House Speaker Saiki comes into 2024 legislative session with commitment to center Hawai‘i

It’s been 162 days since a wildfire ripped through the small Maui town of Lāhainā destroying much of the old fishing village and leaving nearly 100 people dead.

During the State Legislature’s opening day at the capitol, House Speaker Scott K. Saiki told fellow state representatives during the chamber’s 2024 opening session that the shockwaves from the Maui disaster have not yet subsided.

As lawmakers embark on the 32nd Hawai‘i State Legislative Session, Saiki said they do so “somberly, with gratitude and determination.”

Saiki highlighted the work already done to address the Maui disaster and what issues were laid bare in its wake that impacted communities statewide. In August, the House formed working groups and crafted bi-partisan bills headed into this coming session. Topics included:

• Food, Water, and Other Supplies
• Shelter
• Environmental Remediation
• Jobs and Business
• Schools
• Wildfire Prevention

In a press conference after his speech, Saiki specifically noted water management and dealing with short-term vacation rentals as priorities with statewide impacts.

“We can’t do anything in our state without a water source,” he said. “There will be bills this session on how to better manage and prioritize water use in the state.”

While the fires on Maui highlighted the lack of emergency preparedness, Saiki said it also magnified the housing crisis.

When the Federal Emergency Management Agency worked to find housing for those displaced by the fire, Saiki said the agency identified 13,000 short-term rentals.

“We need to address short-term rentals in order to solve our affordable housing crisis here,” Saiki said.

Majority Leader Rep. Nadine Nakamura said in the Maui fire bi-partisan package there is legislation that addresses non-conforming short-term vacation rentals.

“What we plan to do is introduce this bill that gives the counties explicit authority to phase out these non-conforming uses in long-established residential areas,” Nakamura said.

By phasing out these short-term vacation rentals it will turn them back into long-term uses that will help residents.

Rep. David Tarnas, who represents Hāwī, Hala‘ula, Waimea, Makahalau, Waiki‘i, Waikōloa, Kawaihae, Māhukona, also responded to questions during the press conference about the legalization of adult-use cannabis.

While there is public interest, Tarnas said constituents are also concerned over a strong state budget and making sure Maui gets what it needs as it recovers from the fires.

“There is still a lot of skepticism to legalizing adult-use cannabis but we’re motivated to moving this bill forward while also doing what’s best for public safety and the state of Hawai‘i,” Tarnas said.

Saiki hopes that addressing these issues will center Hawai‘i.

“Members – to center Hawai‘i is to center values that make sense for island communities and for our responsibilities as stewards of the public trust,” Saiki said to his fellow representatives. “We will need to remind ourselves of these values frequently, especially in a time of urgent decisions, and uncertain economic prospects.”

To center Hawai‘i, Saiki added, is to identify competing issues in the state from all extremes and see how the House can position them to have effective policies going forward.