The Outdoor Circle Celebrates 100th Anniversary

Lawmakers planting an ohia lehua tree

Being "green" has become popular as of late, but it isn't new to Hawai'i. Today, the House helped The Outdoor Circle celebrate its 100th anniversary. The festivities included planting a native ohia lehua tree at the Capitol and honoring the Circle on the House floor.

Lawmakers and members of The Outdoor Circle with the newly planted ohia lehua

The Outdoor Circle is an organization dedicated to keeping Hawaii clean, green, and beautiful by preserving and protecting the environment. They accomplish this goal by planting trees, fighting poor land use planning, and ensuring that Hawaii remains free of billboards. Throughout their century of work, the organization has planted over a quarter of a million trees and successfully lobbied for the passage of many pieces of legislation designed to preserve the beauty of the islands.

Diane Anderson and Susan Spangler of The Outdoor Circle with Majority Leader Chong

"While other cities are plastered with billboards, Honolulu's streets are green with trees because of a century of work by The Outdoor Circle," said Rep. Chris Lee.

Joel Kurokawa, Bob Loy, Betsy Connors, Rep. Chris Lee, Diane Anderson, Susan Spangler, and Rep. Cindy Evans

"Locals and tourists alike continue to appreciate how green Honolulu has become," said Rep. K. Mark Takai. "The Outdoor Circle has kept Hawaii a beautiful place to both live and visit."

Rep C. Lee on access to emergency contraception for sexual assault victims

Rep. Chris Lee's floor remarks in support of HB 127, which requires hospitals and emergency rooms to provide information about emergency contraception to sexual assault victims, and dispense emergency contraception upon request. Ten members voted "no", while eight voted "yes, with reservations". The measure will now be referred to the House Finance Committee.

Each year about 25,000 women become pregnant as a result of sexual assault.

 Especially in cases of assault, the American Medical Association, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and a host of others believe that medically accurate information and the option to use emergency contraception should be provided to all victims as a measure of basic medical treatment.

 Fifteen states and the District of Columbia have adopted legislation requiring the provision of information about or access to emergency contraception to victims of sexual assault in emergency rooms. As well, all military and federal hospitals make sure to have emergency contraception stocked and available.

If there are political implications to consider as we vote on this bill, rest assured that seventy-three percent of registered voters believe pharmacies should not be allowed to refuse dispensing emergency contraception based on moral or religious grounds. In hospitals and cases of assault approval is even higher. As recent as the year 2000, even among Catholic women, seventy-eight percent support emergency contraception in cases of assault.

No matter how anyone feels, passing this bill is common sense. We are a nation of multiple religions and conflicting beliefs. However, as an objective government we ought to default and defer to sound medical directives and individual choice.

For victims of sexual assault who have had their bodies and rights violated once, it is especially important that we not allow government to mandate whether or not they will be violated a second time by forcing an unwanted pregnancy upon these victims. The choice must be the individual's to make, and we must pass this bill to make sure that victims are given the opportunity to make that choice themselves, no matter which hospital they end up in.

Rep Chris Lee: Getting Women Equal Power Where It Counts

The following article from Rep. Chris Lee was published on Civil Beat yesterday

Getting Women Equal Power Where It Counts

Seventy percent of Hawaii’s elected officials are men. Women have been shortchanged in our government, and many issues important to women I know hardly get the attention they deserve. But this is not about why women should be more equally included in Hawaii’s critical decision-making — this is about how to get them there.

We are fortunate to have strong women representing us in Congress, but local politics is overwhelmingly male-dominated. Only 21 percent of elected county officials are women. Thirty-three percent of the State House is female, but women disproportionately hold just two of 10 Democratic leadership positions and chair only four of 20 House committees.

Many are already working to engage more women to vote and participate, which is positive. (Hawaii Women and Politics — A Sore Subject, August 1) However, if the real goal is more equal representation in government, then the solution goes far beyond reaching out to engage women — more women must step forward to run for office.

With limited resources, reaching out to engage anyone in the political process is extremely difficult. Despite our best efforts, political participation has continued to decline among both sexes, and a shrinking focus on civic education, social studies and history in our schools will soon exacerbate the problem.

