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  • Support local produce, Kakaako food distribution Friday, testing Sunday, Senate hearings and recess

    Support local produce, Kakaako food distribution Friday, testing Sunday, Senate hearings and recess

    Aloha Neighbor,

    The Senate and House ended the session today by passing the budget bills and a number of senate resolutions that resulted from hearings of the Senate COVID-19 Special Committee summarized below.  Also below are happenings in the district this weekend.

    Today, May 21, is Eat More Fruits and Vegetables Day.  See this resource page that connects consumers directly to local farms and food producers.  These resources include lists of farmers that sell direct to consumers, delivery and pickup options, and food subscription services.

    FRIDAY IS FOOD DAY IN KAKAAKO: May 22 & May 29
    Free food distribution at Kakaako’s Na Kupuna Makamae Center will again be available tomorrow (Friday) May 22 and also next Friday, May 29.  The food boxes, from partner Aloha Harvest, will be available noon to 2:30 p.m. at 653 Ala Moana Blvd., at the corner of Keawe Street and Ala Moana Boulevard.  This time please walk-in pickup NOT drive-thru.  Due to the high demand, deliveries to the elderly is limited to high-risk kupuna or those without families. Call 773-7047 or email carmenlee@pacificgatewaycenter.org.

    COVID19 TESTING: Sunday 5/24 at Kakaako Waterfront Park
    Drive-thru testing for COVID-19 will be offered by Premier Medical Group Hawaii from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Testing for regular PCR (nose swab) will be available; the attending doctor will determine who should be tested. You will need to self-quarantine. There is a charge but free if you don’t have insurance.

    Antibody testing (involves actual blood draw) is also available.  You will not need to self-quarantine. The testing will be free if you have insurance; but if you don’t, the local lab will charge $40.

    Those only taking part in the Antibody Testing will not need to self-quarantine. The following are encouraged to be tested:

    1. If you were previously COVID-19 positive, including their families and close contacts
    2. Healthcare workers and first responders
    3. Front line tourism industry workers with direct exposure to visitors
    4. Anyone with unexplained respiratory illness since January 2020 and were never tested for COVID-19.

    You should discuss test results with your healthcare provider to understand what the results mean for you.

    Test participants should follow the posted signs to the test area. You will first be screened and asked to provide personal information and contact numbers so results can be made known to them. For more information on the testing, contact Premier Medical Group Hawaii at (808) 304-8816 or (808) 367-6020.

    WHAT HAPPENED AT THE SENATE TODAY

    • Senate passes bills and recesses. The Senate passed the budget and governor appointments bills today. A number of bills were heard but will await our return in mid-June.  The Senate also adopted a number of COVID19 resolutions that came out of the special committee’s hearings: (1) urging restaurants to adopt the USFDA and National Restaurant Association safety guidelines; (2) convening a task force to assist restaurants in safe reopening;  (3) DOT to mandate the self-quarantine, safe travel and interisland forms; (4) travel quarantine to respond to any resurgence; (5) DOT/HTA to develop travel restriction notification procedure for airlines; (6) DOE to develop a strategy for reopening the schools.  The senate also established a special investigating committee.
    • Senate Joint Committee on Ways & Means and on Energy, Economic Development & Tourism was briefed on the state’s framework for economic recovery.  The committees heard the daunting revenue and budget projections from the departments of taxation and of budget & finance. With the backdrop of the grim fiscal reality, the committees invited three major departments to brief us on their plans for economic recovery and creation of jobs. The Director of Labor & Industrial Relations shared job training and employment service programs for the unemployed; Dean of the UH College of Tropical Agriculture & Human Resources (CTAHR) shared the framework for supporting the development of commercial agriculture, moving small farms to growing businesses; and the diverse programs of the Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism (DBEDT) – programs ranging from Hawaii Technology Development Corp, Hawaii State Energy Office, Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii, Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems, Creative Industries Division, and Hawaii Tourism Authority. Unfortunately, the DBEDT director aborted the session; but we hope he will provide the needed information in the coming weeks so we can work toward a strong recovery. When available, it will be posted on the committee’s web page.

