<em>October 25, 2021</em>
<h3>Rep. Kapela Joins Lawmakers in Defending Mauna Kea Protectors</h3>

<a href="/memberfiles/House/Kapela/Images/MaunaKea.jpg"><img 
src="/memberfiles/House/Kapela/Images/MaunaKea.jpg" title="" 
width="300" height="200" align="center" style="padding right:10px"/></a>
<br><br>
Although the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands had planned a sweep 
of individuals who continue to occupy the area around the Maunakea Access 
Road, three Hawaii lawmakers have formally asked the department chair to 
explore possibilities that would permit the protesters to remain on the mountain.
<br><br>
"If they were to do something like this, COVID or not, and even if our 
hospitals are full and even if we're in the very worst part of the 
pandemic that we’ve seen so far, people wouldn't hesitate to protect 
Maunakea. We would just continue to see case numbers skyrocket," Rep. 
Kapela said. "It's never a good time, but now is absolutely the wrong time."
<br><br>
For more, see: 
<a href="https://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/local-news/2021-09-07/lawmakers-
warn-state-removal-of-maunkea-kiai-could-result-in-larger-gatherings">MAUNA KEA</a>. 
<hr>

<em>October 8, 2021</em>
<h3>Rep. Kapela joins nationwide protests in support of reproductive rights</h3>

<a href="/memberfiles/House/Kapela/Images/AbortionRally.jpg"><img 
src="/memberfiles/House/Kapela/Images/AbortionRally.jpg" title="" 
width="300" height="400" align="center" style="padding right:10px"/></a>
<br><br>
Nearly 100 West Hawai'i residents took to the streets on October 2, 2021 to join citizens 
across the nation rallying in support of abortion rights in Hawai'i and beyond.
<br><br>
"Today we are here to advance reproductive rights across our state and increase access to 
reproductive care, but also because there is an attack against reproductive rights in 
our nation right now," said one of the rally’s organizers Rep. Jeanne Kapela (D-South Kona, 
Ka'u and a portion of North Kona).
<br><br>
For more. click the following link: 
<a href="https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2021/10/03/hawaii-news/west-hawaii-residents-
join-nationwide-protests-in-support-of-abortion-rights">REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE</a>.

<hr>

<em>July 21, 2021</em>
<h3>Safety Must Be Prioritized As Schools Reopen</h3>

<a href="/memberfiles/House/Kapela/Images/SafetyPriority.jpg"><img 
src="/memberfiles/House/Kapela/Images/SafetyPriority.jpg" title="" 
width="300" height="200" align="center" style="padding right:10px"/></a>
<br><br>
The Hawaii Department of Health is currently revising school guidance, but with two weeks 
until school starts, there’s still a lot of uncertainty. Meanwhile, state lawmakers are 
lending a helping hand in keeping classrooms safe.
<br><br>
"This past year, the legislature did appropriate money to the Department of Education," 
said Rep. Jeanne Kapela, (D) Naalehu, Ocean View, Captain Cook, and Kailua-Kona. "I'm 
hopeful that it's going to be used specifically for HEPA filters or bringing in more 
air filtration into our classrooms. Especially those that don’t have maybe windows or 
the possibility to have free flowing air coming into the classroom as easily as others."
<br><br>
For more, visit the following link: 
<a href="https://www.khon2.com/coronavirus/as-new-school-year-approaches-plans-to-
bring-students-back-remains-unclear">SCHOOL SAFETY</a>.
<hr>

<em>July 6, 2021</em>
<h3>Rep. Jeanne Kapela speaks out against Asian American discrimination</h3>

<a href="/memberfiles/House/Kapela/Images/AsianAmericanDiscrimination.jpg"><img 
src="/memberfiles/House/Kapela/Images/AsianAmericanDiscrimination.jpg" title="" 
width="300" height="200" align="center" style="padding right:10px"/></a>
<br><br>
Hundreds rallied at the state Capitol and marched through Chinatown on Saturday in a show of unity against 
targeted attacks on Asian Americans in the U.S., most recently highlighted when a man shot and killed eight 
people, six of whom were women of Asian descent, at three spas in the Atlanta area earlier this month.
<br><br>
State Rep. Jeanne Kapela (D, Naalehu-Captain Cook-Keauhou) referred to the March 16 shooting in the Atlanta 
area "as another outbreak of the ongoing epidemic of mass gun violence here in our country, and it was also 
an act of racial terror against Asians and Asian Americans."
<br><br>
For more, click the following link: 
<a href="https://www.staradvertiser.com/2021/03/28/hawaii-news/rallying-against-hate">STOP ASIAN HATE</a>. 
<hr>

