Keiki Identification Drive in Pearl Kai

Majority Leader Blake Oshiro's October community bulletin for Aiea and Pearl City is now online. One of the upcoming events parents may be interested in is the Keiki ID Drive at McDonald's Pearl Kai for children 12 years old and younger. Keiki must be accompanied by an adult. On the keiki identification card will be a photo, fingerprints and important contact information. The drive, which is being held in celebration of Children and Youth Month, will be on Saturday, October 24 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. You will also find a list of other activities for children and parents that are going on this month.

Rep Nishimoto - Fashionista!

Photo: Nadine Kam, Honolulu Star-Bulletin

Nice shirt! That's Rep. Scott Nishimoto on the left, one of the male models at the Hui Makaala fashion show last Sunday, October 18th. The featured designers are mother and daughter, Mitsuko and Kanna Yamauchi. See Nadine Kam's full blog post here.

Capitol open on Furlough Fridays

Click here to see the memorandum from DAGS on the implementation of two-day Furlough Fridays and how it will affect State buildings. Twenty one state buildings will be affected. The State Capitol is not on this list and will remain open on furlough days.

U.S. Senate Health Care Bill Online

The Senate Finance Committee Health Care Bill, "America's Healthy Future Act of 2009", is now available online. Warning - it's 1500 pages. Click here.

Update: A helpful reader pointed out that there is also The Senate HELP (Health Education Labor and Pensions) Committee Health Care Bill version. The difference is that the HELP version contains the public option, the Finance Committee version does not. Click here.

We're Hiring for 2010 Legislative Session

If you are interested in government, politics and the legislative process, the House of Representatives is looking to hire people for the 2010 legislative session. Click here to view the list of positions available and instructions on how to apply.

Medical Marijuana - New Federal Policy Guidelines

The U.S. Justice Department today issued this memorandum to selected U.S. Attorneys in states authorizing the use of medical marijuana. Hawaii is one of those states. The Department makes clear that it considers marijuana a dangerous drug, and that the illegal sale and distribution of marijuana is a serious crime. It also recognizes that it has limited investigative and prosecutorial resources. Therefore, the memo states:

"As a general matter, pursuit of these priorities should not focus federal resources in your States on individuals whose actions are in clear and unambiguous compliance with existing state laws providing for the medical use of marijuana. For example, prosecution of individuals with cancer or other serious illnesses who use marijuana as part of a recommended treatment regimen consistent with applicable state law, or those caregivers in clear and unambiguous compliance with existing state law who provide such individuals with marijuana, is unlikely to be an efficient use of limited federal resources. On the other hand, prosecution of commercial enterprises that unlawfully market and sell marijuana for profit continues to be an enforcement priority of the Department. To be sure, claims of compliance with state or local law may mask operations inconsistent with the terms, conditions, or purposes of those laws, and federal law enforcement should not be deterred by such assertions when otherwise pursuing the Department’s core enforcement priorities."

The DEA's position on Marijuana can be read in full here. The position is summarized in this opening statement:

"The campaign to legitimize what is called "medical" marijuana is based on two propositions: that science views marijuana as medicine, and that DEA targets sick and dying people using the drug. Neither proposition is true. Smoked marijuana has not withstood the rigors of science – it is not medicine and it is not safe. DEA targets criminals engaged in cultivation and trafficking, not the sick and dying. No state has legalized the trafficking of marijuana, including the twelve states that have decriminalized certain marijuana use."

While not exhaustive, the Justice Department lists the following examples of situations which may indicate illegal drug trafficking"

*unlawful possession or unlawful use of firearms;
*violence;
*sales to minors;
*financial and marketing activities inconsistent with the terms, conditions, or purposes of state law, including evidence of money laundering activity and/or financial gains or excessive amounts of cash inconsistent with purported compliance with state or local law;
*amounts of marijuana inconsistent with purported compliance with state or local law;
*illegal possession or sale of other controlled substances; or
*ties to other criminal enterprises.

Here is the AP story on the new federal guidelines.

Senator Espero announces members of the private task force to review medical cannabis issues.

Last month, Governor Lingle announced that she would not go forward with a medical cannabis task force to review the issue. (The Legislature passed a bill to create the task force; the Governor vetoed the bill, the Legislature overrode the bill.) A private task force was formed in protest.

Capitol ghost stories - "We're around here."

This is the first Capitol Ghost Story for 2009. I'll be posting others up until Halloween. It's still early, so if you have a ghost story to share, please send me a message. If you want to see the past ghost stories from 2007 and 2008, click on the "Capitol Ghost Stories" tag under topics.

The North Carolina State Capitol in Raleigh claims that it is the most haunted state capitol in America. The Ghost Research Foundation visited the site and filed this report. The numerous accountings of ghostly experiences date back to the Civil War. There is even an audio recording of a southern gentleman who responded to the researcher questioning if the spirits were still around.


The researcher said, hoping to bait a southern ghost: "I know there's something up here. I just hope it ain't no damn Yankee."


"Following that statement, Steve was quiet for several seconds. He later found that he had captured a gruff male voice that said, “We’re around here…” in a thick Southern accent, different from our Pennsylvania voices. The voice print analysis determined that Steve spoke a level of 4,000 hertz. The unknown male voice heard modulated at 22,000 hertz (well above the normal range of human speech."


The original building was built sometime after 1792 when Raleigh was named the state capital city, but was destroyed by fire in 1831. A new capitol was built on the same site, completed in 1840. The researcher who conducted an interview with the capitol's historian, Mr. Beck, saw a ghost first-hand:


"Approximately forty minutes into my interview with Mr. Beck, I noticed a blur of motion off to my right, in the third row behind Mr. Beck and at the far right side of that aisle. I was surprised to see a man sitting there watching us. He appeared to be in his thirties and was dressed in clothing from the mid-to-late 1800s. He was dressed as a gentleman, had dark hair brushed to one side, and was quite pleasant looking. The thing that struck me most about his appearance was his smile. He was laughing at us as we talked about the ghosts of the building and seemed immensely amused. I thought over what to do. Should I call Mr. Beck’s attention to the gentleman? Chances were that by the time Mr. Beck turned to look the fellow would have disappeared. Should I keep quiet and observe him for as long as possible? I followed the second option, keeping him in view for several minutes while Mr. Beck and I chatted."


The following is from Mr. Owen Jackson, who served for 12 years as a security policeman on the 4:30 p.m. to 12:15 a.m. shift. Mr. Jackson has many stories, among them:


"One evening, Mr. Jackson was sitting at the receptionist’s desk in the east hall across from the elevator when a lady came out of the men’s room next door. The woman had on a blue choir robe with white trim. He described her as a short, slightly-built white lady. She walked toward the double glass entry doors and went through them without opening them. As he watched in amazement, she simply faded away on the other side.Mr. Jackson’s most dramatic sighting was yet to come and was described as follows: “I was fixing to leave one night and I was parked out in the north driveway out there. I had a car that if you didn’t let it warm up in the wintertime it would stall out on ya. I was looking up at the second floor you know; the shades were pulled. And there was a fellow standing there and you could see from here to here (he indicated from neck to chest). And he had on a Confederate soldier’s uniform. You could see them brass buttons up and down that uniform. He was just standing there looking out that window….It was about 12:15 A.M. I said, ‘Well he’ll take care of it; I’m gone.’”

The research team reported that there are at least five known entities that haunt the building consistently, and probably many more who turn up occasionally. They suspect that there have been many unreported incidents.

