House Representative Cindy Evans - Constituent Services

Have a complaint about State government and not known where to turn?
The State of Hawaii Office of the Ombudsman [www.ombudsman.state.hi.us] may be able to help. The Ombudsman, Robin Matsunaga, is an officer of the Legislature who investigates complaints about actions of executive agencies of the state and county governments.

Citizen's Guide to Participation in the Legislative Process
The Citizen's Guide to the Legislative Process will familiarize you with the legislative process of state government in Hawaii, and in doing so, enhance public access and participation in the legislative process. In this guide, you will find information to facilitate your lobbying efforts in the legislative process. If you wish to track legislation, go to "Bill Status and Docs" section of www.capitol.hawaii.gov to find text and status of bills and resolutions and to sign up to receive e-mail notices for upcoming hearings. To submit testimony for a bill scheduled for a hearing, fax to Sergeant-at-Arms at 1-800-535-3859 or e-mail to Public Access Room at testimony@capitol.hawaii.gov, or at a minimum call the committee chair to express opposition or support of a bill. If you need assistance, please call us. "Your participation contributes to informed decisions."

Hawaii State Government [www.ehawaii.gov]
Hawaii State Government website contains links to state agencies, community, family and citizen information, business resources, employment information for job seekers and employers, and education.

The Public Access Room
Serves the citizens of Hawaii by providing facilities, services and equipment to enhance their ability to participate in the legislative process. Be sure to check out the newsletters on the PAR website, they are full of useful information.

Board of Education
The elected body that creates and executes policy for public schools and libraries.

Census data for the State of Hawaii and Counties
     U.S. Census
     Statistics and Economic Information, Dept. of Business, Economic Development & Tourism

Road Closures
   State Highways & Roads
     County Roads: Call Winnie Cabral, Traffic Services, Hilo Police Department at 961-2227

Kids Ready Program
   Ready Kids, From the U.S. Department of Homeland Security http://www.ready.gov/kids
     Provides a step-by-step process using a mountain lion family to help children:
      1. Assemble a disaster prepardness/emergency supply kit
      2. Create a family emergency plan
      3. Know the facts about potential disasters
      4. Provide a quiz to test children and a Readiness U Graduation Certificate

Importing plants, animals--including pet dogs and cats--and microorganisms to Hawaii is strictly regulated by the State Department of Agriculture in order to keep Hawaii rabies-free and to protect our fragile environment from invasive species of plants and animals.

Control of Coqui Frog: For updated information, go to the following websites:

Hawaii Disability Rights Center [www.hawaiidisabilityrights.org]
Protects and promotes the human, civil, and legal rights of Hawaii's 200,000 residents with disabilities. HDRC is the State of Hawaii's designated CLIENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (CAP) and designated PROTECTION AND ADVOCACY (P&A) SYSTEM for People with Disabilities.

Sprint Relay Services
Deaf, hard-of-hearing and speech-impaired residents now have access to a new way of communication by dialing 711. Services are free and available 24 hours, 7 days a week. Also visit Sprint Relay Services on the Web .

TeenLine Hawaii [www.teenlinehawaii.org]
Information and referral service for teens and those who love them. Information on topics important to teens can be listened to by calling 521-TEEN (O`ahu) or toll free 1-877-521-TEEN (Kaua`i, Moloka`i, Lana`i, Maui, Big Island) or read in the "Talk to Me!" section.

The Parent Line
This is a free statewide confidential telephone line which offers support and information to parents and other caregivers. The phone line staff will help you problem-solve parenting challenges and child and adolescent behavior and development issues. Community resources information and parenting handouts are available. Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Branch, Hawaii State Department of Health.

Adult Protective Services (APS) of the Department of Human Services
Provides crisis intervention, without regard to income, including investigation and emergency services to dependent adults who are reported to be abused, neglected or financially exploited by others or seriously endangered due to self-neglect.

The Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
M andated by the U.S. Administration on Aging to advocate for and protect the rights of residents of nursing homes, adult residential care homes, expanded adult residential care homes and assisted living facilities.