<em>July 1, 2021</em>
<h3>Rep. Kapela fights for teacher bonuses, funding for Hawai'i’s education system</h3>

<a href="/memberfiles/House/Kapela/Images/TeacherBonuses.jpg"><img 
src="/memberfiles/House/Kapela/Images/TeacherBonuses.jpg" title="" 
width="300" height="200" align="center" style="padding right:10px"/></a>
<br><br>
A bill that would give $2,200 bonuses to Hawai'i public school teachers is now on Gov. 
Ige's intent to veto list. The announcement came during the week of Monday, June 21, 
but one lawmaker believes it could work. 
<br><br>
"There is a question about federal money being utilized in this bill and it has 
actually nothing to do with that $2,200 teacher incentive," said Rep. Jeanne Kapela. 
"There are whole states that have used money they’ve received through the American Rescue 
Plan to help give teachers an incentive or to give them a bonus of some sort."
<br><br>
For more, click the following link: 
<a href="https://www.khon2.com/local-news/lawmakers-fight-for-teacher-bonuses-funding-for-hawaiis-education-system">TEACHER RETENTION INCENTIVE</a>. 
<hr>


<em>June 24, 2021</em>
<h3>Rep. Jeanne Kapela Fights for Teacher Shortage Pay Increases</h3>

<a href="/memberfiles/House/Kapela/Images/TeacherPayIncrease.jpg"><img 
src="/memberfiles/House/Kapela/Images/TeacherPayIncrease.jpg" title="" 
width="300" height="200" align="center" style="padding right:10px"/></a>
<br><br>
State Rep. Jeanne Kapela (D, Naalehu-Captain Cook-Keauhou), vice chairwoman of the House Education 
Committee, noted last week that the Legislature had left "significant holes" in the public schools' 
budget, including for the differentials. She urged the Board of Education to use some of the federal 
relief money that is targeted for learning loss to cover them.
<br><br>
"These differentials are critical to maintaining quality educators in my community's schools," Kapela 
said. "Nothing could be more critical to preventing learning loss than ensuring that our most vulnerable 
children are taught by highly qualified teachers." For more, click the following link:
<a href="https://www.staradvertiser.com/2021/05/26/hawaii-news/hawaii-teachers-2200-bonuses-may-be-in-jeopardy">TEACHER DIFFERENTIALS</a>.
<hr>

<em>May 14, 2021</em>
<h3>Economic Recovery Should Focus On Working Families</h3>

<a href="/memberfiles/House/Kapela/Images/DLIR-protest-Workers-Compensation--scaled[1].jpg"><img 
src="/memberfiles/House/Kapela/Images/DLIR-protest-Workers-Compensation--scaled[1].jpg" title="" 
width="300" height="200" align="center" style="padding right:10px"/></a>
<br><br>
Congress provided federal assistance to working families this winter through stimulus payments 
and tax relief provisions of the American Rescue Plan, such as the newly broadened child tax 
credit. The support offered by these measures is far short of what is necessary for most 
island residents to make ends meet, however, leaving local leaders with the duty of uplifting 
their economic well-being. 
<br><br>
To help Hawai'i's workers, elected officials must act to create a living wage of at least 
$17/hour, pass paid sick and family leave programs, and exempt unemployment insurance payments 
from the state income tax. For more, visit the following link:
<a href="https://www.civilbeat.org/2021/04/economic-recovery-should-focus-on-working-families">WORKING FAMILIES</a>.
<hr>

<em>April 29, 2021</em>
<h3>Rep. Jeanne Kapela Calls for Board of Education to Consider Teachers in Superintendent Search</h3>