Speaker Say Honored by Saint Louis School

Speaker of the House Calvin Say was named to Saint Louis School's Hall of Fame recently. This year, the school also named distinguished alumni Jimmy Borges and John Henry Felix. See the KGMB9 footage of the event here.

Calvin Say was born in Honolulu on February 1, 1952. He attended and graduated from Saint Louis High School in 1970. He received a BEd from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Rep. Say has served as Speaker of the House since 1999. He was first elected to the House in 1976. It is well known that he was working as a busboy at the former Flamingo Chuckwagon when he was first elected. After receiving his degree in Education, Hawaii teachers went on strike leaving few jobs for new, young teachers. Frustrated, he decided to get involved and run for office. Speaker Say's government involvement includes service on the Executive Committee of the National Speaker's Conference and on the Board of Directors of the the State Legislative Leaders Foundation.

As a Honolulu businessman, Calvin Say is President of Kotake Shokai, Ltd. and serves on a number of business association boards such as the Kaimuki Professional and Business Association, the Palolo Lions Club, the Palolo Community Council, and the Saint Louis Heights Community Association.

Let's take the stairs

Thanks to the folks at Governing.com, who found a great video on an initiative by Volkswagen to encourage more people to take the stairs. Changing behavior is easier when you include an element of fun.

Hawaii Medical Association honors Lawmakers

The Hawaii Medical Association announced the winners of their 8th annual "Ola Pono Ike" (Health is knowledge) awards which will be presented on October 17th.

A reader-submitted story in the Honolulu Advertiser is here.

Congratulations to the following, including a State Senator and three House Representatives!

Physician of the Year: Dr. Josh Green. Dr. Green is a State Senator representing District 3 - North and South Kohala, and North and South Kona. Prior to winning his senate seat, Dr. Green served as a state representative for two terms. He practices as an emergency room physician on the Big Island and is vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Health.

Lifetime Achievement Award: Dr. Richard T. Mamiya. Dr. Mamiya is retired cardiovascular surgeon, well known for his surgical innovations and his many contributions to the community.

Legislators of the Year: Rep. Jon Riki Karamatsu, chairman of the House Judiciary committee; Rep. Ryan Yamane, chairman of the House Health committee; and Rep. Barbara Marumoto, as member of the Judiciary and Commerce and Consumer Protection committees. The House representatives were singled out for their strong support of legislation to benefit Hawaii healthcare.

It takes 2... 4 cleavage

Members of the Women's Legislative Caucus Team, lead by Rep. Marilyn Lee, raised $1065 for the American Cancer Society's inaugural "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk," held on October 3.

I was one of those people who participated in the 5-mile walk from Richardson Field, near the Aloha Stadium, to Ford Island and back. Some ambitious participants ran the whole thing. By the time we got to the middle of the Ford Island Bridge a sweaty male runner was already on his way back. Needless to say, while we finished in 2 hours, he was done in less than 30 minutes.

Earlier that morning, I was amazed by the swarms of teams clad in pink crossing the street to the registration tent on Richardson Field from the Aloha Stadium parking lot. There were more than 3,000 people -- male, female, young and old -- ready to make strides against breast cancer. Leave it to breasts to make that many people happy to be up at 6:30 on a Saturday morning doing jazzercise and aerobics before a 5-mile walk.

My favorite team name had to be this one:

I spotted it towards the end of the walk on the backs of two young high school girls. I just had to get a shot from my cell phone.

Other playful team names included "I Love BOOBS" and "Save the TaTas." Some walkers were even dressed up in knee-high, neon-pink socks, stylish pink wigs, and funky froufrou shorts. I didn't get the dress code memo this year, but, now that I'm aware, it is definitely on for next year's walk!

In addition to the Women's Legislative Caucus Team, several State Representatives and Senators participated with their respective groups. I bumped into Reps Tom Brower and John Mizuno during the walk; they joined their community teams for the event. Senators Rosalyn Baker, Brickwood Galuteria, Michelle Kidani and Will Espero walked with the Hawaii State Senate Team.

The American Cancer Society hosted the event to increase awareness, support survivors of breast cancer and to raise money for breast cancer research. This disease kills approximately 40,000 women annually in the United States alone. More than 400,000 die each year worldwide.

The Hawaii event was able to raise $150,000 to help fight breast cancer.

Everyone who was there or donated money to the different teams should be extremely proud of themselves. Let's do it again next year!

Students launch relief effort for flood victims

Students of the University of Hawaii today announced a campus relief effort dedicated to providing food, clothing and supplies for the Philippine flood victims. The donation drive will take place during the month of October, which happens to be Filipino History Month in Hawaii, and through November 10th.

The students are members of two Filipino language organizations that are part of the Filipino Studies program at UH: Katipunan – the Tagalog language group, and Tinpuyog – the Ilocano language group. The students were joined by Philippine Consul General Jun Cardenas, and State Representative Joey Manahan.

“As one of UH’s Filipino clubs, we are determined to support those who were devastated by Typhoon Ketsana in the Philippines,” said Richard Tabalno, President of Katipunan. “Both through our members and community, we will strive to provide everyone an opportunity to lend a helping hand to our Kababayan back in the Philippines in any way possible.”

Donation pick up information

What: The group is accepting canned goods; clean, reusable clothing; and other supplies such as blankets, sheets, toys and school supplies. Monetary donations are also accepted and encouraged as they are expected to reach victims faster than shipped items.

Where:The drop off center will be located at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Campus Center, 2nd floor in front of Jamba Juice. Donations are also accepted at the Philippine Consulate at 2433 Pali Hwy.

When:Every Tuesday, October 13, 20 & 27 and November 3 & 10. Hours from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

“The response of the Filipino community and the people of Hawaii to help the flood victims is overwhelming,” said Philippine Consul General Jun Cardenas. “Twelve days after the onslaught of Typhoon Ondoy, 80% of Manila and other affected areas remain underwater. The flood victims need food, clothes and blankets. The threat of disease is extremely high and they urgently need basic medicine such as those for fever and other respiratory conditions.”

“We are grateful for the people and state of Hawaii for the overwhelming show of support,” Cardenas added. “We are here to support efforts of the community to gather donations for the flood victims. I deeply appreciate the initiative of Rep. Joey Manahan and the student leaders of Katipunan and Timpuyog from UH and Kababayan from HPU for their spirit of volunteerism and their passion to help as they provide students from these universities the chance to help the flood victims.”

“We are deeply concerned about the social and economic costs of the recent flood in Manila and surrounding environs, as well as the typhoon that hit Northern Luzon,” said Janelle Funtanilla, President of Timpuyog. “This is an effort to reach out to them and offer our hand in assistance so that they will be able to rise up again.”

Katipunan and Timpuyog members are partnering with other students and organizations at the University of Hawaii, Hawaii Pacific University, and various individuals and non-profits in the relief effort. In addition, the LBC Foundation has agreed to ship the collected goods to the Philippines as their donation to the cause.

“Having been born in Manila, this is the worst flood I have seen in my lifetime,” said Rep. Joey Manahan (District 29 – Sand Island, Mokauea, Kalihi Kai, Kapalama.) “There is no doubt that the recovery and rehabilitation process will require great effort and will rely on our generosity and willingness to give. I am glad to be working with Katipunan and Timpuyog, as well as with Philippine Consul General Jun Cardenas to do our part for the flood relief effort.”

One-stop shop of Furlough Fridays services

Using "Furlough Fridays" in a sentence may soon have the same effect – if not already – as telling someone that it's "Friday the 13th".

Some parents of young school children have had to ask their employers for time off to supervise their kids on these days. Others are stuck with arranging child care alternatives. And we've all seen the grimaces of parents upset that their children are being shortchanged of a solid education. Hawaii parents whose kids will be affected by the looming Furlough Fridays, which begins Oct. 23, are scrambling to find a solution. The countdown begins.

