• Appropriating over $1 billion to support the State’s response to the August 2023 Maui wildfires, including:
  • $362,000,000 as an emergency appropriation for fiscal year 2023-2024 to address costs related to the provision of food, housing, compensation, or other assistance to individuals affected by the Maui wildfires; and
  • $447,159,926 out of a combination of general revenues and assorted special funds for fiscal year 2024-2025 to provide ongoing wildfire relief, recovery, management, and prevention;
• Enhancing the State’s fight against invasive species by appropriating $19,780,660 to the Department of Agriculture for programs and positions for the Department’s biosecurity program;
• Supporting Hawaii’s coffee farmers by requiring coffee products to be at least 51 percent coffee by weight from coffee grown in Hawaii before they can be labeled or advertised as originating in Hawaii;
• Providing a historic level of tax relief to the State’s working families by increasing the standard deduction amounts for each filing status for taxable years 2024, 2026, 2028, 2030, and 2031, and amending the income tax brackets to widen the applicability of lower tax rates to the taxable income of each filing status for taxable years 2025, 2027, and 2029;
• Establishing a Business Revitalization Task Force within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to improve the State’s general economic competitiveness and business climate;
• Responding to the demand for increased Hawaiian language immersion education by appropriating $3,544,683 and 13 positions for the Department of Education’s Kaiapuni education programs;
• Establishing the Solar Hui Program to allow financing for installation of solar rooftop by low- and middle-income families in a multi-family residential property;
• Exempting from the general excise tax health care goods and services provided to patients who receive Medicaid, Medicare, or TRICARE benefits;
• Authorizing the counties to amortize or phase out certain short-term rentals;
• Increasing the monthly personal needs allowance for individuals living in certain long-term care facilities;
• Proposing a constitutional amendment enshrining marriage equality in the State;
• Establishing an Office of the Fire Marshal and appropriating funds for a State Fire Marshal and support positions; and
• Increasing the penalty for a third or subsequent offense involving the unauthorized driving or operation of a motor vehicle to a class C felony.

Despite the uncertainty with which it began, the Regular Session of 2024 ended with a fulfillment of the Legislature’s commitment to enacting changes centered on the present and future well-being of the people of Hawaii. The historic legislation passed during the Regular Session of 2024 will undoubtedly serve as a strong foundation for the House of Representatives to continue to move forward as faithful stewards of the State and our lands, willing and able to address whatever new challenges the future may hold.

• What is the Hawaii Property Insurance Association (HPIA)?: The HPIA is a nonprofit insurance carrier established by the Hawaii Legislature in 1991. It was created to provide property insurance to residents living in Lava Zones 1 and 2 who were unable to secure insurance on the private market.
• What are Lava Zones?: There are 9 lava zones for the five volcanoes (Kīlauea, Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea, Hualālai, and Kohala) on the Big Island. The US Geological Survey (USGS) ranks these zones from 1 through 9, representing a scale of decreasing hazard as the numbers increase, based on the probability of coverage by lava flows.
• How are Lava Zones determined?: The hazard zones are based on the locations of probable eruption sites, past eruption sites, paths of lava flows, and the frequency of lava flow inundation of an area over the past several thousand years. The boundaries of these zones are gradual, and the hazard decreases as you move further from an eruptive vent.
• What is the purpose of Lava Flow Maps?: The lava flow maps were developed for general planning purposes and designed to show the relative hazard across Hawaii Island. They are intended to convey volcanic hazard rather than risk.
• How does the HPIA operate?: Private insurance companies wishing to do business in Hawaii must join the HPIA. These companies contribute to a shared pool that covers the expenses, losses, and profits of the association in proportion to their market share of casualty and property insurance in the state.
• What financial challenges is the HPIA currently facing?: The HPIA is currently dealing with financial difficulties due to the 2018 Lava Flow in Puna, which resulted in 152 insurance claims and a total loss of $35 million.
• How have these challenges affected insurance premiums?: Due to these losses, the HPIA has had to increase insurance premiums.
• Who oversees the HPIA?: The HPIA is governed by a 12-member board of directors, which includes eight representatives from insurance companies, one representative from insurance agents, and three representatives from the public.
• What insurance coverage does the HPIA currently offer?: Currently, the HPIA does not offer hurricane insurance, and there is no specific lava policy insurance.
• How much does HPIA insurance cost?: The cost to insure a property with the HPIA depends on the coverage limits chosen by the homeowner. For example, if a homeowner decides to insure their dwelling, personal property, and potential loss of use, the total insurable value could be up to $450,000.
• What areas does the HPIA cover?: The HPIA provides insurance coverage throughout Hawaii, including homes that may not meet the standard criteria for private market insurance, such as older homes not maintained or houses built on the shoreline.
• What are the insurance rates for homes in Lava Zones 1 and 2?: For homes in lava zones one and two, the insurance rates with HPIA are significantly higher than those of Universal Property and Casualty Insurance Co., with the average insurance rate with HPIA being around $4,000.
• What is the impact of Universal Property and Casualty Insurance Co.’s withdrawal?: Universal Property and Casualty Insurance Co.’s withdrawal from Hawaii will affect approximately 1,500 insurance policies across our state, non-renewing a few hundred insurance policies per month, with all terminations expected by August 31, 2024.
• How will this withdrawal impact Puna?: This withdrawal is particularly significant for Puna because 1,000 of the affected insurance policies are on the Big Island, mainly in Lava Zones 1 and 2.
• What are the options for homeowners affected by Universal Property & Casualty’s exit?: The Hawai‘i Insurance Division encourages homeowners to talk to their agent to identify insurance coverage options in their area. If homeowners are unable to obtain Homeowners or Dwelling Fire coverage from a private insurance company, they may qualify for coverage from the Hawaii Property Insurance Association (HPIA).

