tracy Arakaki (D): Yes
  • Jenny Boyette (R): No; The word I am having trouble with is GUARANTEE.  Businesses should not be compelled to do this.  There should be incentives for businesses to do this.  Businesses in Hawaii already have so much to contend with, another mandate and further regulation by the the State makes it worse.  There should be a program where the business receive a break or reduction on their UI taxes if they offer 12 weeks of paid leave.
  • Sam Satoru Kong (D): No Response

State House District 34

  • Keone F. Simon (R): No Response
  • Gregg Takayama (D): Yes

State House District 35

  • Carl E. Hood (R): No Response
  • Keline Kahau (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Roy M. Takumi (D): No Response

State House District 36

  • Trish La Chica (D): Yes; I support paid family and sick leave for all workers to care for a new child or family member. Minimum paid leave should be 12 weeks, with any unused weeks allowed to be rolled over into the next year up to 24 weeks. This could be financed by both employer and employee contributions through a state-run social insurance program.
  • Marilyn B. Lee (D): No Response
  • Val Okimoto (R): No Response

State House District 37

  • Emil Svrcina (R): No Response
  • Ryan I. Yamane (D): No Response

State House District 38

  • Henry J.C. Aquino (D): No Response 

State House District 39

  • Ty J.K. Cullen (D): No Response
  • Austin L.S. Maglinti (R): No Response

State House District 40

  • Rose Martinez (D): No Response
  • Bob McDermott (R): Prefer not to answer.

State House District 41

  • David Alcos (R): No Response
  • Matt LoPresti (D): Yes; Yes, I have introduced and supported similar legislation numerous times.
  • Mokihana Maldonado (D): No Response
  • Amanda J. Rathbun (D): No Response
  • Ryan Isamu Uehara (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 42

  • Sharon Har (D): No Response
  • Vickie L.P. Kam (D): Yes; YES YES YES this is long overdue! Hawaii's working families deserve to have the safety of knowing they will not lose their job if they have a medical crisis, provide care for an aging parent or need bonding time with a new child. Paid Family Leave supports business interests as well, by ensuring a dedicated work force.

State House District 43

  • Stacelynn Kehaulani Eli (D): No Response
  • Diamond Garcia (R): No
  • Shaena Dela Cruz Hoohuli (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Michael Kahikina (D): Yes; Family is the very core of America! And it’s broken for more families living in poverty than the families that are blessed! I don’t know the specifics of how it would be funded under this legislation but I support rebuilding the core of America and eliminating the divisions for it seems we have become the United “Divided” States of America! Oh Jesus help us!

State House District 44

  • Maysana Aldeguer (R): Yes
  • Cedric Asuega Gates (D): No Response
  • Jo Jordan (D): Yes
  • Joseph K. Simpliciano, Jr. (Aloha Aina): No Response

State House District 45

  • Michael Chapman (D): Yes; Our workers deserve time with their families, especially when that time is most precious. It is time that we provided this as a right.
  • Lauren Matsumoto Cheape (R): No Response

State House District 46

  • Aaron James Kaleo Agsalda (D): No Response
  • Amy Perruso (D): Yes

State House District 47

  • Sean Quinlan (D): No Response
  • Boyd Ready (R): Yes; If it is funded by an insurance program similar to unemployment insurance.

State House District 48

  • Lisa C. Kitagawa (D): No Response
  • Kau‘i Pratt-Aquino, Esq. (D): Yes

State House District 49

  • Kilomana Danner (R): No; No. Some employers would be out of business if mandated to do this. Yes. There should be a social program that is beneficial to both employer and employees
  • Scot Matayoshi (D): No Response

State House District 50

  • Patrick Pihana Branco (D): Yes; Paid family leave is critical to provide Hawaii’s workers with the ability to care for their families. With that being said, I would respect the rights of unions to collectively bargain for their benefits.
  • Micah Pregitzer (D):Yes; I would actually support guaranteeing 16 weeks of paid family leave to Hawai'i's workers using a social insurance model, like social security, which would only cost workers just over one dollar per week.
  • Kanai Souza (R): No Response

State House District 51

  • Alan K. Akao (D): Yes; Absolutely. Paid family leave as well as sick leave is a much needed social insurance program that has shown to have overwhelming positive social results. Cost should not be the reason to prevent families from being able to take leave to care for others and support family members of themselves in times of need. As stated morale and productivity, employee relationships with there employer and other benefits come from companies and work environments that have access to these benefits. I fully support paid family leave programs for Hawaii's workers.
  • Coby K. K. Chock (D): No Response
  • Doni Leina‘ala Chong (R): No Response
  • Scott Grimmer (D): No Response
  • Erik K. Ho (Aloha Aina): Yes; In addition to these 12 weeks of family leave, employees should be empowered to receive more time off from their employer and should take it upon themselves to bargain for that benefit.
  • Kukana Kama-Toth (R): Yes; Shouldn't ALL workers of Hawaii receive this extended/guaranteed 12 weeks of paid family leave if needed? Everyone has a family that may need additional caring for. Having supports like this will surely keep a happier home but also an economy that can continue to flow without breaks in employment making it a win win for the employee as well as the employer.
  • Lisa Marten (D): Yes

 

11. Economic Justice: Hawai‘i law does not guarantee any paid, short-term sick leave to workers. Do you support legislation to guarantee paid sick days to Hawaii’s workers?

A.Economic Justice: Hawai‘i law does not guarantee any paid, short-term sick leave to workers. Do you support legislation to guarantee paid sick days to Hawaii’s workers?

A.

Senate

Senate District 2

  • Smiley Burrows (D): No Response
  • Rob G. Ka-Ipo (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Joy San Buenaventura (D): No Response

Senate District 5

  • Christy, Kajiwara-Gusman (R): No Response
  • Rynette Ipo Keen (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Gil S. Coloma Keith-Agaran (D): No Response

Senate District 8

  • Ronald Dan Kouchi (D): No Response

Senate District 9

  • Stanley Chang (D): No Response
  • Sam Slom (R): No Response

Senate District 10

  • Jesus Arriola (D): No Response
  • Vicki B. Higgins (D): No Response
  • Les S. Ihara, Jr. (D): No Response
  • Paul Shiraishi (Nonpartisan): Yes; The COVID-19 pandemic has shown the vulnerabilities of our economy and workforce by needing special measures to provide some form of paid sick leave. We need to do this proactively rather than reactively.

Senate District 11

  • Brian Taniguchi (D): Yes

Senate District 13

  • Kevin McDonald (D): No; Again, I support the idea of paid sick leave, but I do not believe it is the responsibility of the legislature to require it.
  • Karl Rhoads (D): Yes

Senate District 14

  • Donna Mercado Kim (D): No Response

Senate District 15

  • Glenn Wakai (D): No Response

Senate District 19 

  • Rida Cabanilla Arakawa (D): No Response
  • John H. Clark III (D): Yes; Yes, I support legislation to guarantee paid sick days to Hawaii’s workers. As the recent COVID-19 pandemic has shown, America, in general, is woefully unprepared to deal with the effects of a pandemic. Without universal health care, many employees literally “must work” when they are sick. A guaranteed, paid, short-term sick leave for workers would provide a social safety net for not only employees, but also for society (as a whole) by affording sick employees the opportunity to stay home while sick… or to still receive (sick) pay while taking time off to visit a doctor. The bottom line: in today’s era of novel coronaviruses, our individual health has a direct effect on the health of others.  Accordingly, I believe we should embrace a more inclusive view whereas we see our neighbor and statewide community as members of our extended Ohana. The big picture – what would we want for ourselves, our daughter, our son, our father, or our mother? If we’d want guaranteed, paid, short-term sick leave for them, I believe we should want it for our friends and our foe, their daughters, their sons, their fathers and their mothers, too.
  • Kurt Fevella (R): No Response

Senate District 20

  • Feena Bonoan (Libertarian): Yes; This year has shown us all the importance of staying home when you are sick. People should not have to fear taking a sick day when they need it.
  • Mike Gabbard (D): Yes

Senate District 22

  • Thora-Jean Cuaresma (D): No Response
  • Donovan Dela Cruz (D): No Response
  • Banner S. Fanene (Nonpartisan): Yes
  • John E. Miller (R):Yes

Senate District 25

  • Chris Lee (D): No Response
  • Kristina Kim-Marshall (R): No Response

State House

State House District 1

  • Mark M. Nakashima (D): Yes
  • Lorraine Pualani Shin (R): No Response

State House District 2

  • Devin Shaw Kealohapumehanaokalani McMackin Sr. (Aloha Aina): Prefer not to answer; Once again if this is a blanket law then small local businesses would have to file chapter 11 after all the devastation from the past 3 years atleast. Which would even further destroy our economy here on the Big Island. If any type of legislation was to be put in then it would and should be voted on by the people as a whole.
  • Christopher L.T. Todd (D): No Response

State House District 3

  • Frederick F. Fogel (D): No; Perks should be the power of the employer, not the government.
  • Susan Hughes (R): Prefer not to answer
  • Shannon Lopeka Matson (D): Yes
  • Richard H.K. Onishi (D): No Response

State House District 4

  • Hope (Alohalani) Cermelj (R): No Response
  • Desmon Antone Haumea (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Greggor Ilagan (D): No Response
  • Brian Ley (Nonpartisan): Yes
  • Eileen Ohara (D): Yes

State House District 5

  • Colehour Bondera (D): Yes; Paid sick leave is essential to basic public health because workers who are sick stay home and those with children who are sick can stay home to care for them instead of going to work or school and exposing others to infectious diseases.  Our current state of affairs proves this fact.
  • Citlalli Johanna Decker (Aloha Aina): No; I cannot answer as the question is unclear if it means government workers or private employee workers.
  • Jeanné Kapela (D): Yes; It is unconscionable that the majority of Hawai'i's workers don't have access to sick leave during the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing them to choose between paying their bills and protecting the health of themselves and their communities.
  • Michael L. Last (Libertarian): No

State House District 6

  • Nicole Lowen (D): No Response

State House District 7

  • David Tarnas (D): Yes

State House District 8

  • Ka‘apuni Aiwohi (D): Yes
  • Troy Hashimoto (D): Yes
  • Robert G. Hill III (D): No Response

State House District 9

  • J. Kahala Chrupalyk (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Justin Woodoen (D): No Response

State House District 10

  • Kanamu Balinbin (R): No Response
  • Travis Gyldstrand (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Angus L.K. McKelvey (D): No Response
  • Leonard K. Nakoa III (D): Yes

State House District 11

  • Don Couch (D): Yes
  • Howard E. Greenberg (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Tina M.L. Wildberger (D): No Response

State House District 12

  • Simon Russell (D): Yes
  • Kyle T. Yamashita (D): No Response

State House District 13

  • Lynn DeCoite (D): No Response
  • Theresa Kapaku (Aloha Aina): Yes; Paid sick days to Hawai'i's workers will help reduce the spread of disease and decrease overall sickness in workplaces.
  • Walter Ritte (D): Yes; I support the quality of life for our working families.
  • Robin Vanderpool (R): No; No, I do not.

State House District 14

  • Steve Monas (R): No Response
  • Nadine K. Nakamura (D): No Response

State House District 15

  • James Kunane Tokioka (D): No Response
  • Steve Yoder (R): No Response

State House District 16

  • Ana Mo Des (R): No Response
  • Daynette Morikawa (D): No Response

State House District 17

  • Keith Kogachi (D): No; Further analysis is needed regarding the costs of such program as the State and City face significant budget challenges including possible layoffs of pubic employees due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Further, we should also be cognizant of the impact to business especially small business if the cost of this program will be partially or fully funded by the private sector.  Impacts to individuals by having them partially fund this program should also be carefully evaluated for any proposals requiring contributions from our taxpayers.
  • Gene Ward (R): No Response

State House District 18

  • Tommy Driskill III (D): No Response
  • Mark Jun Hashem (D): No Response
  • Lori Ford (R): Yes

State House District 19

  • Wayne Chen (American Shopping): No Response
  • Bertrand Kobayashi (D): No Response
  • Michael L. Parrish (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 20

  • Julia E. Allan (R): No Response
  • Becky Gardner (D): Yes I think the pandemic has shown us the vital importance of having adequate paid sick to deal with critical personal and public health matters.  It is not healthy for people or workplaces to have people pushing themselves to go to work when, by all measures, it is best for an individual, and for everyone else, to stay home.Jay I. Ishibashi (D): No Response
  • Jackson Sayama (D): Yes; Yes. Providing paid sick leave is an important  benefit for our hardworking families. Just as many companies provide for their employees, it’s time Hawai’i law reflects its commitment to the health and safety of our working residents.
  • Derek A. Turbin (D): READ HERE

State House District 21

  • Scott Y. Nishimoto (D): No Response

State House District 22

  • Tom Brower (D): No Response 
  • Nicholas R. Ochs (R): No Response
  • Adrian Tam (D): Yes

State House District 23

  • Dale Kobayashi (D): No Response

State House District 24

  • Della Au Belatti (D): No Response
  • Andy Sexton, Jr. (Aloha Aina):No Response

State House District 25

  • Sylvia Luke (D): No Response

State House District 26

  • Kim Coco Iwamoto (D): Yes
  • Scott K. Saiki (D): No Response

State House District 27

  • Takashi Ohno (D): No Response

State House District 28

  • John M. Mizuno (D): No Response

State House District 29

  • Daniel Holt (D): No Response
  • James Logue (D): Yes

State House District 30

  • P.M. Azinga (R): Yes
  • Romy M. Cachola (D): Yes; Subject to availability of funds.
  • Sonny Ganaden (D): Yes
  • Tess Abalos Quilingking (R): Yes; The cost of living is so high, people that are sick can’t afford to take off so some gets even sicker to where they spend more money to pay doctors bill.

State House District 31

  • Aaron Ling Johanson (D): No Response

State House District 32

  • Linda Ichiyama (D): No Response

State House District 33

  • Tracy Arakaki (D): Yes
  • Jenny Boyette (R): No; Again, GUARANTEE.  Businesses should not be compelled to provide this.  Regulations like this stifle small businesses.  This is purely anecdotal, but mandates similar to this is why my father's small business could not hire more people.  We could not afford all of the GUARANTEED mandates the state demanded.  As a result our family worked on weekends and my father worked 7-days a week.  Businesses should be able to voluntarily provide benefits like this to employees.  Tax deferment and incentives could also be offered to businesses who do this willingly.
  • Sam Satoru Kong (D): No Response

State House District 34

  • Keone F. Simon (R): No Response
  • Gregg Takayama (D): Yes

State House District 35

  • Carl E. Hood (R): No Response
  • Keline Kahau (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Roy M. Takumi (D): No Response

State House District 36

  • Trish La Chica (D): Yes; I support mandating PTO which provides flexibility AND sick days, particularly mental health days. In this COVID world, I think we should provide employees all the protection and flexibility they need to ensure their individual health and the health of their families. We also need to foster a working environment that encourages workers to not be afraid to use these benefits.
  • Marilyn B. Lee (D): No Response
  • Val Okimoto (R): No Response

State House District 37

  • Emil Svrcina (R): No Response
  • Ryan I. Yamane (D): No Response

State House District 38

  • Henry J.C. Aquino (D): No Response 

State House District 39

  • Ty J.K. Cullen (D): No Response
  • Austin L.S. Maglinti (R): No Response

State House District 40

  • Rose Martinez (D): No Response
  • Bob McDermott (R): No; Good companies already have this in policy.  So what we are talking about are mom and pop's stores.  Most of them barely make a go of it as the regulations stand right now.  Adding another expense would be harmful.

State House District 41

  • David Alcos (R): No Response
  • Matt LoPresti (D): Yes; Yes. I have strongly supported this while in office.
  • Mokihana Maldonado (D): No Response
  • Amanda J. Rathbun (D): No Response
  • Ryan Isamu Uehara (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 42

  • Sharon Har (D): No Response
  • Vickie L.P. Kam (D): Yes; Not having paid sick leave basically forces people to show up to work sick, thereby infecting coworkers and clientele alike. This is not good business practice.

State House District 43

  • Stacelynn Kehaulani Eli (D): No Response
  • Diamond Garcia (R): No
  • Shaena Dela Cruz Hoohuli (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Michael Kahikina (D): Prefer not to answer; I support in general but I don’t know or have studied how to fund it?

State House District 44

  • Maysana Aldeguer (R): Yes
  • Cedric Asuega Gates (D): No Response
  • Jo Jordan (D): Prefer not to answer
  • Joseph K. Simpliciano, Jr. (Aloha Aina): No Response

State House District 45

  • Michael Chapman (D): Yes; Paid sick leave is a common sense measure. Our lack of a paid sick leave guarantee incentivizes workers to go to work sick, which not only puts their own recovery at risk, but also risks the spread of disease and viruses to coworkers. It is counterproductive to try to eliminate the productivity losses caused by illness by encouraging more illness. Sick leave should be mandatory and should be accrued separately from other forms of paid leave. Workers should also be able to use this sick leave for healthcare appointments. We need to be smart and value the wellbeing of our workers.
  • Lauren Matsumoto Cheape (R): No Response

State House District 46

  • Aaron James Kaleo Agsalda (D): No Response
  • Amy Perruso (D): Yes

State House District 47

  • Sean Quinlan (D): No Response
  • Boyd Ready (R): Yes; If paid days off, like 'vacation days' for any reason can be used for sick days, I'm for it.

State House District 48

  • Lisa C. Kitagawa (D): No Response
  • Kau‘i Pratt-Aquino, Esq. (D): Yes

State House District 49

  • Kilomana Danner (R): No; No. Some employers would be out of business if mandated to do this. Yes. There should be a social program that is beneficial to both employer and employees
  • Scot Matayoshi (D): No Response

State House District 50

  • Patrick Pihana Branco (D): Yes; Paid sick leave is an important necessity for Hawaiʻi’s workers.  With that being said, I would respect the rights of unions to collectively bargain for their benefits.
  • Micah Pregitzer (D):Yes
  • Kanai Souza (R): No Response

State House District 51

  • Alan K. Akao (D): Yes; I am in strong support for paid sick leave legislation for Hawaii's workers. Workers should not have to choose between their personal health and a paycheck. Workers who are ill should focus on recovery instead of risk coming to work where there health can deteriorate, they could potentially make others ill and their productivity is less optimal just so they can continue to earn a wage. Hawaii needs to ensure its workers feel respected and supported, especially given the current covid19 global pandemic where healthcare worries and economic stress is at the forefront of many people's minds.
  • Coby K. K. Chock (D): No Response
  • Doni Leina‘ala Chong (R): No Response
  • Scott Grimmer (D): No Response
  • Erik K. Ho (Aloha Aina): Yes; A mutually agreed upon amount of paid sick days should be decided by employees and employers.Lisa Marten (D): Yes
  • Kukana Kama-Toth (R): Yes; Yes I support this. Getting ill is an unplanned and unexpected situation and bills still continue even when you are ill. Having a buffer of support such as this would be helpful to a working society that already has a high cost of living.
  • Lisa Marten (D): Yes

12. Economic Justice: Half of Hawaii’s families cannot afford to meet basic needs. A recent study found that four in ten adults do not have access to $400 at any given time, making them one emergency—or court-ordered fine—away from financial ruin. Studies have found that scaling fines based on affordability increases the likelihood that fines will be paid in full and increases revenue. Do you support legislation that would require courts to scale fines based on an individual’s income?

A.Economic Justice: Half of Hawaii’s families cannot afford to meet basic needs. A recent study found that four in ten adults do not have access to $400 at any given time, making them one emergency—or court-ordered fine—away from financial ruin. Studies have found that scaling fines based on affordability increases the likelihood that fines will be paid in full and increases revenue. Do you support legislation that would require courts to scale fines based on an individual’s income?

A.

Senate

Senate District 2

  • Smiley Burrows (D): No Response
  • Rob G. Ka-Ipo (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Joy San Buenaventura (D): No Response

Senate District 5

  • Christy, Kajiwara-Gusman (R): No Response
  • Rynette Ipo Keen (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Gil S. Coloma Keith-Agaran (D): No Response

Senate District 8

  • Ronald Dan Kouchi (D): No Response

Senate District 9

  • Stanley Chang (D): No Response
  • Sam Slom (R): No Response

Senate District 10

  • Jesus Arriola (D): No Response
  • Vicki B. Higgins (D): No Response
  • Les S. Ihara, Jr. (D): No Response
  • Paul Shiraishi (Nonpartisan): Yes

Senate District 11

  • Brian Taniguchi (D): Prefer not to answer.

Senate District 13

  • Kevin McDonald (D): Yes; Every crime is different and each case and situation should be considered individually when deciding punishment. Fairness is important though, it will be difficult to justify two wildly different sentences for identical crimes.
  • Karl Rhoads (D): Yes

Senate District 14

  • Donna Mercado Kim (D): No Response

Senate District 15

  • Glenn Wakai (D): No Response

Senate District 19 

  • Rida Cabanilla Arakawa (D): No Response
  • John H. Clark III (D): Yes; Yes, I support legislation that would require courts to scale fines based on an individual’s income. Referring back to questions answered earlier in this questionnaire, I believe we must ask ourselves, “What is the overall intent of the respective law that has been broken(?)” Moreover, “What is the impact on the individual who broke the law?” Also, “What is the impact on our society if the law-breaker does not pay the arbitrarily set fine or fee?” What is the basis of case law, and what would we lose by affording greater options to those who need a viable and substantial increase in their available options in life? Lastly, for anyone who disagrees with my answer, I would ask that they invest a small amount of time and review what the law-enforcement community did to the citizens of Ferguson, Missouri, where it was widely reported that the city used court fines as a major revenue-generating scheme for the county government.
  • Kurt Fevella (R): No Response

Senate District 20

  • Feena Bonoan (Libertarian): Yes
  • Mike Gabbard (D): No

Senate District 22

  • Thora-Jean Cuaresma (D): No Response
  • Donovan Dela Cruz (D): No Response
  • Banner S. Fanene (Nonpartisan): Yes
  • John E. Miller (R):Yes

Senate District 25

  • Chris Lee (D): No Response
  • Kristina Kim-Marshall (R): No Response

State House

State House District 1

  • Mark M. Nakashima (D): Yes
  • Lorraine Pualani Shin (R): No Response

State House District 2

  • Devin Shaw Kealohapumehanaokalani McMackin Sr. (Aloha Aina): Yes; It is important to work more on the Rehabilitation of the person or persons then the punishment. We should be uplifting people not ignoring them when they are down.
  • Christopher L.T. Todd (D): No Response

State House District 3

  • Frederick F. Fogel (D): Yes; Actually I prefer payment through personal effort rather than fines.
  • Susan Hughes (R): Prefer not to answer
  • Shannon Lopeka Matson (D): Yes
  • Richard H.K. Onishi (D): No Response

State House District 4

  • Hope (Alohalani):Cermelj (R): No Response
  • Desmon Antone Haumea (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Greggor Ilagan (D): No Response
  • Brian Ley (Nonpartisan): No
  • Eileen Ohara (D): Yes

State House District 5

  • Colehour Bondera (D): Yes; For many years now, court costs and fees have been increasing and increasingly, the poor are being jailed instead of being freed because they do not have the funds to pay these costs and fees.  This often causes job loss and harm to families who are separated during this time.  People should not be jailed simply because they are poor.
  • Citlalli Johanna Decker (Aloha Aina): Prefer not to answer
  • Jeanné Kapela (D): Yes; We need to stop criminalizing poverty. When people fall into financial ruin, they are more likely to become subjects of our criminal (in)justice system, since our society fails to provide the resources for working people to care for their basic needs.
  • Michael L. Last (Libertarian): No

State House District 6

  • Nicole Lowen (D): No Response

State House District 7

  • David Tarnas (D): Yes

State House District 8

  • Ka‘apuni Aiwohi (D): Yes
  • Troy Hashimoto (D): Yes; I believe in a judge's discretion to set appropriate fines.
  • Robert G. Hill III (D): No Response

State House District 9

  • J. Kahala Chrupalyk (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Justin Woodoen (D): No Response

State House District 10

  • Kanamu Balinbin (R): No Response
  • Travis Gyldstrand (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Angus L.K. McKelvey (D): No Response
  • Leonard K. Nakoa III (D): Yes

State House District 11

  • Don Couch (D): Yes
  • Howard E. Greenberg (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Tina M.L. Wildberger (D): No Response

State House District 12

  • Simon Russell (D): Yes
  • Kyle T. Yamashita (D): No Response

State House District 13

  • Lynn DeCoite (D): No Response
  • Theresa Kapaku (Aloha Aina): Yes; Fining an already financially struggling community results in demoralization and negative domino affects.  Scaling the fines based on affordability will help keep the people accountable while protecting against further depreciation of the community as a whole.
  • Walter Ritte (D): Yes
  • Robin Vanderpool (R): No; No, I support laws that apply to all people equally and a compassionate judging system.

State House District 14

  • Steve Monas (R): No Response
  • Nadine K. Nakamura (D): No Response

State House District 15

  • James Kunane Tokioka (D): No Response
  • Steve Yoder (R): No Response

State House District 16

  • Ana Mo Des (R): No Response
  • Daynette Morikawa (D): No Response

State House District 17

  • Keith Kogachi (D): Yes; No objection as long as the fine still includes the severity of the crime along with the individual's income.
  • Gene Ward (R): No Response

State House District 18

  • Tommy Driskill III (D): No Response
  • Mark Jun Hashem (D): No Response
  • Lori Ford (R); Yes

State House District 19

  • Wayne Chen (American Shopping): No Response
  • Bertrand Kobayashi (D): No Response
  • Michael L. Parrish (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 20

  • Julia E. Allan (R): No Response
  • Becky Gardner (D): Yes; Increasing revenue should be reason enough – especially if it’s determined that the fines levied, as a whole, will take care of the administrative needs they fund; and also serves as an effective deterrent for repeat offenses.  This policy also recognizes that many of these offenders also have dependents and other family members who depend on them for basic needs.  However, I do recognize that the devil is in the details and it may be necessary to leave the determination of what scaled fee schedules should look like up to the courts, who would examine objective criteria, like appropriate percentage of poverty lines, and  establish such fees in court rules that can be more easily revised. 
  • Jay I. Ishibashi (D): No Response
  • Jackson Sayama (D): Yes; There should be a scale with a base minimum fine. Scaling would also make the penalty equally impactful across all economic strata. 
  • Derek A. Turbin (D): READ HERE

State House District 21

  • Scott Y. Nishimoto (D): No Response

State House District 22

  • Tom Brower (D): No Response 
  • Nicholas R. Ochs (R): No Response
  • Adrian Tam (D): Yes

State House District 23

  • Dale Kobayashi (D): No Response

State House District 24

  • Della Au Belatti (D): No Response
  • Andy Sexton, Jr. (Aloha Aina):No Response

State House District 25

  • Sylvia Luke (D): No Response

State House District 26

  • Kim Coco Iwamoto (D): Yes
  • Scott K. Saiki (D): No Response

State House District 27

  • Takashi Ohno (D): No Response

State House District 28

  • John M. Mizuno (D): No Response

State House District 29

  • Daniel Holt (D): No Response
  • James Logue (D): Prefer not to answer; I would need more details about how exactly income would be verified and what happens if someone has no income or is working "under the table" and has not paid taxes or reported their income. If fines are based on income it seems like those without income could simply commit crimes and not be penalized. So for this I would need more detailed information on how it would be implemented.

