State legislators are receiving mixed testimony over whether a community should be informed before a halfway house or group home is allowed to operate in the area. Opinions mixed on
halfway home disclosureBy Pat Omandam
pomandam@starbulletin.comSenate Bill 2009, Senate Draft 1, House Draft 1, requires a public informational meeting before permitting the operation of group homes, halfway houses, board homes and other, similar types of living facilities.
The House Judiciary Committee approved the measure this week.
Frank Slocum of the Waianae Neighborhood Board said the bill was introduced after Waianae residents learned of several halfway homes for sex offenders in an area close to three public schools.
Once the public became aware of them, these houses were closed.
"All we are asking is to be allowed our say before any final decision is made," Slocum said.
But state health officials opposed the measure because federal law does not specify whether neighbors, civic associations and others can influence a group home site decision.
The city also opposed it because such a law could subject the counties to a constitutional challenge for singling out a particular group of individuals in need of assistance, said Randy Fujiki, city planning director.
In other news this week at the state Capitol:
>> ERS bonus: Members of the state Employees' Retirement System who are over age 70 and have 20 years of government service could see their pensions jump under a Senate bill that helps them cope with the rising costs of living.
Senate Bill 2127 was approved this week by the House Labor Committee and now goes before the House finance panel. Under the measure, qualified retirees would receive special compensation based on years of retirement.
For example, qualified retirees who have been retired five years would get an additional $1.25 a month for each year of service; those with 10 years, $2.50 per month; 15 years, $4.50 per month; 20 years, $6 per month; 25 years, $8.75 per month; and 30 years, $10.50 per month.
Sarah Moriyama, legislative chairwoman of the Oahu Retired Teachers Association, said there are 99 members age 80 or older who need the extra income. These retirees have small pensions of less than $1,000 a month because they had taught and retired when salaries were low, she said.
David Shimabukuro, administrator of the ERS, said the bill, if it becomes law, would increase the state's and counties' payments to the ERS by more than $28.4 million each year, as well as add $205 million to the state's liability to make the ERS fully funded.
>> State budget: It is the state Senate's turn to craft the state's financial plan after the House sent over its version of the supplemental state budget for fiscal year 2002-2003.
The $3.5 billion budget cuts $144 million in programs but actually increases by $113 million overall because of fixed costs and federal mandates, like the Felix consent decree.
>> Smoking ban: The Senate Judiciary and Health committees extinguished yesterday amendments to a bill that would have prohibited smoking inside of restaurants that seat more than 50 people, banned smoking at all state and county athletic facilities during sporting events for kids and ended the use of vending machines to sell cigarettes by July 1, 2003.
>> Traffic cameras: House and Senate leaders continue toward a late-session conference committee debate over the fate of the state's Photo Traffic Enforcement Program after senators amended a House bill that called for major changes to the program and replaced it with a repeal of the entire program.
In return, the House deferred action on the Senate's version of the bill.
Legislature Directory
Testimony by email: testimony@capitol.hawaii.gov
Legislature Bills & Hawaii Revised Statutes
Include in the email the committee name; bill number;
date, time and place of the hearing; and number of copies
(as listed on the hearing notice.) For more information,
see http://www.hawaii.gov/lrb/par
or call 587-0478.
