Community Happenings: National Night Out

The public is invited to the "26th Annual National Night Out" (NNO), a crime/drug prevention event on Tuesday, August 4, 2009 at the Salt Lake Target Store. The Honolulu Police Department, civic groups, business, neighborhood organization and state leaders are expected to participate.

Here's what's on the agenda:

6:00 - 6:30 p.m. - City patrol and sign waving from
6:30 - 7:30 p.m. - Citizen patrol and sign waving
7:30 - 8:30 p.m. - Awards / Program

From the NNO website:

National Night Out is designed to:

• heighten crime and drug prevention awareness;
  
• generate support for, and participation in, local anticrime programs;
• strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships;
  
• and send a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.

If you would like to attend this event, call your Weed and Seed or Community Policing Team Officers in your area. Find their numbers here.

Recycle your junk at Windward Mall

Representative Jessica Wooley, Pono Chong and Ken Ito invite residents of the windward side to help turn trash into cash to support the Ko'olaupoko Hawaiian Civic Club on Aloha 'Āina Earth Day #39.

The recycling community clean-up and fundraiser will be held at Windward Mall tomorrow, Saturday, August 1, 2009, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Those who would like to get rid of junk piling up in their home should go to the Alaloa Street parking lot.

What will be accepted?

• scrap metal, bicycles, appliance (no TVs/microwaves ovens)
• Newspaper, cardboard
• beverage containers
• cooking oil
  
• cellular phones
• printer cartridges
• tires (passenger tires/limit 4 per car)
• green waste
• plastic bags, plastic hangers
• athletic shoes (no metal cleats)
• used eye glasses, hearing aids
• all kind of batteries
• telephone books
• magazines
• one desk top computer per household/car
• usable clothing/household items
• unwanted cars - free towing by appointment only

*Please DON'T bring:

• Paints, hazardous fluids, microwave ovens, televisions, gas tank.
  

Rep. Karl Rhoads Commentary on "Shared Sacrifice"

The following op-ed by Rep. Karl Rhoads appeared in this morning's Honolulu Advertiser:

Lingle shields rich from 'shared sacrifice'

By Rep. Karl Rhoads

The gist of Gov. Lingle's response to our current budget crisis has been a call for "shared sacrifice." While shared sacrifice evokes images of everyone pulling together to get through a difficult time, the reality is that most of the effects of the downturn have not been shared.

If we follow the governor's lead, state workers will bear the brunt of the burden and most everyone else will not be asked to make any sacrifice at all.

Instead, the pain of the recession needs to be more broadly distributed. The best way to do that is to tap the Rainy Day fund and temporarily raise income taxes on higher income wage earners.
Combined with the pay cuts that state workers have already accepted in principle, we can get through this economic crisis without gutting state government or unfairly pinning the blame for the recession on state workers. State workers did not cause this recession and they provide services most of us consider essential, such as inspecting our elevators, protecting us from food-borne illness and teaching our children. If anyone deserves special blame for the state of the economy, it is private-sector actors who were more concerned about making money than about the stability of the financial system.

To date, the recession has disproportionately affected two groups: those who have lost a job and those who have taken a pay cut. Right now 47,700 Hawai'i residents are unemployed, which means that almost 600,000 are still employed. While a 7.4 percent unemployment rate is far too high, it does mean that 92.6 percent of us are still employed. Data on how many have taken pay cuts are not readily available, but anecdotally it would appear the number is high.

Before deciding how to share the pain, we also need to look at who shared the gain of the good economic times. The answer to that question is very simple: the highest income earners. Instead of asking those whose share of the economic pie has been rapidly increasing to make any sacrifice (the average after-tax income of the top 1 percent of income earners rose 20 percent in one year from 2003 to 2004), Gov. Lingle vetoed a bill that would have raised taxes on a family making $350,000 by a mere $375 a year.

The Legislature overrode this veto and took a step in the right direction, but with the state's fiscal picture continuing to deteriorate, those of us in the highest income brackets are going to need to make a real sacrifice to see us through this difficult time.