In an effort to reduce the frustration of finding activities for their keiki, where they will be supervised, cared for and educated, the Chamber of Commerce and Hawaii lawmakers are providing a single venue to search for a variety of Furlough Fridays programs.

A one-stop shop website that lists child care options can now be found at the Chamber of Commerce website. The Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Senator Norman Sakamoto and Representative Roy Takumi, chairmen of their respective education committees, yesterday launched a "Keep Active on Furlough Fridays" bulletin board where businesses and non-profits hosting furlough Friday programs can post info on these programs for easy access by parents.

Rep. Takumi yesterday at a press conference announcing the launch of the web bulletin board stressed his discontent with furloughing Hawaii public school teachers. "This is not a replacement for what needs to done, (which is) to end the 'Furlough Fridays'," he said.

In photo: Representative Roy Takumi.

"I pledge allegiance to the flag..."

Thus starts the first sentence of the Pledge of Allegiance, the subject of one of the most controversial, on-going, first amendment cases in U.S. history. Today, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a case from Florida. The full story in the Christian Science Monitor is here. A Florida high-schooler refused to stand and repeat the Pledge of Allegiance. He sued the state on the grounds that students have a constitutional right "to refuse to be compelled by the government to repeat the Pledge of Allegiance."

FYI - Hawaii is one of seven states which have NO LAW on this subject. The other states are Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Michigan, Vermont and Maine. For a great source on state requirements on the Pledge of Allegiance, visit this site. It appears that the majority of U.S. states have laws requiring schools to have students repeat the pledge, but most states also have laws that provide options for students. Only seven states require both schools and students to repeat the pledge with no options, and those states are Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Jersey, Tennessee and Texas.

Back to the Florida case. The underlying Florida law, adopted in 1942, requires all K-12 students to stand and repeat the pledge, unless excused by the parent. The federal judge ruled with the student in 2005, but a Florida appeals court upheld the law stating that the constitutional right belongs not just to the student, but to the parents of school-aged children. The US Supreme Court did not give a reason for its decline.

Sin and Taxes

"Why pick on us? What about a tax on alcohol?" Guaranteed, that's one of the first things out of a smoker's mouth on the issue of rising tobacco taxes. So, what about alcohol?

An NCSL report comparing the 50 states on alcohol taxes vs cigarette and tobacco taxes revealed that there are far fewer states that passed laws on alcohol, although many have tried. View the comparison chart here.

Here are some of the states' efforts on taxing alcohol:

California: Lawmakers have proposed targeting liquor and wine for a "dime a drink" surcharge.

Delaware: Lawmakers proposed a 50% increase to the alcohol tax. The measure did not pass.

Illinois: Their enacted budget raises the taxes on beer (25%), wine (90%, from $0.73 per gallon to $1.39 per gallon), and distilled spirits by (90%, from $4.50 per gallon to $8.55 per gallon).

Kentucky: The governor signed a measure that will apply a 6% sales tax on packaged alcohol sales starting April 1, 2009 (the exemption of alcoholic beverages from the state sales tax was ended). The measure is expected to generate $51.9 million in FY 2010.

Maryland: Lawmakers proposed raising the state's excise tax on alcohol to the equivalent of $0.05 per drink. The tax rate on liquor would have been raised to $6 per gallon from the current $1.50 per gallon. Additional taxes would have been assessed for beverages containing more than 50% alcohol. The tax rate for beer would also have risen to 36-cents per gallon from the current 9-cents per gallon. Wine taxes would have increased to $1.60 per gallon from the current 40-cents per gallon. These proposals did not pass.

Massachusetts: Enacted budget extends the state's sales tax to the retail purchase of beer, wine, and hard liquor. This measure is expected to generate $78.8 million in FY 2010.

Michigan: Governor has proposed doubling the annual liquor license fees that now range from $600 to $1,200. Governor has proposed enacting a fee for allowing bars to stay open extended hours.

Nevada: Lawmakers proposed, but did not pass, increasing the state's alcohol tax. Lawmakers proposed increasing the tax on a gallon of liquor from $3.66 to $7.87. Taxes on wine would have risen to $1.77 per gallon, compared with the current 70 cents. Taxes on a gallon of beer would have jumped to 69 cents per gallon, compared to 16 cents.

New Jersey: Lawmakers increased the tax per gallon of alcohol (except for beer) by 25%. The measure is expected to generate $22 million in FY 2010.

New York: Higher alcohol tax enacted. Tax on beer was increased 3-cents per gallon to a total of 14-cents per gallon. Tax on wine was increased 11-cents per gallon to a total of 30-cents per gallon. The alcohol tax increases are expected to generate $14 million.

North Carolina: Enacted budget increases alcohol taxes by 0.8 cents per can of beer and by 4 cents per bottle of wine.

Oregon: Lawmakers proposed increasing the beer tax by 1,900%. Currently the tax is 1-cent per gallon and lawmakers have proposed raising it to $1.60 per gallon. This measure was not enacted. The Oregon Liquor Control Commission imposed a temporary 50-cent tax surcharge on every bottle of liquor sold in the state.

Vermont: Legislature passed a budget that extends the state's 6% sales tax to include hard liquor. Beer and wine are already subject to the state's sales tax.

Washington: The Washington Liquor Control Board voted to increase the state markup on liquor by an average of $1 a liter. Beer and wine are exempt.

Responding to Criticism

It's one of the hardest things to do effectively, especially as a public official.

Sometimes it's best not to respond; you don't want to keep the story alive or give your critic more exposure. Sometimes the attack is undeserving of a response.

When you know you need to respond, striking the right tone is not easy. Too often, the response appears defensive. You need to take the criticism seriously, but not take yourself too seriously.

Here's an example of how Mayor Cory Booker, the Mayor of Newark, New Jersey, responded to a joke, a big put down of Newark, from late night talk show comedian Conan O'Brien. In my opinion, Mayor Booker's response strikes just the right balance of seriousness and humor. It's shot on a video format in just over 1 minute, making it the perfect length for both broadcast and YouTube dissemination. Now the country is laughing with Newark, not at Newark.

Banning faux beauty

French politicians want to make a clear distinction between real women and their perfectly tanned, wrinkle-free, thin, big-busted counterparts known as the goddesses of Photoshop.

News sites and blogs this week have been reporting that France is proposing a law that would force advertisements to put a disclaimer on all photographs of models that have been digitally enhanced.

Like this photo of Jessica Alba. Where did her waist and hips go? Her knees were shaved down as well.

Or this one of Madonna, whose skin is smoother and shinier than any newborn baby I have ever seen.

French parliamentarian Valerie Boyer, a member of President Nicolas Sarkozy’s UMP party, said that images like the ones above “make people believe in a reality that often does not exist.”

The proposed law is part of a campaign against eating disorders. Politicians who support the law believe that airbrushed and altered images give adolescents a warped, unrealistic and unhealthy view of what beauty is. They say that when faced with these unrealistic standards of body image, adolescents can develop psychological problems, like bulimia and anorexia.

Under the law, all photographs retouched must provide a health stamp that reads “Photograph retouched to modify the physical appearance of a person.”

If advertisers don’t abide by the law, they would be fined 37,500 Euros ($54,930), or up to 50 percent of the cost of the advertisement.

The British are also considering a similar law that would ban all Photoshopped ads aimed at children under 16 and a disclaimer for those aimed at adults.

Would laws like these fatten the almost non-existent line between reality and fantasy? Is it necessary? Should a similar law be proposed in the United State?

