HILO — The 2016 legislative session begins today but a couple East Hawaii lawmakers appear to be getting a headstart.
As of Monday, six bills had been prefiled by area lawmakers, with all but one introduced by Rep. Joy San Buenaventura.
Among the legislation are efforts to clampdown on squatting, require appointments of the state’s chief of elections to be approved by the state Senate, and reform asset seizure laws.
San Buenaventura (D-Puna) said her elections bill is another response to the troubled 2014 election that saw voting for about 8,000 Puna residents delayed due to Tropical Storm Iselle.
“I think somebody needs to be accountable to the voters if somebody isn’t doing it right,” she said.
A growing issue in Puna subdivisions is people squatting in homes owned by people on the mainland or banks located overseas, San Buenaventura said.
Her bill would list squatting as a public nuisance, which would give neighborhood associations authority to evict the unauthorized residents.
During the session, San Buenaventura said she also intends to address a loophole in an insurance bill passed to help those affected by the June 27 lava flow that allows insurance companies to not insure for a six-month period.
She also wants to allow medical marijuana dispensaries to be able to grow plants in shade or greenhouses and require mediation between homeowners associations and residents before disputes head to court.
Sen. Russell Ruderman said he will seek funding to combat little fire ants, rat lung worm disease and albizia trees. He also plans to try to return permitting authority over geothermal projects to Hawaii County and get funding for a distance learning center in Puna.
Ruderman (D-Puna, Ka‘u) said the center could be modeled after the North Hawaii Education and Research Center in Honokaa.
Other bills will seek $5 million for a wastewater treatment center for Pahoa, give counties authority to legalize marijuana, allow hemp cultivation, ban neonicotinoid insecticides and restrict lobbyist contributions during legislative sessions.
Sen. Gil Kahele (D-Hilo) said he is considering introducing legislation to increase the state’s Transient Accommodation Tax from 9.25 percent to 9.50 percent.
The additional hotel room tax revenue would be placed in a special fund to expedite improvements to facilities used by visitors, he said.
“We invite a lot of tourists here, but some of our visitor sites are not the best in the world,” said Kahele, who chairs the Tourism and International Affairs Committee.
Rep. Clift Tsuji, who chairs the Agriculture Committee, said he will reintroduce a biosecurity bill aimed at beefing up cargo inspection for invasive species.
“Without inspectors, these invasives will keep on coming through,” he said.
Other bills will address drought mitigation and theft of agricultural equipment, said Tsuji (D-Hilo).
Other East Hawaii lawmakers are Rep. Mark Nakashima and Rep. Richard Onishi. They couldn’t be reached by deadline Monday, but they have co-sponsored legislation with other Big Island lawmakers prior to the start of the session.
Both Nakashima (D-Hamakua) and Onishi (D-Hilo, Keaau, Kurtistown, Volcano) sponsored a measure to create an invasive species rapid response special fund that was introduced by Rep. Nicole Lowen.
Another measure introduced by Lowen would provide $200,000 for research into rapid ohia death. Nakashima, Onishi and Tsuji signed on as co-sponsors.
Email Tom Callis tcallis@hawaiitribune-herald.com.