Gov. Lingle has argued that protecting the income of the very richest will spur economic recovery. But protecting the income of the middle class (like state workers) is a more effective antidote to recession because higher income individuals rarely spend their entire paycheck. In a recession, spending is what brings recovery, not savings.

Gov. Lingle has suggested that "shared sacrifice" demands that state workers take a 14 percent pay decrease in the form of a three-day-a-month furlough. The average salary for a state unionized worker is $44,252. A 14 percent cut would amount to $6,195 a year. Gov. Lingle has also taken the position that state employees should pay the entire increase in cost of escalating health care premiums. For a family plan, this will amount to another $2,400 a year. Most of us would not be able to absorb an $8,595 decrease in salary. State workers are no different.

Real shared sacrifice requires that all of us accept the responsibility that comes with living in a democracy. State workers have indicated they are willing to take a 5 percent decrease in pay. Health care contribution negotiations are ongoing which may result in a further decrease in pay.

Temporarily raising income taxes spares those who are already struggling like the unemployed or underemployed, unlike an increase in the general excise tax. In combination, these measures will see us through to better times and will turn the slogan of shared sacrifice into a reality.

Rep. Karl Rhoads represents the 28th District (Palama, Downtown, Sheridan) and is chairman of the state House Labor and Public Employment Committee. He wrote this commentary for The Advertiser.

Reps in the News

A round up of stories you may have missed...

Rep. Glenn Wakai on KGMB9 News regarding the state's investment in the space industry. Rocketplane Global, one of the companies that Hawaii has been courting, closed its offices and left town in Oklahoma after taking $18 million in tax credits. Story here.

Here's a good news story on Rep. Wakai's recent donation to LBJ Medical Center in Samoa. According to a SamoaNews.com story here, donated toys and medical supplies arrived last week courtesy of Hawaiian Airlines, Shriners Hospital of the Pacific, and Reach Out Pacific (REPAC), the non-profit organization headed by Wakai.

Hawaii's Filipino Caucus is the focus of this story in the Filipino-American Community Newspaper, featuring Vice Speaker Michael Magaoay.

Same sex marriage, Civil Unions, Domestic Partnerships

The National Conference of State Legislatures recently updated a status of where states stand on the issue of same sex marriage, civil unions and domestic partnerships. The tables can be found here.

Quick Facts:

States that issue marriage licenses to same sex couples: Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire. California passed a law allowing same sex marriage in April 2008, but it was overturned by Proposition 8 in November 2008. Marriages performed prior to Prop. 8 remain valid.

States that recognize same sex marriages performed in other states: Rhode Island, New York, District of Columbia.

States that allow civil unions: Connecticut, Vermont, New Jersey, New Hampshire.

States that allow domestic partnerships, with nearly all state-level spousal rights to unmarried couples: California, Oregon, Washington.

States that allow domestice partnerhsips with only some state-level spousal rights to unmarried couples: Hawaii, Maine, District of Columbia, Wisconsin.

Hawaii is also one of 18 states that offer benefits for same sex partners of state employees. The Hawaii law passed in 1997.

Part time workers lack health coverage

USA TODAY covered Hawaii's healthcare system today, in a story by the Associated Press.

A statistic that stands out is that "Hawaii has the highest percentage of private sector part-time employees without employer sponsored health coverage in the country, according to a University of Hawaii study on the law's impacts."

That law is the historic Pre-paid Health Act, passed in 1974, which requires Hawaii employers to provide health insurance coverage for workers who work more than 20 hours a week. Since then, Hawaii has become one of the healthiest states in the country based on such factors as life expectancy, high number of insured, low number of emergency room visits, and others.

However, businesses looking to get around the law in order to save money hire more part time workers who work less than 20 hours a week.

The legislature passed a bill this session which would have required health insurers who offer health care coverage to regular employees of a group or association to offer the same coverage to part time employees who work at least 15 hours per week. HB690 Relating to Insurance.

The bill was vetoed by the Governor. The veto explanation stated that the bill "violates federal requirements governing employee benefits as set forth in the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)." The legislature did not override the veto.

