Legislature forms panel
to study ‘ice’ issue
Hawaii legislators say they may have to create an entire statutory section to effectively deal with the islands' crystal methamphetamine situation.
That's because the state is losing the war against "ice," said House Speaker Calvin Say (D, Palolo).
"We must find new ways to fight this epidemic and we will," Say said yesterday at the announcement of members to a special legislative panel to study the issue this fall.
Senate Judiciary Chairwoman Colleen Hanabusa (D, Waianae) will serve as co-chairwoman of the newly formed House-Senate Ice Committee. The panel, she said, will likely prepare a comprehensive package of bills next session for a new chapter of laws to deal with a drug epidemic that has plagued the state for at least a decade.
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She said the panel will study the crystal meth problem from every angle, including its impact on education, the penal system, and on treatment and prevention.
"I believe you have the commitment of the Senate and the House that when this piece of legislation is introduced, that you will have the Legislature's answer to how we begin our battle against ice," Hanabusa said.
"Not just talk, not just meetings, but actual laws. Laws that are going to be enforceable with the full support of the Legislature," she said.
Joining Hanabusa on the panel are co-chairwoman Melodie Aduja (D, Kahuku-Kaneohe) and Sens. Willie Espero (D, Ewa Beach), Norman Sakamoto (D, Salt Lake-Foster Village), Suzanne Chun-Oakland (D, Kalihi-Liliha), Bob Hogue (R, Kaneohe-Kailua) and Fred Hemmings (R, Waimanalo).
The House co-chairman is Eric Hamakawa (D, South Hilo-Kurtistown). House members include Tommy Waters (D, Waimanalo), Romy Mindo (D, Ewa Beach), Cindy Evans (D, North Kona-South Kohala), Maile Shimabukuro (D, Waianae), Bob Herkes (D, Puna-North Kona), Bud Stonebraker (R, Hawaii Kai) and Colleen Meyer (R, Laie).
"Ice is an equal-opportunity destroyer that affects all segments of our society," said Hamakawa, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. "It's ripping apart families, it's tearing apart communities. It's something that the Legislature has committed itself to presenting some solutions for."
Legislative leaders were quick to say that their work on the ice epidemic goes hand in hand with a major ice conference this summer being spearheaded by Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona, and is not an attempt to upstage the executive branch of government.
Senate President Robert Bunda (D, Wahiawa) said they have invited a person from both the governor's and lieutenant governor's offices to participate in the committee's work.
Espero said crystal meth use is a statewide problem that both the Lingle administration and the Legislature needs to take on.
"I expect if we tackle this problem the way we took on Lake Wilson and the salvinia, you'll see some very positive results in the very near future," Espero said.
