Governor vetoes
5 bills for sake
of efficiency

Government operations would have been
expanded unnecessarily, Cayetano feels

By Mike Yuen
Star-Bulletin

Citing the need for government efficiency, Gov. Ben Cayetano has vetoed five bills that he believes would unnecessarily expand government operations.

Cayetano said there is no need for a measure that would allow the state Employees Retirement System to retain its own attorney.

State law already permits the "expeditious hiring" of private attorneys for state business when necessary, and the attorney general's office maintains a list of outside lawyers with specialties who can be hired as the need arises, he said in his veto message.

Moreover, "representation by the attorney general or a private attorney hired by the attorney general promotes consistency in the interpretation and application of the law," Cayetano said.

If the now-shelved bill had become law, it would have increased government costs, he said.

Cayetano also vetoed a bill to create a contracts office under joint jurisdiction of the Human Services and Health departments. He said that would have expanded government with more civil servants but without assurance of increased efficiency.

Nothing prohibits the departments from coordinating their health and human-service contracts with the Department of Accounting and General Services, he said, adding that "such an effort is already under way."

Cayetano also rejected a bill to create a task force to seek environmental grants, saying that's already being done by the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.

Also vetoed: a measure to establish an insurance education board to help the insurance commissioner oversee the continuing-education requirements for insurance license renewal.

"The Insurance Division already handles licensing functions through civil-service employees, and the continuing education program does not require additional levels of specialization or expertise," he said.

In shelving a bill to regulate bungee jumping, Cayetano said the Labor Department already has the authority to do that under its administrative rules.

So far, Cayetano has vetoed 15 bills from this year's legislative session. Those include bills that would have:

Required an additional $7 be paid per new tire if the tire to be replaced is not turned in at the time of purchase. His rationale was it may create an undue economic burden on consumers.

Expanded the ombudsman's responsibilities to include facilitating the resolution of disputes involving state agencies. Cayetano said the measure appeared to sanction an unlawful delegation of executive authority by the Legislature to the ombudsman.