State House District 30

  • P.M. Azinga (R): Yes
  • Romy M. Cachola (D): Prefer not to answer; Before I make my final decision, I would always like to weigh the pros and cons on these measures.
  • Sonny Ganaden (D): Yes; This process must be afforded to individuals using testimony alone, not continued hearings to provide documentation.
  • Tess Abalos Quilingking (R): Yes; Its a win win situation

State House District 31

  • Aaron Ling Johanson (D): No Response

State House District 32

  • Linda Ichiyama (D): No Response

State House District 33

  • Tracy Arakaki (D): Yes
  • Jenny Boyette (R): No; Fines are meant to be deterrents.  I do however agree that we should show compassion to people who cannot afford to pay the fines.  Some sort of debt payback agreement should be made available and that over a certain period of time the fines are paid in full, instead of all at once.  This is also another situation of looking at the symptom and not the cause.  Our State must do a better job at promoting financial literacy among kama'aina.  A little knowledge goes a long way.  It's also very empowering to be able to take control of ones financial future. 
  • Sam Satoru Kong (D): No Response

State House District 34

  • Keone F. Simon (R): No Response
  • Gregg Takayama (D): Prefer not to answer; Undecided - needs further study.

State House District 35

  • Carl E. Hood (R): No Response
  • Keline Kahau (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Roy M. Takumi (D): No Response

State House District 36

  • Trish La Chica (D): Yes; No one should go into debt because of minor infractions.  That is not the purpose of the criminal justice system.  Any sentence that is imposed by the court must be case-specific and reflective of the needs of the actual parties involved.  It is necessary that all assessed fines be measured and reasonable. 
  • Marilyn B. Lee (D): No Response
  • Val Okimoto (R): No Response

State House District 37

  • Emil Svrcina (R): No Response
  • Ryan I. Yamane (D): No Response

State House District 38

  • Henry J.C. Aquino (D): No Response 

State House District 39

  • Ty J.K. Cullen (D): No Response
  • Austin L.S. Maglinti (R): No Response

State House District 40

  • Rose Martinez (D): No Response
  • Bob McDermott (R): No

State House District 41

  • David Alcos (R): No Response
  • Matt LoPresti (D): Yes; Great idea. I hope to help introduce or support something like this if elected again.
  • Mokihana Maldonado (D): No Response
  • Amanda J. Rathbun (D): No Response
  • Ryan Isamu Uehara (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 42

  • Sharon Har (D): No Response
  • Vickie L.P. Kam (D): Yes; Finding a reliable way to determine an individuals level of affordability to pay fines imposed will be paramount to the success of such a program. I look forward to learning more about this concept and how it would be applied.

State House District 43

  • Stacelynn Kehaulani Eli (D): No Response
  • Diamond Garcia (R): No
  • Shaena Dela Cruz Hoohuli (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Michael Kahikina (D): Yes; Judicial branch of government should have the states auditors report explained and provided to the general public! They should not be exempted from the same standards as we the people?

State House District 44

  • Maysana Aldeguer (R): No
  • Cedric Asuega Gates (D): No Response
  • Jo Jordan (D): Yes
  • Joseph K. Simpliciano, Jr. (Aloha Aina): No Response

State House District 45

  • Michael Chapman (D): Yes; To a millionaire, a $100 speeding ticket is a drop in the bucket. To a struggling family, a $100 speeding ticket might mean missing a rent payment or cancelling a family dinner. This is one example of a 'regressive' justice system that disproportionately punishes poverty, creating more poverty in the process.
  • Lauren Matsumoto Cheape (R): No Response

State House District 46

  • Aaron James Kaleo Agsalda (D): No Response
  • Amy Perruso (D): Yes

State House District 47

  • Sean Quinlan (D): No Response
  • Boyd Ready (R): No; Many people have undeclared cash income that would not be counted - instead fines overall should be lowered and other forms of 'punishment' such as recompense for damages be implemented. 

State House District 48

  • Lisa C. Kitagawa (D): No Response
  • Kau‘i Pratt-Aquino, Esq. (D): Yes; This is a great idea.

State House District 49

  • Kilomana Danner (R): Yes; That is just common sense
  • Scot Matayoshi (D): No Response

State House District 50

  • Patrick Pihana Branco (D): Yes; Yes, scaling fines to income is a fairer way to process court-ordered fines and it decreases the likelihood of fines being ignored.
  • Micah Pregitzer (D):Yes
  • Kanai Souza (R): No Response

State House District 51

  • Alan K. Akao (D): Yes; As a practicing attorney I would support a requirement that courts scale fines based on income. I do believe that any such legislation should be carefully crafted as to avoid constitutional challenge. I believe courts should still be given adequate discretion and I do see on a regular basis judges who do heavily consider ones economic position and alternatives to fines and fees to not place a purely economic barrier to justice.
  • Coby K. K. Chock (D): No Response
  • Doni Leina‘ala Chong (R): No Response
  • Scott Grimmer (D): No Response
  • Erik K. Ho (Aloha Aina): Yes; Bail is set commensurate to the amount based on the crime and the accusedʻs accessibility to funds. I believe we could create some type of formula to generate monetary citations based on ones ability to pay and the crime theyʻre accused of comitting.
  • Kukana Kama-Toth (R): Yes; I believe some judges consider this when making their decisions in court. I've seen it practiced at the Honolulu traffic courts and I believe that a blanket practice of this will lessen warrants issued and less driver license stoppers for our residents because of the inability to pay fines/court fees.
  • Lisa Marten (D): Yes

 

13. Economic Justice: State law punishes nonpayment of traffic and parking tickets by placing a “stopper” on a person’s driving or vehicle record that prevents them from renewing or obtaining a driver’s license or vehicle registration until they’ve paid the ticket in full, plus a 21% fee assessed by the state’s contracted, Texas-based collection agency. Those who cannot afford their ticket and therefore cannot renew their license may be forced to choose between driving without a valid license (a traffic crime punishable by up to a $1,000 fine or up to one year in jail) and losing their job or taking their child to the doctor. In recent years, several jurisdictions have either moved away from or completely stopped suspending licenses for nonpayment of traffic and parking tickets. In Hawai‘i, there are approximately 350,000 outstanding license and registration stoppers. Do you support legislation that would end the use of “stoppers” for nonpayment of traffic and parking fines?

A.Economic Justice: State law punishes nonpayment of traffic and parking tickets by placing a “stopper” on a person’s driving or vehicle record that prevents them from renewing or obtaining a driver’s license or vehicle registration until they’ve paid the ticket in full, plus a 21% fee assessed by the state’s contracted, Texas-based collection agency. Those who cannot afford their ticket and therefore cannot renew their license may be forced to choose between driving without a valid license (a traffic crime punishable by up to a $1,000 fine or up to one year in jail) and losing their job or taking their child to the doctor. In recent years, several jurisdictions have either moved away from or completely stopped suspending licenses for nonpayment of traffic and parking tickets. In Hawai‘i, there are approximately 350,000 outstanding license and registration stoppers. Do you support legislation that would end the use of “stoppers” for nonpayment of traffic and parking fines?

A.

Senate

Senate District 2

  • Smiley Burrows (D): No Response
  • Rob G. Ka-Ipo (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Joy San Buenaventura (D): No Response

Senate District 5

  • Christy, Kajiwara-Gusman (R): No Response
  • Rynette Ipo Keen (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Gil S. Coloma Keith-Agaran (D): No Response

Senate District 8

  • Ronald Dan Kouchi (D): No Response

Senate District 9

  • Stanley Chang (D): No Response
  • Sam Slom (R): No Response

Senate District 10

  • Jesus Arriola (D): No Response
  • Vicki B. Higgins (D): No Response
  • Les S. Ihara, Jr. (D): No Response
  • Paul Shiraishi (Nonpartisan): Yes

Senate District 11

  • Brian Taniguchi (D): Prefer not to answer.

Senate District 13

  • Kevin McDonald (D): Yes; Yes, I am in complete agreement with this idea.
  • Karl Rhoads (D): Yes; I introduced a bill to ban stoppers this year, SB 2630.

Senate District 14

  • Donna Mercado Kim (D): No Response

Senate District 15

  • Glenn Wakai (D): No Response

Senate District 19 

  • Rida Cabanilla Arakawa (D): No Response
  • John H. Clark III (D): Yes; Yes, I support legislation that would end the use of “stoppers” for nonpayment of traffic and parking fines. Creative community law-enforcement and working WITH the community and individuals and perhaps allowing for long-term repayment could address the intent of the law and legislation while simultaneously allowing people who have been proven guilty in a court of law to literally pay for their infractions over an extended timeframe. If nothing else, the state could investigate the primary, secondary, and tertiary effects of allowing this process to balance the needs of the citizen to maintain a license… and the state’s duty to enforce laws and regulations through fines and fees.
  • Kurt Fevella (R): No Response

Senate District 20

  • Feena Bonoan (Libertarian): Yes
  • Mike Gabbard (D): No

Senate District 22

  • Thora-Jean Cuaresma (D): No Response
  • Donovan Dela Cruz (D): No Response
  • Banner S. Fanene (Nonpartisan): Yes
  • John E. Miller (R):Yes; Only if there are others ways to make sure people pay the fines and aren’t intentionally breaking the law because there are no consequences.

Senate District 25

  • Chris Lee (D): No Response
  • Kristina Kim-Marshall (R): No Response

State House

State House District 1

  • Mark M. Nakashima (D): No; I do support legislation  that would require the Judiciary to accept in state same day payment of outstanding traffic tickets and fines.
  • Lorraine Pualani Shin (R): No Response

State House District 2

  • Devin Shaw Kealohapumehanaokalani McMackin Sr. (Aloha Aina): Yes; However, if the person is a repeat offender then they would have their case reviewed for the purpose of finding a solution or the root problem for the reason of the fine. We should uplift our people not put them down.
  • Christopher L.T. Todd (D): No Response

State House District 3

  • Frederick F. Fogel (D): Yes; It should be easier for a person to work out a payment schedule.  The government is too heavy-handed and sometimes biased.
  • Susan Hughes (R): Yes
  • Shannon Lopeka Matson (D): Yes
  • Richard H.K. Onishi (D): No Response

State House District 4

  • Hope (Alohalani) Cermelj (R): No Response
  • Desmon Antone Haumea (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Greggor Ilagan (D): No Response
  • Brian Ley (Nonpartisan): No
  • Eileen Ohara (D): Yes; This system creates perverse incentives and we don't want people driving without a license.

State House District 5

  • Colehour Bondera (D): Yes; While I am concerned about those who would refuse to pay traffic and parking fines, I would support legislation ending the use of "stoppers" as long as the record of traffic violation(s) do not indicate a driver who is a danger to themselves and others.
  • Citlalli Johanna Decker (Aloha Aina): No; Driving does not mean what most people think it means and to solve this problem we must understand who is legally required to have a license to drive upon the highways and who is not required to have a license to travel upon the highways.
  • Jeanné Kapela (D): Yes; Again, we need to stop criminalizing poverty in our state, which has the highest cost of living in the nation.
  • Michael L. Last (Libertarian): No

State House District 6

  • Nicole Lowen (D): No Response

State House District 7

  • David Tarnas (D): Yes

State House District 8

  • Ka‘apuni Aiwohi (D): Yes
  • Troy Hashimoto (D): No; I believe that if you obtain a traffic citation, you should be liable for your actions and there must be some type of consequence for non-payment.
  • Robert G. Hill III (D): No Response

State House District 9

  • J. Kahala Chrupalyk (Aloha Aina): No; What other solutions do we have to ensure that people will be held accountable for their infractions?
  • Justin Woodoen (D): No Response

State House District 10

  • Kanamu Balinbin (R): No Response
  • Travis Gyldstrand (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Angus L.K. McKelvey (D): No Response
  • Leonard K. Nakoa III (D): Yes

State House District 11

  • Don Couch (D): Prefer not to answer; I would need to study this further.
  • Howard E. Greenberg (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Tina M.L. Wildberger (D): No Response

State House District 12

  • Simon Russell (D): No; Reckless endangerment and hazardous activity on the roads are not something I feel should go without consequences.
  • Kyle T. Yamashita (D): No Response

State House District 13

  • Lynn DeCoite (D): No Response
  • Theresa Kapaku (Aloha Aina): Yes; "Stopping" someone from going to work to pay their bills including fines, makes no common sense.
  • Walter Ritte (D): Yes; Find other ways other than "stoppers" to deal with parking fines.
  • Robin Vanderpool (R): Prefer not to answer; I would support legislation that keeps people out of jail for minor traffic offenses by harsh consequences for repeat offenders.

State House District 14

  • Steve Monas (R): No Response
  • Nadine K. Nakamura (D): No Response

State House District 15

  • James Kunane Tokioka (D): No Response
  • Steve Yoder (R): No Response

State House District 16

  • Ana Mo Des (R): No Response
  • Daynette Morikawa (D): No Response

State House District 17

  • Keith Kogachi (D): Prefer not to answer.
  • Gene Ward (R): No Response

State House District 18

  • Tommy Driskill III (D): No Response
  • Mark Jun Hashem (D): No Response
  • Lori Ford (R): Yes

State House District 19

  • Wayne Chen (American Shopping): No Response
  • Bertrand Kobayashi (D): No Response
  • Michael L. Parrish (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 20

  • Julia E. Allan (R): No Response
  • Becky Gardner (D): Yes; Too many people can be negatively impacted by another’s inability to drive, like a child or elderly parent needing care or treatment – and they should not have to pay the price of another’s violation.  Perhaps there are alternative means to capture these fines through increased vehicle registration fees; or maybe even reducing state income tax refunds.
  • Jay I. Ishibashi (D): No Response
  • Jackson Sayama (D): Yes; The inability to pay fines leading to a “stopper” hurts financially struggling families. Perhaps other measures can be taken aside from putting a full stop on the license. A proposition that might prove to have merit is a payment plan agreed upon by the court with the
  • Derek A. Turbin (D): READ HERE

State House District 21

  • Scott Y. Nishimoto (D): No Response

State House District 22

  • Tom Brower (D): No Response 
  • Nicholas R. Ochs (R): No Response
  • Adrian Tam (D): No

State House District 23

  • Dale Kobayashi (D): No Response

State House District 24

  • Della Au Belatti (D): No Response
  • Andy Sexton, Jr. (Aloha Aina):No Response

State House District 25

  • Sylvia Luke (D): No Response

State House District 26

  • Kim Coco Iwamoto (D): Yes
  • Scott K. Saiki (D): No Response

State House District 27

  • Takashi Ohno (D): No Response

State House District 28

  • John M. Mizuno (D): No Response

State House District 29

  • Daniel Holt (D): No Response
  • James Logue (D): No

State House District 30

  • P.M. Azinga (R): Yes
  • Romy M. Cachola (D): Prefer not to answer; Before I make my final decision, I would always like to weigh the pros and cons on these measures.
  • Sonny Ganaden (D): Yes
  • Tess Abalos Quilingking (R): Yes; Putting stoppers isn’t helping anyone to get a job to feed their family.

State House District 31

  • Aaron Ling Johanson (D): No Response

State House District 32

  • Linda Ichiyama (D): No Response

State House District 33

  • Tracy Arakaki (D): Yes
  • Jenny Boyette (R): Prefer not to answer; I do not support removing stopppers entirely.  Stoppers should remain if the person shows no interest in trying to pay the fine or clearing up the debt incurred.  If the individual has a payment arrangement set up, once they reach the halfway point of paying off the fine, the stopper should be removed.  And if for some reason the person stops paying after the stopper is removed, it goes back on.
  • Sam Satoru Kong (D): No Response

State House District 34

  • Keone F. Simon (R): No Response
  • Gregg Takayama (D): No; But I'm open to considering alternatives, such as performing community service in lieu of monetary fines.

State House District 35

  • Carl E. Hood (R): No Response
  • Keline Kahau (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Roy M. Takumi (D): No Response

State House District 36

  • Trish La Chica (D): Yes; Stoppers for nonpayment do not increase safety; they congest our court system, causing delays that affect the broader community; and they most impact the lives of working families.Marilyn B. Lee (D): No Response
  • Val Okimoto (R): No Response

State House District 37

  • Emil Svrcina (R): No Response
  • Ryan I. Yamane (D): No Response

State House District 38

  • Henry J.C. Aquino (D): No Response 

State House District 39

  • Ty J.K. Cullen (D): No Response
  • Austin L.S. Maglinti (R): No Response

State House District 40

  • Rose Martinez (D): No Response
  • Bob McDermott (R): Yes

State House District 41

  • David Alcos (R): No Response
  • Matt LoPresti (D): Yes; I had no idea the number was that high. Clearly the current system is not working and only perpetuating a punitive system that does not work.
  • Mokihana Maldonado (D): No Response
  • Amanda J. Rathbun (D): No Response
  • Ryan Isamu Uehara (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 42

  • Sharon Har (D): No Response
  • Vickie L.P. Kam (D): Yes; Yes and No... no one is forced to drive without a valid license, Hawaii has outstanding public transportation. There needs to be accountability for safety on the roads. I would support legislation that used local businesses to collect these fines and eliminate the exorbitant 21% fee assessed. The sliding scale for fines could also be applied in these instances.

State House District 43

  • Stacelynn Kehaulani Eli (D): No Response
  • Diamond Garcia (R): No
  • Shaena Dela Cruz Hoohuli (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Michael Kahikina (D): Yes; It’s a crime and a practice of genocide that I disapprove of! Many families suffered undo punishments at judicial hands because that also effects the family of that citizen. In many ways like transportation to school and employment? I see it as cruel and unusual punishment from the judicial branch of government! We are not enemies!?

State House District 44

  • Maysana Aldeguer (R): No
  • Cedric Asuega Gates (D): No Response
  • Jo Jordan (D): Prefer not to answer
  • Joseph K. Simpliciano, Jr. (Aloha Aina): No Response

State House District 45

  • Michael Chapman (D): Yes; If someone is unable to pay a parking ticket, taking away their transportation does nothing to solve the problem.
  • Lauren Matsumoto Cheape (R): No Response

State House District 46

  • Aaron James Kaleo Agsalda (D): No Response
  • Amy Perruso (D): Yes

State House District 47

  • Sean Quinlan (D): No Response
  • Boyd Ready (R): Prefer not to answer; Need more information to evaluate this. 

State House District 48

  • Lisa C. Kitagawa (D): No Response
  • Kau‘i Pratt-Aquino, Esq. (D): Yes

State House District 49

  • Kilomana Danner (R): Yes; The current policy is foolishness.  It has no good benefits to anyone
  • Scot Matayoshi (D): No Response

State House District 50

  • Patrick Pihana Branco (D): Yes; Yes, the use of stoppers puts our most vulnerable citizens in an impossible quandary, and as such, we should find and advocate for other ways to handle the non-payment of traffic and parking tickets.
  • Micah Pregitzer (D):Yes
  • Kanai Souza (R): No Response

State House District 51

  • Alan K. Akao (D): Yes; I strongly support legislation that would end the practice of stoppers for non-payment of traffic and parking fines. I have represented hundreds of clients in traffic related matters and many of whom are thousands of dollars in unattainable debt. Hawaii lacks the necessary infrastructure for mass transit and without it, driving is almost a necessity. However the scale of fines and alternative sentencing makes it almost unworkable and people continue to make economic choices that place them at long-term disadvantage. The state needs to re-evaluate the use of stoppers and remove the restriction for non-payment of fines and fees.
  • Coby K. K. Chock (D): No Response
  • Doni Leina‘ala Chong (R): No Response
  • Scott Grimmer (D): No Response
  • Erik K. Ho (Aloha Aina): Yes; The state of Hawaii has set up the residents for being reliant on automobiles. As such, most people own and use one daily. The use of "stoppers" should come to an end and the state should look to other means for collecting fines.
  • Kukana Kama-Toth (R): Yes; Thank you for raising awareness to this. This has been an issue of mine for quite some time. This current practice does more of a disservice to our working families then anything else. It forces working parents to take risks of driving their kids to school, doctor appointments and work with a stopper on their license. Many families are having to choose between paying a traffic bill and food on their table or electricity and water in their homes in an already high cost of living state. These added pressures are harmful on a family and an individual. Yes, I support legislation that would end the use of "stoppers" for non payment of traffic and parking fines.
  • Lisa Marten (D): Yes

 

14. Economic Justice: Would you support a traffic ticket amnesty program to ease the economic burden that traffic tickets place on the working class in Hawaiʻi?

A.Economic Justice: Would you support a traffic ticket amnesty program to ease the economic burden that traffic tickets place on the working class in Hawaiʻi?

A.

Senate

Senate District 2

  • Smiley Burrows (D): No Response
  • Rob G. Ka-Ipo (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Joy San Buenaventura (D): No Response

Senate District 5

  • Christy, Kajiwara-Gusman (R): No Response
  • Rynette Ipo Keen (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Gil S. Coloma Keith-Agaran (D): No Response

Senate District 8

  • Ronald Dan Kouchi (D): No Response

Senate District 9

  • Stanley Chang (D): No Response
  • Sam Slom (R): No Response

Senate District 10

  • Jesus Arriola (D): No Response
  • Vicki B. Higgins (D): No Response
  • Les S. Ihara, Jr. (D): No Response
  • Paul Shiraishi (Nonpartisan): Yes

Senate District 11

  • Brian Taniguchi (D): Yes

Senate District 13

  • Kevin McDonald (D): Yes; This is a bit trickier, but if it were done right I think I could support legislation like this.
  • Karl Rhoads (D): No; I support calibrating fines to income, but as a frequent pedestrian relatively minor traffic crimes can be deadly whether committed by the poor or the rich.

Senate District 14

  • Donna Mercado Kim (D): No Response

Senate District 15

  • Glenn Wakai (D): No Response

Senate District 19 

  • Rida Cabanilla Arakawa (D): No Response
  • John H. Clark III (D): Yes; Yes; I support a traffic ticket amnesty program to ease the economic burden that traffic tickets place on the working class in Hawaiʻi - but with restrictions. Similar to the previously answered question, I would support a traffic-ticket amnesty program to ease the economic burden that traffic tickets place on the working class in Hawaiʻi because I believe in the viability of a compassionate court system that can complement creative, community-based law enforcement. As previously stated, creative community law-enforcement and working WITH the community and individuals to ease the economic burden could address the intent of the law and legislation while simultaneously allowing people who have been proven guilty in a court of law to literally use community service to “pay” for their infractions by using their time and talents in a commensurate timeframe.
  • Kurt Fevella (R): No Response

Senate District 20

  • Feena Bonoan (Libertarian): Yes
  • Mike Gabbard (D): Yes

Senate District 22

  • Thora-Jean Cuaresma (D): No Response
  • Donovan Dela Cruz (D): No Response
  • Banner S. Fanene (Nonpartisan): No
  • John E. Miller (R):No; But I do support a system of affordable payment plans and or community service. There has to be some penalties for breaking the laws.

Senate District 25

  • Chris Lee (D): No Response
  • Kristina Kim-Marshall (R): No Response

State House

State House District 1

  • Mark M. Nakashima (D): No; Driving is not a right.  People who violate the rules put the safety of others at risk.  I would support legislation that allowed a judge to waive fines in the instance of financial hardship.
  • Lorraine Pualani Shin (R): No Response

State House District 2

  • Devin Shaw Kealohapumehanaokalani McMackin Sr. (Aloha Aina): Yes; However once again if multiple offenses are "racked up" then a review of why the fines could not be paid or why an agreement could not be met. We shouldn't throw our people into the cold, when all that they may need is a hand up, or help in how to find a way to repay for such victimless crimes.
  • Christopher L.T. Todd (D): No Response

State House District 3

  • Frederick F. Fogel (D): No; Can not support anything without knowing what it entails.
  • Susan Hughes (R): Yes
  • Shannon Lopeka Matson (D): Yes
  • Richard H.K. Onishi (D): No Response

State House District 4

  • Hope (Alohalani) Cermelj (R): No Response
  • Desmon Antone Haumea (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Greggor Ilagan (D): No Response
  • Brian Ley (Nonpartisan): No
  • Eileen Ohara (D): Yes

State House District 5

  • Colehour Bondera (D): Yes; I would support a traffic ticket amnesty program with conditions similar to those in other states.
  • Citlalli Johanna Decker (Aloha Aina): Yes; Driving does not mean what most people think it means and to solve this problem we must understand who is legally required to have a license to drive upon the highways and who is not required to have a license to travel upon the highways.
  • Jeanné Kapela (D): Yes; Again, we need to stop criminalizing poverty in our state, which has the highest cost of living in the nation.
  • Michael L. Last (Libertarian): No

State House District 6

  • Nicole Lowen (D): No Response

State House District 7

  • David Tarnas (D): Yes

State House District 8

  • Ka‘apuni Aiwohi (D): Yes
  • Troy Hashimoto (D): No; I believe that if you obtain a traffic citation, you should be liable for your actions and there must be some type of consequence for non-payment.
  • Robert G. Hill III (D): No Response

State House District 9

  • J. Kahala Chrupalyk (Aloha Aina): Yes; I would support an amnesty program for infractions consistent with tail lights, expired safety, etc.  However when it comes to literal traffic infractions that endanger lives, I support payment plans.
  • Justin Woodoen (D): No Response

State House District 10

  • Kanamu Balinbin (R): No Response
  • Travis Gyldstrand (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Angus L.K. McKelvey (D): No Response
  • Leonard K. Nakoa III (D): Yes

State House District 11

  • Don Couch (D): No; I would support the expansion of Traffic School to include waiving the fine - not just points.
  • Howard E. Greenberg (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Tina M.L. Wildberger (D): No Response

State House District 12

  • Simon Russell (D): Yes
  • Kyle T. Yamashita (D): No Response

State House District 13

  • Lynn DeCoite (D): No Response
  • Theresa Kapaku (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Walter Ritte (D): Yes; Freedom of access is a right.
  • Robin Vanderpool (R): Prefer not to answer; I would create ways for people to pay their debt to society that allows them to continue working without harming their family's health and welfare.

