House halves In a move Republicans denounced as purely political, the Democrat-controlled state House cut to $500,000 a $1 million emergency request from Gov. Linda Lingle to staff her office between January and June 2003.
Lingle’s funding
The governor wants $1 million
to fund her office, but Democrats
offer only $500,000By Pat Omandam
pomandam@starbulletin.com
"She is the governor of the state of Hawaii. As such, she has been elected by the people of the state of Hawaii and has very serious duties to perform," said state Rep. Cynthia Thielen (R, Kailua-Kaneohe).
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"I look at this cut as nothing but partisan politics in trying to stop her effectiveness," she said.
The emergency funding in House Bill 1077, HD1, was among bills being readied yesterday for passage and crossover to the Senate next week.
A portion of the $1 million emergency funding would have been for furniture for the newly built Governor's House behind Washington Place.
The amended bill also trims money for the Lieutenant Governor's Office to $121,736 from $141,000.
State Rep. Mark Moses (R, Kapolei) said Lingle's office staff of 66 is much smaller than the past two administrations, where the numbers topped 240 people. And the Governor's Office has already taken its 5 percent budget cut just like all other state departments and agencies, he said.
"It's nowhere near what the prior administration used to have," Moses said. "I don't think she's asking for anything extravagant."
But House Finance Chairman Dwight Takamine (D, North Kohala-South Hilo) countered that in a tough economy with education taking multimillion-dollar budget cuts, the reduction to the emergency request "was appropriate."
Takamine said that if the Legislature cannot provide funding for desks in every school classroom, then, everything being equal, it cannot fully fund the governor's request.
House Republicans also alluded to partisan politics in House Bill 284, HD1, which would limit the effectiveness of poll watchers by making it a criminal misdemeanor for a poll watcher to transmit information obtained at a precinct for partisan or campaign purposes.
The Hawaii Republican Party effectively used poll watchers to get out of the vote during last fall's general election.
"I think it sends a real chilling message to any poll watcher," Thielen said.
Also up for passage next week is House Bill 135, HD1, which allows foreigners who utilize for-profit matchmaking services in Hawaii to access the criminal records and marital histories of their suitors.
The bill from the legislative women's caucus is meant to provide protection to foreign women by providing background information on their potential matches.
Meanwhile, the House approved and sent to the Senate yesterday a bill that requires employers to provide employees with at least a 30-minute break for eight hours of work -- if that provision is not already mandated in a union contract.
House Labor Chairman Marcus Oshiro (D, Wahiawa), in his committee report, said House Bill 29, HD1, is meant to augment a 1999 state law that allows women to express breast milk in the workplace during a voluntary break provided by the employer.
Oshiro said from a larger policy perspective, any employee who works eight hours or more consecutively should be provided a meal break.
"Not only will this promote the efficiency and effectiveness of employees, but more importantly will reduce the incidence of worker injuries and enhance workers' morale," he said.
But state Rep. Mark Jernigan (North Kona) and four other Republicans voted against the plan. Jernigan said yesterday that breaks should be left up to employers and, speaking as a businessman, that it imposes a heavy burden on companies.
Also headed to the Senate is House Bill 1064, which would establish and fund a permanent ferry system between West Oahu and Honolulu. But Rep. Colleen Meyer (R, Laie) questioned the idea, saying the state has spent millions of dollars on two ferry demonstration projects that have not proved popular.
An interisland ferry rather than one between downtown Honolulu and West Oahu is a much better idea, she said.
"We have been through at least two pilot programs, and in each case the ridership was way below what has been projected," Meyer said.
Here are a few of the bills the state House has sent or will send next week to the state Senate: Bills headed for the Senate
>> Community hospitals: House Bill 512, HD1, would abolish the Hawaii Health Systems Corp. and place all community hospitals under a new state Department of Health division of community hospitals.
>> Jury duty: House Bill 981, HD1, would exempt from jury duty legislators while in session, those who live more than 70 miles from the assigned court and people who are 80 years of age or older.
>> Meal breaks: House Bill 29, HD1, would require employers to give a 30-minute meal break to employees for eight hours of work.
>> Ferry system: House Bill 1064, would set up a permanent ferry system between West Oahu and downtown Honolulu.
>> School security: House Bill 314, HD1, would fund a mandatory basic training program for secondary school security guards.