<a href="/memberfiles/House/Kapela/Images/BoESuperintendentSearch.jpg"><img 
src="/memberfiles/House/Kapela/Images/BoESuperintendentSearch.jpg" title="" 
width="300" height="200" align="center" style="padding right:10px"/></a>
<br><br>
As Hawai'i's Board of Education prepares to choose a new school superintendent, 
the State Legislature passed a bill requiring it to prioritize candidates with 
at least a decade of administrative experience and a "working understanding" of 
local leadership processes. Rep. Jeanne Kapela expressed concerns about the measure, 
saying that it could prevent teachers from being considered as viable candidates.
<br><br>
"If we really want to uplift teachers and students, we have to make sure we have a 
superintendent who has served in a position of teacher," she said. By focusing mainly 
on departmental administrators like principals and complex area superintendents, "we 
are only continuing to reproduce the exact same shortcomings with the current 
administration," she said. For more, click the following link: 
<a href="https://www.civilbeat.org/2021/04/who-should-lead-hawaii-schools-state-
lawmakers-have-some-ideas">TEACHERS</a>.
<hr>

<em>April 28, 2021</em>
<h3>Rep. Kapela Comments on Search for Hawaii DOE interim superintendent</h3>

<a href="/memberfiles/House/Kapela/Images/DOE-Interim-Superintendent.jpg"><img 
src="/memberfiles/House/Kapela/Images/DOE-Interim-Superintendent.jpg" title="" 
width="300" height="200" align="center" style="padding right:10px"/></a>
<br><br>
The Board of Education has begun its search for an interim superintendent to 
head the Hawaii Department of Education until it appoints a permanent superintendent.
<br><br>
“I believe that the Board of Education should prioritize candidates from our 
home state in selecting a new superintendent,” Kapela said. "Ideally, the BOE 
should choose someone with a proven track record of classroom experience and 
a commitment to supporting the teachers who are tasked with crafting our 
keiki’s future." For more, click the following link: 
<a href="https://www.khon2.com/local-news/search-begins-for-hawaii-doe-
interim-superintendent-applications-accepted-by-april-30/">SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH</a>.
<hr>

<em>March 30, 2021</em>
<h3>Rep. Jeanne Kapela Supports Closing REITs Tax Loophole</h3>

<a href="/memberfiles/House/Kapela/Images/REITTaxLoophole.jpg"><img 
src="/memberfiles/House/Kapela/Images/REITTaxLoophole.jpg" title="" 
width="300" height="200" align="center" style="padding right:10px"/></a>
<br><br>
State lawmakers have once again taken a pass at trying to abolish a tax 
break for real estate investment trusts operating in Hawai'i, but Rep. 
Jeanne Kapela is committed to continuing to work to close the tax 
loophole and fight for tax fairness for Hawai'i's people. 
<br><br>
"As a strong supporter of taxing REITs, I am committed to doing all 
I can to move these measures forward during next year’s legislative 
session," Rep. Kapela said in an email. "Taxing REITs must be part of our 
strategy for sustaining our state’s fiscal recovery and creating an 
economy that advances the prosperity of all of Hawaii’s people. As we 
work to craft an economic recovery that uplifts working families, we 
need to generate revenue that puts people’s needs before corporate greed."
<br><br>
For more, see: <a href="https://www.staradvertiser.com/2021/03/28/hawaii-
news/bills-to-get-hawaii-income-taxes-from-real-estate-investment-trusts-
die">KAPELA SUPPORTS CLOSING REITS LOOPHOLE</a>.
<hr>


<em>February 22, 2021</em>
<h3>It's Time for Hawai'i to Tax the Rich</h3>

<a href="/memberfiles/House/Kapela/Images/TaxTheRich.jpg"><img 
src="/memberfiles/House/Kapela/Images/TaxTheRich.jpg" title="" 
width="300" height="200" align="center" style="padding right:10px"/></a>
<br><br>
Budgets are about allocating resources. Ultimately, our state’s fiscal choices - 
including decisions about raising revenue — reflect our political and socioeconomic 
priorities. As we craft the islands’ economic recovery, the choice is clear: Will we 
continue a status quo that damages our most vulnerable residents or will we finally 
put people before profit?
<br><br>
This year, I introduced an omnibus revenue generation bill to close the state’s $1.4 
billion budget shortfall by increasing taxes on the wealthy. HB 3, and its Senate companion 
SB 56, would generate over $750 million per year to uplift our island home and uplift 
Hawai'i's most vulnerable residents.
<br><br>
For more, visit the following link:  
<a href="https://www.civilbeat.org/2021/01/its-time-for-hawaii-to-tax-the-rich">TAX THE RICH</a>.
<hr>


