Ka‘ū News Briefs Wednesday, January 17, 2018

Queen Lili‘uokalani, in 1916, after the overthrow of her government. She is seated at Washington Place, now official residence of the Governor of Hawaiʻi in Honolulu. Wednesday marks the 125th anniversary of the overthrow of the  Kingdom of Hawaiʻi. It is also opening day for the 2018 Hawaiʻi State Legislature. Photo by James Watson Moser

THE 125TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE OVERTHROW OF THE KINGDOM OF HAWAIʻI is Wednesday, Jan 17. Gov. David Ige released a statement saying, "This is a special day in the history of Hawaiʻi. A few months ago, we remembered Queen Liliʻuokalani, who put her people first, before money or power. She chose the common good for a better collective existence. I believe we must follow her example as we move forward together as one people." It was during Liliʻuokalani's reign that the Hawaiian Kingdom was overthrown.
     Read about the life of Liliʻuokalani, the first female monarch of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Read about her commitment and her gift to the children of Hawai‘i at the Queen Lili‘uokalani Trust website, history.com, and biography.com. She is also the composer of the song Aloha ʻOe.

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THE HAWAIʻI LEGISLATURE OPENED ITS 2018 SESSION ON WEDNESDAY, Jan. 17. Representing Ka‘ū are: Sen. Josh Green, M.D., serving Honuʻapo through Nāʻālehu, Discovery Harbor, Ka Lae, Nāʻālehu, and Ocean View through Kona; Sen. Russell Ruderman, serving Honuʻapo through Pāhala, Volcano and into Puna; Rep. Richard Creagan, M.D., serving Honuʻapo through Nāʻālehu, Discovery Harbor, Ka Lae, Nāʻālehu, Ocean View into Kona; and Rep. Richard Onishi, serving Honuʻapo through Pāhala, Volcano into Puna and into Hilo.

Saint Damien, the priest who cared for the Hansen's disease patients on the island of Molokaʻi, is a watchful symbol in  front of Hawaiʻi Capitol as the State Legislature opens its 2018 session on Wednesday. Photo from Hawaiʻi House of Representatives

     To find out what kind of legislation is proposed and who is sponsoring it, see capitol.hawaii.gov, where bills can be followed by number, by subject, by key words, and by who is sponsoring them. Testimony is invited. Learn how to do research, submit bills, and interact with elected officials at Hawaiʻi Public Access Room.
     See Sen. Josh Green's agenda below and Rep. Richard Creagan's agenda from the Dec. 27 Ka‘ū News Briefs. Read future briefs for Sen. Russell Ruderman's and Rep. Richard Onishi's agendas.

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STATE SENATOR JOSH GREEN, M.D., who represents west Ka‘ū and Kona, announced his legislative agenda for 2018 during opening day of the Hawaiʻi Legislature on Wednesday, Jan. 17. He said his package of bills aims at "strengthening and supporting Hawaiʻi families, with special attention to the needs of working families, women, and children."
     Said Green, "This package of bills addresses the real needs of Hawaiʻi's working families. It includes proposals that will make a real difference in people's lives, like raising the minimum wage, creating more affordable housing, plans for debt-free college and universal healthcare, and new solutions to the homeless crisis."

Senators Nicole Lowen and Josh Green, with Rep. Richard Creagan. Photo from Big Island Video News

     Regarding women's issues, Green's legislation provides for equal pay, paid family leave, affordable child care, and grants greater protections against gender discrimination, sexual harassment, and sex trafficking. "We need more specific laws that protect the rights of women," Green said. "When women are stronger, Hawaiʻi is stronger."
     The package also includes environmental legislation to restrict use of certain pesticides, lower carbon emissions, and transition state vehicles and facilities to renewable energy. "We must do more to protect and preserve our environment," Green said. "It's something I strongly believe in and will continue working on."
     As Chair of the Senate Committee on Human Services, Green said he continues to work on the challenges of the opioid epidemic and the homeless crisis, including legislation introduced in 2017 that would make homelessness a medical condition that could be diagnosed by a physician and treated with prescribed housing. "Hawai‘i is one ‘Ohana," Green said. "We should never turn our backs on anyone, or leave anyone behind." Green, an Emergency Room physician, practices medicine on the Big Island. He announced late last year that he will run for Lt. Governor in 2018. For more information, contact the Senator at (808) 937-0991.

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Sen. Mazie Hirono talked with Secretary of Defense Jamis Mattis on Wednesday, urging a peaceful resolution of the situation with North Korea.

SEN. MAZIE HIRONO SPOKE WITH SECRETARY OF DEFENSE JAMES MATTIS on Wednesday, Jan. 17. She said she emphasized the importance of strong diplomatic efforts to resolve tensions with North Korea.

A PUBLIC HEARING FOR KA‘Ū LEARNING ACADEMY, the public charter school at the old Discovery Harbour Golf Clubhouse, will be scheduled. On Tuesday, Jan. 16, the school administrators asked for the public hearing following a notice from the state that its charter could be revoked. The state Charter School Commission announced that it will set a hearing for public discussion on the future of the school.

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Smoking is more costly to Hawaiʻi people than to smokers in almost every other state, according to a new WalletHub report. Photo from WalletHub

CIGARETTES COST HAWAIʻI'S SMOKERS MORE THAN $2 MILLION over a lifetime and $40,542 a year in direct costs and loss of work, health, and other opportunities. A WalletHub analysis released Wednesday, Jan. 17, ranks Hawaiʻi as one of the states where residents pay the most for their tobacco addiction. The Out of Pocket Cost to a smoker in Hawaiʻi is $167,536 - ranking 47th. The state with the lowest cost for smoking is North Dakota. The highest is New York.
     The Lost Financial Opportunity for smokers in Hawaiʻi is $1,407,368 over a lifetime. The Health Care Cost for Hawaiʻi smokers is $185,243; the Income Loss per Smoker is $293,666.
     The WalletHub summary on smoking says: "Smoking doesn't just ruin your health. It can also burn a nasty hole through your wallet. Tobacco use accounts for nearly half a million deaths in the U.S. each year and is the leading cause of lung cancer, according to the American Lung Association. Even those around tobacco smokers aren't safe from its harmful effects. Since 1964, smoking-related illnesses have claimed 20 million lives in the U.S., 2.5 million of which belonged to nonsmokers who developed diseases merely from secondhand-smoke exposure.
     "However, the economic and societal costs of smoking are just as huge. Every year, Americans spend more than $300 billion, which includes both medical care and lost productivity. Unfortunately, some people will have to pay more depending on the state in which they live."
     See the entire report at WalletHub.