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IN AND AROUND THE CAPITOL

Governor’s nominees
will keep lawmakers busy

Gov hopes for fast OK of Acoba
ConCon ballot requirements clarified

By Pat Omandam
Star-Bulletin

With about two weeks left in the 2000 legislative session, state lawmakers now have a few more gubernatorial appointments to consider with the rest of their work before they can break into a chorus of "Hawaii Aloha."

Gov. Ben Cayetano this week nominated state Intermediate Court of Appeals Judge Simeon R. Acoba Jr. to the Hawaii Supreme Court to replace retired Associate Justice Robert Klein. He also named his press secretary/attorney Kathleen Racuya-Markrich and attorney Brian Nakamura to the Hawaii Labor Relations Board.

Confirmations for the three nominees are expected to be heard within two weeks.

The state Labor Committee this week gave preliminary approval to Cayetano's appointment of Sen. Randy Iwase (D, Mililani) to the state Labor and Industrial Relations Appeals Board.

In other news happening at the state Capitol:

RENEWABLE ENERGY: A House bill heading into conference committee would set deadlines over the next 20 years for electric companies to expand their use of alternative, renewable energy sources.

Under the plan, utility companies must generate a minimum of 7.5 percent of their power from "renewable sources" by 2002. The required percentage would increase slightly each year until 2020.

IT'S A DUD: The House and Senate still remain at odds over whether to give the counties jurisdiction over regulating fireworks use.

The Senate has backed down from its original position of a total fireworks ban after House leaders said they did not have enough support for it.

The chambers also disagreed on the number of fireworks that will be allowed under a proposed permit system. The Senate is asking for 500 firecrackers; the House 1,500.

Environmentalists this week urged lawmakers to get fireworks legislation approved this session and not to use the excuse that they ran out of time.

HEADSTRONG ON HEMMETER: Cayetano this week reiterated his desire to buy the historic Hemmeter Building for $22 million, calling it a "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity for the state.

House Speaker Calvin Say (D, Palolo), however, said the state can get a cheaper price through condemnation.

MAINLAND PRIVATE PRISON PANNED: The state House and Senate this week rejected Cayetano's plan for a mainland prison, shifting the focus back to a prison site on the Big Island. A bill amended this week by the House calls for a privately built and operated prison.

RECIPROCAL BENEFITS: Attorney Dan Foley said he plans to file a lawsuit against the state next month after the Legislature failed to extend to same-sex couples the same benefits as married couples.

A Senate bill granting such benefits never made it to the House floor for a vote Tuesday night, essentially killing the measure.

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Legislature Bills & Hawaii Revised Statutes

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Senate clarifies
ballot requirements
for constitutional
convention vote

Associated Press

The state Senate yesterday sent the governor a bill clarifying that blank, spoiled or invalid ballots count as "no" ballots when voters are asked whether they want a constitutional convention.

That means the constitutional convention question meets the same standard as a constitutional amendment requiring a majority of all ballots cast to be adopted.

It also clears up a legal controversy that erupted in the 1996 election when 163,869 voters favored holding a constitutional convention and 160,153 opposed it, with 45,245 blank ballots.

The state AFL-CIO, concerned about possible anti-labor measures arising at a convention, sued, leading to a Hawaii Supreme Court ruling that the blank ballots would be counted as "no" votes.

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Legislature Directory
Legislature Bills & Hawaii Revised Statutes