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Pledge resolution
proposed for Hawaii
LegislatureNoting that in Congress, both the House and Senate open their sessions with the Pledge of Allegiance, state Sen. Sam Slom thinks the daily ritual would also help the Hawaii Senate.
"The pledge can unite Americans of all backgrounds," Slom notes in a resolution requesting the pledge be said before the start of each House and Senate session.
Slom (R, Hawaii Kai-Diamond Head) offers the following guidelines: "The pledge should be rendered by standing at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart."
Most states open each legislative session with a pledge, and many, according to the Associated Press, have a guest lead the members in the recitation.
Isles could get new judge
U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie is calling for a fourth federal judge for Hawaii.Abercrombie said another permanent full-time judgeship is needed to "keep up with the number of cases now coming into federal court."
Hawaii has had a temporary fourth judge since 1990, but authorization will expire in October unless it is made permanent, Abercrombie said.
Federal statistics cited by the First District Democrat show that Hawaii had 427 filings per judge last year, and the standard workload per judge is 430, according to the a federal conference on judicial statistics.
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