States Raised Taxes in 2009

It's not news that state legislatures raised taxes in 2009 in order to close significant budget gaps. What is noteworthy is that trends emerged, and NCSL has filed a useful report on the subject. The report lists which states did what, but here are some examples:

*States reported $142 billion in budget gaps.

*36 states reported raising taxes to help close the gaps, increasing revenue by an estimated $24 billion. (I assume that means that budget cuts were the main tool used to close budget gaps, as they were in Hawaii.)

*19 states made no signifcant tax policy changes.

*Trend - states relied heavily on raising personal income tax, a source that has not been tapped in recent years.

*Trend - states specifically turned to higher-income wage earners.

*Trend - more than a dozen states applied new tobacco and alcohol taxes.

*Trend - business tax breaks scaled back.

*Trend - new assessments on health care industry.

*Trend - incentives for renewable energy and transportation initiatives slowed.

*Noteworthy - some state actually cut taxes. North Dakota cut individual and business taxes by $50 million.

*Noteworthy - Massachusetts and California raised their sales tax.

*Noteworthy - Florida raised tobacco tax and generated more than $1 billion in fee increases.

*Noteworthy - Delaware added sports betting to its gaming activities to generate $53 million.

*Noteworthy - Delaware also approved a tax on crude oil transfers.

Supreme Court Law Library Provides Legislative History Service

If you are looking for legislative history on a particular section of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, the Hawaii Supreme Court Library may be able to find what you need. Complete information can be found here.

They will pull and mark acts and committee reports from the Session Laws of Hawaii and the House and Senate Journals if you provide them with a specific HRS Chapter and Section, or an Act Number and the year in which it was enacted.

You must complete and submit a request form and pay a fee for the service in advance. Rush service is available. See here for schedule of costs.

Lawmakers and Twitter: A match made in Twitterville?

Representative Della Au Belatti posted a question on Twitter yesterday asking her followers what they thought of a Yahoo! article criticizing tweeting politicians who use 140-character tweets to communicate with the public.

The article references Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's unintelligible tweets, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's TwitVids (Twitter videos) – specifically, the one of him wielding a large knife, and other national lawmakers who write about ballet, golf and other commonplace occurrences.

Rep. Belatti proposed this discussion topic:

DAuBelatti: Thoughts on politicians & twitter - do you agree w/Yahoo article? http://tiny.cc/A71tB DAB: I admit to tweeting about daily activities.

I was able to find responses from four of her followers. Here is what they had to say:

Susan Jaworowski, an assistant professor and program director of the Legal Education Department at Kapiolani Community College, opined on the ways lawmakers should tweet, sans faux pas.

lavasusan: To @DAuBelatti Ways to do it right: make decisions transparent to public, keep them informed. Even human touches good if not the majority.

lavasusan: To @georgettedeemer @DAuBelatti: legislators can be as stupid or wise on Twitter as any other medium. Tweetcongress.org mostly gets it right.

Gene Park, a former Star-Bulletin reporter, complimented Rep. Belatti on her 140-character tweeting skills and gave her the green light on tweeting personal commentary – as long as knife-wielding isn't part of the package.

genepark: @DAuBelatti I think you do a fine mix of personal and work related tweets. Mundane tweets humanizes the personality.

genepark: @DAuBelatti And tweeting on the job is not much of a timesink. The Arnold knifeholding thing is pretty weird though. Don't do that. :-)

The voice behind Makiki Talks, an on-line gathering place for everything Makiki, tweeted views that are shared amongst many social media critics. He/she suggests that elected officials are too careless when using new media.

MakikiTalks: @DAuBelatti I don't understand y elected officials who use trad [traditional] media so carefully, so strategically forget themselves in SoMe-social media.

MakikiTalks: @DAuBelatti People still scrutinize DECISION MAKING, & ultimately PERSON making decision. Don't want to see lack of judgment or inattention

MakikiTalks: @DAuBelatti ..to the big decisions the people trust & give responsibility to make. Twitter is still earning credibility as a com tool.