People often have more pressing concerns than getting involved. While a 2010 survey sponsored by the Patsy T. Mink Political Action Committee found that 36 percent of Hawaii’s single mothers are not registered to vote, state data shows that 67 percent of single parents cannot afford basic food, healthcare, and housing without government assistance. In fact, 72 percent of all women surveyed showed more concern with daily issues than involvement with politics.

Can we really expect to overcome people’s focus on daily survival in these tough times? Even if we could, will engaging more women actually lead to electing more women?

Probably not.

Women are already more politically engaged than men, and more women vote than men in every election. Women under 35 are the most active, and 7 percent more show up to the polls than their male counterparts.

Engaging more women will lead to electing more women only if women predominantly vote for female candidates. While the Patsy T. Mink PAC survey found that 63 percent of women say they would vote for a female candidate over a male candidate — in reality this is not so clear.

In 2010, six men and one woman ran for Lieutenant Governor in Hawaii’s Democratic Primary Election. The only female candidate finished fifth with just 8 percent of the vote, and did little better when controlling for the amount of money each candidate spent. If gender mattered at all, it took a back seat to other things.

Other elections suggest the same conclusion. Of the 95 races for the state legislature in the last two General Elections, four had male vs. female opponents running for open seats with no incumbent. These seats were won by two women and two men, but political party – not gender – was the deciding factor for voters. In these districts the candidate matching the predominant political demographic easily won by large margins. Democrats won Democratic strongholds and a Republican won a Republican stronghold.

In the 31 other legislative races with male-female matchups, the incumbent won every time, regardless of gender. In fact, of all 95 legislative races, only five incumbents lost. Incumbency and basic demographics trump nearly every other factor that determines election outcomes except one — which candidates choose to run in the first place.

Of the 191 candidates who chose to run in these 95 legislative races, 70 percent were men. Most importantly, 22 men, but just four women, ran for the 13 key seats with no incumbent where newcomers have a real chance of winning.

It is not that women have trouble winning elections – it is that there are not enough women running to begin with.

Social, cultural and economic barriers still make it hard for some women to consider running for public office, but women who can run must step forward – it will take their help as elected leaders to ultimately break these barriers down.

Women like Patsy Mink demonstrate that Hawaii can benefit tremendously from female leadership in public office. If we are going to live up to the diversity and equality on which Hawaii prides itself, then women must be more equally included in the critical decisions that shape the future of our state. Engaging more women to vote is not enough — women must run for office in greater numbers.

So, if you are a woman and you care about Hawaii – then why not you?

Women still face uphill battle to improve Hawaii labor laws

By Rep. Chris Lee

This following op-ed appeared in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Tuesday, May 17, 2011

There is nothing more difficult than writing about women's issues — as a man.

It is often hard to understand the perspective of the opposite sex and the unique challenges women face daily. Yet, we must not lose focus on the ongoing inequities between men and women in workplaces throughout Hawaii. Closing this gender gap is an obligation that will benefit us all.

We have already come far. There were just three women in the Hawaii Legislature when Congresswoman Patsy Mink passed Title IX in 1972. Today there are 26. Changes to our laws and priorities have helped more women attend college, and today more women graduate than men.

Yet, for all our progress, working women still face frustrating obstacles and impossible choices. In March, after months of searching, my friend Stacie finally found a good job. She is now pregnant, but scared she cannot afford enough time off and will be forced to choose between her family and her career. It would help if her husband could stay home with their child, but his job does not offer paid paternity leave.

For women like Stacie, making ends meet can be even more difficult because, on average, a woman in Hawaii still makes $9,934 less each year than a man. This inequity hurts women and hurts our families. It especially hurts single mothers, and two out of three cannot afford basic necessities like food, rent and health care.

Women still face an uphill battle to improve Hawaii's labor laws. Despite strong advocates, bills to address equal pay in the workplace and help women balance dueling career and family expectations routinely take a back seat to other issues.

It does not help that only a third of our legislators are women. The Women's Caucus of the Democratic Party recently pointed out that women hold only two of 10 leadership positions in the state House. While having more female legislators might help address these issues, in the last two elections fewer than a third of all candidates were women. Unfortunately, many women I know who considered running ultimately decided against it because of family and financial commitments.

Despite this, more women are involved in political advocacy today than men and out-vote men in every election. Women under age 35 are the most active, and 7 percent more show up to the polls each year than their male counterparts.