    Take care and stay healthy!

  • Stimulus payment hotline, loss of health insurance, free advertising for biz

    Stimulus payment hotline, loss of health insurance, free advertising for biz

    Aloha Neighbor,

    The legislature is in recess today but will return tomorrow to pass the budget bills and governor appointments to boards and commissions.   We will recess beginning Friday (5/22) until mid-June. When we return we will be assessing the state of the state, knowing our revenues from the Council of Revenues that meets on May 28 and our needs (unemployment, business, etc.).  Although the legislature will be in recess, Senate committees can continue to meet to conduct official business.  Tomorrow, a joint committee hearing convenes to be briefed by the state administration on its plans for economic recovery.  Details are at the end of this message.

    I know there is economic suffering; and the state will continue to work with the counties and  private sector to serve our community(ies).  Today, I share information on several programs—federal, state and private– that might be of help to you.

    WHERE’S MY FEDERAL STIMULUS CHECK?
    The IRS is sending Economic Impact Payment – often called a stimulus payment – checks under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. But if you haven’t yet received yours, here’s some information:

    Who is eligible?

    • Anyone other than a nonresident alien, a dependent, or an estate
    • You must have a Social Security number for you, your spouse, and any child.  There is an exception for spouses of active duty military members.

    How much will I get? It depends:

    • Individuals receive $1,200 (joint filers receive $2,400) plus $500 per child under 17 years old.
    • Benefits start to phase out when your income exceeds $150,000 for married couples, $75,000 for singles, and $112,500 for single parents.
    • With the phase-out, payments will not go to single filers earning more than $99,000; head-of-household filers with one child, more than $146,500; and more than $198,000 for joint filers with no children.
    • Your income is based on your 2019 tax return; if you did not file taxes for 2019, the Treasury will use your 2018 tax return.

    Questions? You can call IRS directly at 800-919-9835. But… wait times might be long so you might want to visit the website FAQ at:
    www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payment-information-center.

    You can also check on the status of your payment at www.irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment but have your 2018 or 2019 tax return ready to access the portal. If you are eligible but not required to file taxes or don’t receive social security benefits, go to: www.irs.gov/coronavirus/non-filers-enter-payment-info-here.

    NEED HEALTH INSURANCE?
    If you have lost health insurance you can obtain help through Medquest –Hawaii’s version of Medicaid. You can find out if you are eligible within a day or two by filling  out an online application at     medical.mybenefits.hawaii.gov. Note: even if you were disqualified from SNAP (for example because you received your $600 stimulus check), you can still qualify for Medquest.

    If you don’t qualify for Medquest, apply at healthcare.gov with lower copays and premiums. There is typically an open enrollment period but you can still apply within the 60 days after the day you lost employment.

    NEED FREE ADVERTISING?
    A group of Hawaii radio stations, iHeartMedia Honolulu, is sharing their expertise and “heart” free of charge to local businesses. They’ve launched at: Support808.com which lists restaurants, retailers, and shops that are providing services during the shutdown.

    They are conducting a half a million-dollar campaign per month in advertising on all of the stations pushing Support808.com; at least two mentions an hour.  Anyone wishing to post their business can email their information to flash@iheartmedia.com and it will be posted on the site.

    SENATE JOINT COMMITTEE BRIEFING TOMORROW (5/21)
    The Senate wants to hear about the state’s plan for economic recovery.  The Committee on Ways and Means joins the Committee on Energy, Economic Development and Tourism to be briefed by the several departments of the administration, beginning at 1 pm. It will hear from the department of taxation (on the monthly revenues), budget & finance (on the state financial situation), state economist, and programs of the department of business, economic development and tourism and from the department of agriculture and UH CTAHR on their economic recovery plans as we enter the “new normal.”  See the agenda here and you can watch it live on Olelo Channel 49 or olelo.org.

    Take care and stay healthy!