Governor David Ige has officially declared a state of emergency in Hawaii. The declaration is in response to the state’s homelessness crisis, as Hawaii has the highest rate of homelessness in the country. The state of emergency will allow the state to aid this large population by rapidly channeling money into confronting the problem head-on.

Hawaii’s rate of homelessness is 465 individuals per 100,000 people. All said and done, there are just under 8,000 homeless individuals total. While that might seem like a relatively small number, given Hawaii’s population, it makes for a large per capita total. HOPE Services Hawaii, a non-profit that works with the state’s homeless, estimates that 11 percent of the homeless population are children, 14 percent are veterans, and 32 percent are of Native Hawaiian ethnicity.

One of the most tangible ways in which the state has attempted to combat the homelessness crisis came in the form of a clean out of one of the state’s largest homeless encampments in Kaka’ako. Since August, 54 percent of the homeless population living in Kaka’ako has been moved into shelters or temporary housing. Ige intends that the clearing of Kaka’ako be used as a model for transitioning other encampments.

The emergency declaration will allow that process to be sped up. According to a press release put out by the governor’s office:

State funds of more than $1.3 million were identified this month, paving the way for the emergency proclamation. The monies will serve an additional 1000 homeless individuals between now and July 31, 2016, providing increased funding for homeless services and programs that promote permanent housing for families and the chronically homeless.

The emergency proclamation will also facilitate the construction of a transitional housing facility for homeless families. The facility will be temporary and have a clear sunset date.

Hawaii is also being relatively innovative when it comes to how it will be housing the homeless population. Russ Wozniak, one of the architects for the transitional housing units that are being created, explained that they are being created from old shipping containers, and have plenty of ventilation. They also will be insulated and situated in ways that keep the housing cool.

While it may seem extreme to some to declare a state of emergency in this situation, it makes a lot of sense. It will expedite the solution to a very real, very important problem in Hawaii. As Scott Morishige, who is working for Ige on this issue, stated: “This proclamation will expedite the state’s plans to help these individuals and families to more quickly transition to permanent housing.” The goal is certainly admirable; it will be interesting to see the results.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

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When it comes to smoking cigarettes, public support for the known cancer-causers has consistently dwindled in recent decades thanks mainly to national “quit smoking” campaigns. In an attempt to help further curtail tobacco consumption, one state is poised to take further action by changing its minimum legal smoking age.

Last Friday, the Hawaii legislature passed a bill, that if signed into law by Governor David Ige, will make it the first state in the nation to raise its minimum legal smoking age from 18 to 21. The bill would ban individuals under the age of 21 from buying tobacco products, including e-cigarettes.

Some communities, counties, and cities, including New York City, have already approved initiatives to raise the smoking age. But if this bill is signed into law, it will make Hawaii the first state to entirely do so.

However, when it comes to enforcing the new legal smoking age, the punishment for underage violators is almost laughable. According to the Associated Press, first-time offenders will be fined a measly $10, which is roughly 50 cents more than the cost of a pack of cigarettes in the state. Any later violations would lead to a $50 fine or mandatory community service.

In a statement from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids commending the bill’s passage, the nonprofit asserts that currently more than 10 percent of Hawaii’s high school students smoke, and tobacco use overall in the state claims 1,400 lives and costs $526 million in health care bills each year. Therefore supporters of the measure say that raising the legal smoking age will help reduce smoking among young people who will probably use tobacco products as adults.

Democratic state Senator Rosalyn Baker who introduced the bill told the AP:

Today we have the opportunity to change the paradigm…

While the industry is not allowed to directly market to children, it is still developing packaging and advertising products in ways that appeal to children,

Some of the advertising she’s referring to are candy flavored e-cigarettes that are increasingly gaining popularity with youths. According to Baker, the favorite flavors among teens who use electronic cigarettes are sweet tart and “unicorn puke”, which has been described by some as a combination of every flavor of Skittle in one.

Interestingly enough, the AP also reports that projections for raising the minimum smoking age to 21, from a report conducted by the Institute of Medicine, predict smoking prevalence would fall an estimated 12 percent.

If signed into law, the new minimum age probably won’t be welcomed by all. Critics may use the old argument that “if you’re old enough to enlist you should be old enough to smoke.” But given that lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in America, laws like this may become more common.

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