The challenge is helping people understand how we can address ongoing gender inequity. Stacie votes in every election, but has never heard a candidate make women's issues a priority. Especially now, it is hard to campaign for better family leave, better benefits and higher pay when many people — men and women — do not even have jobs.

Yet, the gender gap women still face is basic discrimination that we simply cannot ignore. Women deserve the opportunity to pursue a successful career and be paid equally for their work. Both women and men deserve adequate benefits and time off to care for their families, who will be healthier and stronger for it.

Someday I hope to be a father, and I want a better life for my future wife and family. If we make these issues priorities today, it can happen.

Stacie is not sure how she will make ends meet if she leaves her job to care for her new baby. However, the next election is just around the corner and she plans to vote for a candidate who will help end discrimination against women in the workplace and put families first. So, too, do I.

A Series of Art

A video series, “Art at the Capitol 2011: What’s on your wall?”, launched yesterday on the Art at the Capitol YouTube and Facebook accounts. It will preview some of the pieces of art in the offices of lawmakers each day leading up to the day of the big event, Art at the Capitol 2011 on April 1, 2011, 5-7 p.m. (yes, April Fool's Day! But, no, it's not a joke!).

This year’s Art at the Capitol theme is “State of the Art” and will feature renowned local artist Doug Young, who designed the Kapolei Court Complex’s five multistory art glass windows inspired by area ocean wave patterns. The theme is a play on the “State of the State” and a nod to the State Foundation of Culture and the Arts’ (SFCA) success in bringing art, culture and history to our visual surroundings and establishing programs that highlight local artists.

The YouTube link to the video series is http://www.youtube.com/artatthecapitolhi, and the Facebook page can be found by searching “Art at the Capitol” in the Facebook search bar. Make sure you log on to Facebook and like "Art at the Capitol"!

Check out the first installments of the series from Rep. Linda Ichiyama, Rep. Chris Lee and Sen. Brian Taniguchi.

House approves Civil Unions bill on third reading

The House voted 31-19 during third reading in floor session to pass Senate Bill 232, SD1, HD1, legislation that would allow same-sex and opposite-sex couples to enter into a civil union, which would give them equal rights and responsibilities afforded to married couples. Because of minor changes made to the bill in the House, it will now go back to the Senate for agreement and upon agreement to the Governor for signature.

Several members of the House stood to support or oppose the bill and provide comments. Below are the floor comments from two of our House members. 

Rep. Chris Lee, District 51 - Lanikai, Waimanalo (Support)

In 1968, a year after interracial marriage was legalized, just 20 percent of the American public approved of such relationships. Yet, look how far we have come.
I don’t know how elected leaders who opposed interracial marriage, voted against civil rights, or fought against women’s suffrage can look their grandchildren in the eyes today and say that opposing these cornerstones of freedom and equality was the right thing to do.

We are elected by doing what is popular, but we will be remembered for doing what is right. Unfortunately, history shows that what is popular and what is right are rarely one in the same.

Like so many others, I wasn’t old enough to vote on this issue in 1998. Fortunately, generational change has brought a majority of residents in Hawai‘i to support the individual freedoms protected by this bill, and that makes our job today a little bit easier.

Our generation is not afraid of those who are different than us, or those whom we may not understand. I look forward to getting married, knowing that my marriage will be as strong as my commitment to it, and no one else can diminish that.

We all have family, friends and neighbors who are gay. They have always lived in our society, and they will continue to live here whether we pass this bill or not. They will continue to have relationships whether we pass this bill or not. They will continue to raise children whether we pass this bill or not.

But we have an obligation to pass this bill and see that everyone is treated equally and fairly under the law in this great state, where it is self-evident that each of us is created equal, endowed by our Creator with the unalienable right to pursue life, liberty and happiness, and I know of no one who can be happy when kept apart from the one they love.

We cannot in Hawai‘i, cherish diversity, yet let it divide us. We cannot, in our communities, preach tolerance, yet remain intolerant. We cannot, in this chamber, speak of equality, then turn our backs upon it.

Mr. Speaker, one day I will look my grandchildren in the eyes and tell them I did the right thing. I vote yes.