The Office of Veterans Services, State Department of Defense
Assist veterans in obtaining State and federal entitlements, to supply the latest information on veterans' issues and to provide advice and support to veterans making the transition back into civilian life.

Is the State of Hawaii holding your unclaimed property?
Dept. of Budget and Finance is responsible for collecting abandoned property and returning it to their rightful owners. To check on unclaimed property, go to http://www.state.hi.us/budget/uncprop or for general information or frequently asked questions go to www.ehawaiigov.org/bf/ucp/html. You may also submit a claim form by email to unclaimedproperty@hawaii.gov. You may also contact them at

Dept. of Budget and Finance
Unclaimed Property Program
P. O. Box 150
Honolulu, Hawaii 96810
(808) 586-1589
Toll-free from Big Island of Hawai`i 974-4000 ext. 61589

Hawaii Covering Kids [http://coveringkids.com/]
Helps to find, enroll, and retain eligible children and youth in health insurance programs. We collaborate with federal, state, and community agencies to conduct outreach activities and help Med-QUEST simplify its processes.

Executive Office on Aging
State agency dedicated to assuring the well being of the more than 230,000 older adults who live in Hawaii as well as their caregivers.

Advance Healthcare Directives
MyHealthDirective.com is a website that provides information about planning end-of-life care and making Advance Healthcare Directives more readily available to physicians and hospitals. For more information about Advance Healthcare Directives, call the County of Hawaii Office on Aging at 327-3597.

Onizuka Center for International Astronomy Visitor Information Station
Visitors to Mauna Kea Observatory may begin here at the 9,000-foot level on the Mauna Kea access road. Learn about the mountain, the telescopes, and the Universe, and view the stars after dark through portable telescopes.

Community Emergency Response Team
The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Using the training learned in the classroom and during exercises, CERT members can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help. CERT members also are encouraged to support emergency response agencies by taking a more active role in emergency preparedness projects in their community.

Hawaii County residents interested in the CERT program are directed to Ms. Frecia Basilio at the Hawaii County Resource Center (HCRC) at (808)961-8055.

Hawaii Historic Foundation
Founded in 1974, Historic Hawai'i Foundation is a private, nonprofit statewide organization dedicated to the preservation of historic and archaeological sites, objects and cultural traditions of the Islands. Historic Hawai'i has become the leading advocate for preservation, heritage education and cultural tourism in the islands. Twenty-five trustees and over 2,500 members and volunteers are actively engaged in statewide preservation efforts and present a powerful, visible and diverse force encouraging respect for the history and cultural heritage of the Hawaiian Islands.

State Historic Preservation Division, Dept. of Land and Natural Resources
This state agency works to preserve and sustain reminders of earlier times which link the past to the present. SHPD's three branches, History and Culture, Archaeology, and Architecture, strive to accomplish this goal through a number of different activities. The division's statewide Inventory of Historic Properties contains information on more than 38,000 historic sites in Hawai`i. Reviews of development projects are the primary means of lessening the effects of change on our historic and cultural assets.

Bishop Museum [www.bishopmuseum.org]
Founded in 1889 by Charles Reed Bishop in honor of his late wife, Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, the last descendant of the royal Kamehameha family, is the largest museum in the state and the premier natural and cultural history institution in the Pacific, recognized throughout the world for its cultural collections, research projects, consulting services and public educational programs. It also has one of the largest natural history specimen collections in the world.

Honolulu Academy of Arts [www.honoluluacademy.org]
A private, non-profit institution located in a historic building not far from downtown Honolulu or Waikiki. With its full schedule of studio art classes, gallery tours, school programs, family activities, as well as a film and performance series, the Academy is dynamic and ever-changing--fulfilling the dream of Anna Rice Cooke and distinguishing itself as one of Hawaii's premier arts institution.

BUSINESS & COMMERCE

The Hawaii State Public Library System offers the RDS Business Reference Suite
A business reference collection by Thomas Gale that users can access for free to research various business, management and marketing topics. All you need is internet access and a public library card. The suite features leading world-wide business sources including journals, trade publications, and other business periodicals.