Through the years

Have you checked out the House of Representatives' statehood project on the capitol website? Click here. It's a compilation of listings and photo composites of each session of the House, from 1959 to 2009. It also includes the list of memorabilia that was put into the House time capsule, to be opened 25 years from now. The photos are priceless.

Fuming

My friend Tony and I play golf every couple of months, give or take. I quit smoking years ago, and the only time I'll have a cigarette is after a round with him, a smoking purist who rolls his own. This past Saturday, we finished our game late in the afternoon. I lit up, took my first heavenly drag, and then the cell phone rang. It was a TV reporter calling about the new law raising taxes on tobacco products other than cigarettes, slated to go into effect on September 30th.

Nice timing.

The reporter was confused by the language of the bill, so not being near a computer I asked her to read me the significant section. It didn't make sense to me either. As we talked, I could see Tony in the corner of my eye starting to fume, smoke coming out of his ears. He knew exactly what the increase was about, and he was not happy.

I needed help to answer the reporter's question, so I was able to contact Brian (mahalo!) on Speaker's staff to look up the bill and explain it to me so that I could respond to the reporter prior to the 6 pm newscast.

In a lame attempt to appease my friend, I said, "well, this increase is for tobacco products other than cigarettes." But, of course, he rolls his cigarettes with loose tobacco so the increase does indeed apply to his purchases. I sympathized, as I asked to bum another. In a couple months, he may not be so generous.

In a nutshell, starting Wednesday, September 30 2009, the tobacco tax on tobacco products, other than cigarettes and cigars, will rise from 40% to 70% of the wholesale price. For cigars, the tax will rise from 40% to 50% of the wholesale price. And little cigars will now be classified in the same category as cigarettes.

A copy of the bill and bill history is here.

State Legislatures Send Letter to Congress on Healthcare

The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) sent this letter dated September 23, 2009, to Senators Max Baucus (Chair) and Charles Grassley(Ranking Member) of the Finance Committee, outlining the states' collective position on the healthcare reform bill, aka America's Health Future Act. Here are the request highlights:

*No unfunded federal mandates and full funding of any eligibility categories, services and increases for reimbursements.

*Automatic countercyclical stabilizer.

*Investments for improvements to the medicaid program.

*State regulation of health insurance.

*Long-term care initiatives.

*Disproportinate Share Hospital payments.

*Medical malpractice innovations.

State capitol garden

Photo: Vermont State House Garden. Cabbage harvested in June 2009

I was excited to read on NCSL's blog the Thicket that Vermont has a State House Garden, making it the first and possibly the only vegetable garden to be planted on a state capitol lawn.

Located in Montpelier, the garden is maintained by local volunteers. All the food harvested goes directly to local food banks. Vermont lawmakers approved the garden as part of an effort to promote sustainability, and to encourage residents to plant their own gardens.

Here's a link to the harvest report. This is the first year of the garden, and they reaped their 4th harvest of the year earlier in September. The bounty, posted by applescott:

"The fourth harvest was great, even if a little surreal with the Kansas protesters spitting nasty epithets at passers by, and the anti-protesters smiling serenely back and holding a bake sale! All the food we harvested—and there was a lot—went to the Bethany Soup Kitchen, which really appreciated every beet, carrot and bean.

Cabbage – 8 lbs – 4 oz
Carrots – 5 lbs – 4.5 oz
Beans – 3 lbs – 14 oz
Beets – 27 lbs
Kale – 5 lbs – 12.25 oz

More kale, collards, broccoli, lettuce, beets and spinach were planted."

Is this an idea that could be planted for the Hawaii State Capitol ?

Fifty Years of Legislative History Online

Big Mahalo to the Offices of the Chief Clerk, and the staff members of the Hawaii State Legislature, for putting together a unique resource: "Fifty Years of Legislative History: 1959 -2009".

Also available is a book of photo composites of the House of Representatives from 1959 to 2009, a listing of members from each session, and the memorabilia that was placed in the House time capsule to be opened fifty years from now. You may view it online here. The book was compiled in celebration of Hawaii's statehood, and it was made available online today.

A hard bound copy of the book is available for the public. If you would like information on obtaining a copy, please contact the Journal Division of the House Chief Clerk's Office at 808-586-6593.

3rd Annual Peace Day Hawaii: Creating a culture of peace

Rep. Jon Riki Karamatsu on Peace Education
Karamatsu introduced the legislation to officially recognize Peace Day in Hawaii. He is also the chairman of the ad hoc Peace Day Hawaii Committee.

Peace Day is celebrated worldwide every year on Sept. 21. It is a day of global ceasefire and nonviolence that each member state of the United Nations agreed upon. It is a day in which each one of us can do something to promote peace, either here in Hawaii or around the world.

Internationally: Last year 1.4 million children in Afghanistan were given polio vaccinations, and the Taliban pledged to not harm any vaccination teams entering volatile regions.

Locally: This year yoga practitioners will raise money to help feed Hawaii children with a fundraising event called Global Yoga Mala for Peace in Honolulu.

The idea of peace must begin with us, in our homes, our schools and our communities. That is why in 2007 I introduced a bill, on behalf of the Hawaii Federation of Junior Young Buddhist Associations, to be the first state to officially recognize Peace Day.

Many people shy away from peace initiatives because they think that one person cannot make a difference. That is wrong. We can all make a commitment to strive to embody the Aloha spirit through acts of compassion, acceptance and understanding. Peace must first start within us. Compassionate actions from one person can make a huge impact, and all our actions combined will help the world reach our goal of celebrating peace 365 days a year.

This year the Legislature protected monies for legal services for survivors of violence and updated harassment and temporary restraining order laws. However, we need to put more emphasis on education and awareness and be proactive rather than reactive. We must get to the root of where the cycle of violence can be broken: our keiki. One way to do this is to implement an education program for our public schools that includes education on conflict resolution, discrimination, harassment, bullying, sexual assault, and domestic violence.

Hawaii can also play a major role in international peace. We have a unique society with a variety of cultures and traditions that we share with each other. One of my long-term political goals is to create an "Aloha Mission" to the Middle East region to support our Hawaii troops, meet with political leaders, exchange culture, and provide medicine and toys for children.

Is it too much to ask?

The Washington Post today published an editorial called "Read This!" about whether lawmakers could, or even should, read every word in every piece of legislation upon which they vote. The same issue applies to state legislatures and county councils, too. The issue was originally raised in relation to the massive healthcare reform bill, when it became clear that many in Congress had not read the bill entirely.

That prompted the "Read to Vote" campaign. The organization of the same name is urging the members of the U.S. Senate and House to sign a pledge that they will read every word of a bill before voting on it. There is also a pledge for U.S. citizens to sign, urging their representatives to read every bill, and that they, as citizens, will try to do so too. Right.

The Washington Post editorial, touches on the obvious; as nice as it sounds, if lawmakers really did read every word of every bill up for vote, work on Capitol Hill would grind to an exasperating pace, if not a halt. It does concede, though, that the Read to Vote campaign makes some good points about the need to take the time to, if not read every word, at least fully understand bills up for vote.

"Still, the ReadtoVote campaign hits on some reasonable sources of discomfort with the way Congress operates. Some on the left are furious about politicians distorting bills' contents -- accusations of death panels in the health-care bill, for example. Unfortunately, distortion will probably happen regardless of how many pages lawmakers read.

