Instead of going our separate ways at the conclusion of last year’s session, House and Senate members continued to work in preparation for this year. We also forged a stronger relationship with House leadership, and that effort has resulted in the reconvening of 8 conference committees beginning today. This is the first time in at least a decade that an agreement like this has been reached. Through continued discussion, both House and Senate leaders also agree that investing in our state facilities while streamlining the process for repair and maintenance projects is not only necessary, but critical to providing a boost to our local economy.   

Tsutsui also calls for spending on needed infrastructure and other projects, noting that legislation is already in the works:

This bill will have two primary objectives, one to aggressively cut into the State’s multibillion dollar deferred repair and maintenance backlog, and second would be to immediately create jobs for our local residents. 

Projects would be seen in every single one of our 255 public schools, all 10 University of Hawaii campuses, all of our State hospitals, and provide work for painters, roofers, electricians, masons, plumbers, and local engineers, just to name a few, in every corner of our State, and in return generate millions of dollars in disposable income throughout our economy.