<em>February 19, 2021</em>
<h3>Hawai'i lawmakers push to legalize marijuana for personal use</h3>

<a href="/memberfiles/House/Kapela/Images/Cannabis.jpg"><img 
src="/memberfiles/House/Kapela/Images/Cannabis.jpg" title="" 
width="300" height="200" align="center" style="padding right:10px"/></a>
<br><br>
With the state strapped for cash, some Hawai'i lawmakers are considering 
legalizing recreational marijuana. Rep. Jeanne Kapela introduced a bill 
that would allow people to have up to an ounce of cannabis. It would also 
create a process for cultivators to grow and sell marijuana which would 
then be taxed by the state, which could generate at least $150 million in 
revenue at a time when the state is in desperate need of money.
<br><br>
"This bill is a bill that will legalize marijuana and tax it that way we 
can utilize that revenue for essential services which right now in the 
middle of this budget shortfall are being cut. We should not be furloughing 
teachers, we should be generating revenue and utilizing this opportunity 
to allow people to do something that they've already been doing and making 
sure we are no longer going to disproportionately harm the working poor 
or Native Hawaiian," Kapela said.
<br><br>
For more, see the following link: 
<a href="https://www.kitv.com/story/43220434/hawaii-lawmakers-push-
to-legalize-marijuana-for-personal-use">CANNABIS LEGALIZATION</a>.

<hr>


<em>January 25, 2021</em>
<h3>Rep. Jeanne Kapela opposes crippling school budget cuts</h3>

<a href="/memberfiles/House/Kapela/Images/KapelaOpposesBudgetcuts.jpg"><img 
src="/memberfiles/House/Kapela/Images/KapelaOpposesBudgetcuts.jpg" title="" 
width="300" height="200" align="center" style="padding right:10px"/></a>
<br><br>

A proposal to slice 10% from Hawaii’s public schools budget for the next two years - on top 
of the 6% cut already imposed this fiscal year — was approved Thursday by the Board of Education.
<br><br>
"As the Education Committee incoming vice chair, I believe it is my responsibility to prevent 
these draconian cuts from happening," said state Rep. Jeanne Kapela (D, Kailua-Kona to Naalehu). 
"What's before you today would create educational chaos. … I do promise to be an eager partner 
with you in resolving the department’s fiscal dilemma."
<br><br>
Link: 

<br><br>
For more, click the following link: 

<a href="https://www.staradvertiser.com/2020/12/04/hawaii-news/hawaii-school-board-
approves-budget-with-cuts-that-principals-call-crippling">here</a>.

<hr>

<em>December 22, 2020</em>
<h3>Rep. Jeanne Kapela questions DOE officials about COVID-19 response plan</h3>

<a href="/memberfiles/House/Kapela/Images/KonawaenaHighSchool.jpg"><img 
src="/memberfiles/House/Kapela/Images/KonawaenaHighSchool.jpg" title="" 
width="300" height="200" align="center" style="padding right:10px"/></a>
<br><br>

Jeanne Kapela, representative-elect whose district runs from Na'alehu to Kailua-Kona, 
asked if the DOE will provide extra personnel to disinfect frequently touched surfaces 
at schools and personnel to run isolation areas for students experiencing COVID symptoms, 
or if schools will have to pay for those services out of their own budgets. 
<br><br>
"About 93, 94% or our budget is in the hands of schools," Kishimoto replied. "And so, what 
we are doing is providing guidance around and support around how to think about staffing, 
training the staff and making sure we hear from them what kind of training employee 
groups need to do this well. We also highly rely on part-time workers, so it's really been 
about re-deploying and hiring part-time staff to do different work, these days." 

<br><br>
For more, click the following link: 



<a href="https://www.westhawaiitoday.com/2020/11/18/hawaii-news/state-house-committee-discusses
-several-covid-related-topics-with-doe-officials">DOE COVID-19 RESPONSE PLAN</a>.

<hr>