Following a public hearing yesterday, the co-chairwomen of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, Sens. Lehua Fernandes Salling (D, Kapaa) and Carol Fukunaga (D, Makiki), said it is imperative that the measure be fine-tuned and approved.
"We don't want to have our contracts under a cloud to the point that it brings government to a halt," Fukunaga said.
The committee is expected to act on the bill next week.
The House has passed the bill, which was amended by the Senate Government Operations panel last week. The matter is expected to be resolved in a House-Senate conference committee.
Lawmakers are acting urgently because earlier this month the state Supreme Court ruled that Hawaii County could not enter into a contract with Waste Management of Hawaii Inc. to operate a new landfill at Puuanahulu. The high court's rationale: The contract would violate civil service laws that preserve government jobs for public employees.
The decision stems from a lawsuit filed by the United Public Workers, which represents state and county blue-collar workers.
County officials fear the broad scope of the ruling means state and county governments won't be able to save money by privatizing services because their only option would be to hire workers to do those jobs.
"Let's be clear with the public on this issue," said Maui Mayor Linda Crockett Lingle. "If the Legislature fails to address this issue, the impact on our state's economy will dwarf the Council on Revenues' recent negative adjustment of revenue projections (a shortfall of $257 million for the fiscal biennium that begins July 1). Many important state and county services will simply no longer be provided. And no one - no labor chief nor the governor himself - will be able to do anything about it."
Those are among key indicators of Hawaii's health status presented in a recent state Health Department report, "Vital Signs Hawaii."
The report notes that 234 residents were victims of homicide from 1991 through 1995, with the greatest number - 58, or 25 percent - reported in 1995.
Hawaii's homicide rate is lower than the national average - 5.0 per 100,000 population in 1995 compared with 8.8 percent per 100,000 population, the report shows.
But the homicide rate here increased 32 percent from 1994 to 1995, it said. If that continues, the Healthy Hawaii 2000 objective of lowering the rate to 3.3 homicides per 100,000 population won't be met, it said. The national objective is 7.2 per 100,000.
Looking at obesity, the report noted a persistent upward trend despite progress in understanding and treating the disease.
Based on trends in Hawaii, the obesity rate could grow from 26 percent per 100,000 population in 1995 to 30 percent by the year 2000, the report said.
State and national objectives are to reduce the rate to at least 20 percent by 2000. Nationally, the rate in 1995 was 32.7 percent per 100,000 population.
"This use of exaggerated stereotypes thankfully went out of style a long time ago," said former U.S. Rep. Norman Mineta. "This country has grown beyond this kind of race-baiting. It is clear that the National Review has some catching up to do."
The illustration on the March 24 issue depicts President Clinton, first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton and Vice President Al Gore dressed in stereotypical Asian garb over the headline, "The Manchurian Candidates."
Both Clintons are depicted with slit eyes and buck teeth.
The drawing has sparked outrage in the Asian Pacific American community here, including strong statements from three of the four members of Hawaii's congressional delegation.
In a Senate speech last week warning of an increase in Asian-bashing, Sen. Daniel Akaka singled out the cover as "an ugly and tasteless piece of journalism that demands an apology." Akaka reiterated his comments in a statement released yesterday.
In a statement, Rep. Patsy Mink, D-rural Oahu/neighbor islands and chairwoman of the Congressional Asian-Pacific American Caucus, lambasted the cover as "denigrating and insulting to all law-abiding Asian Americans. It is hateful and demeaning of all Asians as a group."
Similarly, Rep. Neil Abercrombie, D-Honolulu, issued a statement saying the drawing "sends an unmistakable message: Asian equals venal."
In the delegation, only Sen. Daniel Inouye has been silent on the issue.
David Hill, hospital president, told the Mililani/Waipio/Melemanu Neighborhood Board last night at Mililani Recreation Center that up to $35 million might be invested in a new building.
The existing 69-bed hospital on about four acres of land in the middle of Wahiawa is roughly 40 years old, he said, and it's hard to adapt it to modern medical technology. But it would remain in operation after a new facility is built, Hill said.
A new building is planned at the park about equal in size to the existing one, he said.
The new one would be essentially a hospital facility, he said.
"We're looking into the possibility of being able to provide mental health services," Hill said.
More than 100 new employees might be hired, Hill said.
The trio, possibly 15 to 17 years old, entered the store at 94-911 Farrington Highway at 1:05 a.m. and brandished a knife.
They made off with an undisclosed amount of cash from a computerized safe and register.
The new lieutenants are Kenneth Ikehara and Marie McCauley (Waianae-Kapolei District), Kevin Lima (Central Honolulu) and Jerrold Perreira (East Honolulu).
Promoted to detective were Randall Arakaki (Waianae-Kapolei), Jeffrey Bruchal (Criminal Investigation Division) and Scott Headle (Central Honolulu).
Curtis Sakamoto is a new patrol sergeant assigned to the Central Honolulu District.
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