A handful of Hawaii's elected officials, including Reps. Della Au Belatti, Jon Riki Karamatsu, Angus McKelvey, Cindy Evans and other capitol tweeps, are posting their thoughts and activities on the social-networking phenomenon that has recently found its way into the mainstream.

What are your thoughts on the Twitter etiquette of elected officials? Should they tweet about the mundane? Should they be tweeting at all? Is Twitter the appropriate medium to respond and discuss serious issues?

Federal Stimulus Update

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke spoke to legislators today on the status of the federal stimulus funds. Read the NCSL news story here. Locke's key points:

Even though there has been much criticism of the effect of the stimulus, Locke is confident that the Obama administration is on the right track.

*The administration's goal is to move 70% of the stimulus funds out to the states by September 2010. Today, 28% of the funds have been distributed.

*By the end of this summer, the administration will make $15 billion in grants to broadband, high speed rail and smart grid.

*Locke urges lawmakers to make utility regulation changes that encourage the use of renewable energy.

*He specifically supports more flexible pricing, where consumers would be charged more for usage in peak hours. This complements the use of the smart grid, where consumers can see for themselves their energy use in real time.

*Locke cited the upcoming U.S. Census which will start next year. This will not only provide a significant number of temporary jobs, but will determine the number of seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives.

HIBT Celebrates 50 Years

Left to Right: Rep. Denny Coffman, Rep. Cindy Evans, Rep. Robert Herkes, Peter Fithian, Roberta Fithian, Fred Duerr and Rep. Corinne Ching

The Hawaii International Billfish Tournament is underway this week, July 20-24, 2009, marking its 50th anniversary. You can follow the week's events on their website here. Rep. Robert Herkes (District 5 - Puna, Kau, South Kona and North Kona) has been involved with the tournament since the start, and organized a floor presentation earlier this year to recognize founder Peter Fithian, his wife Roberta and other key leaders in the organization such as Fred Duerr, former general manager of the legendary Kona Village.

Helping to celebrate the Golden Anniversary, Big Island Mayor Billy Kenoi presents a proclamation to Peter Fithian, along with 2009 Miss Billfish Andria DeBina.

Here is Rep. Herkes' floor speech:

RECOGNIZING PETER FITHIAN, FOUNDER OF THE HAWAIIAN INTERNATIONAL BILLFISH TOURNAMENT

Mr. Speaker,

Today we are honoring the 50th Anniversary of the Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament.
I’m proud to say that I fished the first two years of the tournament, and I guess you could say I’ve been -- “hooked” -- ever since.

The HIBT was founded in July 1959, and it has long been considered one of the most prestigious billfish tournaments of its kind in the world. Because of this tournament, Kona is known to this day as one of the great fishing capitols, attracting anglers from all over the map. In fact, for this Golden Anniversary, the tournament organizers will expand its registration capacity to accommodate 50 teams, including those from Australia, Japan, Bermuda, Portugal, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, South Africa, Tahiti, and, of course, the United States.

Yet, amazingly, it remains a tournament that is staffed by hard working and loyal volunteers, its popularity has always been driven by prestige, not money, and it runs on a lot of love and aloha spirit, starting at the top.

Mr. Speaker and members, we’re fortunate to have the people who are the heart and soul of the tournament here with us today, starting with the founder of the Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament – please welcome Mr. Peter Fithian.

I met Peter Fithian when he came to Hawaii to manage the Kona Inn. Not many know that before he came to Kona, he managed the Augusta National Golf Club. Now, if you’re a golfer, you know what a big deal that is. Peter knew that Kona needed to find an event that would attract more business to the town, and being the smart businessman that he is, he took the sports marketing concept of the Augusta Masters golf event and applied it to what Kona does best -- fishing.

Peter used to fish with some of the local fishermen in Kona, and he came to have a deep respect for their knowledge and experience on the best way to catch the giant blue marlins. He structured the tournament based on their expertise, including the best time of year, the best hours in the day, and the optimum number of days to hold the tournament.