Another is that leaders rush huge bills to a vote before lawmakers can review them. It's a problem about which the minority party inevitably complains. But in the current climate, it also unnecessarily feeds a divisive narrative on the right about how President Obama and his allies in Congress are forcing radical policy on an unwitting public. Narrative or no, it's reasonable to expect adequate time to consider bills' final language. "

Green Radio

It's that time of year when lawmakers are crystalizing new ideas for draft legislation in the upcoming session. How about green radio?

Founded and established in one of the most polluted cities in the world, Jakarta, Indonesia, 89.2 Green Radio is the first Green radio station, with all programming and news on ecology and the environment. Jakarta is reportedly the third largest emitter of carbon dioxide. It faces extreme problems with sanitation, flooding, water contamination, sewage and garbage.

According to this post from the Christian Science Monitor, the station is powered solely by solar panels, and broadcasts up to 10 hours a day.

It is a commercial station, but it refuses advertising from mining and cigarette companies.

The station has been on the air for over a year and seems to be making inroads with greater public awareness on environmental issues. While the city may have a long road ahead in turning awareness into action, station manager Nita Roshita believes they are starting an earth friendly trend.

SCOT MATAYOSHI NAMED PEACE DAY HAWAII 2009 AWARD RECIPIENT

Scot Matayoshi, 25, a law student at the University of Hawaii, was selected as this year's recipient of the Peace Day Hawaii Award for his dedication to guiding Hawaii's youth toward promoting nonviolence. Matayoshi will be presented with the award at the Peace Day Hawaii 2009 Celebration Ceremony, which will be held on Monday, Sept. 21, 2009 from 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. in the State Capitol Rotunda. The public is invited to attend this free event, which will feature special guest speaker Betty Williams, a Nobel Peace Laureate.

Peace Day is the day of global ceasefire and nonviolence held each year on Sept. 21. It is celebrated worldwide, but Hawaii became the first state in the nation in 2007 to officially recognize the occasion.

While a Teach for America corps member from 2006 to 2009, Matayoshi began a Peacemakers Club at Nanakuli High and Intermediate School after picking the minds of colleagues at Waipahu and Aiea High Schools. He sought to curb fighting and make students aware that their actions affect the way the rest of the island views and treats their community. Members of the club wear yellow wristbands to identify themselves. It shows others that they have done some soul-searching to decide between what's right and wrong.

Matayoshi hails from a family committed to serving the public. He is the grandson of former Big Island Mayor Herbert Matayoshi, and his parents are Ron Matayoshi, director of international programs at the UH School of Social Work, and Coralie Matayoshi, CEO of the Hawaii Red Cross chapter.

In 2007, Hawaii became the only state in the nation to officially recognize and annually celebrate the International Day of Peace, which was established by the United Nations as the Day of worldwide ceasefire and non-violence. State Representative Jon Riki Karamatsu introduced a bill on behalf of the members of the Hawaii Federation of Junior Young Buddhist Association. Governor Linda Lingle signed the bill into law on April 17, 2007.

For information on the Peace Day Hawaii 2009 Celebration Ceremony, please call 808-586-8490.

Soda Tax bills still alive

A proposed tax on soft drinks is currently a national issue. Soda consumption leads to obesity, especially child obesity according to the New England Journal of Medicine (although that should be no surprise to anyone.) Lawmakers are considering the tax on soda as one way to pay for healthcare reform. President Obama said it's worth exploring. See this NY Times article on the subject.

The idea is not new in Hawaii. During the 2009 session, Rep. Marilyn Lee introduced HB438 which proposes a tax on all soft drinks containing a certain percentage of sugar (to be determined) sold in the state. This does NOT include diet soda. The money would be used for community health centers and for public awareness on the importance of healthy lifestyles.

Rep. Marcus Oshiro also introduced HB1505 which proposes a tax on soda and syrup, with monies to go into the general fund.

Both bills stalled early in the 2009 session and were carried over to 2010. With the national attention on a soda tax and healthcare reform, the bills may be dusted off for reconsideration.

Hands for Peace

Have you seen the colorful hands doing the waltz with the wind on the kukui tree and a rainbow of pinwheels framing it the Capitol grounds yet? You can find this symbol of peace on Richards Street near the Korean War Veterans Memorial.

The Peace Day Hawaii Committee - comprising state government leaders, peace-education leaders and organizations, and Hawaii students - yesterday hung laminated paper cut-outs of the hands of Hawaii students. The students pondered the question "what does peace mean to you?" and wrote their responses on the hands.

The event was planned to kick off Peace Day Hawaii 2009, which will be celebrated over the weekend and on Monday, September 21. Peace Day is the day of global ceasefire and nonviolence held each year on Sept. 21. All members of the United Nations agreed to stop fighting on that day. It is celebrated worldwide, but Hawaii became the first state in the nation in 2007 to officially recognize the occasion.

Get Olelo video certified!

If you're a staff member of the state legislature or state administration, the video production/certification seminars are free! If you have the time and the desire, I strongly recommend taking Olelo up on its offer to conduct seminars at the Olelo mini-studio located at the State Capitol on the 4th floor, Room 414.

Olelo is taking reservations (8 per class I believe) for each of the 6-day seminars to be held once a month in September, November and December, and two times in October.

The first one coming up will take place on September 22, 23, 24, 28, 29, & 30.

This is an opportunity to learn a new skill and reach many new viewers through public access television and the internet.

For more information and to sign up, call Olelo at the Capitol at 586-7198.

Celebrating Peace Day

The third annual "Peace Day Hawaii: Uniting with Aloha" will be held on Sept. 20 and Sept. 21 at the Hawaii State Capitol. This free, two-day celebration will focus statewide attention on creating a culture of peace by weaving the elements of peace through our schools and communities. Events include an educational forum and Peace Day Hawaii Celebration Ceremony discussing peace, equity and justice as a necessity for community sustainability and environmental awareness. Special guest Betty Williams, who won the Nobel peace prize in 1976 for her dedication to promoting a peaceful resolution in Northern Ireland, will be the keynote speaker for both events.

The forum, "Sustainability in the Schools", will be held on Sunday, Sept. 20 in the State Capitol Auditorium. From 11 a.m. – 12 p.m., schools and community organizations that are associated with the Hawaii School Peace Gardens Consortium will give presentations in the auditorium. From 12 p.m. – 1 p.m., Betty Williams will be the guest speaker. From 1 p.m. – 2 p.m., representatives from the various organizations will briefly talk about what they do in schools or would like to offer in partnering with schools. Informational displays and booths on environmental sustainability will be set up in the State Capitol Rotunda from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

The Peace Day Hawaii 2009 Celebration Ceremony will be held on Monday, Sept. 21 from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. in the State Capitol Rotunda. The ceremony will include keynote speaker Betty Williams, entertainment, presentation of this year's Peace Day Award and a candle light ceremony and silent prayer.

A partner of Peace Day Hawaii is Victory Over Violence (VOV), a youth sponsored initiative to help young people identify and counteract the root causes of violence in their lives and promote a culture of peace in the community. The Hawaii chapter of the organization has extended nominations for the VOV Aloha Peace Challenge, an annual humanitarian competition in Hawaii that challenges all people to create value in their communities through activities that celebrate and promote peace and nonviolence, until September 14. To participate in the challenge, please visit www.vov.com.

In 2007, Hawaii became the only state in the nation to officially recognize and annually celebrate the International Day of Peace, which was established by the United Nations as the Day of worldwide ceasefire and non-violence. State Representative Jon Riki Karamatsu introduced a bill on behalf of the members of the Hawaii Federation of Junior Young Buddhist Association. Governor Linda Lingle signed the bill into law on April 17, 2007.

Information on Peace Day Hawaii ceremony: 808-586-8490, Peace Day Forum: 808-956-4244.