State House District 14

  • Steve Monas (R): No Response
  • Nadine K. Nakamura (D): No Response

State House District 15

  • James Kunane Tokioka (D): No Response
  • Steve Yoder (R): No Response

State House District 16

  • Ana Mo Des (R): No Response
  • Daynette Morikawa (D): No Response

State House District 17

  • Keith Kogachi (D): Prefer not to answer.
  • Gene Ward (R): No Response

State House District 18

  • Tommy Driskill III (D): No Response
  • Mark Jun Hashem (D): No Response
  • Lori Ford (R): Yes

State House District 19

  • Wayne Chen (American Shopping): No Response
  • Bertrand Kobayashi (D): No Response
  • Michael L. Parrish (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 20

  • Julia E. Allan (R): No Response
  • Becky Gardner (D): Yes; However, we should figure out some sort of penalty to discourage speeding and other moving violations.Jay I. Ishibashi (D): No Response
  • Jackson Sayama (D): Yes; There needs to be consequences for decisions no matter what socio-economic strata we belong to. Having too lenient a program may not be the correct measure - we can’t have low-income individuals existing on a separate system where debts and fines are completely forgiven. Alternative measures could be explored.
  • Derek A. Turbin (D): READ HERE

State House District 21

  • Scott Y. Nishimoto (D): No Response

State House District 22

  • Tom Brower (D): No Response 
  • Nicholas R. Ochs (R): No Response
  • Adrian Tam (D): No

State House District 23

  • Dale Kobayashi (D): No Response

State House District 24

  • Della Au Belatti (D): No Response
  • Andy Sexton, Jr. (Aloha Aina):No Response

State House District 25

  • Sylvia Luke (D): No Response

State House District 26

  • Kim Coco Iwamoto (D): Yes
  • Scott K. Saiki (D): No Response

State House District 27

  • Takashi Ohno (D): No Response

State House District 28

  • John M. Mizuno (D): No Response

State House District 29

  • Daniel Holt (D): No Response
  • James Logue (D): Prefer not to answer; I would need more details on what this program consists of in order to make an educated decision.

State House District 30

  • P.M. Azinga (R): Yes
  • Romy M. Cachola (D): Prefer not to answer; Before I make my final decision, I would always like to weigh the pros and cons on these measures.
  • Sonny Ganaden (D): Yes
  • Tess Abalos Quilingking (R): Yes; We have to support our own people.

State House District 31

  • Aaron Ling Johanson (D): No Response

State House District 32

  • Linda Ichiyama (D): No Response

State House District 33

  • Tracy Arakaki (D): Prefer not to answer
  • Jenny Boyette (R): Yes; However, the amnesty should be available to all economic demographics and it must be a percentage of the fine is still owed.  The individual should not be able to have a slate wiped clean without making some sort of effort to rectify the situation.
  • Sam Satoru Kong (D): No Response

State House District 34

  • Keone F. Simon (R): No Response
  • Gregg Takayama (D): No

State House District 35

  • Carl E. Hood (R): No Response
  • Keline Kahau (Aloha Aina): Prefer not to answer; this amnesty, it all depends if its for all or only the working class?
  • Roy M. Takumi (D): No Response

State House District 36

  • Trish La Chica (D): Yes; As mentioned, no one should go into debt because of traffic tickets or excessive fines.  That is not the purpose of the criminal justice system, and it doesn’t serve anyone’s interests.  The fact that we have 350,000 outstanding license and registration stoppers in the states reveals an inherent flaw in the system.
  • Marilyn B. Lee (D): No Response
  • Val Okimoto (R): No Response

State House District 37

  • Emil Svrcina (R): No Response
  • Ryan I. Yamane (D): No Response

State House District 38

  • Henry J.C. Aquino (D): No Response 

State House District 39

  • Ty J.K. Cullen (D): No Response
  • Austin L.S. Maglinti (R): No Response

State House District 40

  • Rose Martinez (D): No Response
  • Bob McDermott (R): Yes

State House District 41

  • David Alcos (R): No Response
  • Matt LoPresti (D): Yes; As a commuter I am tired of seeing highway police target fellow commuters just going to and back from work everyday while there are much more serious issues they should be focused on.
  • Mokihana Maldonado (D): No Response
  • Amanda J. Rathbun (D): No Response
  • Ryan Isamu Uehara (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 42

  • Sharon Har (D): No Response
  • Vickie L.P. Kam (D): No; The safety of everyone on the road can not be dismissed. Receiving a traffic ticket serves as reminder to follow the laws that protect public interest. I would support legislation that allows for a sliding scale for ticketed fines to be applied.

State House District 43

  • Stacelynn Kehaulani Eli (D): No Response
  • Diamond Garcia (R): No
  • Shaena Dela Cruz Hoohuli (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Michael Kahikina (D): Yes; Also there are non-profits and agency that can and should assist in this for example OHA enacted for the said purpose to help Native Hawaiians?

State House District 44

  • Maysana Aldeguer (R): No
  • Cedric Asuega Gates (D): No Response
  • Jo Jordan (D): Yes
  • Joseph K. Simpliciano, Jr. (Aloha Aina): No Response

State House District 45

  • Michael Chapman (D): Yes; If someone is unable to pay a traffic ticket, fines and late fees continue to be layered on top of that ticket – making it even more difficult to pay. Amnesty from these fees would lift a burden from those in the most tenuous economic positions.
  • Lauren Matsumoto Cheape (R): No Response

State House District 46

  • Aaron James Kaleo Agsalda (D): No Response
  • Amy Perruso (D): Yes

State House District 47

  • Sean Quinlan (D): No Response
  • Boyd Ready (R): No; Traffic tickets can be avoided by driving in accord with the rules of the road.

State House District 48

  • Lisa C. Kitagawa (D): No Response
  • Kau‘i Pratt-Aquino, Esq. (D): Yes

State House District 49

  • Kilomana Danner (R): Yes; Common sense , agsin
  • Scot Matayoshi (D): No Response

State House District 50

  • Patrick Pihana Branco (D): Yes; Yes, I would support a traffic ticket amnesty program, but would focus on amnesty for individuals who do not chronically violate such laws. In trying to ease the economic burden of traffic tickets, we do not want to make our streets demonstrably less safe.
  • Micah Pregitzer (D):Yes
  • Kanai Souza (R): No Response

State House District 51

  • Alan K. Akao (D): Yes; Yes, depending on the specifics about what "traffic ticket amnesty program" entails. I do think there needs to be a careful and thoughtful discussion about whether our system is overly punitive, which I believe it is, and the ways in which we address traffic infractions and crimes. Especially given an over-reliance on law enforcement to determine whether an infraction or traffic crime has taken place. As someone who has represented clients in traffic related matters in Hawaii's courts, the volume and court congestion I know that the solution is tougher penalties and more acts being considered criminal in nature.
  • Coby K. K. Chock (D): No Response
  • Doni Leina‘ala Chong (R): No Response
  • Scott Grimmer (D): No Response
  • Erik K. Ho (Aloha Aina): Yes; Writing off traffic tickets would free up money that our residents could then use towards food, housing and other necessities which will help to stimulate our economy.
  • Kukana Kama-Toth (R): Yes; With Hawaii having approximately 300,000 outstanding licenses and registration stoppers a traffic ticket amnesty program would surely ease the burden.
  • Lisa Marten (D): Prefer not to answer

 

15. Criminal Law Reform: Under Hawai‘i law, it is a felony to possess any amount of a drug that has been classified as dangerous, which is essentially every drug except cannabis. Even the possession of small amounts is punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Do you support legislation decriminalizing possession of small amounts of dangerous drugs, and reinvesting the savings in effective, community-based drug treatment?

A.Criminal Law Reform: Under Hawai‘i law, it is a felony to possess any amount of a drug that has been classified as dangerous, which is essentially every drug except cannabis. Even the possession of small amounts is punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Do you support legislation decriminalizing possession of small amounts of dangerous drugs, and reinvesting the savings in effective, community-based drug treatment?

A.

Senate

Senate District 2

  • Smiley Burrows (D): No Response
  • Rob G. Ka-Ipo (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Joy San Buenaventura (D): No Response

Senate District 5

  • Christy, Kajiwara-Gusman (R): No Response
  • Rynette Ipo Keen (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Gil S. Coloma Keith-Agaran (D): No Response

Senate District 8

  • Ronald Dan Kouchi (D): No Response

Senate District 9

  • Stanley Chang (D): No Response
  • Sam Slom (R): No Response

Senate District 10

  • Jesus Arriola (D): No Response
  • Vicki B. Higgins (D): No Response
  • Les S. Ihara, Jr. (D): No Response
  • Paul Shiraishi (Nonpartisan): Yes

Senate District 11

  • Brian Taniguchi (D): Prefer not to answer.

Senate District 13

  • Kevin McDonald (D): No; Either a drug is legal or it is illegal, it is not okay to "just have a little bit". Also there is the issue of how much is "a little bit". Possession of controlled substances is also a useful tool for our police force to make an arrest and/or force an impaired individual into treatment. I can support the legalization/decriminalization of many controlled substances, but it is an all or nothing game for me. If a substance needs to be controlled then "just having a little bit" should not be an option. 
  • Karl Rhoads (D): Yes; I introduced a bill on this (at your request if I recall correctly) and moved it out of the Judiciary Committee which I chair.  I have been surprised at how many people dislike this legislation.

Senate District 14

  • Donna Mercado Kim (D): No Response

Senate District 15

  • Glenn Wakai (D): No Response

Senate District 19 

  • Rida Cabanilla Arakawa (D): No Response
  • John H. Clark III (D): No; No, legislation decriminalizing possession of small amounts of dangerous drugs, and reinvesting the savings in effective, community-based drug treatment is not a best-course for today’s society. First, savings obtained by reducing savings in one specific state-funded program does not necessarily equate to a commensurate increase in spending on another targeted and related area. Secondly, dangerous drugs are “dangerous” regardless of the quantity in possession. Thirdly, prosecutors already have latitude in how they prosecute individuals, and to what extent the offenders are sentenced for their first, second, or third offense.
  • Kurt Fevella (R): No Response

Senate District 20

  • Feena Bonoan (LibertarianYes
  • Mike Gabbard (D): Yes

Senate District 22

  • Thora-Jean Cuaresma (D): No Response
  • Donovan Dela Cruz (D): No Response
  • Banner S. Fanene (Nonpartisan): Yes
  • John E. Miller (R): Yes; But it has to be a very small amount of the drugs and  not enough to be classified as someone who is dealing these drugs.

Senate District 25

  • Chris Lee (D): No Response
  • Kristina Kim-Marshall (R): No Response

State House

State House District 1

  • Mark M. Nakashima (D): Yes
  • Lorraine Pualani Shin (R): No Response

State House District 2

  • Devin Shaw Kealohapumehanaokalani McMackin Sr. (Aloha Aina): No; That's a no to the first part as it's a crime, but we should give people the rehabilitation they deserve, or that their Ohana deserve. So yes as well, to the second portion of the question and you could get the funds from all public offices such as State House Rep, State Senator, Councilman / Councilwoman, Mayors, governor, and Lt. Governor, as well as other voted public offices that are funded by the public. Go include Department of Public Safety directors, Department heads across the board. This job is to serve the public not, self interest. We should feel the honor of the people to trust us to do this job not just for the pay.
  • Christopher L.T. Todd (D): No Response

State House District 3

  • Frederick F. Fogel (D): Yes; I support the decriminalization of most drugs, no matter the amount.
  • Susan Hughes (R): Yes
  • Shannon Lopeka Matson (D): Yes
  • Richard H.K. Onishi (D): No Response

State House District 4

  • Hope (Alohalani) Cermelj (R): No Response
  • Desmon Antone Haumea (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Greggor Ilagan (D): No Response
  • Brian Ley (Nonpartisan): No; I think we should legalize cannabis and use tax revenue to support substance abuse programs.
  • Eileen Ohara (D): No

State House District 5

  • Colehour Bondera (D): Yes; This approach has proven to be successful in other nations.   The key is effective, community-based treatment, which currently problematic in Hawai'i.  This reform would have to encompass other mental health treatment reforms. 
  • Citlalli Johanna Decker (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Jeanné Kapela (D): Yes; I support legalizing and taxing recreational use of cannabis, which could generate $150-$200 million per year for our state.
  • Michael L. Last (Libertarian): Yes; Also decriminalize ALL dangerous drugs, alcohol, gambling, smoking, etc.

State House District 6

  • Nicole Lowen (D): No Response

State House District 7

  • David Tarnas (D): Yes

State House District 8

  • Ka‘apuni Aiwohi (D): Yes
  • Troy Hashimoto (D): Yes
  • Robert G. Hill III (D): No Response

State House District 9

  • J. Kahala Chrupalyk (Aloha Aina): Yes; Thatʻs good for first and second time offenders.  On the third offense, they are going to mandatory treatment for a period of two years - in an effective, community-based, cultural drug treatment facility. If ithey donʻt have a culture of their own, one can be provided for them.
  • Justin Woodson (D): No Response

State House District 10

  • Kanamu Balinbin (R): No Response
  • Travis Gyldstrand (Aloha Aina): Prefer not to answer
  • Angus L.K. McKelvey (D): No Response
  • Leonard K. Nakoa III (D): Yes

State House District 11

  • Don Couch (D): Yes
  • Howard E. Greenberg (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Tina M.L. Wildberger (D): No Response

State House District 12

  • Simon Russell (D): Yes
  • Kyle T. Yamashita (D): No Response

State House District 13

  • Lynn DeCoite (D): No Response
  • Theresa Kapaku (Aloha Aina): Yes; Programs not jails.
  • Walter Ritte (D): Yes 
  • Robin Vanderpool (R): Yes

State House District 14

  • Steve Monas (R): No Response
  • Nadine K. Nakamura (D): No Response

State House District 15

  • James Kunane Tokioka (D): No Response
  • Steve Yoder (R): No Response

State House District 16

  • Ana Mo Des (R): No Response
  • Daynette Morikawa (D): No Response

State House District 17

  • Keith Kogachi (D): No
  • Gene Ward (R): No Response

State House District 18

  • Tommy Driskill III (D): No Response
  • Mark Jun Hashem (D): No Response
  • Lori Ford (R): Yes

State House District 19

  • Wayne Chen (American Shopping): No Response
  • Bertrand Kobayashi (D): No Response
  • Michael L. Parrish (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 20

  • Julia E. Allan (R): No Response
  • Becky Gardner (D): Yes; Some effort should be made to ascertain whether the amount was for use or for sale and distribution – which might mean users will be provided with drug treatment, if warranted, rather than hefty fines; and that dealers will pay a heavier penalty.
  • Jay I. Ishibashi (D): No Response
  • Jackson Sayama (D): Yes; There are two matters in the question posed. 1) Decriminalizing the possession of “dangerous drugs” in “small amounts” (personal use). 2) Reinvesting in effective community-based drug treatment. On the first matter, being caught with an amount of any drug for personal use should be decriminalized - dealing with substance abuse needs a more nuanced response. On the second matter, yes we need to build more effective means of rehabilitation with a community-centric approach.
  • Derek A. Turbin (D): READ HERE

State House District 21

  • Scott Y. Nishimoto (D): No Response

State House District 22

  • Tom Brower (D): No Response 
  • Nicholas R. Ochs (R): No Response
  • Adrian Tam (D): Yes

State House District 23

  • Dale Kobayashi (D): No Response

State House District 24

  • Della Au Belatti (D): No Response
  • Andy Sexton, Jr. (Aloha Aina): No Response

State House District 25

  • Sylvia Luke (D): No Response

State House District 26

  • Kim Coco Iwamoto (D): Yes
  • Scott K. Saiki (D): No Response

State House District 27

  • Takashi Ohno (D): No Response

State House District 28

  • John M. Mizuno (D): No Response

State House District 29

  • Daniel Holt (D): No Response
  • James Logue (D): Yes; Yes, but only if those who are found to have drugs on them are forced to a long term treatment facility that helps them get off of the drugs. It wouldn't be jail, but they would be court ordered to remain in treatment until a doctor deems them able to be released.

State House District 30

  • P.M. Azinga (R): No; This survey is too long.
  • Romy M. Cachola (D): No
  • Sonny Ganaden (D): Yes
  • Tess Abalos Quilingking (R): Yes

State House District 31

  • Aaron Ling Johanson (D): No Response

State House District 32

  • Linda Ichiyama (D): No Response

State House District 33

  • Tracy Arakaki (D): Prefer not to answer
  • Jenny Boyette (R): No
  • Sam Satoru Kong (D): No Response

State House District 34

  • Keone F. Simon (R): No Response
  • Gregg Takayama (D): Prefer not to answer; Merits further discussion, particularly with drug treatment authorities.

State House District 35

  • Carl E. Hood (R): No Response
  • Keline Kahau (Aloha Aina): Prefer not to answer
  • Roy M. Takumi (D): No Response

State House District 36

  • Trish La Chica (D): Yes; Possession of small amounts is often more indicative of addiction than someone engaged in distribution.  Our criminal justice system does not currently meet the needs of those struggling with substance use, so investing those resources in programs that can meet the needs of our community would be money better spent.  Not only would this support lifting individuals out of addition, but it would increase community safety by reducing recidivism and drug-related crimes.  In addition, felony status for very small amounts is a clear punishment that does not fit the crime.
  • Marilyn B. Lee (D): No Response
  • Val Okimoto (R): No Response

State House District 37

  • Emil Svrcina (R): No Response
  • Ryan I. Yamane (D): No Response

State House District 38

  • Henry J.C. Aquino (D): No Response 

State House District 39

  • Ty J.K. Cullen (D): No Response
  • Austin L.S. Maglinti (R): No Response

State House District 40

  • Rose Martinez (D): No Response
  • Bob McDermott (R): Candidate did not answer this question.

State House District 41

  • David Alcos (R): No Response
  • Matt LoPresti (D): Yes; The penalty seems step, indeed and I need more information on the idea. While I have and do support decriminilzation of cannabis, I am not so sure decriminalizing hard drugs in the same way. Certainly small amounts should be treated differently though. Need a third option form 'yes', 'no', or 'prefer not to answer'. Something like 'none of the above', or 'not sure' is reasonable response.
  • Mokihana Maldonado (D): No Response
  • Amanda J. Rathbun (D): No Response
  • Ryan Isamu Uehara (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 42

  • Sharon Har (D): No Response
  • Vickie L.P. Kam (D): Yes; Treatment facilities are in short supply in our state and need to be available to support those  that need help. It would be useful to clearly specify "small amount" in order to ensure that stopping the distribution chain of illegal substances is enforced.

State House District 43

  • Stacelynn Kehaulani Eli (D): No Response
  • Diamond Garcia (R): No
  • Shaena Dela Cruz Hoohuli (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Michael Kahikina (D): Yes; Again, my point!

State House District 44

  • Maysana Aldeguer (R): No Response
  • Cedric Asuega Gates (D): No Response
  • Jo Jordan (D): Yes
  • Joseph K. Simpliciano, Jr. (Aloha Aina): No Response

State House District 45

  • Michael Chapman (D): Yes; The "war on drugs" has failed, in large part due to our fixation on punitive approaches like incarceration. We have skyrocketing incarceration rates, plagued with disproportionate punishment of minorities, without any positive results to show for it. Addiction is a health problem, and we need to start treating it as such. Locking someone up does not solve the underlying psychological and mental health struggles that led them to substance dependence in the first place. Instead, it separates people from their jobs and families, two sources of stability. This means that they can no longer earn money and provide for their families, which adds instability to the community. This perpetuates a cycle of: poverty leading to emotional trauma; emotional trauma leading to substance abuse; substance abuse leading to incarceration; incarceration leading to poverty. We need to resist these cycles, rather than reinforcing them through our criminal justice system.
  • Lauren Matsumoto Cheape (R): No Response

State House District 46

  • Aaron James Kaleo Agsalda (D): No Response
  • Amy Perruso (D): Yes; The 'war on drugs' was an abysmal failure, and we need to move as quickly as possible to a more humane, reasonable and 'soft power' approach to drug use.

State House District 47

  • Sean Quinlan (D): No Response
  • Boyd Ready (R): Yes

State House District 48

  • Lisa C. Kitagawa (D): No Response
  • Kau‘i Pratt-Aquino, Esq. (D): Yes; "This has to be a collaborative discussion between the appropriate stakeholders.  This includes drug treatment centers, law enforcement, doctors, former addicts and any other partner or individual who could provide insight. The only concern I have  with this issue is what protocols will be put in place to ensure the individual receives the help that they need if they are suffering from addiction."

State House District 49

  • Kilomana Danner (R): Yes.  Yes.  And yes.
  • Scot Matayoshi (D): No Response

State House District 50

  • Patrick Pihana Branco (D): Yes; I personally believe that decriminalization needs to primarily originate from the Federal level, to ensure consistency across the states on such an important issue. With that being said, should decriminalization be possible outside of re-scheduling controlled substances, I am in favor of such a policy.
  • Micah Pregitzer (D): Yes
  • Kanai Souza (R): No Response

State House District 51

  • Alan K. Akao (D): Yes; Until our system recognizes that punishment for using illicit substances does not address the issue we will never make progress. We need to decriminalize the use of small amounts of illicit drugs, drugs that the government has deemed dangerous, and focus on expanded drug rehabilitation and mental health services, which are the root of many of the communities battles with drugs of this nature. Similarly, there is a target on street drugs yet we know statistically that prescription drug abuse is also common and pervasive yet we do not prosecute those offenses in the same way we do with so called 'dangerous drugs'. Inequity based on economic status is discriminatory and should also be a basis for repeal or changes of drug possession and use offenses.
  • Coby K. K. Chock (D): No Response
  • Doni Leina‘ala Chong (R): No Response
  • Scott Grimmer (D): No Response
  • Erik K. Ho (Aloha Aina): Yes; We should focus on rehabilitation of drug users rather than criminal punishment. The money saved from incarceration could go towards outreach and recovery programs, creating secondary jobs to service the recovering population. This would also alleviate our court system and reduce our prison population.
  • Kukana Kama-Toth (R): Prefer not to answer; What kinds of savings would come out of legislation of this sort? I'm all for budget improvements for community-based drug treatments. Decriminalizing possession of small amounts of dangerous drugs could in fact keep our jails less compacted but what ""savings"" would come from this kind of legislation?
  • Lisa Marten (D): Yes

 

16. Criminal Law Reform: Under Hawai‘i law, it is a felony to possess any amount of a drug that has been classified as dangerous, which is essentially every drug except cannabis. Even the possession of small amounts is punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Do you think substance use should be treated as a matter of public health?

A.Criminal Law Reform: Under Hawai‘i law, it is a felony to possess any amount of a drug that has been classified as dangerous, which is essentially every drug except cannabis. Even the possession of small amounts is punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Do you think substance use should be treated as a matter of public health?

A.

Senate

Senate District 2

  • Smiley Burrows (D): No Response
  • Rob G. Ka-Ipo (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Joy San Buenaventura (D): No Response

Senate District 5

  • Christy, Kajiwara-Gusman (R): No Response
  • Rynette Ipo Keen (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Gil S. Coloma Keith-Agaran (D): No Response

Senate District 8

  • Ronald Dan Kouchi (D): No Response

Senate District 9

  • Stanley Chang (D): No Response
  • Sam Slom (R): No Response

Senate District 10

  • Jesus Arriola (D): No Response
  • Vicki B. Higgins (D): No Response
  • Les S. Ihara, Jr. (D): No Response
  • Paul Shiraishi (Nonpartisan): Yes; The war on drugs has been an abject failure from several viewpoints. The long-running opioid epidemic has shown us that once drug abuse crosses racial and socioeconomic barriers, we are more willing to show compassion and treat addiction as a public health crisis rather than a criminal one.

Senate District 11

  • Brian Taniguchi (D): Yes

Senate District 13

  • Kevin McDonald (D): Yes; I am on the fence with this issue, however I do support the idea of publicly funded rehab options for those who seek help with their addictions or habits. 
  • Karl Rhoads (D): Yes

Senate District 14

  • Donna Mercado Kim (D): No Response

Senate District 15

  • Glenn Wakai (D): No Response

Senate District 19 

  • Rida Cabanilla Arakawa (D): No Response
  • John H. Clark III (D): Yes; Yes; substance use should be treated as a matter of public health - but only up to a certain point. Substance use and substance abuse are closely related, and there is a fine line between the two. Unfortunately, “acceptable substance use” is often a facilitator into unacceptable substance abuse. With the advent and availability of smart phones and shorter attention spans, there seems to be an increase in the number of addictive personalities.  As a society, we could probably benefit from a deeper look at primary and second-order effects? To successfully determine the point at which substances would no longer be treated as a matter of public health, more data is needed.
  • Kurt Fevella (R): No Response

Senate District 20

  • Feena Bonoan (Libertarian): Yes
  • Mike Gabbard (D): Yes

Senate District 22

  • Thora-Jean Cuaresma (D): No Response
  • Donovan Dela Cruz (D): No Response
  • Banner S. Fanene (Nonpartisan): Yes
  • John E. Miller (R): Yes; I think it would be more accurate to say substance abuse such as addictions.

Senate District 25

  • Chris Lee (D): No Response
  • Kristina Kim-Marshall (R): No Response

State House

State House District 1

  • Mark M. Nakashima (D): Yes
  • Lorraine Pualani Shin (R): No Response

State House District 2

  • Devin Shaw Kealohapumehanaokalani McMackin Sr. (Aloha Aina): Yes; It is for the health of the public, we as a people must try our hardest to uplift even the most troubled of us all. We as the Lahui can do this together for the betterment of our society, thru traditional medicines/treatments and modern medicines/treatment. Together we can come to a solution that benefits us all.
  • Christopher L.T. Todd (D): No Response

State House District 3

  • Frederick F. Fogel (D): Yes; Because it is.
  • Susan Hughes (R): Prefer not to answer
  • Shannon Lopeka Matson (D): Yes
  • Richard H.K. Onishi (D): No Response

State House District 4

  • Hope (Alohalani) Cermelj (R): No Response
  • Desmon Antone Haumea (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Greggor Ilagan (D): No Response
  • Brian Ley (Nonpartisan): Yes; I think we should legalize cannabis and use tax reveue to support subatance abuse programs.  Education not legislation.
  • Eileen Ohara (D): Yes

State House District 5

  • Colehour Bondera (D): Yes; Addiction is a disease that harms not only the individuals, but their families, friends, and the community-at-large.  Oftentimes it is the result of experiences such as emotional or physical abuse.  Society has already identified these as a matter of public health and so it follows that substance abuse should as well.
  • Citlalli Johanna Decker (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Jeanné Kapela (D): Yes; Substance abuse IS a matter of public health, carrying its own health risks and often being borne out of a lack of access to healthcare, including mental health, programming.
  • Michael L. Last (Libertarian): No; No!  A person should be able to consume any substance without the treat of legal action. Provided the person's actions does not harm a non-consenting other person.  Things such as drunk driving AND operating a motor vehicle DOES harm non-consenting others.

