UH regent amendment
passes both houses

The Senate approved a proposed constitutional amendment yesterday to change the way University of Hawaii regents are selected.

Star-Bulletin Legislature Database Star-Bulletin Legislature Guide (PDF, 1.9 MB) State Legislature: Bills & Hawaii Revised Statutes

The measure, which would be placed before voters on the 2006 ballot, has already passed the House.

The amendment would require the governor to select regents from a list provided by a candidate advisory council, which would screen and nominate potential candidates. The regents are currently appointed by the governor, subject to confirmation by the state Senate.

The Senate and House still need to work out their differences on a companion bill to create the advisory council and define its membership.

While proponents of the plan say it will take politics out of the process, Republican lawmakers have called it another attempt to strip the authority of Gov. Linda Lingle.

The governor does not have veto power over proposed amendments.

Sen. Bob Hogue (R, Kaneohe-Kailua) challenged the way the advisory council members would be selected, including appointments by the Senate president and House speaker.

"In our effort to depoliticize the process, we have overpoliticized the process," Hogue said.

Senate Higher Education Chairman Clayton Hee (D, Kahuku-Kaneohe) said those concerns are among the issues slated to be worked out by the conference committee looking at the companion bill.

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