Modernization

The Department of Transportation came before the House Committee on Transportation today to provide status reports on all Harbors, Airports and Highways projects. Harbors and Airports divisions have started respective Modernization Plans. This past session bills to authorize a Highways Modernization Plan failed to pass and will carrry over to next session. SB1611. HB1167. The legislation proposes to raise fees and taxes to pay for needed improvements. Given the fiscal climate, the administration proposed to insert a trigger of two consecutive quarters of economic growth prior to assessing the fee/tax increases.

HARBORS

*The Harbors Modernization Plan (HMP) was passed into law as Act 200 in June 2008. It is budgeted at $618 million.

*The HMP is funded by special purpose revenue bonds supported by tariff increases. Industry users understand the need for the increase and support it.

*The HMP project co-managers are Sandy Pfund (ATDC) and Marshall Ando (DOT Harbors).

*First bond issuance of $120 million - First Qtr. FY11:
+Honolulu, Pier 35 improvements for UH SOEST Marine Center
+Hilo, Pier 4 construction
+Kahului Harbor land acquisition/improvements
+Kawaihae Harbor terminal yard improvements

*Second bond issuance of $200 million - FY15:
+KMR deep draft wharfs
+Shipyard relocation, Honolulu Harbor
+Honolulu Harbor, Pier 29
+Hilo Harbor, Pier 4
+Nawiliwili Harbor Pier 2

*Third ($155 million) and Fourth ($143 million) bond issuances after FY15.

AIRPORTS

*$2.3 billion Airports Modernization Program underway

*First bond issuance of $142 million - Second Qtr FY10
+Mauka Concourse Phase I
+HNL safety and security projects
+Ewa Concourse Sterile corridor
+Kona Terminal design
+Kahului Airfield improvements
+Kahului safety and security projects
+Lihue land acquisition
+Hilo Cargo facility

*Second bond issuance of $391 million - Third Qtr FY11
+Mauka Concourse program Phase II

*Photovoltaic projects. The Airports Division is one of the top 3 energy users in the state, with an electricity bill of $2 million per month. Photovoltaic technology has reduced their energy costs by 20%.

HIGHWAYS

*KAUAI, Kuhio Highway - Short term improvements, Highway widening, cane haul bridge widening. Widening expected to be advertised Nov. 2009.

*KAUAI, Kaumualii Highway - Widening, Phase IA from Lihue Bridge to Anonui Street. Processing award for construction.

*MAUI, Honoapiilani Highway - Widening, Aholo to Lahainaluna. To begin shortly.

*MAUI, Honoapiilani Highway - Realignment, Phase IA and IB-1. Started.

*MAUI, Kihei-Upcountry Highway - Design in progress, to be completed late 2009.

*BIG ISLAND, Queen Kaahumanu Highway Widending - Henry St. to Kona Airport. Phase I estimated completion by October 2009. Phase II, preparing to re-advertise project.

*BIG ISLAND, Saddle Road Improvements, MP 19-11. Project awarded September 2009.

*BIG ISLAND, Keaau-Pahoa Road, Shoulder Lane Conversion. Design in progress.

*OAHU, Fort Weaver Road Widening, Expected to be completed December 2009.

*OAHU, North-South Road. Multi-lane roadway from Kapolei Parkway to diamond interchange at H-1. Phase 1A completed. Phase 1B scehduled for January 2010 completion. Phase 1C - Dedication scheduled for October 2009.

*OAHU, Kapolei Interchange. In progress.

*OAHU, H-1 Pearl City and Waimalu Viaduct Repairs. In progress.

*OAHU, H-1 PM Contraflow. Planning.

*OAHU, Middle Street Merge. Environmental Assessment in progress. Proposals late 2010.

Lawmakers in the Military

Photo: NewtownEstates.org. Rep. Takai center.

Rep. K. Mark Takai is featured in this story on lawmakers in the military. The story appears in the September 2009 issue of State Legislatures, a publication of NSCL. Here is the write up on Rep. Takai:

Hawaii Representative K. Mark Takai, in his latest survey of state legislators who also serve in the military, noted that there are no federal laws prohibiting state lawmakers from serving on active duty with the military, but there are rules dealing with what official actions lawmakers can perform while on active duty.

The Department of Defense early last year amended rules covering reserve military personnel and whether they can serve as elected officials while under military deployment. The new directive prohibits a full-time military service member on active duty from holding or exercising functions of state office.

But members of the reserve who are deployed for less than 270 days are allowed to hold and exercise civic functions as long as there is no interference with their military duties.
For those called to active duty for more than 270 days, members can hold a civil office, but cannot exercise the functions of a civil office.

Takai’s surveys, conducted with assistance from the National Conference of State Legislatures, led to the creation of the National Network of Legislators in the Military, which Takai chairs.

The purpose of the network is to provide information and guidance to lawmakers who will be activated or deployed, to share “best practices” and model legislation, and to provide an opportunity for organizations supporting the military to work with the network’s members.
This year’s survey has been completed and will be published later in the year when Takai returns from Kuwait.

In addtion, here is the Department of Defense directive, issued in 2008, which covers political activity by members of the military.

4.5.1. Paragraph 4.5. applies to a civil office in a State; the District of Columbia; a territory, possession, or commonwealth of the United States; or any political subdivision thereof.

4.5.2. A regular member may not hold or exercise the functions of civil office unless otherwise authorized in paragraph 4.5. or by law.

4.5.3. A retired regular or Reserve Component member on active duty under a call or order to active duty for more than 270 days may hold─but shall NOT exercise─the functions of a civil office as set out in subparagraph 4.5.1., as long as:

4.5.3.1. The holding of such office is not prohibited under the laws of the State; the District of Columbia; a territory, possession, or commonwealth of the United States; or any political subdivision thereof.

4.5.3.2. The Secretary concerned grants permission after determining that holding such office does not interfere with the performance of military duties. The Secretary concerned may NOT delegate the authority to grant or deny such permission.

4.5.4. A retired regular or Reserve Component member on active duty under a call or order to active duty for 270 days or fewer may hold and exercise the functions of civil office provided there is no interference with the performance of military duties.

4.5.5. Any member on active duty authorized to hold or exercise, or not prohibited from holding or exercising, the functions of office under paragraph 4.5. is still subject to the prohibitions of subparagraph 4.1.2.

September 11th - Patriot Day

During the 2009 session, Rep. John Mizuno introduced a bill, HB274, proclaiming September 11th as Patriot Day. The bill was signed into law as Act 14. A link to the bill is here. It's message is strong and clear:

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

1 SECTION 1. The legislature finds that on September II,
2 2001, more than three thousand people lost their lives after
3 hijacked airplanes crashed into the World Trade Center in New
4 York, the Pentagon in Virginia, and in rural Pennsylvania. The
5 legislature further finds that during the aftermath of these
6 attacks, true heroism was defined by the brave acts of police
7 officers, firefighters, emergency personnel, and ordinary
8 citizens. The purpose of this measure is to honor those who
9 lost their lives on September II, 2001, and to acknowledge the
10 bravery of those who assisted in rescue efforts following the
11 attacks.

12 SECTION 2. Chapter 8, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended
13 by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to
14 read as follows:

15 "§8- Patriot Day. September eleventh shall be known and
16 designated as "Patriot Day". This day shall not be construed to
17 be a state holiday."

18 SECTION 3. New statutory material is underscored.

Floria's Anemones

The late Floria Shepherd's pastel drawing of "The Beautiful Princess Ka'iulani," as the artist so appropriately named the piece of art, has been hanging in the House Sergeant-at-Arms office for many years now. Her eyes are captivating, seductively drawing you in to relive through your imagination the history of Hawaiian royalty.