State House District 6

  • Nicole Lowen (D): No Response

State House District 7

  • David Tarnas (D): Yes

State House District 8

  • Ka‘apuni Aiwohi (D): Yes
  • Troy Hashimoto (D): Yes
  • Robert G. Hill III (D): No Response

State House District 9

  • J. Kahala Chrupalyk (Aloha Aina): Yes; Substance use is a matter of public health because it was a public society that created these issues in the first place.
  • Justin Woodson (D): No Response

State House District 10

  • Kanamu Balinbin (R): No Response
  • Travis Gyldstrand (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Angus L.K. McKelvey (D): No Response
  • Leonard K. Nakoa III (D): Yes

State House District 11

  • Don Couch (D): Yes
  • Howard E. Greenberg (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Tina M.L. Wildberger (D): No Response

State House District 12

  • Simon Russell (D): Yes
  • Kyle T. Yamashita (D): No Response

State House District 13

  • Lynn DeCoite (D): No Response
  • Theresa Kapaku (Aloha Aina): Yes; What affects one, affects us all.  Drugs is a prime example.   The burden of drug addiction has numerous affects.  The need for drugs results in theft of property and other crimes which affects the community.  The result of negative actions done by users onto victims affects the community.  It is absolutely a matter of public health.
  • Walter Ritte (D): Yes 
  • Robin Vanderpool (R): Prefer not to answer; It is a complicated issue. I support short jail terms and mandatory drug counseling and testing.

State House District 14

  • Steve Monas (R): No Response
  • Nadine K. Nakamura (D): No Response

State House District 15

  • James Kunane Tokioka (D): No Response
  • Steve Yoder (R): No Response

State House District 16

  • Ana Mo Des (R): No Response
  • Daynette Morikawa (D): No Response

State House District 17

  • Keith Kogachi (D): Yes
  • Gene Ward (R): No Response

State House District 18

  • Tommy Driskill III (D): No Response
  • Mark Jun Hashem (D): No Response
  • Lori Ford (R): Yes

State House District 19

  • Wayne Chen (American Shopping): No Response
  • Bertrand Kobayashi (D): No Response
  • Michael L. Parrish (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 20

  • Julia E. Allan (R): No Response
  • Becky Gardner (D): Yes; Drug use is often a symptom of greater socio-economic inequities.  Interventions that look at these disparities as social determinants of health; and that address the roots of these issues may be far more effective than fines.  This could include greater social supports and safety nets, like medical treatment, mental health services, job training, AA-type interventions, etc.
  • Jay I. Ishibashi (D): No Response
  • Jackson Sayama (D): Yes; What is more important to know isn’t what drug is used, but rather why they are used. In the case of our opioid epidemic, substance abuse is a fundamental symptom of our broken medical and pharmaceutical system. Additionally we need to respond to this crisis understanding the "environmental" pressures that lead one to substance abuse in general.
  • Derek A. Turbin (D): READ HERE

State House District 21

  • Scott Y. Nishimoto (D): No Response

State House District 22

  • Tom Brower (D): No Response 
  • Nicholas R. Ochs (R): No Response
  • Adrian Tam (D): Yes

State House District 23

  • Dale Kobayashi (D): No Response

State House District 24

  • Della Au Belatti (D): No Response
  • Andy Sexton, Jr. (Aloha Aina): No Response

State House District 25

  • Sylvia Luke (D): No Response

State House District 26

  • Kim Coco Iwamoto (D): Yes
  • Scott K. Saiki (D): No Response

State House District 27

  • Takashi Ohno (D): No Response

State House District 28

  • John M. Mizuno (D): No Response

State House District 29

  • Daniel Holt (D): No Response
  • James Logue (D): Yes

State House District 30

  • P.M. Azinga (R): No; This survey is too long.
  • Romy M. Cachola (D): Yes
  • Sonny Ganaden (D): Yes
  • Tess Abalos Quilingking (R): Yes

State House District 31

  • Aaron Ling Johanson (D): No Response

State House District 32

  • Linda Ichiyama (D): No Response

State House District 33

  • Tracy Arakaki (D): Yes
  • Jenny Boyette (R): Prefer not to answer; This question needs to be fleshed out, it is too broad.  Do you mean an individual can seek substance abuse treatment and have their medical insurance be able to cover it?  For first and second time treatment, yes.  Is substance abuse a public health issue?  Yes, it affects all facets of the community, not just the individual.
  • Sam Satoru Kong (D): No Response

State House District 34

  • Keone F. Simon (R): No Response
  • Gregg Takayama (D): Yes

State House District 35

  • Carl E. Hood (R): No Response
  • Keline Kahau (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Roy M. Takumi (D): No Response

State House District 36

  • Trish La Chica (D): Yes; Prosecution and incarceration do not work and cannot solve substance abuse.  Many addictions grow in prison, and those that experience substance abuse are more likely to recidivate.  If we truly want to address the issue we must respond to substance use as the matter of public health that it is.
  • Marilyn B. Lee (D): No Response
  • Val Okimoto (R): No Response

State House District 37

  • Emil Svrcina (R): No Response
  • Ryan I. Yamane (D): No Response

State House District 38

  • Henry J.C. Aquino (D): No Response 

State House District 39

  • Ty J.K. Cullen (D): No Response
  • Austin L.S. Maglinti (R): No Response

State House District 40

  • Rose Martinez (D): No Response
  • Bob McDermott (R): Candidate did not answer this question.

State House District 41

  • David Alcos (R): No Response
  • Matt LoPresti (D): Yes
  • Mokihana Maldonado (D): No Response
  • Amanda J. Rathbun (D): No Response
  • Ryan Isamu Uehara (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 42

  • Sharon Har (D): No Response
  • Vickie L.P. Kam (D): Yes; These programs have been successful in other countries so a model exists that could be used to create programs for Hawaii. I believe this would actually save the state money in the long run as it would cut back on the need for emergency services that are needed to address substance abuse.

State House District 43

  • Stacelynn Kehaulani Eli (D): No Response
  • Diamond Garcia (R): Yes
  • Shaena Dela Cruz Hoohuli (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Michael Kahikina (D): Yes; It is a health issue and Not a Crime!

State House District 44

  • Maysana Aldeguer (R): No Response
  • Cedric Asuega Gates (D): No Response
  • Jo Jordan (D): Yes
  • Joseph K. Simpliciano, Jr. (Aloha Aina): No Response

State House District 45

  • Michael Chapman (D): Yes 
  • Lauren Matsumoto Cheape (R): No Response

State House District 46

  • Aaron James Kaleo Agsalda (D): No Response
  • Amy Perruso (D): Yes

State House District 47

  • Sean Quinlan (D): No Response
  • Boyd Ready (R): Prefer not to answer; Need more information about the question.

State House District 48

  • Lisa C. Kitagawa (D): No Response
  • Kau‘i Pratt-Aquino, Esq. (D): Yes

State House District 49

  • Kilomana Danner (R): Yes; But it must also be treated as a matter of personal responsibility.
  • Scot Matayoshi (D): No Response

State House District 50

  • Patrick Pihana Branco (D): Yes; While I broadly believe that substance use is overregulated, addiction and dependency on controlled substances is and remains a matter of public health.
  • Micah Pregitzer (D): Yes
  • Kanai Souza (R): No Response

State House District 51

  • Alan K. Akao (D): Yes; It is not an issue of should, we must treat substance abuse and use as a matter of public health because it is. The legislature and courts should not be leading the way on dealing with these issues, but the Department of Health and other public health service providers and advocates.
  • Coby K. K. Chock (D): No Response
  • Doni Leina‘ala Chong (R): No Response
  • Scott Grimmer (D): No Response
  • Erik K. Ho (Aloha Aina): Yes; We should follow what Portugal did and treat drug use as a public health issue rather than a criminal issue
  • Kukana Kama-Toth (R): Prefer not to answer; The effects of substance use can surely impact entire communities in areas of homeless/housless that impedes on the public accessibility to our parks, beaches, homes and businesses. Substance use could also contribute to domestic violence that may put communities at risk especially in the event of where the domestic violence may take place (ex. in the car, on the road, in a store, in a park etc.). How is it being treated now?
  • Lisa Marten (D): Yes

 

17. Criminal Law Reform: Prosecutors are possibly the most influential player in the criminal legal system, yet there is little publicly-available information about how prosecutorial decisions are made. Do you support legislation to promote transparency in county prosecutors’ offices by requiring increased data tracking and disclosure?

A.Criminal Law Reform: Prosecutors are possibly the most influential player in the criminal legal system, yet there is little publicly-available information about how prosecutorial decisions are made. Do you support legislation to promote transparency in county prosecutors’ offices by requiring increased data tracking and disclosure?

A.

Senate

Senate District 2

  • Smiley Burrows (D): No Response
  • Rob G. Ka-Ipo (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Joy San Buenaventura (D): No Response

Senate District 5

  • Christy, Kajiwara-Gusman (R): No Response
  • Rynette Ipo Keen (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Gil S. Coloma Keith-Agaran (D): No Response

Senate District 8

  • Ronald Dan Kouchi (D): No Response

Senate District 9

  • Stanley Chang (D): No Response
  • Sam Slom (R): No Response

Senate District 10

  • Jesus Arriola (D): No Response
  • Vicki B. Higgins (D): No Response
  • Les S. Ihara, Jr. (D): No Response
  • Paul Shiraishi (Nonpartisan): Yes

Senate District 11

  • Brian Taniguchi (D): Prefer not to answer

Senate District 13

  • Kevin McDonald (D): Yes; I think this is a great idea and I fully support it
  • Karl Rhoads (D): Yes; Another one I introduced I believe at your request.  It never got a hearing at the subject matter committee in the Senate.

Senate District 14

  • Donna Mercado Kim (D): No Response

Senate District 15

  • Glenn Wakai (D): No Response

Senate District 19 

  • Rida Cabanilla Arakawa (D): No Response
  • John H. Clark III (D): Yes; Yes, I absolutely and strongly support legislation to promote transparency in county prosecutors’ offices by requiring increased data tracking and disclosure. My strong advocacy for this type of transparency is founded in cases such as “People of the State of California v. Brock Allen Turner” (2015), and the case of Ethan Couch (2013). Brock Turner was indicted on two charges of rape, two charges of felony sexual assault, and one charge of attempted rape, but was subsequently sentenced to six months in jail (of which he only served three months) followed by three years of probation. Ethan Couch was indicted on four counts of intoxication manslaughter but sentenced to ten years of probation after his legal team successfully argued that the teen had "affluenza" and needed rehab instead of assignment to a penitentiary, because his wealthy parents didn't give Ethan any restrictions as a youth. Though there was no case-law precedent for “affluenza,” there was a moral obligation to ensure justice was fulfilled.  As stated elsewhere in this questionnaire, there is usually a certain degree of prosecutorial latitude in sentencing guilty offenders.  And though these two cases may represent extreme outliers in an otherwise fairly equitable system, in all cases, empathy for the victim should come first; followed closely by accountability for the offender. To ensure justice is served… to ensure the victim receives empathy and the offender is held accountable, I support legislation to promote transparency in county prosecutors’ offices by requiring increased data tracking and disclosure.
  • Kurt Fevella (R): No Response

Senate District 20

  • Feena Bonoan (Libertarian): Yes
  • Mike Gabbard (D): Yes

Senate District 22

  • Thora-Jean Cuaresma (D): No Response
  • Donovan Dela Cruz (D): No Response
  • Banner S. Fanene (Nonpartisan): Prefer not to answer
  • John E. Miller (R): Yes

Senate District 25

  • Chris Lee (D): No Response
  • Kristina Kim-Marshall (R): No Response

State House

State House District 1

  • Mark M. Nakashima (D): Yes
  • Lorraine Pualani Shin (R): No Response

State House District 2

  • Devin Shaw Kealohapumehanaokalani McMackin Sr. (Aloha Aina): Yes; We must always hold ourselves and those in decision making officers accountable as well as transparent. Why hide something when it for the betterment of our people. No one in government should be hiding anything. Unless private information.
  • Christopher L.T. Todd (D): No Response

State House District 3

  • Frederick F. Fogel (D): Yes; But it depends on what that means.
  • Susan Hughes (R): Yes
  • Shannon Lopeka Matson (D): Yes
  • Richard H.K. Onishi (D): No Response

State House District 4

  • Hope (Alohalani) Cermelj (R): No Response
  • Desmon Antone Haumea (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Greggor Ilagan (D): No Response
  • Brian Ley (Nonpartisan): Yes
  • Eileen Ohara (D): Yes; With limitations

State House District 5

  • Colehour Bondera (D): Yes; Transparency in government is essential to justice and democracy.
  • Citlalli Johanna Decker (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Jeanné Kapela (D): Yes; Transparency at all levels of government is key to both accountability and protecting the public trust.
  • Michael L. Last (Libertarian): Yes

State House District 6

  • Nicole Lowen (D): No Response

State House District 7

  • David Tarnas (D): Yes

State House District 8

  • Ka‘apuni Aiwohi (D): Yes
  • Troy Hashimoto (D): Yes
  • Robert G. Hill III (D): No Response

State House District 9

  • J. Kahala Chrupalyk (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Justin Woodson (D): No Response

State House District 10

  • Kanamu Balinbin (R): No Response
  • Travis Gyldstrand (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Angus L.K. McKelvey (D): No Response
  • Leonard K. Nakoa III (D): Yes

State House District 11

  • Don Couch (D): Prefer not to answer; This question is too broad. I would be willing to see what can and should not be disclosed.
  • Howard E. Greenberg (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Tina M.L. Wildberger (D): No Response

State House District 12

  • Simon Russell (D): Yes
  • Kyle T. Yamashita (D): No Response

State House District 13

  • Lynn DeCoite (D): No Response
  • Theresa Kapaku (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Walter Ritte (D): Yes 
  • Robin Vanderpool (R): No

State House District 14

  • Steve Monas (R): No Response
  • Nadine K. Nakamura (D): No Response

State House District 15

  • James Kunane Tokioka (D): No Response
  • Steve Yoder (R): No Response

State House District 16

  • Ana Mo Des (R): No Response
  • Daynette Morikawa (D): No Response

State House District 17

  • Keith Kogachi (D): Yes
  • Gene Ward (R): No Response

State House District 18

  • Tommy Driskill III (D): No Response
  • Mark Jun Hashem (D): No Response
  • Lori Ford (R): Yes

State House District 19

  • Wayne Chen (American Shopping): No Response
  • Bertrand Kobayashi (D): No Response
  • Michael L. Parrish (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 20

  • Julia E. Allan (R): No Response
  • Becky Gardner (D): Yes; However, such policies need to be examined and balanced with other important considerations and requirements, like attorney-client privilege, confidentiality of victims’ and witnesses’ experiences, health and financial information, and the nature of the information and whether public disclosure of it is safe and advisable.
  • Jay I. Ishibashi (D): No Response
  • Jackson Sayama (D): Yes; Transparency of the system would ensure that justice is meted fairly and consistently for everyone, which would limit racial discrimination and ensure that sentencing is appropriate to the crime.
  • Derek A. Turbin (D): LINK

State House District 21

  • Scott Y. Nishimoto (D): No Response

State House District 22

  • Tom Brower (D): No Response 
  • Nicholas R. Ochs (R): No Response
  • Adrian Tam (D): Yes

State House District 23

  • Dale Kobayashi (D): No Response

State House District 24

  • Della Au Belatti (D): No Response
  • Andy Sexton, Jr. (Aloha Aina): No Response

State House District 25

  • Sylvia Luke (D): No Response

State House District 26

  • Kim Coco Iwamoto (D): Yes; In Honolulu, we have an unprecedented opportunity to completely reform the Prosecutor's office and the entire criminal justice system. If we are both elected, I look forward to working with Jacquie Esser in her capacity as Honolulu Prosecutor.
  • Scott K. Saiki (D): No Response

State House District 27

  • Takashi Ohno (D): No Response

State House District 28

  • John M. Mizuno (D): No Response

State House District 29

  • Daniel Holt (D): No Response
  • James Logue (D): Yes

State House District 30

  • P.M. Azinga (R): Yes
  • Romy M. Cachola (D): Prefer not to answer; Before I make my final decision, I would always like to weigh the pros and cons on these measures.
  • Sonny Ganaden (D): Yes
  • Tess Abalos Quilingking (R): Yes

State House District 31

  • Aaron Ling Johanson (D): No Response

State House District 32

  • Linda Ichiyama (D): No Response

State House District 33

  • Tracy Arakaki (D): Yes
  • Jenny Boyette (R): No; On the surface this sounds like a great idea - but it is far from the truth.  What is outlined in House Bill 2749 increases the size of government and is a knee-jerk reaction to the Kealoha scandal.  Yes their crimes are terrible and now all of Mrs Kealoha's cases could be up for review based on her deviousness.  Transparency is great, yet you cannot legislate what ifs.
  • Sam Satoru Kong (D): No Response

State House District 34

  • Keone F. Simon (R): No Response
  • Gregg Takayama (D): Yes

State House District 35

  • Carl E. Hood (R): No Response
  • Keline Kahau (Aloha Aina): Yes; if there is more transparency there will be lest crime.
  • Roy M. Takumi (D): No Response

State House District 36

  • Trish La Chica (D): Yes; Prosecutors have huge impacts on peoples’ lives, including whether they get charged with a crime and how high their bail is set.  It is important that increased data tracking and disclosure occur so that this process can be scrutinized.  In addition, the public has a right to know how their tax dollars are being spent.
  • Marilyn B. Lee (D): No Response
  • Val Okimoto (R): No Response

State House District 37

  • Emil Svrcina (R): No Response
  • Ryan I. Yamane (D): No Response

State House District 38

  • Henry J.C. Aquino (D): No Response 

State House District 39

  • Ty J.K. Cullen (D): No Response
  • Austin L.S. Maglinti (R): No Response

State House District 40

  • Rose Martinez (D): No Response
  • Bob McDermott (R): Yes

State House District 41

  • David Alcos (R): No Response
  • Matt LoPresti (D): Yes
  • Mokihana Maldonado (D): No Response
  • Amanda J. Rathbun (D): No Response
  • Ryan Isamu Uehara (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 42

  • Sharon Har (D): No Response
  • Vickie L.P. Kam (D): Yes; Increased transparency of data is a tool that can support citizens and the justice system to find patterns and areas of concern that can then be addressed. Maintaining confidentiality of individuals information is important as well and should be written into any legislation introduced on disclosure of county prosecutors' decisions.

State House District 43

  • Stacelynn Kehaulani Eli (D): No Response
  • Diamond Garcia (R): Yes
  • Shaena Dela Cruz Hoohuli (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Michael Kahikina (D): Yes; My point!

State House District 44

  • Maysana Aldeguer (R): Yes
  • Cedric Asuega Gates (D): No Response
  • Jo Jordan (D): Yes
  • Joseph K. Simpliciano, Jr. (Aloha Aina): No Response

State House District 45

  • Michael Chapman (D): Yes 
  • Lauren Matsumoto Cheape (R): No Response

State House District 46

  • Aaron James Kaleo Agsalda (D): No Response
  • Amy Perruso (D): Yes

State House District 47

  • Sean Quinlan (D): No Response
  • Boyd Ready (R): Yes

State House District 48

  • Lisa C. Kitagawa (D): No Response
  • Kau‘i Pratt-Aquino, Esq. (D): Yes

State House District 49

  • Kilomana Danner (R): Yes; Yes the law is a servant.  Not the master.
  • Scot Matayoshi (D): No Response

State House District 50

  • Patrick Pihana Branco (D): Yes; Yes, I stand resolved that increasing transparency at all levels of government is one of, if not, the most pressing obligation an elected official has.
  • Micah Pregitzer (D): Yes
  • Kanai Souza (R): No Response

State House District 51

  • Alan K. Akao (D): Yes; I believe there needs to be open transparency and disclosure from the county prosecutor's offices and the willingness to get partisan or political decisions out of the office. Law enforcement and prosecution should not be swayed at all by political decisions. Without accurate data tracking and disclosure, policy is masked behind closed doors. As someone who works almost exclusively with the prosecutor's office on a daily basis, I believe that they are more than capable of providing such information regularly.
  • Coby K. K. Chock (D): No Response
  • Doni Leina‘ala Chong (R): No Response
  • Scott Grimmer (D): No Response
  • Erik K. Ho (Aloha Aina): Yes; Prosecutors are elected public officials. As such, their offices and court files should be made available to the public for scrutiny.
  • Kukana Kama-Toth (R): Yes; Transparency is key
  • Lisa Marten (D): Yes

 

18. Criminal Law Reform: Do you support increasing funding for re-entry services for those who are released from incarcerated individuals?

A.Criminal Law Reform: Do you support increasing funding for re-entry services for those who are released from incarcerated individuals?

A.

Senate

Senate District 2

  • Smiley Burrows (D): No Response
  • Rob G. Ka-Ipo (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Joy San Buenaventura (D): No Response

Senate District 5

  • Christy, Kajiwara-Gusman (R): No Response
  • Rynette Ipo Keen (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Gil S. Coloma Keith-Agaran (D): No Response

Senate District 8

  • Ronald Dan Kouchi (D): No Response

Senate District 9

  • Stanley Chang (D): No Response
  • Sam Slom (R): No Response

Senate District 10

  • Jesus Arriola (D): No Response
  • Vicki B. Higgins (D): No Response
  • Les S. Ihara, Jr. (D): No Response
  • Paul Shiraishi (Nonpartisan): No; I believe we can find ways to improve re-entry services and outcomes without spending more than we are currently.

Senate District 11

  • Brian Taniguchi (D): Yes

Senate District 13

  • Kevin McDonald (D): Yes; It is important that we give our reformed convicts every opportunity to re-enter society once they have paid their debt to it.
  • Karl Rhoads (D): Yes

Senate District 14

  • Donna Mercado Kim (D): No Response

Senate District 15

  • Glenn Wakai (D): No Response

Senate District 19 

  • Rida Cabanilla Arakawa (D): No Response
  • John H. Clark III (D): Yes; Yes, I support increasing funding for re-entry services for those who are released from incarceration. He or she is still a member of our extended Ohana.  As such, he or she will be a contributing or contravening member of society.  The choices and options for him or her to re-integrate into society are as much ours as they are his or hers.
  • Kurt Fevella (R): No Response

Senate District 20

  • Feena Bonoan (Libertarian): Yes
  • Mike Gabbard (D): Yes

Senate District 22

  • Thora-Jean Cuaresma (D): No Response
  • Donovan Dela Cruz (D): No Response
  • Banner S. Fanene (Nonpartisan): Yes
  • John E. Miller (R): Yes

Senate District 25

  • Chris Lee (D): No Response
  • Kristina Kim-Marshall (R): No Response

State House

State House District 1

  • Mark M. Nakashima (D): Yes
  • Lorraine Pualani Shin (R): No Response

State House District 2

  • Devin Shaw Kealohapumehanaokalani McMackin Sr. (Aloha Aina): Yes; We should exhaust all avenues of rehabilitation and review of all persons integrating in to the fabric of society.as to insure they are not behind but still able to be a productive member of society.
  • Christopher L.T. Todd (D): No Response

State House District 3

  • Frederick F. Fogel (D): Yes; The prison system should shift its focus from incarceration to rehabilitation.
  • Susan Hughes (R): Yes
  • Shannon Lopeka Matson (D): Yes
  • Richard H.K. Onishi (D): No Response

State House District 4

  • Hope (Alohalani) Cermelj (R): No Response
  • Desmon Antone Haumea (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Greggor Ilagan (D): No Response
  • Brian Ley (Nonpartisan): Yes; We need to help them re-enter society as a productive member of society.
  • Eileen Ohara (D): Yes; This is a "must do"

State House District 5

  • Colehour Bondera (D): Yes; There was a time that prisons were rehabilitation facilities reforming and preparing a person for a healthy, effective re-entry into society.  Re-entry services should not only be funded for those released from incarceration, but prior to release as well to lessen the chances for recidivism.
  • Citlalli Johanna Decker (Aloha Aina): Prefer not to answer
  • Jeanné Kapela (D): Yes; Re-entry services decrease recidivism. We need to build people, not prisons.
  • Michael L. Last (Libertarian): No; Nope, not at tax-payers expense.

State House District 6

  • Nicole Lowen (D): No Response

State House District 7

  • David Tarnas (D): Yes

State House District 8

  • Ka‘apuni Aiwohi (D): Yes
  • Troy Hashimoto (D): Yes
  • Robert G. Hill III (D): No Response

State House District 9

  • J. Kahala Chrupalyk (Aloha Aina): Prefer not to answer; I prefer not to answer because a yes or no answer does not fit the question.  Do you want money or do you want effective programs?  That is two different things. Money doesnʻt make a program effective.  Holding people accountable and changing the way we handle things would probably produce better results.
  • Justin Woodson (D): No Response

State House District 10

  • Kanamu Balinbin (R): No Response
  • Travis Gyldstrand (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Angus L.K. McKelvey (D): No Response
  • Leonard K. Nakoa III (D): Yes

State House District 11

  • Don Couch (D): Yes
  • Howard E. Greenberg (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Tina M.L. Wildberger (D): No Response

State House District 12

  • Simon Russell (D): Yes
  • Kyle T. Yamashita (D): No Response

State House District 13

  • Lynn DeCoite (D): No Response
  • Theresa Kapaku (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Walter Ritte (D): Yes 
  • Robin Vanderpool (R): No; No, our government is in debt. Criminals are already a burden on the taxpayer. I support good jobs for legal residents.

State House District 14

  • Steve Monas (R): No Response
  • Nadine K. Nakamura (D): No Response

State House District 15

  • James Kunane Tokioka (D): No Response
  • Steve Yoder (R): No Response

State House District 16

  • Ana Mo Des (R): No Response
  • Daynette Morikawa (D): No Response

State House District 17

  • Keith Kogachi (D): Yes; This is subject to available funding especially during periods of financial and budgetary stress such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Gene Ward (R): No Response

State House District 18

  • Tommy Driskill III (D): No Response
  • Mark Jun Hashem (D): No Response
  • Lori Ford (R): Yes

State House District 19

  • Wayne Chen (American Shopping): No Response
  • Bertrand Kobayashi (D): No Response
  • Michael L. Parrish (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 20

  • Julia E. Allan (R): No Response
  • Becky Gardner (D): Yes; We need to give grace to offenders, and enable them to make the very best of their circumstances, especially after serving their sentences.  No one is perfect; and it is often these individuals who have the greatest gifts to give back to society.
  • Jay I. Ishibashi (D): No Response
  • Jackson Sayama (D): Yes; The rate of recidivism for prisoners is too high. People who have gone through the penal system have already paid for their crimes and will face a lifetime of hardship and stigma. To prevent this we need effective re-entry services so that these people can better reintegrate into society.
  • Derek A. Turbin (D): READ HERE

State House District 21

  • Scott Y. Nishimoto (D): No Response

State House District 22

  • Tom Brower (D): No Response 
  • Nicholas R. Ochs (R): No Response
  • Adrian Tam (D): Yes

State House District 23

  • Dale Kobayashi (D): No Response

State House District 24

  • Della Au Belatti (D): No Response
  • Andy Sexton, Jr. (Aloha Aina): No Response

State House District 25

  • Sylvia Luke (D): No Response

State House District 26

  • Kim Coco Iwamoto (D): Yes; It is more cost-effective to invest in people's successful reintegration into our communities, instead of paying for re-incarceration costs after we set them up to fail.
  • Scott K. Saiki (D): No Response

State House District 27

  • Takashi Ohno (D): No Response

State House District 28

  • John M. Mizuno (D): No Response

State House District 29

  • Daniel Holt (D): No Response
  • James Logue (D): Yes; I work for the SNAP office and plenty of my clients are folks released from prison who tell me that they have no where to go, no ID, no documents, nothing. I believe that in order for people to reintegrate into society there should be a program for them before they are released that helps set them up with social services and shelters.

