Hawaii Governor Pledges to Correct Legislation That Would Have Ended Kilauea District Park Programs
Why It Matters
A last-minute amendment to a Hawaii land-transfer bill came within a governor’s signature of shutting down free community recreation programs at a Honolulu city park — affecting seniors, volunteers, and neighborhood residents who depend on the facility. The episode highlights how technical legislative changes made mid-session can carry significant unintended consequences for the public.
What Happened
Senate Bill 2613 was originally a routine measure designed to streamline the transfer of city and state lands beneath public schools to the Hawaii Department of Education. The bill was narrowly focused and largely procedural — until it reached the House.
House Water and Land Committee Chairman Rep. Mark Hashem inserted an amendment to include Kīlauea District Park — a city-owned recreation facility adjacent to Kaimukī Middle School — in the transfer. The park houses a gymnasium, multi-purpose rooms, and a recreation center where volunteer-led classes in mahjong, ping pong, aerobics, line dancing, and seated exercises for seniors are offered free of charge to the surrounding community.
Honolulu Parks Director Laura Thielen warned that if the DOE assumed ownership of the park, city programs would be forced to shut down by July 15. The education department does not permit daytime recreational programming during school hours, does not rent facilities to outside groups on weekends or evenings, and locks school parking lots on weekends.
Notably, the DOE itself said it never requested the transfer of the park. “It caught us by surprise,” said DOE Deputy Superintendent of Operations Jesse Souki.
Thielen said she met with Hashem after he introduced the amendment and urged him to remove it — and that he agreed to do so. He did not. Rep. Tina Grandinetti, who also represents the area, voted for the final bill believing the amendment had already been stripped out. “I thought it was resolved and had no indication it had not been fixed,” she said.
Hashem acknowledged he retained the amendment because he believed transferring the park buildings to the school would ultimately benefit the education department, particularly in accessing funding for facility repairs. He said disrupting park programs was never his intent.
By the Numbers
- 3 sessions per week — the number of mahjong classes volunteer May Lau teaches at the park’s recreation center
- July 15 — the date by which all city park classes and permits would have been terminated if the bill took effect without correction
- Dozens of public schools — the number of sites covered by the original, pre-amendment version of the bill
- 0 provisions — the amended bill contained no language directing funding for the gymnasium repairs Hashem cited as his rationale
- 1 year — the administration’s timeline for introducing corrective legislation, with interim coordination planned to prevent service interruptions
Zoom Out
The situation reflects a recurring challenge in state legislatures nationwide: technical bills moving quickly through end-of-session calendars are sometimes amended with provisions that receive little public scrutiny before passage. Affected agencies and community members often learn of the consequences only after a bill has cleared both chambers. For context on other Hawaii legislative and political developments, see coverage of Hawaii Republicans’ recent organizing efforts and a November ballot measure that would add immigrant protections to Honolulu Police Department policy.
What’s Next
The governor’s office said it will work with the City and County of Honolulu to ensure no programs are disrupted in the near term. Will Kane, a senior advisor to the governor, stated the administration plans to introduce corrective legislation in the next session to ensure Kīlauea District Park remains under city ownership.
The DOE has clarified it seeks title only to the land directly beneath Kaimukī Middle School and its parking lot — not the broader park. City officials noted that funding for roof repairs at the facility is already included in the city’s current budget, separate from any ownership question.
“This should not have happened the way it did,” said mahjong instructor May Lau. “It’s good news the governor’s office will make sure the park’s programs continue.”