Floria's children recently visited the Hawaii State Capitol to view the drawing of Ka'iulani, one of two original pieces that are now property of the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts. Both drawings are part of the foundation's Art in Public Collection. The other is a pastel drawing of a bouquet of anemones in soft colors that are easy on the eyes.

Floria passed away in late December of 2008 at the age of 82. Her children, who now live on the mainland and on the Big Island, came to Oahu to bury their mother next to their father at Punchbowl Cemetery.

Gary, Lynn, and Joy chattered openly about their past while viewing the drawings. They shared memories and stories about their mother and her dedication to the arts and the Hawaiian culture.

Floria, who originated from New York, was fascinated by the Hawaiian culture and, most notably, by the Princess Ka'iulani.

"I think she was just enamored with it," said Joy. "You know, by the culture. She just loved the islands."

Floria sketched dozens of drawings of Ka'iulani, said her children. Some drawings were even on brown paper bag.

"She adored and was intrigued by the culture and believed in the power of Pele," added Joy.

Not only did Floria love to paint, draw and doodle, she enjoyed all forms of creative expression. While perusing an album of memorabilia made by her children, I noticed a poem Floria wrote, titled "The Mourning," that seemed fitting for the gathering held in memory of the artist Floria Shepherd.


"The Mourning"

I'm mourning for myself today
To be in an abyss without light
is as the wingless bird without flight

Will grief and loss find the Holy Grail?
Can shifting sands be moved
Beyond where I am from?
Shifting sands blow beyond
this loss of nature's seed
To water life's gift that feeds

Tomorrow will birth new wings
I will rise as the bird flies,
Mourning no longer with silent cries

In memory of Floria Shepherd.

Photo: Floria's children and other family members with her pastel drawings. From left to right: James Shepherd (cousin) and his wife Cathy, Gary Shepherd (son), Lynn Miller (daughter), Alice Shepherd (granddaughter), and Joy Vasilakis (daughter).

Meeting on highway improvement on Wai'anae Coast

Representative Karen Awana wants to remind Wai'anae Coast residents of a meeting tonight on the proposed improvements to Farrington Highway intersection at Nanakuli Avenue and Haleakala Avenue.

The Department of Transportation will provide an overview of the public.

Residents of the Wai'anae Coast are encouraged to attend to share input.

WHEN:
Thursday, September 10, 2009
7 - 9 p.m.

WHERE:
Nanaikapono Elementary School Cafeteria
89-153 Mano Avenue
Nanakuli, Hawaii

Agriculture Layoffs Will Impact Hawaii Exports

The House Agriculture Committee will hold a second informational briefing on the impact of potential layoffs for agricultural inspectors. Tomorrow, Ag Chair Rep. Clift Tsuji will focus on Hawaii's wide range of exports. You can see it live on Olelo, Ch. 49.

WHAT: The House Agriculture Committee will hold a meeting to gather information on the negative impact of potential agriculture inspector layoffs on Hawaii’s export industry, including plants, tropical flowers, tropical fruits/papaya, macadamia nuts, coffee, and more.


WHEN: Thursday, September 10, 2009
1:00 p.m.


WHERE: State Capitol, Conference Room 325

Money Committees Visit Kauai

State money chairs and Kauai lawmakers to hold "Legislators Listen" for public to share input on Governor's proposals to solve fiscal troubles

Who/What: Given the current economic situation facing the state of Hawaii, the Governor has put forth a variety of proposals, including furloughs, layoffs, and other program reductions. Representative Marcus Oshiro and Senator Donna Mercado Kim, the chairs of the Hawaii State Legislature's budget committees, along with Kauai legislators will hold an informal discussion session on the Hawaii state budget. The purpose of this session is to receive public input on the impact of the Governor's proposals and any other possible solutions to the current budget situation.

Where: Kaua`i Community College Cafeteria
3-1901 Kaumuali`i Hwy.
Lihu`e, HI 96766

When: Wednesday, September 9, 2009
4:30 to 8:00 p.m.

No Child Left Behind Reloaded

It's the day after Labor Day, traditionally a day that marks the end of summer and when kids go back to school. This morning, President Obama spoke to students about taking responsibility for their own learning. The full text of his speech is here.

As well, the September issue of "State Legislatures", the publication of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), zooms in on the controversial No Child Left Behind Act and what a new version of the legislation might look like. The full article is here.

No Child Left Behind (NCLB) is considered the most sweeping federal authority over state and local school boards in our country's history. The accountability provisions are considered the most problematic. Key requirements of the act are currently up for reauthorization, and they include:

*Testing all students in grades three through eight, and every year once in high school.

*Requiring schools receiving federal funds for disadvantaged students and schools with a certain percentage of low-income students to make progress in test scores.

*Putting any school failing to make "adequate yearly progess" on a "failing schools list", giving parents the option of sending their children to better peforming schools in the same district.

The criticism of such requirements is that they are unrealistic and impose punishments on schools failing to meet the standard. In addition, educators point to a "one size fits all" initiative imposed upon a diverse population.

It's been seven years since the passage of the NCLB Act; President George W. Bush signed it into law in 2002. While there is consensus that NCLB shines a light upon areas that need help - schools serving minority and poverty districts for example - there is also agreement that it's not working the way it should.

If and when the law is reauthorized, there are essentially two main concerns lawmakers around the country are raising:

*Control. States want more control, or at least more input, than they do now.

*Lack of resources. Schools don't have the resources to accomplish the mandated goals. If federal funds are reduced or elminated, some states have passed laws enabling them to opt out of the federal program.

How are we doing in Hawaii? The latest information can be found in a July 2009 news release on the subject from the Department of Education.

From Superintendent Patricia Hamamoto (at right):

“Over the past eight years, we have celebrated the steady gains made by students in reading and math. The progress made by our schools is evidence that student achievement is improving.

However, fulfilling the mandates of the federal No Child Left Behind Act continues to be an uphill battle for a majority of schools.”

“While today’s results only serve as one measure of how a school is performing, the need to close the achievement gap in Hawaii’s public schools still exists. We will break through the Adequate Yearly Progress ‘glass ceiling’ by implementing additional interventions tied to results, raising educational standards, demanding accountability, and redesigning our school day and instructional delivery system.“The truest measure of our efforts will be that our students successfully perform in the 21st century global economy because we delivered the high quality education they deserved.”

The results from the 2009 Hawaii State Assessment, used to determine a school's status under No Child Left Behind, are summarized in the news release with links to the full report.

Kukui Connection - September Guests

Rep. Marilyn Lee will host two new guests during the month of September on her Olelo public access televised series, "The Kukui Connection". The show airs regularly on Sundays at 4:00 p.m. on Oceanic Cable channel 54.

On September 6 and 20, Al Santoro of Poamoho Organic Produce will be the special guest. This is one you won't want to miss. He will explain the concept of organic farming and show us some of the methods he uses in his work. You can find their organic produce at Whole Foods, Umeke Market, Alan Wong's and The Pineapple Room, Turtle Bay Resort, and Celestial Natural Foods in Haleiwa. Just look at these organic mangoes! Go to the website for more information.

Organic mangoes from Poamoho Organic Produce

On September 13 and 27, Rep. Lee's guest will be Mike Story, Sports Manager from the Hawaii Tourism Authority. Mike will talk about tourism marketing, the various areas they have targeted for future business, including Oceania.

