Public Access Room Training

This is for anyone who wants to testify or track legislation at the Legislature. Learn how to be an effective advocate.

I am writing to let you know that The Public Access Room (PAR) will be conducting presentations on the legislative process around Oahu beginning December 5th (this Wednesday). Please find attached a flyer listing the dates, times, and locations of our public outreach (I have also included this information below).

We will be offering two new presentations this year. The first presentation is geared towards newcomers and will provide an introduction to the state legislative process to get new participants ready for session. The second presentation was created for those that already understand how laws are made. For this presentation, we will provide advanced advocacy tips and discuss often overlooked online resources.  "How-To" guides, informational handouts, and other resources will be available. 

If you're interested in learning about how laws are created in our state or what you can do to have a say in that process, attend one of our training sessions.

Oahu Schedule

Kaneohe                          

Windward Community College, Hale Kuhina 106; 45-720 Kea'ahala Road

Wednesday, December 5th

5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.  Intro to the Legislative Process

6:45 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.  Advocating at the Capito

Here’s An Update On Measures In The Legislature That Would Directly Affect Our Community

Here is an update on the status of legislative bills identified last month by the Governor’s Office as directly affecting Kaneohe. Bills marked as “Crossed Over” have passed committee hearings and third readings in one chamber, and have been referred to the other chamber for possible action.

The list of bills is below. Information about each bill, including the full text, is available on the Legislature’s website at http://capitol.hawaii.gov/.

Capital Improvement Plan: House Bill 820, HB 1221, Senate Bill 1231.

Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery: HB 168 Crossed Over.

Sale of HHFDC Leasehold Condos & Single Family Lots: SB 903, HB 1037, Senate Concurrent Resolution 28, House Concurrent Resolution 22.

Budget Excerpts: HB 100, SB 192. Excerpt involves improvement of a roadway junction at H-1 toward Marine Corps Base Hawaii -- Crossed Over as part of HB 100.

Transfer of Kaneohe Elementary School Property: HB 116 Crossed Over.

Seawall, Boat Ramp & Pier Easements: House Resolution & HB 12, HCR & HB 30, Senate Resolution & SB 9, SR & SB 10, SCR & SB 43, SCR & SB 42.

In addition to this list, Representative Ken Ito’s office brought another bill of local interest to our attention at our March 16 meeting. It is:

State Funding For He’eia National Estuarine Research Reserve: SB 1178. Crossed Over.

In addition to Representative Ito, the Kaneohe area’s legislators are Senator Jill Tokuda and Representative Jarrett Keohokalole.

We welcome your comments, in person and online

Please join us for all of our meetings. If you are unable to attend, you may provide testimony online and contact Neighborhood Board members directly. Comments on this blog are welcomed. To add a comment, please click on the link below. Also, please like us on Facebook and comment there.

Legislative tracking-Stay on top of legislation that interests you.

The State of Hawaii has one of the best applications to provide transparency to the legislative system of any State in the USA. Please, everyone on the Legislative Committee check out this short video (17m) that shows how to track legislation using capitol.hawaii.gov.  Checkout http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTIcH8wSaJs and let me know what you think. Let me know where you have questions so we can fill in the blanks.

Memorial day and Noburo Kawamoto

Memorial Day is a day to honor our veterans.

Noburo Kawamoto is a World War II veteran who fought with the famed 442 battalion.

State bureaucracy prevents him from living with his wife in the Family Foster Care Home of their choice.

HB600 would have allowed he and his wife to live together while the state modified the rules to permit a married couple who do not qualify for medicade to live together in a Family Foster Care Home of their choice.

HB600 got stuck in the Conference Committee when Senator Tokuda, Chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, refused to give her approval.

Now it is up to Governor Ige to correct this injustice.  Only he can order the Department of Health to issue a waver which will allow Mr. and Mrs Kawamoto to live out their years in a family care home of their choice.  Call Governor Ige at 586-0034 and tell him you want him to act now to correct this injustice.

We need to honor our veterans, not cause them heart ache.

Board Supports Sunshine Law Change

A Sunshine Law change supported by the Kaneohe Neighborhood Board is moving forward in the state Senate.

Senate Bill 419 would make it easier for members of a neighborhood board to attend meetings of other groups about issues that were before the board.

The Judiciary and Labor Committee will hold a public decision making on the bill on Friday, February 27, at 9:05 a.m. in Conference Room 016.

Board Favors Openness, Efficiency

The Kaneohe Neighborhood Board approved a position paper supporting the bill during its February 19 meeting.

The position paper says the bill would "remove the restriction on the number of neighborhood board members who can attend free public meetings of other entities. . . . Board members work very hard to gain an understanding of many issues and having to concern themselves with the number of other board members in attendance, is cumbersome and counter-productive to efficient education on issues."

SB 419 already has been approved by the Senate Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs.  A companion House Bill, HB 313, has not received a committee hearing.

Keep The Sun Shining, Board Says

The position paper also urges the Legislature not to hear legislation that would exclude neighborhood boards from compliance with the Sunshine Law. The paper says, "Introduction of any bill that lessens the public scrutiny into the methods and decision-making process is counter-productive to development and maintenance of the public trust and confidence."

That bill, SB 420, was deferred by the Senate Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs. A companion House Bill, HB 317, has not received a committee hearing.

Bill Tracking Made Easy

More information about these and other bills, including a handy tool for tracking legislation, is available the Legislature's website.