Rep. John Mizuno, District 30 - Kamehameha Heights, Kalihi Valley, Fort Shafter (Opposition)

Excerpts from Rep. Mizuno’s floor comments:

I stand in opposition to this measure…Some of us have been called a bigot and hater because of our “no” vote. We are not. We have family and friends who are recognized in the GLBT segment of our community. We have no hate nor disdain for our people – for the people of Hawaii…My “no” representative my steadfast commitment and understanding of our God and his word… I mean no disrespect to any religion or faith-based organization…Finally, after this measure becomes law – I respectfully ask our church members and our members of the GLBT to work together, united for the betterment of our communities – our State. I ask that we all end the rhetoric and display restraint and love to everyone.

Rep Chris Lee opposes selling state land

Rep. Chris Lee's op-ed appeared in The Honolulu Advertiser today.

"Diamond Head, the 'Iolani Palace grounds, Mauna Kea and the Ala Wai Boat Harbor are just a few of the state properties that could have been sold at auction if House Bill 2737 passed this year. The measure required the state to sell at least a half-billion dollars worth of public lands to balance the budget.

In his May 9 commentary, "State should sell land to ease budget woes," Jay Fidell makes the same suggestion. I must wholeheartedly disagree.

If the goal is to raise money, then it makes no sense to sell land while property values are depressed in the midst of a recession. Public land belongs to everyone, and it would be irresponsible to taxpayers to sell it for anything less than full value.

As a matter of policy, it is a bad idea to sell state resources to solve a temporary problem. After all, if the state sold land to balance the budget every time there was a recession, we might not have public parks, public facilities, or natural preserves, such as Kawainui Marsh or the Ka Iwi coast near Sandy Beach, left today.

The state already leases land to generate more than $110 million in revenue each year. A good example is Sand Island, which House Bill 2737 would have put up for sale. Lease rents collected from tenants on Sand Island alone account for half of the lease rent revenue that funds the payroll for the Department of Land and Natural Resources Land Division, the Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands, the Engineering Division and the chairperson's staff, as well as the Land Division's ongoing operating expenses.

State leases generate revenue to pay for state services, so people pay less in taxes. Selling leased lands means taxpayers would have to make up for the lost revenue. "Sand Island is the single most valuable piece of land the state has," Office of Hawaiian Affairs Trustee Oswald Stender said recently. "We cannot be selling the corpus just to solve the short-term problem."

The best interests of the people of Hawai'i are protected by our state Constitution, which requires the state to hold its lands as a public trust for the benefit of Native Hawaiians and the general public. This includes recognizing and settling Native Hawaiian claims to the land taken from the kingdom and ceded to what became the state of Hawai'i. As stewards of all public trust lands and as representatives of the community, our leaders have an obligation to make sure such ceded land is not sold until these issues have been resolved.

However, the state doesn't always know which land is ceded and which is not. As it turns out, Sand Island, which House Bill 2737 required be put up for sale, is ceded land. Selling properties like it would certainly raise endless court challenges.

Fidell explained that selling Hawai'i's public land would lead to a "great equalization" and "democratization of ownership." However, there is nothing more equal and democratic than public land that belongs to everyone, benefits everyone, and which can be used by everyone, not just the elite who can afford to buy it at auction. Generations of local citizens have benefited from the use of our public lands, and it is the greatest public resource we can pass on to the next generation of Hawai'i residents.

The sale of state land makes exceptionally poor financial sense and cheats taxpayers out of billions of dollars. More important, it defies our constitutional obligation to hold Hawai'i's greatest resource in public trust for future generations. Ultimately, the life of the land will not be perpetuated by selling our children's legacy, especially when the permanent long-term loss far outweighs the temporary short-term gain."

Rep. Chris Lee, D-51st (Lanikai, Waimānalo), wrote this commentary for The Advertiser.

UH Sustainable Saunders

Rep. Chris Lee (left) and Rep. K. Mark Takai (right) welcomed the University of Hawaii students spearheading the award winning "Sustainable Saunders" clean energy project. The House of Representatives presented the group with a certificate of appreciation on March 15th.

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).

Town Hall Meeting at WCC - Aug. 13

Windward Oahu lawmakers will be holding a Town Hall Meeting on Thursday, August 13, 2009 from 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. at Windward Community College in Hale 'Akoakoa 105.

Come and share your concerns on state issues with Representatives Pono Chong, Ken Ito, Chris Lee and Jessica Wooley and Senators Jill Tokuda and Clayton Hee. Legislators will also discuss the outcome of the 2009 Legislative Session.

Your state leaders are gearing up for the 2010 Legislative Session. Windward residents with ideas for possible legislation should plan to attend the meeting. Let's set the agenda for the next legislative session. Tell your lawmakers what you want to be priority.