As a result, the event became so successful that it attracted people from all over the world, not just to fish, but as spectators too. The HIBT became the model for other billfish tournaments, and it attracted royalty such as the Duke and Duchess of Manchester, and movie and TV stars such as Lee Marvin, Jonathan Winters, Arte Johnson, Toshiro Mifune, and the great Richard Boone.

Today, the Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament contributes millions of dollars to the local economy, and there is no question that it has “lured” many people from around the world to the Kona Coast over the past 50 years. Its contribution to Big Island business and tourism is immeasurable. And, through Peter’s guidance, the tournament has also encouraged more scientific research and the conservation of ocean resources in order to ensure that fishing along the Kona Coast remains healthy and abundant for all.

Mr. Speaker, I don’t know if you know that the Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament is the only fishing tournament in the world to have its own daily newspaper, “The Billfish Bowl – All the News that’s Fish, We Print.” I started working on this newspaper with the late Harry Lyons when it was called the “Ahi Daily News.” You can be sure that the 50th Anniversary of the Tournament will leap from The Billfish Bowl to become the big news throughout the state, even if it is a “fish story”.

Thank you, Peter, for all your hard work and your vision over the past 50 years.

Health Care Reform - Can states afford to wait?

President Obama is scheduled to deliver a national address on his health care reform package today (8 pm Eastern/2 pm Hawaii). You can watch the live stream here. You can also follow the president on www.Twitter.com/BarackObama, where he has asked his 1.8 million Twitter followers to watch the news conference and declare support.

A few states have started plans for greater health care coverage stating that they can't wait for reform at the national level. On Monday, Connecticut overrode their Governor's veto to pass into law a universal health care measure. The plan is scheduled to be implemented by 2012, and to cover the state's 300,000 uninsured residents. The WSJ online story is here.

Connecticut follows Massachusetts, which enacted universal health care legislation in 2006, and Vermont and Maine, which have reformed parts of their health care system.

In the 2009 session, Hawaii passed HB1504 which creates the Hawaii Health Authority, charged with developing a comprehensive plan to provide universal health care for Hawaii residents. The bill was vetoed by the Governor and the legislature overrode the veto last week. The legislature appropriated $50,000 for the fiscal year 2009-2010 for the authority to perform its duties.

Laura Tobler, health policy expert with the National Conference of State Legislatures, says that much of the federal legislation will be modeled after what the states are doing. She warned, however, that these states could miss out on some federal subsidies.

Connecticut has indicated that if federal legislation is passed, they would make recommendations within 60 days on any changes needed to fit with the national program.

Food Certification Pilot Program Expected to Strengthen Agriculture/Tourism Relationship

Nancy Cook Lauer wrote a focus piece on HB1471, a measure that establishes a safe food certification pilot program, in today's West Hawaii Today. The story is here. The bill was passed by the legislature, vetoed by the governor, and then passed into law through a legislative override last week.

The bill was introduced by Rep. Clift Tsuji, the chair of the House Agriculture Committee. The pilot program is aimed to help farmers successfully manage the safe food certification process so that more of their product can be sold to Hawaii hotels and restaurants.

While the article focuses on the visitor industry, it is clear that local residents are also searching for fresh, locally grown produce and products, as evidenced by the growing popularity in farmers' markets around the state.

Here are some quotes from Nancy's article:

"It's a better working environment for our employees, and it gives the consumers an extra level of confidence." Richard Ha, Hamakua Springs Country Farms.

"We recognize that our guests' tastes are evolving and our new Sustainable Menu introduces them to quality Big Island foods." Paul Matsumoto, Sheraton Keauhou Food and Beverage Director.

"In today's agricultural climate, food safety is a consumer demand and food producers must be held accountable for food-borne illnesses. Hawaii's already fragile (agricultural) industry cannot afford even one epidemic outbreak." Rep. Clift Tsuji, House Agriculture Committee Chair.

"If even one incident were to take place here where tourists got sick from eating food from any of the many restaurants or hotels that service our tourists, Hawaii would have a black eye forever." Mark Teruya, President and CEO, Armstrong Produce.

