House Dems seek
help to override vetoesRepublican members say they
will not back a special session
State House Democrats say they will need the vote of at least two House Republicans to override a few of Gov. Linda Lingle's 50 vetoes.
But House GOP members responded that's not likely to happen.
"An ice cube would have a better chance of not melting in hell than they would of getting a Republican to support a veto override," said state Rep. David Pendleton (R, Maunawili-Kaneohe).
"There's no way. It's not going to happen," he said.
House Vice Speaker Sylvia Luke (D, Nuuanu) announced yesterday the 36-member majority will meet on Monday to discuss Lingle's vetoes and whether any of the rejected bills should be overridden in a special session on July 8, the day the Legislature must convene to counter any vetoes.
But with two of the 36 members away for military leave and unable to vote (Reps. Tulsi Tamayo and K. Mark Takai), Luke acknowledged she has only the minimum of 34 votes or two-thirds vote required for the override.
By law, a two-thirds vote is needed in the House and Senate for a vetoed bill to become law. Senate majority members met yesterday afternoon to review Lingle's veto list.
To ensure the special session is not a waste of time and to solidify any action, Luke said House leadership wants at least two of the 15 Republicans to vote with them against the Republican governor.
"What that means is we are going to need the support of our Republican colleagues who support these bills to step forward and join us," Luke said.
Some of the vetoed bills House leadership want to enact into law include a measure that increases the state auditor's ability to review executive departments, as well as a bill that requires Hawaii hospitals to provide emergency contraceptives to rape victims.
House Majority Whip Brian Schatz (D, Makiki) said the majority can wait until next session to address some of the vetoed bills. Others, however, are locked in philosophical differences, such as the emergency contraceptives bill.
Lawmakers, he said, are also troubled over the veto of a bill that cuts $3.2 million in social services funded from the state's $50 million "rainy day" fund. It was a measure supported unanimously in the House, he said.
Nevertheless, Pendleton said, the GOP will not support an override, and the minority caucus will remain united behind the governor's vetoes. It is important to have checks and balances in government, even if that means letting a bill he supported be vetoed, he said.
Galen Fox, House minority leader (R, Waikiki), said taxpayers will foot the bill for any special session and warned some of the vetoed bills are flawed and would be unconstitutional if they are enacted.