YOUR VOICE COUNTS

Let your voice be heard.

Step 1- Get Registered (one-time only)

Go to the Hawaii State Legislature website to sign up.
Click "Register" on the upper right corner. Fill out the form. Remember your email and password.
You will receive an email with a couple of minutes delay. Click on the link provided in the email to confirm.

Step 2- Choose Bills from below and write your testimony.

Sample messages are available to copy and paste. Please amend to make it your own. Save what you have written in a document and re-submit it as the Bill moves through the committees.

Step 3- Submit your testimony on the State Legislature Website. Type in Bill number in the top left box to find your Bill.

#1 #2

HB1242

Close the Gas Loophole

COPY, PASTE IN MESSAGE BOX & EDIT

Talking points:

Create an even playing field for all utilities - HECO has renewable portfolio standards that it must meet.
Gas from current sources is a potent greenhouse gas and has no place in our carbon neutral future.
There are renewable alternatives and Hawaiʻi gas is lagging behind other gas companies in its effort to become renewable. Their facility to capture gas from one waste plant makes up 5% of their sales.
Hawaii Gas is acting in bad faith by aggressively lobbying against all energy efficiency measures, including ones that will save Hawaii residents significant amounts of money over time such as solar water heaters and efficient building standards.
The law is a soft push in the right direction - it includes a study and a list of 10 possible “events or circumstances beyond the gas company’s reasonable control” that may be used to avoid sanctions for failure to meet targets.

Introductions:

I strongly support HB1242. The gas industry needs to be part of our transition to 100% renewable energy in Hawaii if it wishes to do business here long term.
Please pass HB1242. Unlike the electric industry which has embraced and exceeded its renewable energy targets, gas has no requirements on it and has made little effort to invest in renewable product sources.

HB2635

Lower urban temperatures and absorb stormwater with trees and greenery in Honolulu's concrete jungle, and store carbon with a green urban core.

Amends the State plan to include green infrastructure and increase the urban tree canopy.

COPY SELECTION, PASTE IN MESSAGE BOX & EDIT

I [support / strongly support/request that you support/ask you to pass] HB2635.

A. As the climate warms and our urban areas are increasingly covered with impermeable surfaces we need to proactively promote tree planting to cool our communities and to absorb and retain rainwater.

B. We need to promote tree planting on public land if we are to achieve our goal to become carbon neutral by 2045.

B. This Bill will set the stage for all public projects in Hawaii to plan for green infrastructure from the start, thus maximizing benefits and minimizing costs.

C. Write your own!

By sending this form you are giving HCC permission to resubmit your testimony as the bill moves forward. We will add the salutation for each committee. A full record of submitted testimony will be available for you to see when you log in to the legislative system website.

Why bother writing letters to legislators?

Most bills in the Hawaii State legislature generate little or no public interest, so bills with public testimony and letters stand out.

Recent successes that enjoyed community support:

The law requiring Hawaii to generate 100% of its power from renewable sources by 2045.
The law requiring Hawaii to become carbon neutral by 2045.
The law that rewards HECO for performance instead of for buying expensive imported fuel.
The law requiring HECO to establish a community solar program so residents without roof space can also invest in solar panels.
The Public Utilities Commission rejected NextEra's request to take over HECO.

Some efforts fail, but supporting them gets the dialog going for future years.

Letters to the Editor / Opinion Pieces

Letters to the editor are an additional way to reach local legislators as well as influence public opinion.

There is an easy online form with instructions at http://www.staradvertiser.com/editorial. They will call
to confirm that it was you that submitted before they publish.

Letter writing tips:

• Refer to a current event, published article, legislative initiative to make the letter topical.
• Assume the reader has no previous knowledge of the issue.
• Prioritize just one or two points to make (150-word limit).
• Take a clear stand - it is an opinion piece.

Longer “guest writer” opinion pieces are also an option (500-600 words) but face a higher standard of
scrutiny.

Letters to the editor are an additional way to reach local legislators as well as influence public opinion. Examples by HCC below.