Hawaii Food Bank Calendar of Events

House events have already begun organizing events to raise money for the Hawaii Food Bank. Rep. Blake Oshiro's office raised $445.00 selling See's candy and delivering them to recipients for Valentine's Day.

Rep. Chris Lee's office will be coordinating this year's food drive. They created a calendar with the dates of all the events, which are usually offices selling delicious food, and you can view it here.

A link of the calendar will be in the right column of this blog as well. Check up weekly for updates.

Civil Union bill moves to the Senate

The civil union bill passed third reading today on the House floor with 33 voting yes and 17 voting no. It will now crossover to the Senate for consideration.

Here are some of the things said by house members who rose to speak in opposition or support of HB 444 (taken from live Twitter stream):

@georgettedeemer: Rep. Blake Oshiro: There will be a day when acceptance and tolerance are not just words. Let that day be today.

@georgettedeemer: Rep. Chris Lee: My generation overwhelmingly supports equal rights for all couples.

@georgettedeemer: On the House floor. Rep Ward: "Civil Unions is really an end-run for same-sex marriage."

@thelmadreyer: Rep. Marumoto (R) in support of civil unions: "I believe everyone should love and be loved."

@thelmadreyer: Rep. Sylvia Luke (D) in support of civil unions and speaking about discrimination:"It [the civil union bill] brings us closer to equality."

@ddepledge: State House Minority Leader Finnegan says she grew up loving late sister who was gay. But she believes bill would promote same-sex marriage.

@ddepledge: Rep. Pine says supporters should not discriminate against opponents for being Christians, Mormons or Muslims.

Following the decision on the floor, the GLBT Caucus of the Democratic Party and the Family Equality Coalition held a Family Day at the Capitol to bring GLBT families, friends, colleagues and neighbors to talk story with lawmakers. The Hawaii Friends for Civil Rights also presented a check for $1000 to the Family Equality Coalition.

Photo: The GLBT Caucus and the Family Equality Coalition enjoy food and talk story with House members and staff during Family Day at the Capitol.

Reps Wooley and C. Lee on Kukui Connection

Rep. Marilyn Lee will talk with two freshmen House lawmakers, Reps. Jessica Wooley and Chris Lee, in the next episodes of "Kukui Connection" on 'Olelo. These shows are part of a series of shows introducing and talking story with new members of the Majority of the House of Representatives.

Rep. M. Lee opens both shows with the one question every constituent wants to know. Why did you run for office? The future of Wooley's children was a motivating factor in her joining the political game. Lee attributed the beginning of his political career to his experience as a staff member at the Legislature, being in the right place at the right time and able to devote all his energy to making a difference in the community as a young man with no major commitments as of yet.

Find out more about their background, districts, and priorities for the 2009 Legislative Session by tuning in to 'Olelo, Channel 54 in February. Here's the schedule.

Rep. Wooley: Sunday, February 1 and Sunday, February 15,
Rep. C. Lee: Sunday, February 8 and Sunday, February 22

Honolulu Weekly Queries Rep. Chris Lee

In case you didn't pick up your copy of this week's Honolulu Weekly, editor Ragnar Carlson interviews Rep. Chris Lee for their Q&A column. Read it here.

Lee talks about budget cuts, economic opportunities, the need for planning, housing and the redevelopment of our urban core, education, and a career in politics.

Freshmen on Hawaii Public Radio

Wayne Yoshioka, Hawaii Public Radio, interviewed 5 of the 6 majority freshmen last week and filed a report that aired last Thursday. The interview is on the KHPR website here. Following are some highlights from the story about their experiences as a new legislator so far...

Isaac Choy: "The learning curve is very steep here. It's worse than college."

Jessica Wooley: "We may not be able to succeed all the time, but we're going to see what we can do."

Denny Coffman: "I use the example of Mauna Kea eggs (not made in Hawaii)...We need to look at the brand names and make sure they meet the definition of made in Hawaii."

Henry Aquino: "I'm getting married, believe it or not, 11 days before Opening Day. That was one of the things my financee told me, I'll support you, but she's not going to consider changing the wedding date."

Chris Lee: "Here in the legislature, it takes more than one person, it takes a majority of votes to get anything done. I approached it from that angle and hope to work with everyone here."