Reopening the Pohoiki Boat Ramp is the top priority for Representative Greggor Ilagan’s office.

The Pohoiki Boat Ramp played a significant role in the Puna community and local economy, offering an ocean access point for commercial fishing, oceanic and volcanic tours, and food sustainability as well as cultural practices.

The new projected timeline is:
• 6/14/2024 Completion of Project Plan, Specifications, and Bid Documents
• 6/25/2024 Issue solicitation for bids
• 7/17/2024 Receive bids and award contract
• 8/23/2024 Execute construction contract and issue Notice to Proceed
• 9/03/2024 Construction starts
• 5/30/2025 Construction completes

These dates are subject to change as unforeseen delays can and do occur. This project is subject to multiple State, County, and Federal agency reviews, approvals, and permits; the timelines of which are controlled by the reviewing/approving agency(s) involved. Notice to Proceed for construction cannot commence until all agency reviews, approvals, and permits are obtained.

Rep. Greggor Ilagan delivered $5.4 million of state funding for Puna to begin dredging the black sands and provide access to the ocean. He is collaborating closely with the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), The Limtiaco Consulting Group, Office of U.S. Senator Brian Schatz, Mazie Hirono, and Congresswoman Jill Tokuda, State Senator Joy San Buenaventura and Hawaii County.

Traffic in Highway 130

Puna residents faced a major setback when $1.5 million in state and county funding for the Puna Makai Alternate Route (PMAR) feasibility study lapsed on June 30, 2024. The state funding, secured in 2022 by Representative Greggor Ilagan, was intended to determine the best road alignment for the project. However, delays and a lack of support from the previous Hawaii County Council led to this unfortunate outcome. This study was essential for developing an alternative route to ease traffic congestion and provide a safe evacuation path during natural disasters.

From the start, the Hawaiʻi County Council chose not to allocate funding for the Puna Makai Alternate Route study. Their initial vote against the bill confirming the funding played a key role in this setback. Instead of reconsidering their decision, they advanced a new bill that redirected funds toward a broader Puna-wide study—prolonging the timeline and shifting focus away from dedicated efforts to establish the Puna Makai Alternate Route.

This lapse was a direct result of decisions made by the County Council. Their unwillingness to commit to the Puna Makai Alternate Route and failure to properly allocate the funding are the reasons we are now facing this setback.

• June 2023 – The County of Hawaiʻi requested the release of funds through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Department of Transportation (DOT).
• September 2023 – The DOT approved and signed off on the request.
• October 2023 – The Governor released the funds, allocating them to the County with a requirement that a $500,000 match be provided.
• January 2024 – The Hawaiʻi County Council voted down a bill that would have allocated and confirmed the funding.
• Following the vote – Rather than addressing the issue, the Council introduced another bill to conduct a broader Puna-wide study, diverting focus from the Puna Makai Alternate Route.
• March 2024 – At this stage, it was believed that the funding had been accepted. The previous administration indicated that the next step was awarding the contract. Efforts continued to monitor the status.
• June 30, 2024 – The funds unexpectedly lapsed because the County failed to provide the required match, which would have triggered the release of state funding.

Despite this setback, Representative Ilagan remains committed to securing the necessary funding and keeping the project on track—this time without relying on the County Council. While he initially believed that collaboration between the County and State was essential for the project’s long-term success, it has become clear that the state must take the lead to ensure its completion and deliver for the Puna community.

An alignment study is needed to determine the best possible route for the Puna Makai Alternate Route (PMAR) that the community can support. Previous studies conducted in 2005 left unresolved issues, preventing progress and a clear course of action. Without a defined and agreed-upon route, unnecessary expenses and delays could arise, including additional environmental impact studies, archaeological and cultural resource assessments, traffic analyses, and permitting reviews for multiple alternative options. Instead, resources should be focused on identifying and advancing a single designated route that would officially serve as PMAR.