Ala Moana board unanimously endorses eight state bills, urges residents to testify

The Ala Moana Neighborhood Board voted unanimously on Jan. 27 to formally endorse a package of eight state bills the board said would benefit neighborhood residents.

Second Vice Chair Dale Vanderbrink presented the slate, which included HB1190 (prohibiting campaign funds from carrying over to subsequent elections), HB886 (restrictions on allowing an operator to resume use of a motor vehicle after being cited for driving without a valid license), HB1314 (school mental-health check-ins for grades 6–12), and HB1806 (allowing condominium education trust fund money to be used for owner education and stakeholder inclusion). The board also endorsed a set of bills from Representative Olds addressing safe waterways and encampments near waterways (HB1958), preserving bus-stop access for Kupuna and persons with disabilities (HB1957), enforcement against obstructing residential and commercial entrances (as described in the presentation), and HB2167, a pilot program providing immediate financial stabilization for vulnerable youth ages 18–25.

"I selected the ones I think are best for our neighborhood that I think we can support and are good for our community," Vanderbrink said during his presentation. The board then moved and seconded a motion to endorse the slate; the chair recorded 10 ayes, 0 nos and 0 abstentions.

Board members urged residents to engage with the legislative process. "It really does make a difference to get out there and understand the process of making laws and providing testimony," board member Eduardo Hernandez said, pointing listeners to capitol.hawaii.gov and other online resources to track bills and testimony.

What the board endorsed

- HB1190 — Campaign-fund carryover restrictions (presented as a measure to limit retention of campaign funds).
- HB886 — Officer procedures when an operator is cited for driving without a valid license (presented as preventing an unlicensed driver from resuming vehicle use).
- HB1314 — School mental-health check-ins for grades 6–12.
- HB1806 — Condominium education trust fund use and stakeholder recognition for unit owners.
- HB536/HB1958 (as presented) — Provisions to protect freshwater waterways and prohibit domiciling within set distances of waterways (as described by the presenter).
- HB1957 — Measures to keep bus stops safe and accessible, especially for Kupuna, Keiki and persons with disabilities (applies to cities with population >300,000 per the presentation).
- HB195? (entrance/egress enforcement) — Enforcement procedures to prevent blocking private doorways and commercial entrances.
- HB2167 — Financial stabilization pilot for vulnerable youth ages 18–25.

The board says it will "keep tracking these bills to see where they go throughout the process," and encouraged residents to submit testimony or attend hearings. Vanderbrink told members he had coordinated with legislators and that the board's endorsements would be transmitted to the Capitol and to the sponsoring legislators for their reference.

Ending

The endorsement is advisory: the neighborhood board is an advisory body and does not change law. Board members said they planned to follow the bills through the session and encouraged neighborhood testimony to influence outcomes.