State House District 30

  • P.M. Azinga (R): Yes
  • Romy M. Cachola (D): Yes; Subject to availability of funds
  • Sonny Ganaden (D): Yes; I have dedicated much of my career as a lawyer and advocate to promoting this process.
  • Tess Abalos Quilingking (R): Yes

State House District 31

  • Aaron Ling Johanson (D): No Response

State House District 32

  • Linda Ichiyama (D): No Response

State House District 33

  • Tracy Arakaki (D): Yes
  • Jenny Boyette (R): No; That should be paid by the individual released.  Inmates should be working while on the inside and getting paid a small wage, which can be used to pay retribution to their victims families.  If they are not compelled to provide retribution, the money goes into an account the inmate can use to purchase college courses to better himself or herself.  Those funds can also pay for re-entry services, when they are released.  It's about building a future for the outside, from the inside.
  • Sam Satoru Kong (D): No Response

State House District 34

  • Keone F. Simon (R): No Response
  • Gregg Takayama (D): Yes

State House District 35

  • Carl E. Hood (R): No Response
  • Keline Kahau (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Roy M. Takumi (D): No Response

State House District 36

  • Trish La Chica (D): Yes; Supporting re-entry services gives formerly incarcerated individuals the tools they need to succeed, which in turn reduces recidivism.  That in turn increases the safety of our entire community by reducing crime.
  • Marilyn B. Lee (D): No Response
  • Val Okimoto (R): No Response

State House District 37

  • Emil Svrcina (R): No Response
  • Ryan I. Yamane (D): No Response

State House District 38

  • Henry J.C. Aquino (D): No Response 

State House District 39

  • Ty J.K. Cullen (D): No Response
  • Austin L.S. Maglinti (R): No Response

State House District 40

  • Rose Martinez (D): No Response
  • Bob McDermott (R): Yes

State House District 41

  • David Alcos (R): No Response
  • Matt LoPresti (D): Yes
  • Mokihana Maldonado (D): No Response
  • Amanda J. Rathbun (D): No Response
  • Ryan Isamu Uehara (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 42

  • Sharon Har (D): No Response
  • Vickie L.P. Kam (D): Yes; I believe that there needs to be educational and job training opportunities, as well as,  rehabilitation and mental health services for those willing to participate that are part of the support system provided. This may serve as a transition in their lives that can provide successful reintegration into society.

State House District 43

  • Stacelynn Kehaulani Eli (D): No Response
  • Diamond Garcia (R): Yes
  • Shaena Dela Cruz Hoohuli (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Michael Kahikina (D): Yes; Their our family members and a United States citizen!

State House District 44

  • Maysana Aldeguer (R): Yes
  • Cedric Asuega Gates (D): No Response
  • Jo Jordan (D): Yes
  • Joseph K. Simpliciano, Jr. (Aloha Aina): No Response

State House District 45

  • Michael Chapman (D): Yes; The main goal of our criminal justice system is to reduce crime. We cannot reduce crime if we release individuals without re-entry services and throw them straight back into the very situations that led them into trouble in the first place.
  • Lauren Matsumoto Cheape (R): No Response

State House District 46

  • Aaron James Kaleo Agsalda (D): No Response
  • Amy Perruso (D): Yes

State House District 47

  • Sean Quinlan (D): No Response
  • Boyd Ready (R): Prefer not to answer; Depends on who performs, and how effectively such services.

State House District 48

  • Lisa C. Kitagawa (D): No Response
  • Kau‘i Pratt-Aquino, Esq. (D): Yes; Absolutely.  This is critical.

State House District 49

  • Kilomana Danner (R): Yes; I support this funding following the ex/con to any program or ministry he enters to begin rebuilding his/her life.
  • Scot Matayoshi (D): No Response

State House District 50

  • Patrick Pihana Branco (D): Yes; Yes, more funding is necessary to ensure that we are giving those reentering society from incarceration a path to success, rather than condemn them to a one-way trip back to incarceration due to a lack of options in housing and employment.
  • Micah Pregitzer (D): Yes
  • Kanai Souza (R): No Response

State House District 51

  • Alan K. Akao (D): Yes; Rates of recidivism will continue if we place punitive measures before rehabilitation. I believe we should expand funding for re-entry services so that formerly incarcerated people can become productive members of society who can get a second chance.
  • Coby K. K. Chock (D): No Response
  • Doni Leina‘ala Chong (R): No Response
  • Scott Grimmer (D): No Response
  • Erik K. Ho (Aloha Aina): Yes; There should be some type of transition service made available for those who have served 5 years or more. This should be done in conjunction with the family or caregivers of the released to ensure than the transition from incarceration to society is as smooth as possible and that the chances of reoffending are lessened.
  • Kukana Kama-Toth (R): Prefer not to answer; Is $200 really enough to survive after being released from prison, especially here in Hawaii?
  • Lisa Marten (D): Yes; This is a priority area for me.

 

19. Criminal Law Reform: Do you support measures to decrease barriers to employment for formerly incarcerated individuals?

A.Criminal Law Reform: Do you support measures to decrease barriers to employment for formerly incarcerated individuals?

A.

Senate

Senate District 2

  • Smiley Burrows (D): No Response
  • Rob G. Ka-Ipo (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Joy San Buenaventura (D): No Response

Senate District 5

  • Christy, Kajiwara-Gusman (R): No Response
  • Rynette Ipo Keen (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Gil S. Coloma Keith-Agaran (D): No Response

Senate District 8

  • Ronald Dan Kouchi (D): No Response

Senate District 9

  • Stanley Chang (D): No Response
  • Sam Slom (R): No Response

Senate District 10

  • Jesus Arriola (D): No Response
  • Vicki B. Higgins (D): No Response
  • Les S. Ihara, Jr. (D): No Response
  • Paul Shiraishi (Nonpartisan): Yes

Senate District 11

  • Brian Taniguchi (D): Yes

Senate District 13

  • Kevin McDonald (D): Yes; It up to a business who they want to hire. As long as there is transparency, businesses should be able to understand the risks involved, and create their own hiring policies based on their own needs
  • Karl Rhoads (D): Yes

Senate District 14

  • Donna Mercado Kim (D): No Response

Senate District 15

  • Glenn Wakai (D): No Response

Senate District 19 

  • Rida Cabanilla Arakawa (D): No Response
  • John H. Clark III (D): Yes; Yes, I support measures to decrease barriers to employment for formerly incarcerated individuals. I believe in the availability, the promise, and the power of being afforded a second chance.  Mistakes happen; lessons are learned.  As a society, we should do more to decrease recidivism and increase reconsideration?  If not, we will again be left with the choice of reintegration or removal.
  • Kurt Fevella (R): No Response

Senate District 20

  • Feena Bonoan (Libertarian): Yes; Once released from prison a person's debt should be paid and the rest should be the private history of that individual.
  • Mike Gabbard (D): Prefer not to answer

Senate District 22

  • Thora-Jean Cuaresma (D): No Response
  • Donovan Dela Cruz (D): No Response
  • Banner S. Fanene (Nonpartisan): No
  • John E. Miller (R): Yes

Senate District 25

  • Chris Lee (D): No Response
  • Kristina Kim-Marshall (R): No Response

State House

State House District 1

  • Mark M. Nakashima (D): Yes
  • Lorraine Pualani Shin (R): No Response

State House District 2

  • Devin Shaw Kealohapumehanaokalani McMackin Sr. (Aloha Aina): Yes; Once again we should be uplifting not shaming or lowering any body. We are a people of aloha and should show this in every way possible.
  • Christopher L.T. Todd (D): No Response

State House District 3

  • Frederick F. Fogel (D): Yes; The prison system should shift its focus from incarceration to rehabilitation.
  • Susan Hughes (R): Yes
  • Shannon Lopeka Matson (D): Yes
  • Richard H.K. Onishi (D): No Response

State House District 4

  • Hope (Alohalani) Cermelj (R): No Response
  • Desmon Antone Haumea (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Greggor Ilagan (D): No Response
  • Brian Ley (Nonpartisan): Yes; We need to protect society as well as previously incarcerated individuals.
  • Eileen Ohara (D): Yes

State House District 5

  • Colehour Bondera (D): Yes; A person who has paid his dues to society should not be further penalized by society.
  • Citlalli Johanna Decker (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Jeanné Kapela (D): Yes; Incarceration should not be a barrier to employment, especially since our court system remains discriminatory toward Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and other minorities who already fall near the bottom of our state's economic spectrum.
  • Michael L. Last (Libertarian): Yes

State House District 6

  • Nicole Lowen (D): No Response

State House District 7

  • David Tarnas (D): Yes

State House District 8

  • Ka‘apuni Aiwohi (D): Yes
  • Troy Hashimoto (D): Yes
  • Robert G. Hill III (D): No Response

State House District 9

  • J. Kahala Chrupalyk (Aloha Aina): Yes; If Hawaiʻi learns to invest in its residents as much as it invests in copying what other states are doing, or as much as it invests in the importation of solutions that work elsewhere,  we might actually find what works for Hawaiʻi.  But as long as Hawaiʻi wants to copycat other states, we will always be an island duplication of other states.
  • Justin Woodson (D): No Response

State House District 10

  • Kanamu Balinbin (R): No Response
  • Travis Gyldstrand (Aloha Aina): Prefer not to answer
  • Angus L.K. McKelvey (D): No Response
  • Leonard K. Nakoa III (D): Yes

State House District 11

  • Don Couch (D): Yes
  • Howard E. Greenberg (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Tina M.L. Wildberger (D): No Response

State House District 12

  • Simon Russell (D): Yes
  • Kyle T. Yamashita (D): No Response

State House District 13

  • Lynn DeCoite (D): No Response
  • Theresa Kapaku (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Walter Ritte (D): Yes 
  • Robin Vanderpool (R): Prefer not to answer; Potential employer deserve to know what crimes a person has committed.

State House District 14

  • Steve Monas (R): No Response
  • Nadine K. Nakamura (D): No Response

State House District 15

  • James Kunane Tokioka (D): No Response
  • Steve Yoder (R): No Response

State House District 16

  • Ana Mo Des (R): No Response
  • Daynette Morikawa (D): No Response

State House District 17

  • Keith Kogachi (D): Yes; This is subject to available funding especially during periods of financial and budgetary stress such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Gene Ward (R): No Response

State House District 18

  • Tommy Driskill III (D): No Response
  • Mark Jun Hashem (D): No Response
  • Lori Ford (R): Yes

State House District 19

  • Wayne Chen (American Shopping): No Response
  • Bertrand Kobayashi (D): No Response
  • Michael L. Parrish (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 20

  • Julia E. Allan (R): No Response
  • Becky Gardner (D): Yes; There may be some great opportunities for them in a Green New Deal, with job skills training in green jobs and clean energy; or perhaps in technology, disaster preparedness, and improved infrastructure.
  • Jay I. Ishibashi (D): No Response
  • Jackson Sayama (D): Yes; One major issue leading to high recidivism is a lack of opportunity. If formerly incarcerated individuals cannot find sufficient employment, how can we expect them to pick themselves up and reintegrate into society? We need to find ways to allow these people to return to normalcy so they don't rely on criminality to survive.
  • Derek A. Turbin (D): READ HERE

State House District 21

  • Scott Y. Nishimoto (D): No Response

State House District 22

  • Tom Brower (D): No Response 
  • Nicholas R. Ochs (R): No Response
  • Adrian Tam (D): Yes

State House District 23

  • Dale Kobayashi (D): No Response

State House District 24

  • Della Au Belatti (D): No Response
  • Andy Sexton, Jr. (Aloha Aina): No Response

State House District 25

  • Sylvia Luke (D): No Response

State House District 26

  • Kim Coco Iwamoto (D): Yes
  • Scott K. Saiki (D): No Response

State House District 27

  • Takashi Ohno (D): No Response

State House District 28

  • John M. Mizuno (D): No Response

State House District 29

  • Daniel Holt (D): No Response
  • James Logue (D): Yes

State House District 30

  • P.M. Azinga (R): Yes
  • Romy M. Cachola (D): Prefer not to answer; Before I make my final decision, I would always like to weigh the pros and cons on these measures.
  • Sonny Ganaden (D): Yes
  • Tess Abalos Quilingking (R): Yes

State House District 31

  • Aaron Ling Johanson (D): No Response

State House District 32

  • Linda Ichiyama (D): No Response

State House District 33

  • Tracy Arakaki (D): Prefer not to answer; Needs more info
  • Jenny Boyette (R): No; Employers should be able to make their own decision on whether to assume the risk or not.  Again, if a business would like to hire ex-convicts, then the business can be offered a tax incentive to do so.
  • Sam Satoru Kong (D): No Response

State House District 34

  • Keone F. Simon (R): No Response
  • Gregg Takayama (D): Yes

State House District 35

  • Carl E. Hood (R): No Response
  • Keline Kahau (Aloha Aina): Prefer not to answer
  • Roy M. Takumi (D): No Response

State House District 36

  • Trish La Chica (D): Yes; We must support the employment of formerly incarcerated residents if we want to set them up for success.  This includes the support services and resources needed to both find and keep a job.  Successfully entering the job market drastically decreases the likelihood of someone recidivating.
  • Val Okimoto (R): No Response

State House District 37

  • Emil Svrcina (R): No Response
  • Ryan I. Yamane (D): No Response

State House District 38

  • Henry J.C. Aquino (D): No Response 

State House District 39

  • Ty J.K. Cullen (D): No Response
  • Austin L.S. Maglinti (R): No Response

State House District 40

  • Rose Martinez (D): No Response
  • Bob McDermott (R): Yes

State House District 41

  • David Alcos (R): No Response
  • Matt LoPresti (D): Yes
  • Mokihana Maldonado (D): No Response
  • Amanda J. Rathbun (D): No Response
  • Ryan Isamu Uehara (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 42

  • Sharon Har (D): No Response
  • Vickie L.P. Kam (D): Yes; If someone has paid their debt to society and is completing programs provided after incarceration, then decreasing these employment barriers is a logical next step. Not supporting the ability to get a paying job is cutting off their ability to survive and possibly leads to committing more crime.

State House District 43

  • Stacelynn Kehaulani Eli (D): No Response
  • Diamond Garcia (R): Yes
  • Shaena Dela Cruz Hoohuli (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Michael Kahikina (D): Yes; We should be more assertive in creating long term opportunities for community-base assets development and management.

State House District 44

  • Maysana Aldeguer (R): No
  • Cedric Asuega Gates (D): No Response
  • Jo Jordan (D): Yes
  • Joseph K. Simpliciano, Jr. (Aloha Aina): No Response

State House District 45

  • Michael Chapman (D): Yes 
  • Lauren Matsumoto Cheape (R): No Response

State House District 46

  • Aaron James Kaleo Agsalda (D): No Response
  • Amy Perruso (D): Yes

State House District 47

  • Sean Quinlan (D): No Response
  • Boyd Ready (R): Yes; If employers who employ former inmates get some measure of release of liability for wrongdoing in the course of the employee's service.

State House District 48

  • Lisa C. Kitagawa (D): No Response
  • Kau‘i Pratt-Aquino, Esq. (D): Yes; Yes, absolutely.  If the goals are to decrease recidivism and support a successful re-entry, we need to do more to create a viable pathway for formerly incarcerated individuals to succeed.  I would love to see a vast and diverse network of businesses who provide jobs and training to these individuals.     We need to highlight and uplift these businesses.  Too often, formerly incarcerated individuals are shamed after they are released.  They paid for their crime. They should not have to continue to pay after their released.

State House District 49

  • Kilomana Danner (R): Yes; Again.  Common sense
  • Scot Matayoshi (D): No Response

State House District 50

  • Patrick Pihana Branco (D): Yes; Yes, I do, as part of a broader goal to decrease recidivism.
  • Micah Pregitzer (D): Yes
  • Kanai Souza (R): No Response

State House District 51

  • Alan K. Akao (D): Yes; If they are qualified to do the job I do not believe that legislative barriers should exist that prevent formerly incarcerated individuals from getting gainful employment. There rights are not extinguished once they enter prison and it should not be extinguished when they exit either.
  • Coby K. K. Chock (D): No Response
  • Doni Leina‘ala Chong (R): No Response
  • Scott Grimmer (D): No Response
  • Erik K. Ho (Aloha Aina): Yes; For anyone to reintegrate into society successfully after prolonged incarceration, itʻs important that they do not immediately have a stigma associated with them. They should be allowed to enter into employment after being assessed for the career, and not have their prisoner status made known for a period of time after working or unless they do something that warrants it being known and causes them to be terminated.
  • Kukana Kama-Toth (R): Yes; We all get stuck in a hard spot and may need help.
  • Lisa Marten (D): Yes; If an incarcerated person has served their time, they should not continue to be punished through this barrier to employment and success after incarceration.

20. Criminal Law Reform: Do you believe that Hawaii’s criminal legal system is working?

A.Criminal Law Reform: Do you believe that Hawaii’s criminal legal system is working?

A.

Senate

Senate District 2

  • Smiley Burrows (D): No Response
  • Rob G. Ka-Ipo (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Joy San Buenaventura (D): No Response

Senate District 5

  • Christy, Kajiwara-Gusman (R): No Response
  • Rynette Ipo Keen (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Gil S. Coloma Keith-Agaran (D): No Response

Senate District 8

  • Ronald Dan Kouchi (D): No Response

Senate District 9

  • Stanley Chang (D): No Response
  • Sam Slom (R): No Response

Senate District 10

  • Jesus Arriola (D): No Response
  • Vicki B. Higgins (D): No Response
  • Les S. Ihara, Jr. (D): No Response
  • Paul Shiraishi (Nonpartisan): No; Over the last few years, we have seen an increase in violent crime. This is not the Hawai’i we know or want. I intend to work closely with our law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and our judiciary because we can’t afford to have our people on the frontlines of law and order be left out of the law-making process. We need to give our law enforcement professionals the ability to do their jobs properly by closing loopholes and inconsistencies in our laws. We also need to fix our local prisons so that they can become places of rehabilitation where offenders and DPS employees can have a safe environment to live, work, and serve their time. We need to stop sending our prisoners to for-profit prisons in the mainland where they risk becoming indoctrinated into an endless cycle of crime.

Senate District 11

  • Brian Taniguchi (D): Prefer not to answer

Senate District 13

  • Kevin McDonald (D): No; No, it is not working. But I believe a big reason for that is because it is largely not being deployed effectively.
  • Karl Rhoads (D): Yes; Yes and there is plenty of room for improvement.

Senate District 14

  • Donna Mercado Kim (D): No Response

Senate District 15

  • Glenn Wakai (D): No Response

Senate District 19 

  • Rida Cabanilla Arakawa (D): No Response
  • John H. Clark III (D): Yes; Yes, I believe that Hawaii’s criminal legal system is working.  However, I have seen some rather high-profile cases where repeat offenders are responsible for a significant amount of crime. As discussed in an earlier question, I believe we can do more to reduce an overall lack of transparency while increasing accountability of people who are charged with ensuring the safety of the law-abiding public. Lastly, I believe the Kealoha case serves as an example of how the legal system is working.
  • Kurt Fevella (R): No Response

Senate District 20

  • Feena Bonoan (Libertarian): Yes; Yes, our legal system is working, but we can always improve. To improve we have to be willing to give and receive, we need to pay attention and learn from one another. Taking some of the non-violent offenses off the books is one way to help. Another way to improve is with more accountability and transparency of the legal system to the public.
  • Mike Gabbard (D): Yes

Senate District 22

  • Thora-Jean Cuaresma (D): No Response
  • Donovan Dela Cruz (D): No Response
  • Banner S. Fanene (Nonpartisan): No
  • John E. Miller (R): Prefer not to answer; I don’t have first hand knowledge about this to answer the question.

Senate District 25

  • Chris Lee (D): No Response
  • Kristina Kim-Marshall (R): No Response

State House

State House District 1

  • Mark M. Nakashima (D): No; The legal system relies too heavily on incarceration as the answer to criminal behavior.
  • Lorraine Pualani Shin (R): No Response

State House District 2

  • Devin Shaw Kealohapumehanaokalani McMackin Sr. (Aloha Aina): No; We aren't changing anything. But if anything we are either becoming complacent or just down right negligent in the rehabilitation portion of the system.
  • Christopher L.T. Todd (D): No Response

State House District 3

  • Frederick F. Fogel (D): No; The prison system should shift its focus from incarceration to rehabilitation.
  • Susan Hughes (R): Prefer not to answer
  • Shannon Lopeka Matson (D): No
  • Richard H.K. Onishi (D): No Response

State House District 4

  • Hope (Alohalani) Cermelj (R): No Response
  • Desmon Antone Haumea (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Greggor Ilagan (D): No Response
  • Brian Ley (Nonpartisan): No; I don't believe in revolving door policies.  I believe in reform thru education.
  • Eileen Ohara (D): Prefer not to answer; This really isn't a yes/no questions.  It needs reforms.

State House District 5

  • Colehour Bondera (D): No; There is inconsistent law enforcement and sentencing.  While there have been improvement such as drug courts, many people have shared tales of unfairness in the experience of their lives and those of their families and friends.  Clearly, there is room for improvement and the current political environment now seems to be favorable for criminal justice reform legislation.
  • Citlalli Johanna Decker (Aloha Aina): No
  • Jeanné Kapela (D): No; As a victim service provider for survivors of sexual exploitation, I've worked with countless sex trafficking victims who've been forced to engage in sex acts against their will by police, often under threat of arrest. Similarly, many victims with whom I've worked, including children, have been misidentified as "voluntary prostitutes" and arrested for acts committed while they were being enslaved and sold by traffickers. This highlights our need to shift from a criminal justice system to a restorative justice system, in which we create a trauma-informed continuum of care that focuses on people's needs, not crime and punishment.
  • Michael L. Last (Libertarian): Prefer not to answer; Unsure about this.

State House District 6

  • Nicole Lowen (D): No Response

State House District 7

  • David Tarnas (D): Yes

State House District 8

  • Ka‘apuni Aiwohi (D): No; It’s a revolving door for the incarcerated and especially for kanaka maoli. We need change and we need it yesterday
  • Troy Hashimoto (D): Yes; I do not think anything is perfect and there is always work to be done, but I feel generally it is working.
  • Robert G. Hill III (D): No Response

State House District 9

  • J. Kahala Chrupalyk (Aloha Aina): Prefer not to answer; While certain aspects are effective, others are not.  But Human Trafficking type 1 is not a good solution.  Neither is trading prisoners for homeless people, from other states.
  • Justin Woodson (D): No Response

State House District 10

  • Kanamu Balinbin (R): No Response
  • Travis Gyldstrand (Aloha Aina): No
  • Angus L.K. McKelvey (D): No Response
  • Leonard K. Nakoa III (D): No

State House District 11

  • Don Couch (D): No
  • Howard E. Greenberg (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Tina M.L. Wildberger (D): No Response

State House District 12

  • Simon Russell (D): No
  • Kyle T. Yamashita (D): No Response

State House District 13

  • Lynn DeCoite (D): No Response
  • Theresa Kapaku (Aloha Aina): No
  • Walter Ritte (D): No 
  • Robin Vanderpool (R): Prefer not to answer; Yes and No. Criminals are a burden to the taxpayer. Penal codes should evolve as we learn what works best. I have no compassion for thieves or violent criminals.

State House District 14

  • Steve Monas (R): No Response
  • Nadine K. Nakamura (D): No Response

State House District 15

  • James Kunane Tokioka (D): No Response
  • Steve Yoder (R): No Response

State House District 16

  • Ana Mo Des (R): No Response
  • Daynette Morikawa (D): No Response

State House District 17

  • Keith Kogachi (D): Yes
  • Gene Ward (R): No Response

State House District 18

  • Tommy Driskill III (D): No Response
  • Mark Jun Hashem (D): No Response
  • Lori Ford (R): No

State House District 19

  • Wayne Chen (American Shopping): No Response
  • Bertrand Kobayashi (D): No Response
  • Michael L. Parrish (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 20

  • Julia E. Allan (R): No Response
  • Becky Gardner (D): Prefer not to answer; There will always be ways to improve – and it is impossible to answer this question as either yes or no without thinking of qualifications and exceptions.  It depends on which measure you wish to use to evaluate our criminal justice system – and there are many.  I will say that the Black Lives Matter movement and the initiatives to defund the police are highlighting some important and innovative policy changes that will reduce police brutality, racial profiling, and racial bias.  The extent to which our correctional facilities are overcrowded, as well as the disproportionate percentage of Native Hawaiian inmates within them is telling of certain socio-economic inequities and perhaps bias and/or misconduct in law enforcement and prosecution.  The cash bail system is feeding into these racial and economic disparities by further penalizing poor people.  Also, while I commend some of the innovative initiatives taken by our state judiciary to address specific types of offenses and offenders, like drug court, mental health court, veteran’s court, girls court, environmental court, and the HOPE program; etc. – we need to make sure that defendants’ constitutional rights to due process are upheld.
  • Jay I. Ishibashi (D): No Response
  • Jackson Sayama (D): Hawaii’s criminal legal system disproportionately affects native Hawaiians, it has a 50% rate of recidivism, it’s facilities are overfilled, and we “export” our prisoners to other states like Arizona. We have to do better - we need to change how we think about the Criminal Justice System here towards rehabilitation and reintegration, otherwise we will have accomplished nothing.
  • Derek A. Turbin (D): READ HERE

State House District 21

  • Scott Y. Nishimoto (D): No Response

State House District 22

  • Tom Brower (D): No Response 
  • Nicholas R. Ochs (R): No Response
  • Adrian Tam (D): No

State House District 23

  • Dale Kobayashi (D): No Response

State House District 24

  • Della Au Belatti (D): No Response
  • Andy Sexton, Jr. (Aloha Aina): No Response

State House District 25

  • Sylvia Luke (D): No Response

State House District 26

  • Kim Coco Iwamoto (D): No; This is a trick question because the system IS working for those who benefit from the perpetuation of racism, who profit from the prison industrial complex, who hold onto power by being "tough on crime.”
  • Scott K. Saiki (D): No Response

State House District 27

  • Takashi Ohno (D): No Response

State House District 28

  • John M. Mizuno (D): No Response

State House District 29

  • Daniel Holt (D): No Response
  • James Logue (D): No

State House District 30

  • P.M. Azinga (R): Yes
  • Romy M. Cachola (D): Yes
  • Sonny Ganaden (D): No; It certainly is not working from the perspective of indigenous peoples or those who are disproportionately affected by over policing and mass incarceration.
  • Tess Abalos Quilingking (R): Yes

State House District 31

  • Aaron Ling Johanson (D): No Response

State House District 32

  • Linda Ichiyama (D): No Response

State House District 33

  • Tracy Arakaki (D): No
  • Jenny Boyette (R): No; Our criminal justice system is definitely broken.  Rehabilitation means having a job on the inside, whether it be laundry, food service, teaching, sustainable gardening for the facility.  As outlined above, the monies earned go toward restitution, college education, child support, and re-entry services.  The First Step Act, federally passed in 2018, is a great example at working on fixing our failing legal system.
  • Sam Satoru Kong (D): No Response

State House District 34

  • Keone F. Simon (R): No Response
  • Gregg Takayama (D): Yes; But further improvements are needed.

