Well, here’s the list of bills passed by the Hawaii State Legislature this session.
Spend some time browsing and suggest your “favorites” for bills, or provisions buried in bills, that seem to run counter to the public interest by promoting secrecy, eliminating public safeguards, damaging the environment, etc, etc.
Leave your comments below, please.
I know Bev Keever and others would put SB2858 on the list. This is the bill that allows agencies to go to court to challenge opinions about public records made by the Office of Information Practices. In my view, the bar is set so high that few agencies will have grounds to appeal. But I know others disagree.
Another reader pointed to SB2115, the new charter school law, which provides in part: “Charter schools and their governing boards shall be exempt from the requirements of chapters 91 and 92.”
That’s apparently a full exemption from the Sunshine Law and the Administrative Procedures Act for charter schools. The bill also establishes a new State public charter school commission, which will be subject to the sunshine law.
In any case, browse the list of bills and chime in.
One of my favorite outcomes of session was that the State’s pursuit of interplanetary tourism and moon colonization got $750,000 and early childhood education got $300,000 (along with the elimination of junior kindergarten). And this during a session that began with the Governor saying that if early childhood education isn’t our top priority then we don’t know what priorities are. Here’s what I deduce: the State will make good on its promise to fund early education programs about as soon as Roberts Hawaii starts flying its buses to Hawaii’s moon colony.
Groun’ control to Mayjah Tom?
SB112 spends $750,000 to pave the way for “space tourism.”
It is interesting to note that the eccentric British billionaire Richard Branson somehow got New Mexico taxpayers to foot the bill for a $209 million spacecraft hangar he plans to make use of by blasting the uber-rich into orbit for $200,000 a piece.
Just a harbinger of the types of costs we can look forward to down the road if Hawaii decides to pursue the building of a spaceport…
CALVIN SAY demands respect. He forgets he has to earn it. How about respect for the people?
HB2751 HD2 SD1
Legislature; Decorum
RELATING TO OFFENSES AGAINST PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION.
Creates the petty misdemeanor offense of disrespect of a house of the legislature. (SD1)
I have to put in a plug for HB2626, the Safe Routes to School bill. This bill permanently establishes a fund for biking and walking improvements (including education) around schools. It is funded via additional assessments on traffic fines.
One really nice thing about this bill is it brings the administration of the program down to the county level, which should make it easier for groups and individuals.
At the last moment, HB2404 which would have allowed State and city agencies to publish notices on-line instead of in newspapers was killed by being sent back to conference committee by the House.
It just amazes me how the House leadership tried to force those round pegs into those square holes. They forced thier members to vote on many bad Bills during an election year. I wonder to what purpose? Most of the really bad ones failed to pass the Senate, yet the House members are on record in support of being anti-teacher and anti-environment. What motivated House leadership to push so hard on these damaging and no win issues? Might it be pride? Thank goodness the Senate at the end of the day decided to end the foolishness and came out strong looking like true leaders – at least to teachers and the environmental community.
I would cite the end to openness by hopelessly extending state (and county) agencies to thwart openness in Hawaii. I am sure the ghost of Nixon would be thrilled.
Who might have thought Neil would lead us here?