b'HAWAIIEnergy Marketers Association ReportSpring 2025 25 Legislative Session STATEReportsThe Hawaii Senate Majorityannounced their legislative priorities in advance of the Hawaii State Legislatures Opening Day. They committed to collaborate with the Senate Minority and the House of Representatives to forge a stronger and more resilient future for Hawaii. They further noted their focus is to deliver impactful policies that uplift Hawaiis communities, fortify Hawaiis economy, and protect Hawaiis rich agricultural Bob Hoodinnovations and unparalleled natural resources. They summarized HEMA President the following areas of focus for this years legislative session:Education and Workforce DevelopmentReview initiatives for improving public school infrastructure,advancing technology integration across campuses, aligning curriculum to workforce needs, supporting career and technical education, and boosting student test performance. Focus on the agriculture, construction, and healthcare industries, with proposals to consider a regional kitchen program, appren-ticeships in public project development, and increased funding for nursing programs, respectively.Consider proposals to improve teacher and staff retentionamongst other educational initiatives. Housing, Homelessness, and StabilizingHawaiis Property Insurance MarketContinue to address the states housing crisis by considering proposals that streamline housing approvals and provide funding for housing infrastructure across the islands, and focusing on advancing affordable housing initiatives. Pursue efforts to address homelessness by increasing supportfor mental health services, while expanding on-going initiatives to reduce homelessness. Pursue the stabilization of Hawaiis property insurancemarket by providing homeowners with better access to hurricane and property insurance, and assisting condominium owners in exploring ways to address deferred maintenance and increasing costs of property insurance. General Governance and Constitutional Rights Continue the improvement of processes by enhancing legislative efficiency, including revisiting laws governinglegislative vacancies to streamline and strengthen theelection process. Encourage coordination among nonprofits for grant distribution. Address business losses due to theft.Reform state biosecurity programs to better protect Hawaiis unique ecosystems and agricultural industriesfrom invasive species and pests.WPMA News / Spring 202543'