Pushing For Cooler Classrooms A Priority

LoPresti’s Letters…Rep. Matthew LoPresti

Aloha,

I am both humbled and excited to begin my first term as state representative for House District 41, (Ewa, Ewa Villages, Ewa Gentry and Ocean Pointe). For the 2015 regular session, I was selected to serve as vice-chairman on the House Transportation Committee, and I’m also a member of the Majority Policy Committee. Additionally, I was appointed by the Speaker of the House to serve on the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization, which plans and directs transportation projects throughout Oahu.

My biggest priority for this session is to secure funding to provide air conditioning for our Ewa schools. The overbearing heat is a detriment to the quality of our children’s public education, and it is my firm belief that this will help our keiki achieve their highest potential — if we can cool down the classrooms with air conditioning. With classrooms that heat up to nearly 90 degrees, it is vital that we invest in the future of our children by providing them with comfortable learning environments.

In addition to fighting to cool down our classrooms, I also introduced a number of bills that will help the state of Hawaii and its people, if passed.

Here are a few highlights:

HB 562 — Requires installation of marked crosswalks at newly constructed arterial streets. This measure will help improve pedestrian safety for areas throughout the state.

HB 1264 — Requires all new public buildings to be designed and built to meet a green building standard. This helps the state to continue an aggressive policy on energy, which will ultimately pay for itself, if implemented.

HB 567 — Requires the electronic filing of lobbyist disclosure statements. This will help improve transparency and accountability in government, by creating a searchable online database of lobbyists and their expenditures.

HB 564 — Provides an appropriation for memorial events and activities for the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. It is important to remember the courage, valor and sacrifice of our fallen soldiers.

HB 813 — Prevents legislators and other elected and appointed officials from using their positions to gain/use influence. Again, this is another bill that aims to provide greater accountability and transparency in government, and to hold ourselves accountable as elected officials.

HB 1261 — Provides appropriation for numerous capital improvement projects in and around House District 41, including new school buildings, air-conditioning upgrades, infrastructure, an Ewa Beach police substation, transportation improvements and other district priorities.

These are just a few bills that I introduced this year. You can view all of the bills I have introduced, as well as legislation from my colleagues, at the Capitol’s website, capitol.hawaii.gov.

I look forward to continue working for the people of ‘Ewa.

Please contact my office anytime by calling 586-6080, or email me at replopresti@capitol.hawaii .gov to share your concerns, opinions and questions.