Joint Committees on Labor get update from DLIR

Rep. Karl Rhoads, Chair of the House Committee on Labor and Public Employment, questions Linda Smith, Governor's Policy Advisor and Darwin Ching, Director of Labor and Industrial Relations.

The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DLIR) provided an update this morning on the status of the Department's budget and how it will be affected by budget cuts and restrictions. Here are some main points:

*The Department is funded by general funds, but many employees are funded through federal program funds.The department's general fund portion of the budget in $15.8 million. Of that, they expect about $1.7 million to be restricted in the first year of the biennium.

*Chair Rhoads and Chair Dwight Takamine, Senate Labor Committee, were primarily interested in how these restrictions might impact services to the public, particularly services related to unemployment.

*The department could not immediately share that information with the joint committees, however, it will be provided as soon as possible.

*Director Ching clarified that the Unemployment Trust Fund, which currently has a balance of $280 million, will not be impacted by any proposed furlough plan. It is unknown at this time how the state layoff proposal would impact the fund. The department is contemplating reducing the number of weeks of unemployment benefits.

* Linda Smith said that employees with seniority would be able to bump other state employees so they are not sure how much would actually be saved at the end of the process. As such, they reserve the right to issue another round of layoffs if the savings are not sufficient.

*Chair Rhoads requested that the Governor not furlough employees within the department who are funded with federal funds. He indicated that it doesn't make sense, especially with our budget shortfall, to lose federal funds due to unnecessary furloughs. The Governor indicated in the past that if state workers are furloughed, their federally funded colleagues should be as well, even though there is no savings for the state budget.

*Senator Slom asked how the layoff list that was presented to the unions today was developed. Linda Smith replied that the potential layoff list was developed according to each department director's priorities, with the goal of minimizing impact of services to the public.

*Asked if the Governor is planning to appeal Judge Sakamoto's ruling on the Governor's authority to furlough, Linda Smith replied that they had not seen the Judge's written order yet and could not comment on an appeal until then.

*Chairs Rhoads and Takamine emphasized the need to keep the public informed on what services will be impacted by budget cuts, layoffs and/or furloughs. If programs that the public relies upon are terminated without much advance notice, such as Healthy Start, it creates an even greater hardship for families.

Rep. Isaac Choy on SB199 - QHTB tax credits

The following was written by Rep. Choy and printed in The Honolulu Advertiser, Monday, July 20, 2009. Link here.

Scaled-back tax credits still allow sector to grow

The Hawai'i high tech community is up in arms over the passing of SB 199 CD2. This bill limits (not abolishes) income tax credits on new investments in a Qualified High Technology Business (QHTB).

The restructured high technology investment income tax credit is still very generous to serious investors who believe in the future of the high tech company, but it is no longer attractive to people who only want to avoid taxes. For every dollar invested, one dollar of income tax credits is given for Hawai'i state residents only. It gives a credit for up to 80 percent of a person's state income tax liability in 2009 and 2010. Any investments in a QHTB prior to May 1, 2009, will not be affected.

The high technology community is doing an admirable job trying to diversify the economy by raising wages and bringing local people home. As for me, I have two kids working on the Mainland; one is an attorney and the other is an auto mechanic, and I would love to have them come home, but they have jobs there.

Diversifying the economy with industries like the high technology industry is very important for the future of our state. No one can argue against that. But we are in a very troubling economic time, and we have to do what is best to make up a severe budget shortfall.

A constituent wrote to me stating that as his business deteriorated with the economy, he shrank the size of his business, and he felt that government should do the same. But, unlike businesses, when times get tough, the cry for government services gets even louder. Most state-administered programs were created because of an outcry from the people. To dismantle these programs is extremely difficult.

When the high-tech community was so vigorously lobbying at the Capitol, they should have looked to their left and their right to see all of the people who were trying to save the basic safety nets for the people of our state.

Throughout this legislative session, we have made tough choices that will adversely affect all of us taxpayers, government workers, human services, health, education and other very worthwhile causes. We have cut the budget by $800 million over two years. It has not been pleasant, and no legislator takes pride in causing any pain.

