Aloha,
Hope you’re staying dry and safe during this very wet and stormy day.

I’m writing this morning to let you know again about a very bad piece of legislation, SB3240 thats now been re-scheduled for a hearing on Monday morning, and ask you to please, please, please – join me in submitting OR re-submitting your testimony in opposition. PLEASE . Even very brief testimony is needed and helpful.

*Important note – SB3240 was originally scheduled for today, Friday 03/13 but because of the storm rescheduled now for Monday 03/16 – All testimony submitted for the 13th hearing MUST BE RESUBMITTED to be considered during the rescheduled hearing now on the 16th.

SB3240 proposes the use of State taxpayer funds (possibly $1.3 million) to pay for public relations, communications, and managing public sentiment with regards to the U.S. military operations in Hawaiʻi. SB3240 also supports bringing the defense industry messaging into the Hawaiʻi public school system under the guise of “workforce development”.

Needless to say, this needs to be stopped in its tracks (IMHO).

Below is the testimony I sent in – Please take the time today, and join me in expressing your own thoughts on this proposal – whatever they might be. Put something into your own words (or borrow some of mine) and keeping it short and to the point is fine.

Please also share this message with your friends and networks!

Go here to submit testimony and read the bill. If you want to go the extra mile, please also join me in sharing your opposition with your own District Representative AND directly with the individual members of the House Committee on Public Safety.

My testimony:

Chair Belatti, Vice Chair Iwamoto and Committee Members –

I’m writing today in strong opposition to SB3240 and ask that you defer this measure.
SB3240 seeks to appropriate funds to the DBEDT Military And Community Relations Office (MACRO). The original request was $1.3 million.
 
In these tight budget times, this funding is needed to support homeless programs, healthcare, food/SNAP, and many other things.  The U.S. military and the defense industry can well afford to pay for their own public relations efforts.

MACRO, is an agency of the State that focuses on public relations, communications, and managing public sentiment with regards to the U.S. military operations in Hawaiʻi.
 
Given the current strong community concerns and opposition to further expansion of the U.S. militaries footprint in Hawaiʻi AND given the reality of the current federal administrations Department of War position of “no rules of engagement” and the purpose of the military is to “kill people and break things” AND given the destruction and carnage now occurring in the MidEast – PLUS the U.S. militaries history of irresponsible and damaging conduct at Red Hill and Pōhakuloa…and so many other examples –

I believe strongly that it is inappropriate at best…for the State of Hawaiʻi to actively support and fund a PR and communications campaign designed to support the defense industries expansion here in the islands – AND seeks access to our public school students.

According to publicly available information, MACRO has hired a public relations agency to, “Utilize automated data scraping tools to collect and analyze relevant public commentary from news sites, blogs, forums, and social media platforms to assess evolving sentiment toward military-related issues…” They also draft press releases, ghost-write oped columns, prepare testimony, issue talking points etc.

MACRO intends now to bring their defense industry messaging into our public school system under the guise of “workforce development”.

Hawaiʻi State Government should not be allowing and funding any industry access to our kindergarten and public school students – in order to plant the seeds of support and counter opposition.

SB3240 proposes (paraphrase) “to enhance communication and responsiveness, strengthen Hawai‘i defense-related workforce pathways, and integrate the exposure of students in grades kindergarten through twelve…and align workforce development with evolving industrial and defense-related needs.”

For these reasons and many more – please oppose and defer SB3240 and do not pass it forward.
Sincerely,
Gary Hooser