MEDIA RELEASE

Gov. Neil Abercrombie has signed the following bills into law:

* Senate Bill 219 prohibits physically restraining inmates who are pregnant or in postpartum recovery, unless extraordinary circumstances exist.

* Senate Bill 892 amends certain laws regarding the use of service dogs. It ensures that people are allowed to bring service dogs into certain situations, such as during real estate transactions, and brings the state into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Fair Housing Act.

* House Bill 597 expands definition of “quality assurance committee” to include interdisciplinary quality assurance committees composed of members from various health care organizations.

* House Bill 889 establishes health care-associated infection reporting requirements.

* Senate Bill 1154 establishes the South Kona Wilderness Area on the Island of Hawaii to preserve vulnerable visual, natural, biological, and historical aspects of South Kona.

* Senate Bill 921 allows certain child service providers to provide emergency shelter and related services to minors at no cost under certain circumstances. The law is effective today, July 1, 2011.

Abercrombie has enacted 179 bills into law so far. His deadline to sign bills into law or veto bills is July 12.

For more information on these or all measures that have been signed into law, visit http://capitol.hawaii.gov/session2011

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Sen. Gilbert Kahele, D-District 2, introduced the measure to make lands at Honomalino, Okoe, Kaulanamauna and Manuka into the South Kona Wilderness Reserve.

“It’s only going to enhance the whole area,” Kahele said. “It’s a win for the people of the state of Hawaii.”

The legislation prevents construction of new homes or other structures on the government-owned land within 1,000 feet of the shoreline and prohibit subdivision of the land.

Lands included in the wilderness area are Honomalino and Okoe, from the shoreline to 6,000 feet inland, and the Manuka Natural Area Reserve boundary extended to the shoreline at Kaulanamauna and Manuka.

Unlike an earlier bill that was signed by the previous administration into law, SB1154 has no “sunset” clause and will remain a permanent wilderness preserve for future generations.

Earlier this month, Kahele led an archaeological hike and tour of the South Kona Wilderness Area with 75 participants of the 2011 Milolii Lawaia Ohana Camp. The hike began in Milolii and ended at the ancient holua slide.