11 vetoes overridden

Sixteen of Lingle's vetoes stand as a bill to bring back isle felons ignites a last-minute debate

By Richard Borreca / rborreca@starbulletin.com
and B.J. Reyes / bjreyes@starbulletin.com

A tense day of partisan sniping ended yesterday with Republican Gov. Linda Lingle vetoing 27 bills, the Democrat-controlled Legislature overriding 11 and both sides accusing the other of irresponsibility.

A last-minute controversy flared as Lingle rejected Senate Bill 932, which requires Hawaii felons incarcerated in mainland prisons with a year or less left to serve be returned to Hawaii prisons.

Lingle said there was no place to put the estimated 300 prisoners, thereby forcing her to let felons out of Hawaii prisons. She called it a threat to public safety.

Legislators overrode the veto, saying the Lingle administration has refused to obey the will of the Legislature and build more prisons.

In total this year, Lingle has vetoed 42 bills and the Legislature was able to get a two-thirds vote to override 19 -- the most veto overrides in the state's history. During the regular session, Lingle vetoed 15 bills and eight were overridden.

Here's a look at some of the action yesterday.

Vetoes overridden:

» SB 1191: Allocates $3 million from the state Highway Fund for pedestrian safety improvement projects.

» House Bill 1830: Provides immunity for leaving an unharmed newborn at a hospital, fire station or police station, or with emergency services personnel, within 72 hours of birth.

» HB 1605: Allocates $400,000 from the state Highway Fund to develop a transportation system architectural plan for Maui, including a Maui traffic control center.

Vetoes upheld:

» SB 837: Authorizes the Agribusiness Development Corp. to purchase agricultural land in Kunia and Ewa from private parties; enables the corporation to contract with banks to provide lease management services; allows corporation to lease agricultural lands in Kunia and Ewa for as long as 55 years.

» HB 1764: Authorizes issuance of revenue bonds to assist the Hawaii Health Systems Corp. in the construction, improvement and purchasing of equipment.