In the beginning of this session, I felt that in these economic times the legislators will undoubtedly have to anger some people in order to do the right thing for the good of most. But we are the ones who must make these difficult choices. We are by no means out of the woods yet; we must be prepared to make more sacrifices.

In his Opening Day remarks to House members, Speaker Calvin Say said, "Remember, almost all special interest groups, whether for profit or non-profit, have organized memberships with a lobbying presence at the Legislature. Ordinary taxpayers, however, have none. They have only you and me."

By the action on SB 199 CD2, the Legislature has chosen to serve "ordinary taxpayers," and not a special interest group.

The high-technology industry will survive, just as we will overcome these troubling times. From what I have seen of the tenacity and perseverance of the tech community, they have what it takes to ride out this storm and prosper, even after the passing of SB 199 CD2.

Isaac W. Choy represents District 24 (Manoa). He wrote this commentary for The Advertiser.

Rep. Karen Awana Chosen for 2009 Western Legislative Academy

The Council of State Governments – WEST (CSG-WEST), a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization serving Western state legislators of both parties in 13 Western states, has selected Rep. Karen Awana (District 44 – Honokai Hale, Nanakuli, Lualualei) as a participant in its prestigious training institute for lawmakers in their first four years of service. The purpose of the Western Legislative Academy is to build excellence and effectiveness in state legislators in the Western region.

Admission to the Western Legislative Academy is highly competitive and is based on commitment to public service, desire to improve personal legislative effectiveness and interest in improving the legislative process. Thirty-nine state legislators from Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming were chosen as members of the Class of 2009.

The Western Legislative Academy will convene August 5-8 in Colorado Springs, Colorado for three and a half days of intensive training in subjects such as the legislative institution, ethics, team building, communications, negotiations and time management. Faculty will include the Eagleton Institute’s Alan Rosenthal, a nationally recognized authority on state legislatures; Washington, D.C. communications expert Arch Lustberg, and a leading retired U.S. Air Force team building trainer.

Rep. Awana is serving her second term in the Hawaii State Legislature. She represents the Nanakuli area on the Waianae Coast of Oahu. She is currently the vice chair of the House Transportation committee.

The Council of State Governments – WEST is a region of the national Council of State Governments based in Lexington, Kentucky. Regional offices of CSG are located in Sacramento, Chicago, Atlanta and New York.

Funding for the Academy comes from the Colorado Springs-based El Pomar Foundation, which is dedicated to excellence in nonprofit organizations, and from Western state legislatures and corporate sponsors. The El Pomar Foundation also donates the campus for the Western Legislative Academy.

HOPE

The Judiciary brought to our attention a July/August 2009 article in the Washington Monthly praising Judge Steven Alm's project HOPE. It's worth a read here. HOPE has attracted national attention because it presents a real solution to mass incarceration. It works on a premise that every parent and pet owner understands; that behavior can be changed by punishment that is quick, if not immediate, and predictable.

An excerpt:

"For $3,000 per year, a HOPE-style mix of probation, drug testing, sanctions, and treatment only as needed, plus GPS monitoring, could deliver something like 80 percent of the crime-prevention benefits of a prison cell that costs ten times as much. With such a system in place, judges would have a real alternative to incarceration. And so would the governors who are thinking about letting prisoners out to save money. Today, two-thirds of those who leave prison will be back within three years; the exit from a prison is a revolving door. For felony probationers, the incarceration rate within three years is about 50 percent. If the "outpatient prison" could do for recidivism among parolees what HOPE did for new crimes by probationers, five years from now we could have many fewer people in prison than we do today, and half as much crime."

Info Briefing on Labor Issues

The House Committee on Labor & Public Employment and the Senate Committee on Labor will hold a joint informational briefing on Monday. Hearing notice here.

Date: Monday, July 20, 2009
Time: 10:00 a.m.
Place: State Capitol, Room 325

Agenda:

*Department of Labor will provide information on how the funding restrictions will impact the department.

