Keiki Caucus

We have introduced 5 bills on behalf of the keiki of Hawaiʻi.

HB1775 would provide free breakfast and lunch to all public school students,

HB1776 would increase the applicable percentage of employment-related expenses that may be claimed for the household and dependent care services tax credit,

HB1777 would authorize dental hygienists to perform preventative dental services for some students,

HB1778 would prohibit the sale of flavored to***co products the mislabeled e-liquid products that contain ni****ne, and

HB1779 would establish a 3 year summer tuition pilot program to provide funding to UH community colleges so that the rates are aligned with the rest of the year’s.

Stay tuned for calls to action and bill updates as these move through the legislature!

Repost from - HAPPENING TONIGHT! Join from anywhere and make your voice heard, O’ahu youth.

DM or check our story for meeting link/number/password.

Last year’s budget did not fully fund public education, but our schools need this funding more than ever to make sure that quality teachers are there for our keiki. Join us in talking to your State Representatives and Senators about why we need to pass good bills and a strong budget to support Hawaiʻi’s future!

Stay tuned here for an overview of the bills we have introduced this session.

HEAR FROM YOUTH on Saturday, June 3rd from 1:30-3pm at Mililani High School’s Library on what safety means for youth and their families on O’ahu.

and will be in attendance to listen and answer questions, and Kimberly Allen of the Department of Health will be presenting the newest data on “sexual and gender minority” groups across Hawai’i, particularly students.

We will also be hosting a number of community organizations, who will be spotlighted here in the lead up to the event.

For youth who cannot attend but want to make your voice heard, please fill out the survey linked in our bio (printable QR code link also available on slide 2).

Looking forward to seeing you all there!

WEDNESDAY 4/26 - This year’s interns are all extremely motivated haumāna who are excited to present their final projects as their course and this legislative session comes to an end.

This Wednesday, 4/26, will be their final project presentations via Zoom from 4:15-5:15pm. Each of the five interns will share their project idea and plan focused on how to increase youth civic engagement based on what theyʻve learned and observed during their internship. Presentations will start at 4:15 and each intern will have up to 8 mins + 2 mins Q&A.

Gizelle @4:15. (Rep Poepoe)

Diego @ 4:25. (Rep Matsumoto)

Ella @4:45. (Sen Chang)

Lehua @ 4:35 (Rep Kapela)

Priscilla @ 4:55 (Rep Kapela)

We look forward to seeing you!

Hear from our interns about what young people should keep in mind when taking political action at the Capitol. What would you add to his list?

The high school interns in the Keiki Caucus Legislative Internship program spent Wednesday at the Capitol!

The morning started by attending the press conference on equal pay for women, and visiting their mentor’s offices.
In the afternoon, the group visited both the House and the Senate before attending hearings on bills they’re interested in.

Mahalo to , , , , and for making this day possible!

Diego Carranza is a senior at Leilehua High School, interning in the office of Rep. Lauren Matsumoto!

And that’s a wrap for our legislative interns this year - stay tuned for more insights as to what they’re learning and how they’re showing up for their communities.

What makes a “good” citizen? Our interns had a variety of answers. What do you think? And what needs to happen to ensure we can work towards a more equitable legislative process?

Meet Lehua Norris! She is an 11th grader at Konawaena High School, interning with Representative Jeanné Kapela as well.

CW discussion of su1cide: Our interns are tracking bills to learn about the legislative process - already, we have seen bills be deferred, as well as others effectively “killed” by not being scheduled for hearings in the committees they were referred to.

One bill that Intern Diego Carranza is tracking that is still “alive” was introduced by Rep. Mahina Poepoe: HB622 would permanently fund the Prevent Su***de Hawaiʻi Task Force in the Department of Health. Additionally, it will require the task force to focus on specifically reducing the su***de rate among Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders.

HB622 will next be heard in the House Finance Committee on Tuesday, 02/28/23 at 1:30PM, in Room 308.

Stay up to date with bill movement at the capitol.hawaii.gov website! And remember, as of this date - if a bill has been referred to 2 or more committees and HAS NOT been given a hearing in its first committee, it is effectively impossible for it to move to become law this session.

Priscilla, an 11th grader at Kaua’i High School, is interning in the office of Representative Jeanné Kapela this year!