The Honolulu City Council convened at 10 a.m. on May 13, 2026, with all nine members present. The meeting opened with a moment of silence for former Governor George Ariyoshi, who passed away in April 2026, and a recognition of the University of Hawaii men's volleyball team for winning the 2026 NCAA national championship. Reverend Alan Urasaki delivered a message of aloha in Pidgin. The council proceeded through a lengthy agenda including appointments, committee reports, bills, and resolutions, with public testimony on several items.
Good morning, everyone. Councilmember Nishimoto, can you please lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance? Thank you. Councilmember Nishimoto, would you kindly introduce our guest giving the message of aloha? Thank you, Chair. It's my honor to introduce a true local boy who lives the values he teaches. Born and raised on the big island and a graduate of Hilo High School. He's also a childhood friend of Mark Nakoshima, my former colleague in the legislature. Reverend Alan Urasaki is a proud UH Monoa alum and one of the few local-born Buddhist ministers in our community. In 2002, he made history as the nation's first Buddhist federal prison chaplain, serving for 20 years at the Honolul Detention Center and bringing aloha into some of life's toughest spaces. His service has also extended far beyond the prison walls, supporting cancer patients, first responders, and for nearly two decades now, serving as a volunteer chaplain for the state sheriffs. Even in semi-retirement, Reverend Alan continues to serve at Shinshu Kyokai Buddhist Temple in Macaulay. Please join me in welcoming today's speaker, Reverend Alan Urasaki. Well, thank you very much, Council Member. I couldn't have written it better than better than myself. Actually, that was AI generated. Anyway, uh good morning, everyone. Today I just wanted to uh share um I guess the kind of traditional Buddhist prayer, but kind of give it a local twist. And so um I like to uh share that with you now, so let us take a moment just to put our hearts and minds uh in peace meditation. This is the golden chain of love in pigeon. Hey, try listen. Everyone of us stay like one flower in this golden lay of aloha that stretches around the world. We don't stay separate, we stay all woven together, like one uh all woven together on the same string. Sorry, my pigeon little rusty. Because of that, I get one big responsibility for make sure my flower stays bright and strong. You get the same Kuleana. I'm gonna try my best to be kind and gentle to everything that stay alive. And if I see somebody who stays struggling or feeling down, I'm gonna be the one that lift them up. So our circle stays solid and nobody gets left behind. Because I don't like well, because I like do the right things and not the wrong things. Not the kind of Lolo stuff or talk stink. Because I know that how I act affects everyone and everything. Stay connected to your happiness and your peace, stay connected with my peace. And if we all do our part and live with aloha, all of us can find that true peace that makes everything cherry. All pound. Thanks, uh allo. That was awesome. You know, and in keeping with that theme, I'd like to read for you rule number 20, order and decorum. When a council member or other person properly before the council wishes to speak, the speaker shall address the chair. Would you like me to say that in pigeon, Vice Chair? Okay. Thank you. A few proceed more procedural announcements. Although remote remote oral testimony is being permitted, this is a regular meeting and not a remote meeting by interactive conference technology under HRS Section 92-3.7. Therefore, the meeting will continue, notwithstanding the loss of audio-visual communication with remote testifiers or loss of the public broadcast of the meeting. Members of the public will be allowed to provide oral testimony on all items on the agenda, either in person in the council chamber or remotely. As both English and Hawaiian are official languages of the state of Hawaii, pursuant to Article 15, Section 4 of the Hawaii State Constitution and Section 1-13 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes. Members of the public may testify in either language. For oral testimonies offered in Olelo, Hawaii, additional time as may be necessary will be allowed for the testifier to provide an English translation of their testimony. Before testifying, each person shall state their full name and the agenda item they are testifying on.