Aloha and Happy New Year, and welcome to the Opening Session of the 1997 Legislative Session of the House of Representatives!

The poet Longfellow said, "Great is the art of beginning, but greater the art of ending." The first thing we need to do in the 1997 session is to start on the right foot if we are to prevent the mistakes of the 1996 session, which some have labeled as the "Do Nothing Session".

To prevent history from repeating itself, Mr. Speaker, House Republicans have declared a state of emergency on 4 pieces of legislation that should be debated and passed in the first 20 days of the 1997 session.

A state of emergency exists because lhe people of Hawaii have told us THEY'RE SCARED, THEY'RE BROKE, AND THEY'RE FEELING POWERLESS! THEY'RE SCARED because of the way we're running the criminal justice system; and THEY'RE BROKE because of the way we're running the economy; and they're POWERLESS because we've taken all governing power out of the hands of the people.

The present state of emergency began over 8 months ago when we ended the 1996 session with 4 critical issues left undone. These issues make up the House Republican Emergency Agenda of 2a days for the 1997 session.

Emergency legislation is nothing new to this House, since we have in the past we've balled out Medicare, the prison system, and the Dept. of Human Services so many times that we certainly can give the people of Hawaii our commitment that their business will be taken up and moved out with all the speed this body can muster.

The risk is that after 20 days, b can get bottled up in committee or get morphed behind closed doors and smoke filled rooms where High 3's can be turned into High 5's, or realtor bills can turn into education exemptions for legislators at the 11th hour of the session

The agenda of the people of Hawaii must not be hindered this session and House Republicans will be working with the people of Hawaii to urge that the following 4 critical issues are completed with the first 20 days of the session:

OUR FIRST PIECE OF EMERGENCY LEGISLATION IS TO PROTECT THE SAFETY OF THE PEOPLE OF HAWAII BY BUILDING PRISON BOOT CAMPS:

A recent survey by the Attorney General's office, noted that 45% of the people of Hawaii have been the victim of a crime in the last 12 months. According to an Oahu prison warden, there are 741 criminals roaming the streets of Hawaii right now who shouldn't be. It was also noted that a city the size of Honolulu would have about 3 times the amount of prison space we have, if we were just on par with mainland institutions.

Prosecutors Keith Kaneshiro and Peter Carlisle along with Mayor Harris and others who have said countless times, that A LACK OF PRISON SPACE IS WHAT IS DRIVING CRIME IN HAWAII, and that more temporary emergency detention quarters such as tents should be immediately constructed to stem the tide of this lawlessness in our State.

Mr. Speaker, let us not this session appease the criminals any further. Or as Churchill said, "An appeaser is one who {feeds a crocodile - hoping that it will eat him last!" Let us not fool ourselves any further.

Let's get out of the state of denial we're in. and admit that Hawaii has got a serious crime problem, but then do something about it. We cannot Mr. Speaker, let the "the land of the free and the 11ollle of the brave" become "the land of the crook and the home of the seared."

THE SECOND PIECE OF EMERGENCY LEGISLATION THAT SHOULD BE PASSED IN THE FIRST 20 DAYS OF THE 1997 SESSION IS THAT WE SHOULD DEEP SIX THE HIGH THREE!

This is a real emergency to restore the integrity of this body, Mr. Speaker. There is absolutely no reason to continue this policy of legislators receiving special retirement perks at rates that drain the treasury of the people of Hawaii. No one in this room ran for office with fat retirement benefits in mind, at least no one on this side of the aisle.

Let us work cooperatively, but quickly, to pass High 3 reform legislation that makes you and me and all of us just like anybody else who works as a public servant in the State of Hawaii. Let us return power to the people of Hawaii by declaring we will no longer line our pockets with their tax monies.

THE THIRD PIECE OF EMERGENCY LEGISLATION DECLARED BY HOUSE REPUBLICANS IS THAT NO FAULT INSURANCE REFORM WILL BE OUR FAULT IF NOT REFORMED BY THE 20TH DAY OF THE 1997 LEGISLATIVE SESSSION:

With over 600,000 autos in the state, we could have saved Hawaii's drivers over 1/2 billion dollars If we had worked together and hammered out a solution. Imagine what this money could have done for our economy Mr. Speaker !

This is why we pledged to the people of Hawaii on the Steps of the Capitol on October 27, 1996 that if elected we would fight to give them l\/IORE TAKE HOME PAY! and the centerpiece of that, is auto Insurance reform.

THE FOURTH AND LAST PIECE OF EMERGENCY LEGISLATION THAT SHOULD BE PASSED IN THE FIRST 20 DAYS OF THIS SESSION IS TO LET THE PEOPLE OF HAWAII DECIDE THE FATE OF SAME SEX MARRIAGE:

I have great honor and respect for the Chief Justice and all who wear black robes. But I have greater honor and respect for the people of Hawaii in deciding an issue that affects them and their children and which will surely have a ripple effect across our entire nation, and even the world. The activist high court has placed itself above the people and the moral order of this state.

This is not the time for this body to surrender nor turn its back on the 70% of the people of Hawaii who do not want men to marry men, nor women to marry women. Same-sex marriage was not a state of matrimony ever intended by the framers of the state or federal constitutions, and our justices know that. Judge Chang has spoken for the legal community, but it now our time to speak for the people of Hawaii.

House Republicans are united to fight for the passage of a constitutional amendment to let the people of Hawaii decide thc future of same sex marriage as emergency legislation so this issue will be put to rest for the first 20 days. it will not compete with other issues, nor will it be allowed to be put aside.

In summary, Mr. Speaker the above 4 items represent the collective will of the people of Hawaii, and it behooves us, regardless of what side of the aisle we're coming from to give these matters our full attention the first 20 days of the session. IN SHORT, THE TELEPHONE NUMBER OF THE 1997 SESSION SHOULD BE 911!

We wish you, Mr. Speaker, and your majority, the strength, courage and political will to do this year what you would not, or could not do last yea,. Today's session opens today with House Republicans 71% stronger than we were in the last session. We are humbled and grateful to the people of Hawaii for our recent Victories, but we would ask that you please listen to the message we bring to this floor from the 250,000 constituents we now represent and who want these 4 emergency pieces of legislation passed. To them and us, nothing is more important than the first 20 days of this session.

In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, let's use this session to erase the memories of thc 1996 session, as well as transform the people of Hawaii from being scared, broke, and powerless, to being a people who are physically safe, financially secure, and have a voice in the affairs of their government We have proposed legislation we think can make this happen by creating safer streets, giving workers more take home pay, and returning government to its rightful owners - the people of Hawaii. We know you believe in these things too, Mr. Speaker, and you want the best for the people of Hawaii, especially for the sake of our children. best expressed in Kodorno No Tame Ni.

Let us resolve to finish the 1997 session so the people of Hawaii will again believe in the future. Hawaii is such a special place with a special destiny, and even on our worst day, we are still the best place in the world. Let us resolve to make it even better this session Mr. Speaker! Your I louse Republicans are ready to roll up their sleeves and get started!

Aloha and God Bless this House and the People of Hawaii !