State House District 35

  • Carl E. Hood (R): No Response
  • Keline Kahau (Aloha Aina): No
  • Roy M. Takumi (D): No Response

State House District 36

  • Trish La Chica (D): No; There are many fair-minded and dedicated judges, lawyers, and law enforcement officials that come from our community and seek to serve our community.  Our criminal legal system, however, must be improved.  We must eliminate cash bail, for release from custody should be based on danger and flight risk and not whether someone can afford to pay.  We should also invest in pretrial supervision that sets individuals up for success by providing access to substance abuse and mental health treatment, for we currently do not have the capacity to meet those needs.  Similar access to mental health and substance abuse support must be provided during probation as well, including increased access to inpatient dual diagnosis programs.  It is also apparent that good people can still operate with implicit bias.  We can increase community safety by passing laws that require implicit bias training for government workers, ban the chokehold, and implement a duty to intervene law for law enforcement.  These are just a few of the policies that would help move us towards fixing our criminal legal system.
  • Val Okimoto (R): No Response

State House District 37

  • Emil Svrcina (R): No Response
  • Ryan I. Yamane (D): No Response

State House District 38

  • Henry J.C. Aquino (D): No Response 

State House District 39

  • Ty J.K. Cullen (D): No Response
  • Austin L.S. Maglinti (R): No Response

State House District 40

  • Rose Martinez (D): No Response
  • Bob McDermott (R): Yes

State House District 41

  • David Alcos (R): No Response
  • Matt LoPresti (D): No; Over-crowded prisons and inhumane conditions that also disproportionately imprisons native Hawaiians. The best thing to start with, in my opinion, is bail reform. No one in this country should be imprisoned without being found guilty of a crime simply because they are poor.
  • Mokihana Maldonado (D): No Response
  • Amanda J. Rathbun (D): No Response
  • Ryan Isamu Uehara (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 42

  • Sharon Har (D): No Response
  • Vickie L.P. Kam (D): Yes; Overall, Hawaii's justice system seems to be functioning more efficiently than many other jurisdiction nationwide. That said, there are issues, areas of concern and definite weaknesses that need to be addressed both within the system itself and through legislation.

State House District 43

  • Stacelynn Kehaulani Eli (D): No Response
  • Diamond Garcia (R): No
  • Shaena Dela Cruz Hoohuli (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Michael Kahikina (D): No; No need comment, need people to work on real solutions!

State House District 44

  • Maysana Aldeguer (R): No
  • Cedric Asuega Gates (D): No Response
  • Jo Jordan (D): No
  • Joseph K. Simpliciano, Jr. (Aloha Aina): No Response

State House District 45

  • Michael Chapman (D): No; I cannot say that our criminal legal system is working when Native Hawaiians are over-represented in every phase of the system, from arrests to probation to incarceration. When convicted of the very same crime, white defendants are only 2/3 as likely as Native Hawaiian defendants to receive prison time. In addition, our black incarceration rate doubles our white incarceration rate. According to the 2019 report of the HCR 85 Task Force on Prison Reform, Hawaii would be a top-twenty incarcerator in the world if it were its own country. We send thousands of inmates to a private prison in Arizona, where they are separated from their families and their culture. That means we are giving away millions of dollars in taxpayer money to a private prison corporation. Our criminal legal system does some things right – but with the data listed above, I cannot say in good conscience that it is working.
  • Lauren Matsumoto Cheape (R): No Response

State House District 46

  • Aaron James Kaleo Agsalda (D): No Response
  • Amy Perruso (D): No

State House District 47

  • Sean Quinlan (D): No Response
  • Boyd Ready (R): No; Too slow to adjudicate. Too many crimes charged. Too few get trials. No local magistrates for petty offenses. Court procedure too obscure for adequate pro se defense. Too many individuals left out with unserved warrants indefinitely.

State House District 48

  • Lisa C. Kitagawa (D): No Response
  • Kau‘i Pratt-Aquino, Esq. (D): No

State House District 49

  • Kilomana Danner (R): No; To many ways to expound in here.
  • Scot Matayoshi (D): No Response

State House District 50

  • Patrick Pihana Branco (D): No; I don’t believe that dividing possible categorizations of Hawaiʻi’s criminal legal system into ‘working’ and ‘not working’ is helpful or adequate to describe the situation. There are plenty of places to reform the system, including reform of felony thresholds, increased resources for rehabilitation programs, and elimination of barriers to post-incarceration societal re-entry.
  • Micah Pregitzer (D): No; I believe that our legal system is overly punitive and disproportionately criminalizes people who live in poverty, who often come from minority ethnicities and communities of color, like Native Hawaiians. We need to refocus our legal system toward restorative justice and build people, not prisons.
  • Kanai Souza (R): No Response

State House District 51

  • Alan K. Akao (D): No; No. There is too much focus on low level non-violent offenses and traffic matters. Being a Deputy Public Defender I see the statistics and even moreso know that the statistics are not the whole picture. The system and the courts view the people involved, whether it is a traffic ticket or a someone being prosecuted for a violent felony as a number on a paper. Volume is bursting at the seams and the courts are clogged with traffic offenses or cases with very little evidence or basis. People will plead guilty or no-contest because they will not get their fair day in court with justice continuing to be delayed. Covid19 has shed some light on how soft the system is and how unprepared it is to deal with the volume and control of the legal system. While i do not believe the system is broken beyond repair it will take major re-working for things to be sustainable if the focus is on justice rather than acquiescence.
  • Coby K. K. Chock (D): No Response
  • Doni Leina‘ala Chong (R): No Response
  • Scott Grimmer (D): No Response
  • Erik K. Ho (Aloha Aina): No; Our judicial system is a revolving door for repeat offenders with some having hundreds of arrests. We must go out into these communities with the highest encounters and address root causes for these statistics.
  • Kukana Kama-Toth (R): Prefer not to answer; Every thing has room for improvement including the criminal legal system in Hawaii.
  • Lisa Marten (D): No; I have a doctorate in public health.  We need to decriminalize mental health, homelessness and addiction so that they can be treated by health and social service professionals instead of with incarceration.

 

21. Houselessness: Hawaiʻi has one of the highest houselessness rates in the country. The number of unsheltered people has exploded in the past decade even though we have had low unemployment and a relatively strong economy. With COVID-19’s harm to the Hawaiʻi economy, the number of people experiencing houselessness is likely to grow. What do you believe is working and is not working about Hawaii’s approach to houselessness?

A.Houselessness: Hawaiʻi has one of the highest houselessness rates in the country. The number of unsheltered people has exploded in the past decade even though we have had low unemployment and a relatively strong economy. With COVID-19’s harm to the Hawaiʻi economy, the number of people experiencing houselessness is likely to grow. What do you believe is working and is not working about Hawaii’s approach to houselessness?

A.

Senate

Senate District 2

  • Smiley Burrows (D): No Response
  • Rob G. Ka-Ipo (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Joy San Buenaventura (D): No Response

Senate District 5

  • Christy, Kajiwara-Gusman (R): No Response
  • Rynette Ipo Keen (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Gil S. Coloma Keith-Agaran (D): No Response

Senate District 8

  • Ronald Dan Kouchi (D): No Response

Senate District 9

  • Stanley Chang (D): No Response
  • Sam Slom (R): No Response

Senate District 10

  • Jesus Arriola (D): No Response
  • Vicki B. Higgins (D): No Response
  • Les S. Ihara, Jr. (D): No Response
  • Paul Shiraishi (Nonpartisan): Candidate did not answer this question.

Senate District 11

  • Brian Taniguchi (D): We need to do more to provide more affordable rentals. We also need to provide more direct assistance to those in housing who are on the verge of becoming houseless.

Senate District 13

  • Kevin McDonald (D): I believe our current policies toward the houseless community is actually enabling them more than it is helping them, We have many public programs that provide a path to a more traditional lifestyle, but we are not helping them by allowing them to run roughshot over our existing rules and laws. 
  • Karl Rhoads (D): It appears to me that rapid rehousing efforts are working, that shallow subsidies are working  and that HPHA keeps thousands more off the streets.  I think Assisted Community Treatment and more use of guardianships is also starting to work.  My view is that we are weakest on building more affordable housing, getting substance abusers treatment and dealing with the subgroup of people who are sane and not particularly dangerous who don't want help and seem to prefer the street (many of whom are probably illegal drug users).

Senate District 14

  • Donna Mercado Kim (D): No Response

Senate District 15

  • Glenn Wakai (D): No Response

Senate District 19 

  • Rida Cabanilla Arakawa (D): No Response
  • John H. Clark III (D): The houseless situation in Hawaii is complex.  However, there are areas that can be better incorporated to facilitate an optimized integration of resources.  For example: Over the past 10 years, there seems to be an increased awareness of the myriad challenges associated with the houseless situation.  For example, there has been a gradual education of the general public on the wide range of demographics of the houseless population.  Accordingly, among the organizations that work with the houseless population, there is an overall better knowledge management system in place.  And, in some cases, because there is no massive push to “get the homeless off the streets,” there are improved relationships among the houseless and the agencies with whom the houseless interact. These factors have led to a greater understanding of – and better tracing of houseless individuals - along with increased integration of services by various agencies like The Institute for Human Services (IHS). To be sure, we could be doing things better.  For example, simply moving and re-moving houseless individuals is not a long-term solution. And addressing the mental-health challenges continues to be a tall order.  Similarly, addressing the entrenched drug problems will require a full integration of disparate resources and organizations (across the county, state, and federal levels), as an integrated organization of several subsystems, to fully address the reality of the growing houselessness challenges in our state.
  • Kurt Fevella (R): No Response

Senate District 20

  • Feena Bonoan (Libertarian): The first thing that is working is the mindset of how we address it. Most of these surveys I have filled out so far have addressed our neighbors as homeless, but I know there are many people who are at home, just without a house. They have jobs, go to the gyms, they choose to live this way or that as we all do. There are many things we choose to do in life, we can choose not to live in a house, we can even choose not to eat or drink for some time. Humans can sustain life without food or water or houses longer than needing to go to the bathroom. That is what is not working, it's dirty and no one wants to talk about it, and I think if we had more publicly available facilities to accommodate this basic human necessity everyone would benefit. With COVID-19, I believe most people's choice would not be the sidewalk if they had an alternative. It is cleaner, safer, and would benefit everyone. Before we make another dog park we need some more public bathrooms around Chinatown and Waikiki.
  • Mike Gabbard (D): I support Mayor Caldwell's Housing First Program that gets housing for homeless as quickly as possible.  LG Green's Kauhale Program is an innovative way to increase the supply of housing for homeless through the tiny home concept.  Ultimately, it's our high cost of living, and our lack of affordable housing that's causing the crisis.  Senator Stanley Chang's Aloha Homes program would be a great way to ramp up our affordable housing options.

Senate District 22

  • Thora-Jean Cuaresma (D): No Response
  • Donovan Dela Cruz (D): No Response
  • Banner S. Fanene (Nonpartisan): If houselessness is increasing, then obviously the program in place is not working. Solution: 1. Adequate funding to treat Mental Illness. 2. Rezone land for more Housing
  • John E. Miller (R) Hawaii doesn’t have enough safe and clean shelter beds for children and families. There is not affordable housing being built. I believe ALEA bridge is doing a fantastic job but they don’t receive enough funding for everyday operations to keep them afloat. There needs to be more help for those with drug addictions( not enough beds and resources for rehabilitation) and those with mental illnesses ( they need to be put into facilities to help them with therapy and oversight to make sure they take their daily medications) that would be more compassionate than leaving them out on the streets. It is a shame to drive by and see people who are obviously suffering from mental illness and see nothing being done to help them.

Senate District 25

  • Chris Lee (D): No Response
  • Kristina Kim-Marshall (R): No Response

State House

State House District 1

  • Mark M. Nakashima (D): Many of the housing programs are temporary fixes, and do not address the real problem that is Hawaii's high cost of living.  Until we are able to rebalance Hawaii's tax structure to limit the use of real property as a commodity rather than a necessity, we will not be able to brake the vicious cycle that fuels Hawaii's high cost of living.
  • Lorraine Pualani Shin (R): No Response

State House District 2

  • Devin Shaw Kealohapumehanaokalani McMackin Sr. (Aloha Aina): Not working - keeping track of those moving here that don't even have somewhere to stay to begin with. Not placing money in the programs an institutions that are working. Working - The individuals at all the organizations that are actually helping all of these people. 
  • Christopher L.T. Todd (D): No Response

State House District 3

  • Frederick F. Fogel (D): The majority of homeless people have mental issues that must be addressed.  They need to work to increase their feeling of self worth.  They need to be able to invest in their housing rather than just have it given to them.  If you have no skin in the game you care more.
  • Susan Hughes (R): One idea gaining support in the legislature is Lt. Governor's (and MD) is called the H4  approach, which stands for "Hawaii, Homeless Healthcare Hui". H4 sounds like a good solution but in reality it is but really is only a patch, or band-aide and short term solution. It's a horrible idea. It makes it easier to be homeless. It helps institutionalize and promote homelessness, not cure it. The homeless already have access to health care through Med-quest. Doctors should not be prescribing houses either as was mentioned in other articles. They are not qualified. Correct, long-term approach: The truly mentally ill and addicted do not need public housing, they need mandated institutionalized treatment programs leading to sanity and sobriety if possible.
  • Shannon Lopeka Matson (D): I am not in favor of criminalizing houseless individuals for doing things in public spaces that would be legal within the housed community. This includes "sweeps", sit-lie bans, etc. I believe our main approach has been moving and disrupting people and this causes untold consequences, as well as perpetuating trauma on a population that is already vulnerable and traumatized. I am in support of any housing first initiatives and through providing a safe place for individuals to go who are chronically houseless, especially through community models like KauHale "villages" where every individual has their own safe/secure/private area but also has access to shared kitchen/bathroom facilities and through these sorts of spaces they can have access to mental health services, addiction treatment programs, work training services, etc.
  • Richard H.K. Onishi (D): N.A

State House District 4

  • Hope (Alohalani) Cermelj (R): No Response
  • Desmon Antone Haumea (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Greggor Ilagan (D): No Response
  • Brian Ley (Nonpartisan): Better mental health and substance abuse centers.
  • Eileen Ohara (D): Not working are the recent evictions of homelessness as done in Hilo which may cause more COVID outbreaks. Working measures are to increase funding to organizations that directly deal with the homeless provided they have a good track record in reducing homelessness.

State House District 5

  • Colehour Bondera (D): What is working is the realization that sweeping the problem away one place does not solve the problem.  I hope to work with Lt. Gov. Josh Green in leading efforts to pass legislation to assist in the implementation of his 10-point plan.  https://ltgov.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/10-pt-plan-update_Page_2.jpg. 
  • Citlalli Johanna Decker (Aloha Aina): I believe criminalizing houselessness is not working, and the slow rate of applications processed for Hawaiian Homes Lands is not working.
  • Jeanné Kapela (D): We've begun to implement measures to effectively reduce houselessness, including Housing First, rapid rehousing, and Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion programs. Yet, these programs haven't been fully funded. Sadly, we continue to enforce laws like Honolulu's unconstitutional and draconian sit-lie bans, which turn poverty into a crime. We need to repeal those laws and create more shelter space for houseless individuals and families, while better funding programs that have been shown to help people obtain the assistance they need to get back on their feet.
  • Michael L. Last (Libertarian): Unsure.

State House District 6

  • Nicole Lowen (D): No Response

State House District 7

  • David Tarnas (D): There have been some transitional housing facilities built, but more are needed.  We need to continue funding for the Ohana Zones program.  We need to put more money into developing residential substance abuse treatment facilities.  And we need to develop more affordable housing projects.

State House District 8

  • Ka‘apuni Aiwohi (D): We have great people engaging with the house less community. We also have a lot of people in the county going against it. These people are our family and there is no excuse to kick them when they are down. What would we expect if we were in those shoes?
  • Troy Hashimoto (D): I believe that for those who are receiving services, they are very lucky. But, for those who remain on a waiting list, life can be very difficult. More beds are sorely needed to be made available and the State must work to create additional capacity. Ohana Zones was supposed to be a solution, but the implementation has been too slow.
  • Robert G. Hill III (D): No Response

State House District 9

  • J. Kahala Chrupalyk (Aloha Aina): Choosing to force conformity or incarceration is not a way to handle homelessness.   Using a small segment of public land and a homeless powerhouse like Aunty Twinks Borge,  that works.  She is not the only one of her kind.  There is usually one in every moku.  I work a lot with homelessness and there is one in every area that keeps the others in line.  Empowering that one, could make all of the difference of success.  That one usually knows exactly what each person needs.  Working in that style has helped me help others and has worked in many other places.   On the other hand, accepting homeless vagabonds as our stateʻs responsibility.
  • Justin Woodson (D): No Response

State House District 10

  • Kanamu Balinbin (R): No Response
  • Travis Gyldstrand (Aloha Aina): What is not working is the programs from other states that send their homeless on a one way trip to Hawai’i.
  • Angus L.K. McKelvey (D): No Response
  • Leonard K. Nakoa III (D): Doing nothing to help them and just kicking them out is not working. Certain groups taking time to talk to and get them in homes is working.

State House District 11

  • Don Couch (D): We do not have enough mental health options for the houseless. A large number (on Maui) of houseless choose to remain that way according to Maui County's Human Concerns department. Mostly because they do not want to seek mental health assistance.
  • Howard E. Greenberg (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Tina M.L. Wildberger (D): No Response

State House District 12

  • Simon Russell (D): What is working is that Hawaii has a consensus that there is a problem with housing people, and politician seems to be discussing solutions a lot of the time. What is not working is that the cost of living is too high, and there is not enough support for people in transition between homeless-ness and getting back to renting a home.  Hawaii needs more transitional housing to support the individuals and families that want to re-enter the rental market, but are without the means. For those who do not want to or cannot re-enter the market, Hawaii must build adequate facilities to get them sheltered, safe and healthy.
  • Kyle T. Yamashita (D): No Response

State House District 13

  • Lynn DeCoite (D): No Response
  • Theresa Kapaku (Aloha Aina): Hawai'i does not have a plan for homelessness.  In addition to that, the system enforces clean sweeps that move an already vulnerable population around, causing further trauma at each event. According to the Law of the Splintered Paddle - their ability to lay their heads safely by the road is protected.  The state needs to provide green spaces and programs to prepare and propel homeless people into healthy, productive lives.
  • Walter Ritte (D): Cost of house must come down. Health and Safety should not be that expensive. 
  • Robin Vanderpool (R): I have plans for low income farm lots and communities where tiny home farm worker projects can work with mental health and drug rehab programs sponsored by NGO's and the private sector.

State House District 14

  • Steve Monas (R): No Response
  • Nadine K. Nakamura (D): No Response

State House District 15

  • James Kunane Tokioka (D): No Response
  • Steve Yoder (R): No Response

State House District 16

  • Ana Mo Des (R): No Response
  • Daynette Morikawa (D): No Response

State House District 17

  • Keith Kogachi (D): I believe the first priority as you identified the COVID-19 damage is to devote our now limited financial resources to preventing the growth in homelessness that you believe will occur.  Accordingly, our efforts should be directed towards ensuring that we balance our state budget while also avoiding the potential for cuts in salaries that the Governor has disclosed as an option to make up for the projected shortfall in the state budget.  We should also should ensure that unemployment benefits are in place including extensions for as long as possible.  Unemployment benefits is critical during this time as many employees may not be covered by health insurance or are now solely responsible for the costs of insurance after being laid off by their employers.
  • Gene Ward (R): No Response

State House District 18

  • Tommy Driskill III (D): No Response
  • Mark Jun Hashem (D): No Response
  • Lori Ford (R); Homelessness is a persistent and multifaceted issue. More than half of homeless are families with children. The majority of people who are homeless became homeless because of a life-altering event or a series of events they weren’t expecting. Local government must continue collaboration with community organizations as well as the homeless themselves to help understand their needs.

State House District 19

  • Wayne Chen (American Shopping): No Response
  • Bertrand Kobayashi (D): No Response
  • Michael L. Parrish (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 20

  • Julia E. Allan (R): No Response
  • Becky Gardner (D): Shelter is an essential, foundational need.  We learned this from initiatives like “housing first;” yet, affordable housing is increasingly out of reach for too many in Hawaii.  Hawaii has the unfortunate distinction of having one of the highest housing costs in the nation. According to a recent report from Partners in Care Point in time count, the most common self-reported causes of homelessness were financial and/or employment factors.  Of those surveyed, 17% reported unable to pay for rent; 15% said they lost a job; 15% said it was due to drug or alcohol abuse; 12% said it was due to an argument with a friend or family; 12% reported it was a loss of money.  Thus, we need to address cost-of-living and engage in a multi-pronged approach that will raise minimum wage, lower housing costs, and reverse our regressive tax structure so our lowest income residents aren’t paying the highest share of our taxes.We also have not done enough to maximize affordable housing opportunities that fit within the development plan of each community, under the current legal and regulatory scheme.
  • Jay I. Ishibashi (D): No Response
  • Jackson Sayama (D): After a year of doing outreach with houselessess communities on Oahu, I’ve been encouraged to see new community oriented approaches that address houselessness more sustainably. Pu'uhonua O Wai’anae, in coordination with Hui Aloha, raised $1.4 million without public funding to purchase and build their village on a new property. Lt. Gov. Green’s Kauhale projects are modeled in a similar fashion to encourage community building among houseless. Despite recent successes, the continued “Sweeps” by the City is troubling. Not only is this policy ineffective at transitioning houseless individuals to shelters, it grows distrust between houseless communities and government institutions. Instead of spending millions of taxpayer dollars on sweeping houseless communities, Hawai’i must streamline the transition for houseless individuals by adjusting current services to meet the needs of houseless. This can only be achieved by working in tandem with houseless leaders and seeking their input in policy affecting their communities. 
  • Derek A. Turbin (D): READ HERE

State House District 21

  • Scott Y. Nishimoto (D): No Response

State House District 22

  • Tom Brower (D): No Response 
  • Nicholas R. Ochs (R): No Response
  • Adrian Tam (D): I believe that the services that Hawaii provides for the homeless population is available and ready. I believe that many families are able to get help if they are able to seek it. I believe the state needs in improve on mental health treatment. The state needs to also adequately train and recruit more social workers.

State House District 23

  • Dale Kobayashi (D): No Response

State House District 24

  • Della Au Belatti (D): No Response
  • Andy Sexton, Jr. (Aloha Aina) No Response

State House District 25

  • Sylvia Luke (D): No Response

State House District 26

  • Kim Coco Iwamoto (D): Working: certain non-profits that support arresting our neighbors for being houseless have seen huge gains in government grants. NOT Working: sweeps, closing up restroom facilities, removing soap and access to clean water and  sanitation. NOT providing permanent housing first,
  • Scott K. Saiki (D): No Response

State House District 27

  • Takashi Ohno (D): No Response

State House District 28

  • John M. Mizuno (D): No Response

State House District 29

  • Daniel Holt (D): No Response
  • James Logue (D): I believe Hawaii's approach is not working. It seems to be a patch work method. The non-profits are overwhelmed. The hospitals are overwhelmed. The communities are overwhelmed. One thing people need to accept is that homeless are indeed coming to Hawaii from the mainland. It is a fact, I see it all the time working for the SNAP office. That on top of the lack of long term care facilities for the mentally ill is just exacerbating the problem. Hawaii needs to invest in long term care facilities to get the mentally ill and addicts off of the streets and in to a place to receive proper care & treatment. Otherwise, we are just continuing to put bandaids on major wounds.

State House District 30

  • P.M. Azinga (R): This survey is too long.
  • Romy M. Cachola (D): I believe it will work if we provide more affordable housing.
  • Sonny Ganaden (D): The increase in emergency housing is working. Continuing to criminalize poverty is not working.
  • Tess Abalos Quilingking (R): There should be funding for homeless program as in classifying their homelessness as in mental issue , veterans ptsd,and just families that can’t afgird rent. Vacant building should be utilized to house homeless after they complete a program.  Sweep is good but it’s a temporary solution to our homelessness. 

State House District 31

  • Aaron Ling Johanson (D): No Response

State House District 32

  • Linda Ichiyama (D): No Response

State House District 33

  • Tracy Arakaki (D): The problem is not a lack of services but the various agencies be it federal, state or county programs are not working together but separately.
  • Jenny Boyette (R): What is not working is building a facility hoping people will use it.  it's great to be able to provide some sort of something for those living on the streets, but there are many different groups and reasons as to why folks are on the streets.  You have a faction of mentally ill folks who do not know how to ask or seek help.  There is a large homeless population which are drug addicts.  Another swath of the homeless include families who prefer to live outdoors due to cultural practices.  Then there is the working homeless, those who cannot afford rent.  Each group needs a specific solution, not a cookie-cutter answer. 
  • Sam Satoru Kong (D): No Response

State House District 34

  • Keone F. Simon (R): No Response
  • Gregg Takayama (D): Partnerships with non-profit organizations are working; we just need more of them.

State House District 35

  • Carl E. Hood (R): No Response
  • Keline Kahau (Aloha Aina): The state of Hawaii has an obligation in helping all people. the land in Hawaii is for the people not just the corporations. as a government we should be helping businesses that have the care and want to help by providing job training, drug care, and for some who have mental issues we should care for them and help the families care for them.
  • Roy M. Takumi (D): No Response

State House District 36

  • Trish La Chica (D): We have seen many affordable projects built within the affordable housing frameworks, like 201H, that have resulted in local families receiving housing.  This is a success.  Partnerships like Kahauiki Village also demonstrate what can be accomplished when the state works with other partners in innovative ways.With that said, the many incentives provided to developers for building affordable housing are oftentimes not offset to the degree they should be by the community benefits being received.  Housing built at 120% AMI may technically qualify as affordable under state law, but it is not meeting the housing needs of our local families.  This is especially true when federal standards generally define 80% AMI as low income.  We must thus more heavily invest in truly affordable housing, including rentals, to meet our residents’ housing needs.  This means prioritizing housing for 80% AMI and below.
  • Marilyn B. Lee (D): No Response
  • Val Okimoto (R): No Response

State House District 37

  • Emil Svrcina (R): No Response
  • Ryan I. Yamane (D): No Response

State House District 38

  • Henry J.C. Aquino (D): No Response 

State House District 39

  • Ty J.K. Cullen (D): No Response
  • Austin L.S. Maglinti (R): No Response

State House District 40

  • Rose Martinez (D): No Response
  • Bob McDermott (R): Candidate did not answer this question.