*Department of Labor will also provide update on American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds and on the condition of the state's unemployment trust fund.

*US Department of Labor is anticipated to make a presentation and provide comments on the Governor's proposed furlough plan.

Rep. Shimabukuro to speak on child protection legislation

Representative Maile Shimabukuro (District 45 – Wai'anae, Makaha, Makua) will speak at the Parents for Righteousness Conference, an annual public event on issues related to protecting Hawaii's children.

"Parents for Righteousness" is a support group for families affected by Child Protective Services.

Rep. Shimabukuro will discuss child welfare legislation on Saturday, July 18 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Wai'anae High School in the Career and Counseling Room.

"Child welfare issues have always been near and dear to me, particularly now that I am a parent," said Rep. Shimabukuro. "Although the Legislature was forced to make some difficult decisions this year because of severe economic conditions, we still managed to pass legislation that will benefit our keiki."

Those interested in attending should call Ivan Kapaona at 808-697-8384 to reserve a seat. Space is limited.

Rep. Shimabukuro will talk about child protective policy in relation to last year's "Grandparents' Bill" (SB 2730 from 2008), and the following bills passed during the 2009 Legislative Session:

HB 200, Act 162: Child Protective Services; Purchase of Service Contracts. Continued the provision of necessary support programs for struggling families in Hawaii by allocating $7,000,000 in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds for FY 2009-2010 and $6,200,000 for fiscal year (FY) 2010-2011 to purchase service contracts for child protective services.

SB 108, Act 6: Temporary Guardianship of Minor; Family Court. Provided a more stable environment for children placed under the care of a temporary guardian by extending the term of temporary guardianship from six months to one year.

HB 200, Act 162: Group Home; Foster Girls. Continued support for girls in the foster care system by appropriating $80,000 for FY 2009-2010 as a grant to Hale 'Opio Kauai, Inc. for design and construction to repair the Therapeutic Behavioral Health Group Home for foster girls in Lawai, Kauai

HB 200, Act 162: Foster Care Services. Increased assistance to the foster care system by adding $2,300,000 for FY 2009-2010 and $1,300,000 for FY 2010-2011 in increased federal matching funds resulting from the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage adjustment reflected in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) to fund additional foster care services.

SB 851, Act 115: Child Support Enforcement. Clarifies that all income withholding payments be sent through the Child Support Enforcement Agency; allows the agency to disburse support by electronic transfer or direct deposit; allows for electronic copy or facsimile of a signature as proof of service for certified mail; clarifies lien payment and enforcement.

HB 1364, Act 67: Federal Funds; Appropriations. Promoted transparency in the use of ARRA funds and addressed the general revenue fund shortfall for FY 2008-2009 by appropriating federal funds for the following programs, among others, expected to receive funding under ARRA: Child Protective Services Payments; Cash Support for Child Care; and Cash Support for Families – Self-Sufficiency

HCR 5: Foster Families; Faith-Based Organizations. Encouraged the development of additional community-based support systems for foster children and foster families by urging faith-based organizations in the state to network and collaborate to support foster families, including through the formation of foster family ministries

HCR 39: Foster Care Awareness Month. Worked to improve the foster care system in Hawaii by declaring May "Foster Care Awareness Month" as a time to educate the public about various components of foster care and the foster care system (H.C.R. No. 39, 2009).

Environmental justice forum in Wai'anae

What: A youth environmental justice group from Wai'anae will hold a public forum to share and discuss their findings of three important questions:

1.) Why is everyone dumping their 'opala (trash) in Wai'anae?
2.) What is being done to address this problem?
3.) What can we do as a community?

Representative Maile Shimabukuro and other community leaders will attend the public forum.

When: Friday, July 17, 2009
6 – 8 p.m.

Where: Wai'anae Public Library
85-625 Farrington Highway

Ka Makani Kaiaulu o Wai'anae is a summer environmental justice and community organizing training institute for youth of the Wai'anae coast. The students learn about the history of non-violent social justice movements in Hawaii and around the world, attend workshops on organizing for community change, and conduct field work to document environmental impacts on the community.