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The Legislature is meeting daily, with the senate and house committees meeting primarily on the budget. The senate also has before it quite a number of the governor’s nominations for boards and commissions.  The Senate COVID19 Special Committee has also continued to meet, and is currently focusing on more stringent public health safeguards so that deplaning passengers –visitors and residents—are checked for their health status, including thermal screens, and are ordered to adhere to the Governor’s 14-day self-isolation quarantine. Today I share with you other work going on that may interest you:

COVID SAFE LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES.
A couple of you asked about the safety of our most vulnerable kupuna in long term care facilities. I checked in on Dr. Keith Ridley, Chief of the Office of Health Care Assurance (OHCA), who shared the following:

During the past few weeks, OHCA contacted about 90% of Hawaii’s skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), with unannounced onsite or phone call inspections focusing on infection control. They found all of them to be in compliance with the official federal guidelines (of the CMS and the CDC). OHCA intends to contact the remaining 10% over the next several days.  Additionally, inspections of all state-licensed or certified health care facilities are continuing, including adult day care centers, as they become due for licensing or certification. Another division of the department of health, the Disease Outbreak Control Division (DOCD), will also be calling to educate these facilities on COVID guidelines over the next few weeks.

IMPROVEMENTS FOR SCHOOLS
The Ways and Means Committee today (Wednesday) heard an essential capital improvement projects (CIP) bill (HB2725 HD1 SD1) containing funding for new key projects in our district.  While not yet final– as the bill still needs the full vote of the legislature– support by both house and senate budget committees signifies general agreement. But stay tuned for the final vote next week. Some items of interest to our district are:

• Ala Wai Elementary:  $1,000,000 for covered playcourt (phase 2); $1,500,000 for school-wide electrical upgrades

• Jefferson Elementary:  $350,000 for dedicated electrical outlets of its aquaponics systems; $250,000 for electrical upgrades to Building R classrooms
• Kaahumanu Elementary:  $300,000 for cafeteria ceiling fans
• Lunalilo Elementary:  $277,000 for renovation of 1st floor B Building restrooms
• Washington Middle:  $250,000 for a coordinated performing arts studio
• Kaimuki High:  $400,000 for student center and cafeteria plans

IMPROVEMENTS FOR WAIKIKI
Another CIP item is the restoration of Waikiki Beach.  In one of my previous messages I mentioned that CIP funding was released for restoring/replacing the groin near the Royal Hawaiian Hotel and the work recently began.  Additional needs for the area is in the CIP budget for Fiscal Year 2021, which provides $1,850,000 for improvements related to the Waikiki Master Plan, including improvements along Waikiki Beach in the Sheraton-Halekulani, Royal Hawaiian, and Kuhio Beach sectors, sand restoration, refurbishment of derelict groins, and construction of new groins, with offshore sand dredging and beach sand placement.

SENATE WAYS & MEANS INFORMATIONAL BRIEFING
The committee asked the administration to provide more specific details on its proposed use of the federal appropriation to the state under the federal Coronavirus Aid Relief & Economic Security (CARES) Act.  The briefing will begin at 9:15 am tomorrow (Thursday). Presenting are representatives of the Office of the Governor, the Economic Navigator, Budget & Finance, Defense, Health, and Labor & Industrial Relations. See the agenda here.

IRS DEADLINE TO ENTER DIRECT DEPOSIT INFORMATION
Individuals who filed tax returns for 2018 or 2019 but do not have bank account information on file with the IRS have until 6:00am HT/12:00pm ET tomorrow, Wednesday, May 13 to provide their information if they want to receive their direct payment issued under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act via direct deposit. 

Payments for those who have not already received their payments and do not have direct deposit information on file after tomorrow will be issued via paper check.  Checks will be sent to the address provided on your 2018 or 2019 tax return, whichever you filed most recently.  The IRS will begin sending paper checks starting with those with the lowest income.  It will take several months for all paper checks to be sent out.

Individuals who have already received their CARES Act payments do not need to update their information.  Those who receive Social Security retirement, survivor, or disability benefits; Railroad Retirement benefits; SSI; or VA benefits also do not have to take any action but can use the “Get My Payment” tool to check the status of their payment.

To add or update your bank account information, visit www.irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment.  You will need your 2018 or 2019 tax return to access the portal.  Due to high demand, the site may take longer than usual to load.  

Non-tax filers
Those who are eligible but were not required to file taxes or do not receive social security benefits, can still visit www.irs.gov/coronavirus/non-filers-enter-payment-info-here to submit your information and receive your payment.

Eligibility for Direct Payments

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

Amount of Payment

• Individuals receive $1,200 (joint filers receive $2,400) plus $500 per child under 17 years old.
• Benefits start to phase out for those with incomes exceeding $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.

More Information

• For more information, please check the IRS’s website at www.irs.gov/coronavirus.  The “2020 Recovery Rebates” program is established by Title II (Sec. 2201) of the CARES Act.

To check the status of your payment, visit www.irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment.  You will need your 2018 or 2019 tax return to access the portal.  Due to high demand, the site may take longer than usual to load.

SENATE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE HEARING TOMORROW
The hearing covers measures relating to the budget.  Written testimony is accepted online at capitol.hawaii.gov.  Hearings are available for live viewing on Olelo and online.  To view the schedule, click here.  The hearing notices are below:
http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2020/hearingnotices/HEARING_WAM_05-13-20_.PDF
http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2020/hearingnotices/HEARING_WAM_05-13-20_DEFER_.PDF