State House District 41

  • David Alcos (R): No Response
  • Matt LoPresti (D): Housing first works as well as creating and supporting more social services (especially mental health services) is working. Criminalization of houseless persons and constant sweeps are not humane and they are not working.
  • Mokihana Maldonado (D): No Response
  • Amanda J. Rathbun (D): No Response
  • Ryan Isamu Uehara (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 42

  • Sharon Har (D): No Response
  • Vickie L.P. Kam (D): Hawaii has several initiatives created to address the needs of our houseless population. These include healthcare services such as 4H, several housing programs, like Housing First, to allow for faster response to the need for a safe environment, and outreach programs with a variety of services. I believe these are important projects that are a solid beginning to establishing a support system for our houseless population are working.What is not working at this time is the lack of enough specialized supports needed for our houseless that are mental ill or addicted. This population of citizens are at the most risk and need the most support. However, by supplying the needed services it would save the state and hospitals funds that could be used to provide more opportunities for services.

State House District 43

  • Stacelynn Kehaulani Eli (D): No Response
  • Diamond Garcia (R): The model being used by the current administration (ie. Scott Morishige) isn’t working. I support the Kauhale program that’s being promoted by Lt. Governor Josh Green.
  • Shaena Dela Cruz Hoohuli (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Michael Kahikina (D): Nothing from the government has worked as good as projects that was planned developed and managed by the or a Community-base Organization that the Community is the owner!

State House District 44

  • Maysana Aldeguer (R): No Response
  • Cedric Asuega Gates (D): No Response
  • Jo Jordan (D): The housing first model & wrap around services are working, programs that treat/address the causes of houselessness (mental health, substance issues, economics) are working. What's not working is the lack of alinement/communication between State & County agencies, non profit service providers that do not work together (for the best interest of the clients), not having a good healthy data system for houseless programs to better serve the houseless population and to provide better stats for government spending. 
  • Joseph K. Simpliciano, Jr. (Aloha Aina): No Response

State House District 45

  • Michael Chapman (D): I believe that the Department of Human Services and various non-profits have assembled some fantastic programs to help individuals experiencing houselessness. That is where the focus should be – on helping. We cannot continue to criminalize poverty and mental illness; doing so is counterproductive and inhumane. We should expand our human services programs, enhance our mental health resources, and continue partnerships with local non-profits. 
  • Lauren Matsumoto Cheape (R): No Response

State House District 46

  • Aaron James Kaleo Agsalda (D): No Response
  • Amy Perruso (D): While there are a range of issues that contribute to the houselessness crisis, the most factor is lack of affordable housing, and the important solution is affordable housing. While we are doing good work under the leadership of Eddie Mercereaux with BHH and the development of a continuum of care, legislative leadership has been hyper-focused on approaches that subsidize for-profit developers rather than using those public resources to build actually affordable housing through non-profit developers or the state itself.

State House District 47

  • Sean Quinlan (D): No Response
  • Boyd Ready (R): Zoning and building codes interfere with low cost housing, dormitory-style or rooming-house-type accommodations. Mentally ill not able to be restrained and cared for. Defiant sojourners too easily occupy public property without interference. Payment systems should be linked to physical addresses to encourage regular habitation.  Large landholders need tax inducements to utilize land instead of 'banking' it. A regular industry of homeless service providers gradually develops a vested interest in not solving the problem.

State House District 48

  • Lisa C. Kitagawa (D): No Response
  • Kau‘i Pratt-Aquino, Esq. (D): While some effort has been made to address the root causes of homelessness, the State and Counties have not done nearly enough. At the state level, the legislature has repeatedly failed to mitigate the high cost of living in Hawaii. Along with refusals, or half-hearted attempts, to raise the Minimum Wage, the Legislature has repeatedly failed to increase the Rentersʻ and Food Excise Tax Credits, which could have an impact (if raised enough). More resources need to be provided to shelter programs, substance abuse treatment programs, and mental health services. All of these could also be attached to a Housing First paradigm, which the Legislature has refused to take seriously, despite the programʻs success in other jurisdictions. Efforts to increase housing stock appear to be little more than “lip service” to the issue. When the Legislature repeatedly defines “affordable” as 140% AMI or below, it seems our elected officials are more interested in lining the pockets of developers than creating truly affordable housing stock.

State House District 49

  • Kilomana Danner (R): What is not working is excess government Involvement spending to much of the available money. The money needs to be funneled to private entities tat struggle spending their own limited resources in their amazing results of renewal of the lives they touch.
  • Scot Matayoshi (D): No Response

State House District 50

  • Patrick Pihana Branco (D): Broadly, we need to do more to encourage our houseless population to seek safety and lodging in one of the shelters with available beds and to get on a path to obtain and maintain their own shelter within the constructs of society. We need to ensure that those suffering from the intersection of houselessness and substance addiction get the treatment they need, as well as shelter. We are doing well to ensure that there is shelter space and available support programs, but we need to do more to encourage their use.
  • Micah Pregitzer (D): I believe that there are certain programs, like Housing First, that have helped our houseless families achieve a small measure of financial stability. Yet, we fail to address houselessness within the broader context of economic justice and we continue to criminalize poverty by enforcing unconstitutional laws, like Honolulu's sit-lie bans. We need to raise the minimum wage and build truly affordable housing for those earning less than 50 percent of area median income, while expanding programs that transition people from the streets into coordinated continuums of care and repealing laws that criminalize poverty.
  • Kanai Souza (R): No Response

State House District 51

  • Alan K. Akao (D): Hawaii's approach to houselessness is status quo and not working. As a state we will never catch up to the need for housing or address houselessness because our system has not acknowledged the root issues holding us back. Houselessness is not a single issue (lack of homes) but multi-faceted. There is economic factors, homelessness related factors, capacity factors and cultural factors. The state and city and county continue to criminalize homelessness instead of addressing economic strife, lack of truly affordable housing, substance abuse, mental health and cultural stigma. There is a battle between housing first or services first and limited resources. There is also a lack of confidence that affordable housing projects can be truly affordable and when and where they are built, which ends up categorizing areas and towns as low-income to justify building in those places instead of equitable distribution based on need and scale. There needs to be a comprehensive investment in providing services, increased social safety net programs and stronger wages, and government oversight and even development in housing projects that center around helping our most in need rather than outside investors looking to profit.
  • Coby K. K. Chock (D): No Response
  • Doni Leina‘ala Chong (R): No Response
  • Scott Grimmer (D): No Response
  • Erik K. Ho (Aloha Aina): We see reports of individuals coming to these islands from various US cities who have no family or friends. We also have those who have no desire to be part of society and instead choose to live in the streets. These kinds of things we can not help. We can help those who do want it. For those people I suggest that the state partners with community outreach organizations to better assist with programs. Community organizations know where the camps are and the state could provide the financial resources to support any efforts to help.
  • Kukana Kama-Toth (R): I believe there is good intentions behind what is currently being done but I believe more localized services should be the strong suit for advocacy. These service providers located in their communities work directly with the population of homeless and houseless already. Centralized services like IHS seems to receive the bulk of the funding available for this community. In my own community advocacy here in Waimanalo I've learned that support systems already exist in the areas our houseless and homeless call home. To relocate them to another town/city creates more barriers for an already struggling population. If each community's non profits or service providers were able to be funded and work directly with that community within the communities they live it would serve a better purpose. Also, creating safe zones for "rehabilitation" through a place based approach may help encourage this community to be successful contributors to it. giving each a sense of belonging and responsibility.
  • Lisa Marten (D): For some, houselessness is associated with poverty and for others it is associated with mental health issues.  For the former, I would focus on poverty alleviation and income stability (raise minimum wage, paid family leave, health insurance de-coupled from employment) and construction of affordable housing incentivized with State and Federal tax credits and building exemptions.  For those with mental health problems, we need to keep trying to get them into treatment, and to establish options such as the Kauhale tiny houses that do not require them to be clean and sober.

 

22. Houselessness: Do you support legislation establishing a homeless bill of rights?

A.Houselessness: Do you support legislation establishing a homeless bill of rights?

A.

Senate

Senate District 2

  • Smiley Burrows (D): No Response
  • Rob G. Ka-Ipo (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Joy San Buenaventura (D): No Response

Senate District 5

  • Christy, Kajiwara-Gusman (R): No Response
  • Rynette Ipo Keen (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Gil S. Coloma Keith-Agaran (D): No Response

Senate District 8

  • Ronald Dan Kouchi (D): No Response

Senate District 9

  • Stanley Chang (D): No Response
  • Sam Slom (R): No Response

Senate District 10

  • Jesus Arriola (D): No Response
  • Vicki B. Higgins (D): No Response
  • Les S. Ihara, Jr. (D): No Response
  • Paul Shiraishi (Nonpartisan): Prefer not to answer

Senate District 11

  • Brian Taniguchi (D): Prefer not to answer

Senate District 13

  • Kevin McDonald (D): Yes. I would have to see the legislation, but if it were written well and focused equally on the rights of those that are not homeless to be able to live lives go about their business without interference from the homeless community then I don't see why some guidelines can't be established.
  • Karl Rhoads (D): No. One of the most persistent complaints from my constituents, especially in Chinatown, is that the homeless make no effort to follow the rules the rest of have to live by.  My own observation is that this is often true.  How many times have I seen homeless people on bicycles riding against the traffic at night with no lights?  For many actions, at least some of which are dangerous, there is essentially no punishment for someone who has no property and has no job to lose.  I don't think lack of rights is the problem.  More affordable housing and more drug treatment are better solutions.

Senate District 14

  • Donna Mercado Kim (D): No Response

Senate District 15

  • Glenn Wakai (D): No Response

Senate District 19 

  • Rida Cabanilla Arakawa (D): No Response
  • John H. Clark III (D): Yes; Yes, I support legislation establishing a homeless bill of rights.  The challenge facing houselessness is complex; the homeless bill of rights should be exceedingly simple.  Houseless individuals are not, in of themselves, a protected group.  However, as a reminder to citizens who are more fortunate than houseless individuals and families, a homeless bill of rights could serve as not only a reminder to serve our community members with compassion and empathy, but also function as a call to serve in a manner that we can – whatever that manner of service may be.
  • Kurt Fevella (R): No Response

Senate District 20

  • Feena Bonoan (Libertarian): Yes; One argument I have against the mail-in balloting is the disenfranchisement of houseless people. How are their votes going to be counted if there is no address to send the ballot to? It makes it seem like we are making a lot of laws for the poor without their say in it.
  • Mike Gabbard (D): Yes

Senate District 22

  • Thora-Jean Cuaresma (D): No Response
  • Donovan Dela Cruz (D): No Response
  • Banner S. Fanene (Nonpartisan): Yes
  • John E. Miller (R): Yes

Senate District 25

  • Chris Lee (D): No Response
  • Kristina Kim-Marshall (R): No Response

State House

State House District 1

  • Mark M. Nakashima (D): Yes.
  • Lorraine Pualani Shin (R): No Response

State House District 2

  • Devin Shaw Kealohapumehanaokalani McMackin Sr. (Aloha Aina): No; Because the bill of rights covers everyone equally already. A bull such as this would be counter productive as it would give only one demographic more or less rights then the other. In this case the demographics is homeless vs not homeless.
  • Christopher L.T. Todd (D): No Response

State House District 3

  • Frederick F. Fogel (D): No; We already have a bill of rights that applies to everyone.
  • Susan Hughes (R): No; I prefer to eliminate homelessness as much as possible instead.
  • Shannon Lopeka Matson (D): Yes; As an advocate for our houseless community in Hilo for over a decade I believe MOST importantly in allowing autonomy for houseless individuals. They absolutely must be encouraged and supported to tell their own stories and participate in designing any and all policies that relate to their safety, well-being.
  • Richard H.K. Onishi (D): N.A

State House District 4

  • Hope (Alohalani) Cermelj (R): No Response
  • Desmon Antone Haumea (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Greggor Ilagan (D): No Response
  • Brian Ley (Nonpartisan): No; I believe in education not legislation.
  • Eileen Ohara (D): Yes.

State House District 5

  • Colehour Bondera (D): Yes; Too often we have seen legislation introduced that undermines the Constitutional and basic human rights of the homeless.  The Hawai'i Constitution Article IX, Section 10 states:  "The law of the splintered paddle, mamala-hoe kanawai, decreed by Kamehameha I--Let every elderly person, woman and child lie by the roadside in safety--shall be a unique and living symbol of the State's concern for public safety. The State shall have the power to provide for the safety of the people from crimes against persons and property."  A homeless bill of rights dictating how this Constitution protect shall be administered should be established.
  • Citlalli Johanna Decker (Aloha Aina): Yes; Some people choose the houseless life and they should not be harrassed by police for finding a safe place to sleep that does not violate anyone else's rights.
  • Jeanné Kapela (D): Yes; As sad as it is to have to say thus, given that homeless people's rights are so frequently violated, such as when their property is seized during homeless raids, we need to enact a homeless bill of rights to ensure that our constitutional protections are fully guaranteed. In effect, we need to enact a bill of rights for homeless people, so that the U.S Constitution's Bill of Rights to which they, and everyone, are already entitled is actually respected.
  • Michael L. Last (Libertarian): Yes

State House District 6

  • Nicole Lowen (D): No Response

State House District 7

  • David Tarnas (D): No.

State House District 8

  • Ka‘apuni Aiwohi (D): Yes
  • Troy Hashimoto (D): Yes
  • Robert G. Hill III (D): No Response

State House District 9

  • J. Kahala Chrupalyk (Aloha Aina): Prefer not to answer. I would need to see the proposal to answer that question.  Iʻd like to see the draft and yes, I would entertain the thought, but you are asking me to commit to something that Iʻve never heard of or seen.  I am unable to say yes or no.
  • Justin Woodson (D): No Response

State House District 10

  • Kanamu Balinbin (R): No Response
  • Travis Gyldstrand (Aloha Aina): Yes
  • Angus L.K. McKelvey (D): No Response
  • Leonard K. Nakoa III (D): Yes

State House District 11

  • Don Couch (D): No
  • Howard E. Greenberg (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Tina M.L. Wildberger (D): No Response

State House District 12

  • Simon Russell (D): Yes
  • Kyle T. Yamashita (D): No Response

State House District 13

  • Lynn DeCoite (D): No Response
  • Theresa Kapaku (Aloha Aina): Yes; 
  • Walter Ritte (D): Yes.
  • Robin Vanderpool (R): Prefer not to answer; The Magna Carta was our first attempt at sovereign rights. I would try to pass a bill on designated open spaces where homeless can camp. The last five kings created the building and health dept. I would enforce loitering laws in our city spaces.

State House District 14

  • Steve Monas (R): No Response
  • Nadine K. Nakamura (D): No Response

State House District 15

  • James Kunane Tokioka (D): No Response
  • Steve Yoder (R): No Response

State House District 16

  • Ana Mo Des (R): No Response
  • Daynette Morikawa (D): No Response

State House District 17

  • Keith Kogachi (D): Prefer not to answer.
  • Gene Ward (R): No Response

State House District 18

  • Tommy Driskill III (D): No Response
  • Mark Jun Hashem (D): No Response
  • Lori Ford (R); Yes

State House District 19

  • Wayne Chen (American Shopping): No Response
  • Bertrand Kobayashi (D): No Response
  • Michael L. Parrish (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 20

  • Julia E. Allan (R): No Response
  • Becky Gardner (D): Yes.
  • Jay I. Ishibashi (D): No Response
  • Jackson Sayama (D): Yes; While a “homeless bill of rights” would be a good step towards shifting public perception on houselessness, I would follow this bill with concrete and substantive policy to ensure such a bill of rights isn’t ornamental.
  • Derek A. Turbin (D): READ HERE 

State House District 21

  • Scott Y. Nishimoto (D): No Response

State House District 22

  • Tom Brower (D): No Response 
  • Nicholas R. Ochs (R): No Response
  • Adrian Tam (D): Prefer not to answer; I do not hold a position on this issue.

State House District 23

  • Dale Kobayashi (D): No Response

State House District 24

  • Della Au Belatti (D): No Response
  • Andy Sexton, Jr. (Aloha Aina): No Response

State House District 25

  • Sylvia Luke (D): No Response

State House District 26

  • Kim Coco Iwamoto (D): Yes
  • Scott K. Saiki (D): No Response

State House District 27

  • Takashi Ohno (D): No Response

State House District 28

  • John M. Mizuno (D): No Response

State House District 29

  • Daniel Holt (D): No Response
  • James Logue (D): Prefer not to answer.

State House District 30

  • P.M. Azinga (R): Prefer not to answer.
  • Romy M. Cachola (D): Prefer not to answer; Before I make my final decision, I would always like to weigh the pros and cons on these measures.
  • Sonny Ganaden (D): No; Homelessness can affect many of us. I support the application of the 14th and 15th Amendments to the Constitution to all individuals, including those who may temporarily be experiencing homelessness.
  • Tess Abalos Quilingking (R): No.

State House District 31

  • Aaron Ling Johanson (D): No Response

State House District 32

  • Linda Ichiyama (D): No Response

State House District 33

  • Tracy Arakaki (D): Prefer not to answer; Needs more info.
  • Jenny Boyette (R): No. Please see [previous] comment.  Our current bill of rights addresses all the fundamentals every human being is afforded.  Homelessness is a symptom of a very complex socio-economic problem.
  • Sam Satoru Kong (D): No Response

State House District 34

  • Keone F. Simon (R): No Response
  • Gregg Takayama (D): Yes.

State House District 35

  • Carl E. Hood (R): No Response
  • Keline Kahau (Aloha Aina): Prefer not to answer; Not sure what that bill is, if I have never heard of that bill.
  • Roy M. Takumi (D): No Response

State House District 36

  • Trish La Chica (D): Yes. 
  • Marilyn B. Lee (D): No Response
  • Val Okimoto (R): No Response

State House District 37

  • Emil Svrcina (R): No Response
  • Ryan I. Yamane (D): No Response

State House District 38

  • Henry J.C. Aquino (D): No Response 

State House District 39

  • Ty J.K. Cullen (D): No Response
  • Austin L.S. Maglinti (R): No Response

State House District 40

  • Rose Martinez (D): No Response
  • Bob McDermott (R): No.

State House District 41

  • David Alcos (R): No Response
  • Matt LoPresti (D): Yes
  • Mokihana Maldonado (D): No Response
  • Amanda J. Rathbun (D): No Response
  • Ryan Isamu Uehara (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 42

  • Sharon Har (D): No Response
  • Vickie L.P. Kam (D): Yes; This is not a novel concept, Homeless Bill of Rights have been passed in other states to protect the basic human right to safety and access to public spaces and services. Creating a bill that is place based and strives to malama our struggling citizens would be legislation that I support.

State House District 43

  • Stacelynn Kehaulani Eli (D): No Response
  • Diamond Garcia (R): No.
  • Shaena Dela Cruz Hoohuli (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Michael Kahikina (D): Prefer not to answer.

State House District 44

  • Maysana Aldeguer (R): No Response
  • Cedric Asuega Gates (D): No Response
  • Jo Jordan (D): Yes
  • Joseph K. Simpliciano, Jr. (Aloha Aina): No Response

State House District 45

  • Michael Chapman (D): Yes. 
  • Lauren Matsumoto Cheape (R): No Response

State House District 46

  • Aaron James Kaleo Agsalda (D): No Response
  • Amy Perruso (D): Yes

State House District 47

  • Sean Quinlan (D): No Response
  • Boyd Ready (R): No.

State House District 48

  • Lisa C. Kitagawa (D): No Response
  • Kau‘i Pratt-Aquino, Esq. (D): Yes

State House District 49

  • Kilomana Danner (R): Yes; But camping On and trashing a sidewalk or public park is not a right.
  • Scot Matayoshi (D): No Response

State House District 50

  • Patrick Pihana Branco (D): No; I don’t broadly support creating a separate class of rights for a portion of the population. We need to ensure the houseless population’s fundamental rights are protected, but special additional rights are not needed to do so.
  • Micah Pregitzer (D): Yes
  • Kanai Souza (R): No Response

State House District 51

  • Alan K. Akao (D): Yes; Our homeless population are people just the same as we are. They are some of our most vulnerable ohana and the system needs to stop criminalizing them and pushing the gap to stability further and further away. You cannot simply sweep them away and hide our failures from the world. A homeless bill of rights should be clear that the lack of a stable home does not rob someone of their basic rights as a person.
  • Coby K. K. Chock (D): No Response
  • Doni Leina‘ala Chong (R): No Response
  • Scott Grimmer (D): No Response
  • Erik K. Ho (Aloha Aina): Prefer not to answer; Under the law, we are all equal individuals no matter our circumstance. Oneʻs place of residence should not dictate if they have a bill of rights separate from the one in the Constitution.
  • Kukana Kama-Toth (R): Yes; This is a community whose rights continue to be over looked. Homeless is a consequence of a broken system and attention needs to be given to it.
  • Lisa Marten (D): Yes. 

 

23. Houselessness: How do you plan to address houselessness in Hawaiʻi in the short, medium, and long term?

A.Houselessness: How do you plan to address houselessness in Hawaiʻi in the short, medium, and long term?

A.

Senate

Senate District 2

  • Smiley Burrows (D): No Response
  • Rob G. Ka-Ipo (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Joy San Buenaventura (D): No Response

Senate District 5

  • Christy, Kajiwara-Gusman (R): No Response
  • Rynette Ipo Keen (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Gil S. Coloma Keith-Agaran (D): No Response

Senate District 8

  • Ronald Dan Kouchi (D): No Response

Senate District 9

  • Stanley Chang (D): No Response
  • Sam Slom (R): No Response

Senate District 10

  • Jesus Arriola (D): No Response
  • Vicki B. Higgins (D): No Response
  • Les S. Ihara, Jr. (D): No Response
  • Paul Shiraishi (Nonpartisan): We all know that the availability of affordable housing and chronic homelessness are some of our state’s most pressing challenges. And despite promises by some of our current elected officials, progress is far too slow. I am approaching this problem recognizing two facts: 1) government does not build housing and 2) our population has grown over the decades and we have not kept up with that demand. We need to learn to lower the costs for housing developments that are passed to occupants by identifying redundancies in the state process for permits and EIS’ and enabling better communication between state and local county permitting departments.We also should create a simplified regulatory process that doesn’t force residents or developers to wait for years just so they can build homes.I will listen to the contractors, developers, and citizens whose actual job is to build housing. I will rely on them to better understand what can be done.

Senate District 11

  • Brian Taniguchi (D): Did not answer.

Senate District 13

  • Kevin McDonald (D): I believe that we can establish areas across the state where people can live a homeless lifestyle and not infringe on the rights of others to live a more traditional lifestyle. The homeless can be left to their own choices, and there can be homeless services located near by to attend to their needs and to continue to offer them a path to a more traditional lifestyle.
  • Karl Rhoads (D): Affordable housing has been a priority from day one in office.  My bill saved Kukui Gardens as an affordable complex.  Senior Residence at Iwilei was built in part because of my support.  I have pushed for the redevelopment of Mayor Wright Homes.  This year two of my  three CIP asks were for more affordable housing.  We did get $50 million for the Rental Housing Revolving Fund (I had asked for $75 million) and money to continue with HPHA's School Street senior affordable project. Short term: Borrow money to keep unemployment benefits flowing indefinitely. Medium term:  Continue implementation of ACT and greater use of guardians for those with severe mental illness.  Expand the financial commitment to the RHTF and the Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund.  Expand the number of substance abuse treatment slots available.Long term:  Reduce the number of visitors to Hawaii by progressively raising a carbon tax.  Further restrict vacation rentals through zoning changes.  Raise property taxes on real estate that is voluntarily unoccupied for a high percentage of a year.  Keep building affordable housing.

Senate District 14

  • Donna Mercado Kim (D): No Response

Senate District 15

  • Glenn Wakai (D): No Response

Senate District 19 

  • Rida Cabanilla Arakawa (D): No Response
  • John H. Clark III (D): I plan to establish (or join an existing) Task Force to research, study, and further implement best practices (among states and other industrialized countries). We have to remember that our houseless members of society are houseless for various reasons. Some are houseless because of decisions they have made; Some are houseless because of drug addictions; And yet, some are houseless because they CHOOSE to be houseless. Thus, solving the challenge is complex, intricate, multifaceted, and far from singular in scope. I sincerely believe that we need a comprehensive approach that will bring to bear a full integration of resources (as an integrated organization of several subsystems) to fully address the daunting reality of our houselessness population.
  • Kurt Fevella (R): No Response

Senate District 20

  • Feena Bonoan (Libertarian): Public bathrooms. Identify small public lands and easements in targeted areas. Allocate funding, possibilities for advertisers and non-profits. Employ engineers, builders, and plumbers. Maintenance to be determined. Operation and accommodation should be compliant with the minimum ADA standards.
  • Mike Gabbard (D): See [previous] answer above. 

Senate District 22

  • Thora-Jean Cuaresma (D): No Response
  • Donovan Dela Cruz (D): No Response
  • Banner S. Fanene (Nonpartisan): See above [previous answer].
  • John E. Miller (R): In the short term get the people that are willing into safe and clean shelter. Put together a list of all the people and work with each one individually. Make sure minor medical needs are addressed  before they turn into major illnesses. Give them access to showers and laundry facilities mobile ones if need be. Next teach them life skills. Help the ones who are addicted to drugs and alcohol get sober. Help the mentally ill get the medicine and therapy they need. Teach people job skills and help them find good paying jobs. Build affordable housing. Follow up on the people who are placed in housing to make sure they are adjusting. Keep finding the efforts in every legislative session until the homelessness is under control.