Reps Weigh in on Hoopili

The Honolulu Star-bulletin published two op-eds on the Hoopili project, one by Rep. Chris Lee and the other by Rep. Rida Cabanilla. We've posted them here:

Hoopili project doesn't fit Hawaii's renewed focus on sustainable economy
by Rep. Chris Lee

People seem to either love the Ho'opili development, or hate it. And I can understand that. I'm 28, and will soon be looking for my first affordable home. On the other hand, I'm 28, and my generation and I will have to live with the consequences of poor planning for decades to come.

Fortunately, Ho'opili offers more than a vision of houses stretching across the Ewa Plain; Ho'opili has given Hawaii the opportunity to rethink our future priorities, today.

Last Friday the decision to rezone 1,500 acres of prime agricultural land to "urban" came before the state Land Use Commission. The commission was created by the Legislature specifically to address concerns about "the development of Hawaii's limited and valuable land for short-term gain for the few while resulting in long-term loss to the income and growth potential of our state's economy ... and the conversion of prime agricultural land to residential use ... "

While done on procedural grounds, the Land Use Commission rightfully rejected the request from Ho'opili's developers.

It is important to realize that today, Hawaii imports nearly 90 percent of our food. This dependency siphons billions from our economy each year, and as the cost of oil and shipping continue to rise, so too will prices at the grocery store. So it's concerning that Ho'opili's 11,750 new homes would be built over 14 percent of Oahu's best agricultural land, which is a major contributor to our local food supply and critical to a viable agriculture industry.

Back in 1997 when the plan for more homes in Ewa was originally developed, it may have been good policy at the time. However, since then available farmland in Hawaii has declined by more than 22 percent and the cost of shipping food to the islands has skyrocketed. As a result, in the last decade there has been a paradigm shift in public policy with a new focus on diversifying our economy and redeveloping local agriculture.

The goal is to create new jobs, reduce food prices and sustain Hawaii for the long-term. We have realized there is limited space on Oahu to build new homes — and new strategies for "smart growth" have revolutionized urban planning, and will redevelop old industrial areas such as Kakaako, instead of building over endangered farmlands.

We have to think ahead. Ho'opili is not important because it will build homes or create jobs. Construction crews couldn't begin work until well after the City and County grants approval, potentially many months or years from now, and there are already plans for tens of thousands of other new houses in the Ewa area and thousands of more apartments, condos and lofts planned for urban Honolulu.

What does make Ho'opili important is that it is a clear-cut case of competing uses. The choice pits fertile agricultural land, home to several outstanding local farms, against another 11,750 homes. In this era of new sustainable policy, Ho'opili's rejection or approval will determine whether or not the state is serious about properly managing growth and planning ahead for the long term. It will force our leaders to follow through with commitments to smart growth, renewing local agriculture and diversifying our economy — or to proceed with short-term thinking and business as usual.

Ultimately, the plan for another 11,750 homes on agricultural land is the same urban sprawl that has paved over Oahu for the past 50 years. Hawaii's population keeps growing, and the question is not whether we need new homes. We have to have new homes. The question is where we choose to build them.
———
Chris Lee is state representative for House District 51 (Lanikai, Waimanalo).

Rebuild rundown urban Oahu instead of paving prime Ewa farmland

By Rep. Rida Cabanilla

It is very difficult to accept the permanent changes that are about to occur in Ewa in the near future. As a representative of the people, I continually made my objections known to the Land Use Commission for the last two years regarding the development of Ho'opili, a planned residential community on Ewa farmlands. Although some of my constituents support the intent of the development, working at the state Capitol and hearing the different concerns of my colleagues, I can't help but consider not only regional impacts but also statewide impacts of this massive land development.

I recently had a meeting with Bob Stanfield of the City & County Building and Permitting Department, who is in charge of the Ewa Development Plan. His main arguments against my objections of the housing plan stem from the question, "Where else can we build more homes?"
Although a hypothetical question, I have some real answers that the city should take into consideration.

Before Hawaii starts building more homes in Ewa, creating more traffic and depleting the islands of our valuable agricultural lands, we need to redevelop the rundown areas of urban Honolulu. We need to stop sacrificing our limited precious resources.

In Kakaako, there are acres of undeveloped land with adequate underground infrastructure already in place. Last session we passed legislation mandating a certain percentage of affordable housing depending on the land area being developed.

Areas around Kapiolani, Moiliili and McCully are, for the most part, populated by very old, two-story walk-up apartment buildings. The Building and Permitting Department can remove the three-story height limitation on these areas and allow us to go vertical. Going vertical will improve the Honolulu skyline, provide fulfillment of the affordable housing need and create housing options for those who work in Waikiki and downtown Honolulu and even provide off-base living options for our military men and women who work at Pearl Harbor, Hickam and Fort Shafter.

With home prices rising and land area diminishing, the dream of a single-family home on a 5,000 square foot piece of land is difficult to achieve. Going vertical will help preserve our precious agricultural lands. We need to emulate European ideas on infrastructure. Their cities are contained, and they leave the rural areas for agriculture. The argument that we can move these Ewa farmlands elsewhere is just as absurd as saying we can move this housing development within urban Honolulu.

These areas I have suggested for development are blighted communities. Why is there not a push to modernize these slummy downtown areas so that we can be proud of our urban core?
Sustainability, self-sufficiency and food security are goals that the Legislature and the state are working toward. Today we import 90 percent of our food. Without our farmlands it would be impossible to reduce our dependency on outside resources or fulfill our goals.

The state tourism count continues to diminish daily. By building houses on the entire island, we will see even fewer tourists coming to Hawaii. Tourists vacation in Hawaii to enjoy tropical scenery and hospitality, not panoramic views of urban sprawl.

The more houses we build, the more out-of-state people will come to Hawaii to purchase homes, driving the cost of homes through the roof. I know that increasing supply will decrease the prices of homes — but, figuratively speaking, only for a day. As soon as the prices become reasonable, residents of the contiguous 48 states will be here driving the prices up again.

We cannot build more housing complexes without sufficient transportation infrastructures in place. Consider the city's light rail project. If they did not build all these houses in Kapolei, then there would have been no need for the rail. Building more, such as Ho'opili, will create more traffic woes and require more infrastructure, not just the rail.

Supporters of Ho'opili contend that it will bring more jobs to the region, thereby decreasing the amount of commuters to town. How many jobs will there be? Can the project bring more than 2,000 jobs to the region? My answer is no, and if there are jobs, the jobs will probably not pay enough to support a mortgage of these new homes.
———
Rida Cabanilla is state representative for House District 42 (Waipahu, Honouliuli, West Loch and Ewa).

Prevailing Winds: Burglaries and NSW

This month's edition of Rep. Isaac Choy's "Prevailing Winds" focuses on a recent rash of neighborhood burglaries. Here's an excerpt from his monthly newsletter:

Concerned constituents recently brought up the subject of a growing problem in our neighborhood. The issue is burglaries. As the economy worsens, there is a rise in home break-ins. Our district of Manoa, University area, McCully & Moiliili, has seen an exponential rise in the crime rate. Now is the time that we all must step up and be on the look out for ourselves and our neighbors. We all want to feel safe and secure in our homes, and by sharing this concern with others around us, we can effectively police our own communities.

We can all be proactive by forming Neighborhood Security Watches (NSW) in our areas. Our office has put together a fact sheet (attached) which outlines how our community can initiate NSW’s. Attend your monthly neighborhood board meetings where there is present a Community Affairs Representative of HPD to report on the monthly crime statistics of the neighborhoods, and it is there that you will be able to voice your concerns. By working together on this serious problem, hopefully, we will be able to prevent further incidences.