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By Ken Ige, Star-Bulletin
Standing during prayers today was Senate President
Norman Mizuguchi. Gov. Ben Cayetano and
Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono sit at right.

The major players,
and what to watch
for this session

Opening Day
Leaders' speech texts
Key dates
Getting access
Scene & Heard

By Richard Borreca
Star-Bulletin

If you want to follow the players in this year's Legislature, you should know some of their moves. Based on their opening day speeches, here's what hot with the Hawaii state legislative leaders:

Heroes

Barbara Marumoto, House GOP leader: John Kennedy and Ronald Reagan.

"Twenty years ago, Ronald Reagan, facing even greater economic stagnation along with high inflation, said America needed 'a government as good as its people.' "

Calvin Say, Speaker of the House: Dr. Edwin Cadman, dean of the Medical School, Wai-Fah Chen, dean of the College of Engineering, David McClain, dean of the College of Business Administration and June Jones, UH football coach.

"These are the mavericks, the visionaries, the motivators -- the kind of people who try to do more than they're expected to do."

Norman Mizuguchi, Senate President: June Jones and Margaret (Maggie) Ulm.

"Maggie Ulm used her energy, resourcefulness, and ingenuity to form the Adopt A Teacher Foundation. Today, after just a short time, scores of teachers have been adopted by many caring and concerned citizens."

Biggest Problem

Marumoto: Politics as usual.

"Hawaii is the state the boom forgot. Politically we are frozen in a past generation and a one-party state; the aging, old boy network is alive and well."

Say: Federal courts are putting increased and expensive demands on the state.

"We are the ones elected by the public and entrusted by them to create laws. We have the big picture. We know where the greatest needs are. We have the constitutional power to make these decisions and set the policy direction for the state, not the courts."

Mizuguchi: Civil servants need to be accountable.

"While most government employees are hardworking and competent, management and the public unions need to refine the process to quickly take corrective action, or if necessary, expedite the removal of managers and employees that fall below established job performance standards."

Boldest Plan

Marumoto: Public school principals are the most important state employees.

"We should, therefore, consider paying Hawaii's principals substantially more, provided they are willing to work under a limited-term contract tied to performance outcomes."

Say: Dietary supplements are becoming more and more popular; we should get involved.

"We should create opportunities, not only with the Western methods and medicines, but with our specialized know-how of Hawaiian, Pacific and Asian healing methods and medicinal herbs."

Mizuguchi: Create a "Silicon Valley West by giving control of Barbers Point to the state to create more high tech jobs."

"We should assign the existing Hawaii Community Development Authority the responsibility for the development of Barbers Point. At the same time, I believe that jurisdiction over Kakaako should be returned to the City and County of Honolulu, which can then integrate the preservation, enhancement and development of the entire waterfront area from Waikiki to Kakaako."

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Legislature Directory
Legislature Bills & Hawaii Revised Statutes

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Circle these
key dates on
your calendar

Some important dates relating to the 2000 state Legislature:

Today: Opening day ceremonies.
Monday: State of the State address by Gov. Ben Cayetano.
Tuesday: State of the Judiciary address.
Jan. 27: Last day for introduction of bills.
Jan. 28: One-day recess.
Feb. 18: First lateral. All bills must be sent to their final committees in their originating body.
Feb. 23-Feb. 29: Mandatory five-day recess.
March 3: First decking. Last day to ready nonbudget bills for third reading in originating body.
March 6: One-day recess.
March 7: Filing deadline for budget bills.
March 8: One-day recess.
March 9: First crossover. Last day for third reading of bills in the originating body.
March 15: Last day to introduce substantive resolutions.
March 24: Second lateral. All bills to final committee in the nonoriginating body.
April 7: Filing deadline for second decking. Last day to ready bills that were amended by the receiving or nonoriginating body.
April 10: One-day recess.
April 12: One-day recess.
April 13: Second crossover. Last day for third reading of bills that were amended by the receiving or nonoriginating body. Last day to disagree with the other body's drafts of bills.
April 17: Deadline for naming of conference committee conferees.
April 18: One-day recess.
April 20: Deadline for final form of any constitutional amendments.
April 27: Last day to file nonfiscal bills for final reading.
April 28: Last day to file fiscal bills for final reading.
May 1: One-day recess.
May 2: Adjournment Sine Die.
June 22: Last day for the governor to give notice of bills he plans to veto.
July 7: Last day for governor to consider bills for approval.

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Legislature Directory
Legislature Bills & Hawaii Revised Statutes

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Getting Access

Keep up throughout the session

The state Capitol address is 415 S. Beretania St., Honolulu, HI 96813. This is where most hearings and legislative action will occur over the 60-day session, which ends May 2.

There are various ways to keep track of bills and to get involved. Among them:

The Legislative Reference Bureau maintains a staffed public access room. It is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. The phone number is 587-0478; fax is 587-0793; TTY (for hearing-impaired), 538-9670. The public access room is located in Room 401 of the Capitol. Here, the public may use Internet-capable computers, typewriters and copying machines for legislative testimony preparation.

The state also maintains a daily Internet listing of hearings. You can reach it at http://capitol.hawaii.gov and click on the "Status & Documents" section.

The public also can check the status of a bill with the Legislature's automated bill report service at 586-7000.

For government news, the state's Web page is http://www.state.hi.us

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Legislature Directory
Legislature Bills & Hawaii Revised Statutes

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Scene & Heard

By Kathryn Bender, Star-Bulletin
Amy Maeda takes a message for Rep. Bertha Kawakami.

A 'SUPER' AIDE: Amy Maeda, retired district superintendent of the Department of Education for Kauai, is now a legislative aide to Rep. Bertha C. Kawakami.

Maeda has known Kawakami for more than 20 years.

After three years of service, Maeda retired as Kauai's district superintendent in June. Prior to that, from 1994-1996, she was district superintendent for the Leeward Oahu district.

From 1987 to 1994, she was Kauai deputy district superintendent.

Maeda is now a Salt Lake resident, but spends her weekends in Kauai.

Long involved with educational concerns, Maeda expects to learn about different issues during the legislative session.

By Craig T. Kojima, Star-Bulletin
MAKING AN MDA PUSH: Kauai's Scott Iida, 12,
goodwill ambassador for the Muscular Dystrophy
Association-Hawaii, meets with Gov. Ben Cayetano
yesterday. Iida was advancing awareness of the 40
neuromuscular diseases known as "muscular dystrophy."

SONG, HUMOR, DRUMS: Enough with the speeches. Where's the entertainment?

This year, the House heard the Ryukyu Kobudo Taiko, Hawaii Shibu Club performing two drum numbers.

It was to be followed with comedy by Sielu Avea; and singing by Waianae's Kristian Hegwood, who just returned from a 1999 European tour of "Miss Saigon," in which she played the role of Kim.

The Senate was expected to hear music by the Society of Seven and the Four Divas: Carole Kai, Melveen Leed, Loyal Garner and Nohelani Cypriano.

By Kathryn Bender, Star-Bulletin
FLOWER POWER: Barbara Anderson of Rep. Kenny
Goodenow's office makes a flower display for today's festivities.

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Legislature Directory
Legislature Bills & Hawaii Revised Statutes