Senate District 25

  • Chris Lee (D): No Response
  • Kristina Kim-Marshall (R): No Response

State House

State House District 1

  • Mark M. Nakashima (D): This past year, the legislature proposed a package of bills that would begin to address the cost of living in Hawaii that coupled affordable housing with lowering the cost of child care and making the earned income tax refundable.  I think that if it passed as planned, it would have begun to change the trajectory of the cost of living for the better.
  • Lorraine Pualani Shin (R): No Response

State House District 2

  • Devin Shaw Kealohapumehanaokalani McMackin Sr. (Aloha Aina): Short - working with organizations that actually spend most of their time helping rather then those that just do the bare minimal. Medium - writing legislation that would fund more organizations or expand the existing ones that actually assist homeless persons. Long - Furthering legislation that would promote responsible reform on budgets to help the financial burden this might have on the economy, so as not to raise taxes but lower salaries for government officials. The people need the money not the politicians, this job is a job of servitude and selfless sacrifice to the constituents.
  • Christopher L.T. Todd (D): No Response

State House District 3

  • Frederick F. Fogel (D): The majority of homeless people have mental issues that must be addressed.  They need to work to increase their feeling of self worth.  They need to be able to invest in their housing rather than just have it given to them.  If you have no skin in the game you care more.
  • Susan Hughes (R): Homelessness is a very complex problem because there are many different reasons why people are homeless.  There are 4 main categories:  A) people (largely families) unemployed or underemployed but desiring real employment,  B) Veterans dealing with drug and/or PTSD issues, C) “hardcore homeless” with mental illness, spousal abuse, drug addiction, and D) transient young people “tramping” or “Hoboing”.  Each requires a different solution. Class A:  The big answer in Hawaii is twofold in the long term:  1) Rebuild the economy so that there are “living wage” jobs available.  This means bringing in large scale, high value manufacturing jobs.  2) Make housing more affordable by eliminating or radically changing the building codes so that functional, affordable housing can be built.  It may require privatizing a few hundred acres of state land for ¼ acre affordable housing lots.  This covers the largest category Class A.  Short term: Organize protected group tent camps with police security and registration in job search and training programs, family planning, financial planning, programs to get the off of alcohol, tobacco and other addictions that are robbing them of their money etc.  Medium Term:  Rapidly build monitored family group living areas with small individual living/sleeping pods surrounding shared kitchen, bathing, and childcare facilities.  Rent paid according to ability to pay and contingent on continuing in counseling and training programs leading to full living wage employment. Class B), the veterans:  This class has earned our respect and help by their service. This means actively identifying homeless veterans, getting them into VA programs, getting them initially into monitored group housing where they receive substance abuse treatment and lifestyle counseling to return them to a productive life if at all possible.  It may be necessary to give them a choice between a lengthy jail term for vagrancy or entering the program. Either way ther.
  • Shannon Lopeka Matson (D): Short term we need to support KauHale programs and other Housing First initiatives. We need to provide safe places immediately for houseless individuals and families to get off the street. Medium term we must be providing access to mental health treatment, rehab, addiction treatment, counseling services, work-training programs, etc. Long term and also immediately we need to be looking at ways to support families and provide enough social services, living wage, job opportunities, affordable housing and affordable healthcare (and on and on) so that we can prevent others from becoming houseless.
  • Richard H.K. Onishi (D): N.A

State House District 4

  • Hope (Alohalani) Cermelj (R): No Response
  • Desmon Antone Haumea (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Greggor Ilagan (D): No Response
  • Brian Ley (Nonpartisan): Legalize cannabis and establish treatment center with tax dollars generated by cannabis sales.
  • Eileen Ohara (D): Provision of shelters either in the form of tiny home villages or group quarters.  Provide the residents with assistance in job skill training and job searches or other means of developing financial independence.  Then assist in finding low income housing by expanding voucher programs that are specific for those who have stayed in the program and made gains financially and socially.

State House District 5

  • Colehour Bondera (D): This is a difficult question to answer because our state is in the midst of an unprecedented crisis.  We have no way of knowing how the global and national economies are going to be impacting our state's economy and state budget.  We have no idea if the federal government will be providing funding to allow our state to maintain it's current governmental services or just how severe unemployment is going to impact our citizens.  There is no doubt there are going to be an increase in the number of people who are no longer able to afford housing, especially since the homeless' families and friends have already been doing what they can to help.  We have to take immediate action in the short-term with an eye to the long term goal we had before this economic and public health crisis, this is ending homelessness.   This time requires leadership and I will be doing what I can to be a leader while working with others to step forward without fear.
  • Citlalli Johanna Decker (Aloha Aina): I plan to see how the people I represent want to address the houseless issue and go from there.
  • Jeanné Kapela (D): In the short- and medium-terms, we need to fully fund Housing First, rapid rehousing, Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion, 'ohana zones, and mental healthcare programs. In the long-term, we need to build affordable housing for people earning no more than 60 percent of area median income, end developers' control of our 'āina and housing policies, and establish a living wage for all of Hawai'i's workers that is tied to increases in the consumer price index.
  • Michael L. Last (Libertarian): Let it run its course.

State House District 6

  • Nicole Lowen (D): No Response

State House District 7

  • David Tarnas (D): I will continue supporting the Ohana Zones program. I support the development of a transitional housing facility in Kona.  I also support the project to convert the old Kona Hospital to a residential substance abuse treatment facility.  More affordable housing is needed and I support legislation to provide additional state lands and other state support for affordable housing projects.

State House District 8

  • Ka‘apuni Aiwohi (D): Houseless people are at every level. I support DHHL to house a lot of Hawaiians who are most likely to be houseless. But what we really need is a mental health plan for this group of people with wraparound services.
  • Troy Hashimoto (D): As I stated, the top priority must be creating additional capacity and getting individuals off the streets. Despite the Governor's proclamation suspending many parts of our laws to address homelessness, it somehow has not made a discernible difference. Therefore, more work and focus must be made in this area through innovate solutions in collaboration with each county. In the longer-term, more mental health counseling and services must be provided to help the transition process of reintegrating back into society and getting weaned off government services.
  • Robert G. Hill III (D): No Response

State House District 9

  • J. Kahala Chrupalyk (Aloha Aina): Homeless agriculture camps, as a requirement to keep it off the street.  Rather than giving away money, they can produce something in their own space to build from that position in life.  It doesnʻt require the system to spend lots of money forcing them to conform, and it doesnʻt further disenfranchise people from the society that they once belonged to. Having a homeless agriculture camp gives people a second chance or a redeeming opportunity to make something for their future.    Community gardens have shown us how people have found that redemption and peace of mind through growing food and opening doors for ideas moving forward.  It keeps people forward thinking, which is all the inspiration a person needs to dwell in productivity.
  • Justin Woodson (D): No Response

State House District 10

  • Kanamu Balinbin (R): No Response
  • Travis Gyldstrand (Aloha Aina): I feel there are many layers to the problems of homelessness. Unfortunately all homeless get lumped into one category. Many of us are a few paychecks away from being in the same position. In short I would stop other states sending homeless to our islands. Look into detox and mental health programs. More work/trade opportunities to jump start productivity. Lowering the cost of living and providing realistic affordable housing would put a dent in the probability of becoming homeless.
  • Angus L.K. McKelvey (D): No Response
  • Leonard K. Nakoa III (D): Is work with Salvation Army to get them feed and medical help—short. Medium is to learn what and why they are homeless. Long is to make the cost of living to work for people to live here in Hawaii on one job.

State House District 11

  • Don Couch (D): Increase the availability of mental health options - including rehab. 
  • Howard E. Greenberg (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Tina M.L. Wildberger (D): No Response

State House District 12

  • Simon Russell (D): Build public housing on public lands, ie. subsidized housing.
  • Kyle T. Yamashita (D): No Response

State House District 13

  • Lynn DeCoite (D): No Response
  • Theresa Kapaku (Aloha Aina): I plan to address the immediate need to discontinue clean sweeps.  We must then establish safe spaces that homeless can rest, be safe, and get hygiene, and programs, and location assistance. Medium term needs will be addressed by assessing funding availability for homeless transitional housing, job placement, and health programs.  Getting feedback from communities during this time will assist in preparing the long term plan. The long term plan is to bring down the high cost of living, create affordable housing, and ensure educational programs for youth to engage and prepare for financial stability in a modern Hawaii.
  • Walter Ritte (D): Use available lands Federal, State, DHHL etc. and build simple safe and healthy homes.
  • Robin Vanderpool (R): Designated lands for the homeless. Strict loitering laws. Our tax dollars depend on tourism.

State House District 14

  • Steve Monas (R): No Response
  • Nadine K. Nakamura (D): No Response

State House District 15

  • James Kunane Tokioka (D): No Response
  • Steve Yoder (R): No Response

State House District 16

  • Ana Mo Des (R): No Response
  • Daynette Morikawa (D): No Response

State House District 17

  • Keith Kogachi (D): As descried in a response to a previous question, the first priority is to devote our now limited financial resources to preventing the growth in homelessness. Accordingly, our efforts should be directed towards ensuring that we balance our state budget while also avoiding the potential for cuts in salaries that the Governor has disclosed as an option to make up for the projected shortfall in the state budget.  We should also should ensure that unemployment benefits are in place including extensions for as long as possible.  Unemployment benefits is critical during this time as many employees may not be covered by health insurance or they be now solely responsible for the costs of insurance after being laid off by their employers.  Unfortunately, I believe this focus will also apply to the medium term as I believe the full recovery in our economy is a multiple year effort as I do not believe we should expect a quick recovery in our tourism industry after the Governor and Mayors announce a lifting of trans Pacific travel restrictions. Accordingly, we must focus on managing the homelessness problem in the medium term by limiting the growth due to economic reasons which will potentially add significant costs to continue, if necessary, our unemployment insurance program.  We may also need to consider some form of medical insurance program at rates affordable to the unemployed to ensure homelessness is not caused due to the unemployed being unable to afford coverage as they no longer have at least a portion of the cost for family coverage paid for by their former employers. In the long term, I believe key issues to address that affects not only the homeless is the lack of affordable housing and the high cost of living in our state of which the high cost of housing is a major component of the cost of living.
  • Gene Ward (R): No Response

State House District 18

  • Tommy Driskill III (D): No Response
  • Mark Jun Hashem (D): No Response
  • Lori Ford (R); It is key to ask the homeless what they need to get back on their feet.

State House District 19

  • Wayne Chen (American Shopping): No Response
  • Bertrand Kobayashi (D): No Response
  • Michael L. Parrish (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 20

  • Julia E. Allan (R): No Response
  • Becky Gardner (D): As mentioned above in question 21, we need to address the financial and employment needs of our houseless population.  We need to address cost-of-living and engage in a multi-pronged approach that will raise minimum wage, lower housing costs, and reverse our regressive tax structure so our lowest income residents aren’t paying the highest share of our taxes. We must also develop more affordable housing options.  For example, in my district – District 20, which includes Kaimuki, Palolo, and St. Louis Heights, I believe that the Waiʻalae corridor, which is very close to the university, is a suitable location to increase density with mixed-use, mid-level housing with retail on the ground floor.  We also need to support and increase funding for infrastructure and financing programs for the development of low-income units for local residents at or near cost – particularly on state land where there exists great opportunities to build at subsidized rates.  We should expand and support existing subsidies like the Rental Housing Revolving Fund, which has been successful in providing units for Hawaii’s most vulnerable.  I think that vertical development on government land in high-density areas - near jobsites, public transportation, educational institutions, parks and malls - holds great promise.  I support the availability of leasehold arrangements for residents with a range of incomes in such developments.  I am interested and encouraged by affordable housing initiatives that incorporate Hawaii’s history and values, like the plantation-inspired Kahauiki Village project by Keehi lagoon – and would like to help replicate the successes achieved there.  I also think there is more we can do to support the growth and use of accessory dwelling units, tiny homes, and communal living arrangements.
  • Jay I. Ishibashi (D): No Response
  • Jackson Sayama (D): Short term: As Representative, I would join the House Committee on Human Services and Homelessness and bring together houseless leaders to provide input on houseless services. I would also work with City Council members to divert resources from houseless sweeps towards improving houseless shelters to streamline transitional programs. Medium term: I hope to work with the City Council, the Governor’s office, and houseless communities to develop Kauhale villages around Hawai’i. Based on the community model created by Pu'uhonua O Wai’anae, these Kauhale villages would be primarily managed by the houseless residents themselves. I would also seek to expand and improve on mental health services. Long term: In the long-run, I hope to address underlying factors contributing to houselessness like education inequality and affordable housing. To connect students with future employers and pursue higher education, I would encourage high school professional internships and mentorship programs. To better prepare students for a diverse economy and money management, I would also encourage greater investment to support STEM curriculums and financial literacy courses. In addition to the Kauhale program, I would pursue Private-Public Partnerships to grow the supply of affordable housing in Hawai’i.. 
  • Derek A. Turbin (D): READ HERE

State House District 21

  • Scott Y. Nishimoto (D): No Response

State House District 22

  • Tom Brower (D): No Response 
  • Nicholas R. Ochs (R): No Response
  • Adrian Tam (D): I believe that the State needs to increase its supply of housing. This can be done through HPHA, where HPHA can take over abandoned buildings to create housing for people. However, that needs to be done with transparency and surrounding community support.

State House District 23

  • Dale Kobayashi (D): No Response

State House District 24

  • Della Au Belatti (D): No Response
  • Andy Sexton, Jr. (Aloha Aina): No Response

State House District 25

  • Sylvia Luke (D): No Response

State House District 26

  • Kim Coco Iwamoto (D): Short: open all public restrooms, keep them open 24/7 and  stocked with supplies including soap, provide permanent housing - there are lots of vacant Airbnbs right now. Give every person the $600/week cash available to unemployed workers. Medium: mobilize social workers and healthcare workers to provide in-home services. Increase the minimum wage to a living wage. Long: Stop issuing building permits to luxury condo developers until all of the affordable housing we need  is built. Affordable housing developments cannot outbid luxury market for land, labor and materials.
  • Scott K. Saiki (D): No Response

State House District 27

  • Takashi Ohno (D): No Response

State House District 28

  • John M. Mizuno (D): No Response

State House District 29

  • Daniel Holt (D): No Response
  • James Logue (D): I believe in the short term the state should capitalize on tele-work and implement it permanently. By doing this we can reduce the amount of office space(s) needed for workers and storage. We can condense offices in to smaller spaces. With less space being needed for workers was can renovate the unused space to create housing which can be for things such as Housing First, mental health services, etc. For the long term for the mentally ill and addicted, I fully believe that we won't fix the problem without long term care facilities. For the long term for individuals and families who can't afford housing, I feel that the state should take more of a role in developing housing on state property for the homeless. From donating land to offering deep incentives for developers to partner up and create units, the state needs to step in and take charge of the situation, because it is only going to get worse now post-COVID.

State House District 30

  • P.M. Azinga (R): Candidate did not answer this question.
  • Romy M. Cachola (D): Candidate did not answer this question.
  • Sonny Ganaden (D): 1. Establish housing as a human right under state law. 
  • 2. Using CARES Act and rainy day funds, pass a rent and mortgage moratorium set to the duration of COVID-19. 3. Reorient the economy to support housing for the working class.
  • Tess Abalos Quilingking (R): Short term is to Classify houselessness then get funding this may require help from non profits and volunteers. medium is to create programs for each class to put them into a ready to work program, or to a treatment program. Long term is to work with established programs and also work with non profits to facilitate each class and assist them to be able to live on their own after finishing each program assigned.

State House District 31

  • Aaron Ling Johanson (D): No Response

State House District 32

  • Linda Ichiyama (D): No Response

State House District 33

  • Tracy Arakaki (D): The only way any of these solutions will work is we need to continue finding ways to increase our inventory of affordable rental units to ensure that our future residents will be able to live and stay in Hawaii, without living paycheck to paycheck. A lot of houseless are working folks. I want to focus on working class families and policies that help them to succeed and prosper, to give them the best possible chance in a globally competitive environment, by protecting local jobs, finding ways to offset the cost of living.
  • Jenny Boyette (R): As stated above, identifying the various groups and determining what the needs are which can be provided and accepted.  Not all, but some people truly do not want to be helped.  Part of the issue is also the group of homeless which are shipped here by other states.  That needs to he stopped immediately - especially in the age of COVID19.
  • Sam Satoru Kong (D): No Response

State House District 34

  • Keone F. Simon (R): No Response
  • Gregg Takayama (D): We need to increase programs available for homeless people with mental illness and drug problems. We need to encourage construction of more affordable rental housing. We need to strengthen the economy to address our currently high unemployment rate.

State House District 35

  • Carl E. Hood (R): No Response
  • Keline Kahau (Aloha Aina): I would like to see the families that are working but are houseless, and help them in ways of training education etc… I would like to see for findings in helping all individuals and families in a home and with finances.
  • Roy M. Takumi (D): No Response

State House District 36

  • Trish La Chica (D): In the short term, we need to provide the shelter space and support services necessary to meet our residents’ immediate needs.  This includes partnerships with the city to provide temporary and transitional bedspace, including those that can provide stabilization for individuals experiencing substance abuse or mental health needs. In the medium term, during the next legislative session we should implement laws that prevent additional families from slipping into homelessness - paid family leave, increasing the minimum wage, and universal healthcare to name a few.  Such legislation should also include a Homeless Bill of Rights. In the long term, we must incentivize the building of affordable housing through legislation like 201H that prioritizes housing for families earning 80% of the AMI and below.  Given the evident fragility of our economy, as seen by the recent ⅓ unemployment rate, we must also take steps to diversify to create more resilient jobs.  Investments in agriculture and green energy will allow for long term economic growth that produces jobs that also generally allow for safe physical distancing.
  • Marilyn B. Lee (D): No Response
  • Val Okimoto (R): No Response

State House District 37

  • Emil Svrcina (R): No Response
  • Ryan I. Yamane (D): No Response

State House District 38

  • Henry J.C. Aquino (D): No Response 

State House District 39

  • Ty J.K. Cullen (D): No Response
  • Austin L.S. Maglinti (R): No Response

State House District 40

  • Rose Martinez (D): No Response
  • Bob McDermott (R): The homeless issue is complex, with three components in my view.  Substance abuse, mentally ill, and the financially short termed economic victim of events.  Substance Abuse means a cnage of heart, we need to address their spiritual needs on this issue, programs not effective if you can't touch their heart.  Mental illness is a real challenge but recent reforms may make it eaiser to force people to take their medicine. Lastly, economic help has been available for those in short term situations trying to get back on their feet.  LG Green was doing a great job focused on this until COVID-19 hit us.

State House District 41

  • David Alcos (R): No Response
  • Matt LoPresti (D): I have passed legislation that I authored to help the homeless by removing hurdles to government identification (they often need this to get homeless services) and also supported in 2018 our legislatures greatest appropriation towards homelessness. I am not an expert on this, but I think a primary factor is the cost of living and the poverty that our state encourages and allows with such low minimum wages and lack of sick and family leave policies. If we raise the minimum wage to &17/hour and implement sick and family leave this will help everyone who lives at the edge of homelessness - just one paycheck away from being on the streets.
  • Mokihana Maldonado (D): No Response
  • Amanda J. Rathbun (D): No Response
  • Ryan Isamu Uehara (Nonpartisan): No Response

State House District 42

  • Sharon Har (D): No Response
  • Vickie L.P. Kam (D): Short term options are already on the table in the form of mobile outreach services and clinics. Funding to continue these efforts will be an important part of addressing the issue. Working with stakeholders to determine how to continue and increase these type services will be something I support. Additionally, medium range plans that include working with our law enforcement and mental health service providers need to be strengthened. Once a Homeless Bill of Rights is passed, it will be time to share those new community expectations and find assistance to increase community programs that can prepare the working poor for job training programs to gain financial stability. The state's Kauhale Project is an exciting development with great potential. I was able to attend several community meetings on this program and feel that it has a solid chance of success. Finally, when considering long term ways to address the issue of Hawaii's increasing homeless population, we have to face the need for truly "affordable housing". This term is used differently by different stakeholders and we must have the hard conversations around how our high cost of living is making it impossible for working families and those struggling with illness to find stable housing. I shared written testimony in support of several bills related to homelessness in Hawaii this legislative session. I believe there are long term solutions and now is the time to work together to insure all Hawaii's citizens are housed.

State House District 43

  • Stacelynn Kehaulani Eli (D): No Response
  • Diamond Garcia (R): In order to help with the problem, the house less individuals need a roof, bed and shower. I don’t care in what manner they get it but it needs to be done. There are many methods to ensure this but the current administration is constantly pushing back.
  • Shaena Dela Cruz Hoohuli (Aloha Aina): No Response
  • Michael Kahikina (D): That’s a collective effort and right now I don’t believe our collective thinking are so divided that I believe needs addressing.

State House District 44

  • Maysana Aldeguer (R): No Response
  • Cedric Asuega Gates (D): No Response
  • Jo Jordan (D): Continue to attend the HICH (Hawaii Interagency Council on Homelessness) meetings in the short term, in the medium & long term continue to support Dept. of Health, Human Services & Public Safety to a line programs that work with the houseless population. Work toward a better housing model for individuals/families that could be at risk of becoming houseless. Reduce barriers for houseless individuals/families so shelter can be attained sooner. Continue to support wrap around services.
  • Joseph K. Simpliciano, Jr. (Aloha Aina): No Response

State House District 45

  • Michael Chapman (D): In the short term: Instead of sending police officers to deal with houseless individuals, send social workers to conduct mental health assessments, direct individuals to shelters, and connect them with other resources. In the medium term: Expand our affordable housing supply, utilizing a range of dwelling options, such as shelters, micro-unit developments, and affordable apartments, and to include housing developments with on-site counselors, healthcare workers, and caseworkers. In the long term: Develop the economy in a way that benefits our struggling families, in order to diminish the causes of homelessness. Institute an atmosphere of rehabilitation over punishment that seeks to resolve, rather than punish, houselessness.
  • Lauren Matsumoto Cheape (R): No Response

State House District 46

  • Aaron James Kaleo Agsalda (D): No Response
  • Amy Perruso (D): Immediately, we need to remove barriers to the work of DHS (use of funds for stabilization beds often blocked for petty political reasons - c.f. Wahiawa Hospital) and provide more funds for our non-profit providers who are trying to find permanent housing for community members. We need to strengthen our safety net at every point and invest in people who need the help the most. I support investing state monies in public housing and in partnerships with legitimate and committed non-profit housing developers, for long-term housing solutions. We need to combine that approach with radically disincentivizing property speculation in the islands, both by mainland and international investors, and by forcing the military to develop adequate on-based housing so that military personnel are not using their huge housing stipends to distort our housing markets. Many different policy pieces need to be put into place, but we need to start adopting a holistic, common-sense, people-first approach to the houselessness crisis.

State House District 47

  • Sean Quinlan (D): No Response
  • Boyd Ready (R): Move legislation to lower the cost of housing and incentivize landowners and property owners to develop or adapt existing structures for low-cost housing uses.  Emphasize provision of sanitary facilities wherever houseless individuals congregate.  Examine sit-&-lie laws, changes to past vagrancy or loitering laws, and State and City land management practices that currently enable regularly sleeping rough (as the Brits call it).  Consider modifying adverse possession laws to incentivize better property management, especially by government land owners who chronically ignore unpermitted occupations.  Increase the amount of land zones as available for housing.  Examine why in-flll development is so slow in many underutilized parts of the city, make policy changes. See what works elsewhere.

State House District 48

  • Lisa C. Kitagawa (D): No Response
  • Kau‘i Pratt-Aquino, Esq. (D): If elected, I will work hard to address the issues I list in my response to question 21.

State House District 49

  • Kilomana Danner (R): Homeless people must be helped in an ohana style environment.  If you don’t work you don’t eat. 20 Working farms serving 20 people Homeless people should be established for those that want to work and produce. As they work the land and life grows from it.  Their live will be reworked at the same time with the same result. There are many ways, but removing the government master is the first change that must happen
  • Scot Matayoshi (D): No Response

State House District 50

  • Patrick Pihana Branco (D): 1. Decrease barriers to housing. 2. Make housing more affordable. 3. Support a housing first approach. 4. Increase funding for substance dependence treatment for individuals experiencing houselessness. 5. Support local charities/communities actively providing services for the houseless population.
  • Micah Pregitzer (D): I want to fully fund services for our homeless population, including 'ohana zones and mental health services, and repeal laws that criminalize poverty. I also want to defund homeless sweeps, which are nothing but a form of police harassment. Finally, I will focus on providing funding to nonprofit housing developers, who can build affordable housing at lower AMI ranges because they are not beholden to shareholders who demand increased profit margins to line their pockets.
  • Kanai Souza (R): No Response

State House District 51

  • Alan K. Akao (D): In the short term we need to invest in substance abuse and mental health treatment services and repeal offenses that criminalize homelessness such as closed park violations, sit-lie, and sidewalk structure/nuisance laws. We need to stop the sweeps. There needs to be services provided for identification and re-integration, which is a huge barrier for our houseless community. In the medium term we need to provide better wages to Hawaii's families and workers and strengthen social safety net programs. We need to address houseless minors and give them safe spaces as well. There needs to be investment in truly affordable housing and transitional housing facilities. In the long term we need to address Hawaii's capacity issues and how smart planning and mass transit infrastructure is needed so people have affordable ways to live, travel and work.
  • Coby K. K. Chock (D): No Response
  • Doni Leina‘ala Chong (R): No Response
  • Scott Grimmer (D): No Response
  • Erik K. Ho (Aloha Aina): In the short term: find out where they originated from, whether locally or they flew here. I would also get an accurate count for each island and what services are available equal to the population. In the medium term: For those who wish not to reintegrate into society but wish to have a place to stay, try to create areas where they can come together as a community like what was done on the Waianae Coast. In the long term: Provide for mobile care services so that those who continue to be houseless receive adequate care for prevention of spreading disease and illness.
  • Kukana Kama-Toth (R): It has to be a team approach. There are good things being done. We do not need to reinvent the wheel but we should be focusing on Localized services like I shared in the previous explanation and that is in regards to all areas (short term, medium and long term). For the communities who have health centers located in them they should have localized case managers following each of their housless/homeless helping to create the wrap around service approach, and for better understanding of their situations. Afterall, that is where they receive their medical care. If these towns/city does not have a health center then a community non profit whose focus is in this area should be handling the case management piece, linking this community of people to the resources needed. Sweeps NEED TO STOP. In order for case management to be successful the service provider needs to know where to locate them. Emergency shelters need to be more localized with funding funneling through the local (community)non profits that already service this community. We need more Transitional homes in more parts of each island. The only transitional housing available recently closed and a new entity is in transition but during this transition a large family slipped through the cracks and ended up on our beach here in Waimanalo so again, more transitional housing is needed. An educational factor is a must to help with paper obtainment for medical resources, ID's, Social Security, SNAP help and benefits etc. And This "one way in" approach through the VI-SPDAT? Again the intent is good but it encourages homeless/houseless to relocate out of the communities they call home encouraging them to trade one support for another. This happens because of funding to one main source (IHS). If these monies were given based upon the homeless/housless time count then why not have more localized help/efforts receive the funding to serve that community? I am only one individual but through collaborative efforts and idea sha
  • Lisa Marten (D): In the short term  in my district I support a current community initiative in Waimanalo on DLNR agricultural land to house people in tiny homes with a communal kitchen and bathrooms.  I am trying to help establish a home garden for the site. I will also continue to fight the spread of vacation rentals in residential neighborhoods which competes for housing and pushes up prices.  In the medium and long term we need to build dense, affordable housing.  It will be a priority to identify potential sites in commercial and BMX land that can benefit from existing State and County laws and incentives for affordable housing.

 

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