Posted by Pono Kealoha on April 12, 2008 at 7:29pm
Your Help Needed Now To Defeat This BillPrivate dealing continues between the Office Of Hawaiian Affairs and the Hawai`i legislature on the ceded lands bill.Despite overwhelming constituent outcry against it and the senate killing the bill, representative Kirk Caldwell and OHA are busy manufacturing support and calling for a conference to discuss it, HB1201.Here are conference members -Senator Kokubun -senkokubun@Capitol.hawaii.gov (808) 586-6760Senator Baker -senbaker@Capitol.hawaii.gov (808) 586-6070Senator English -senenglish@Capitol.hawaii.gov (808) 587-7225Senator Hee -senhee@Capitol.hawaii.gov (808) 586-7330Senator Slom -senslom@Capitol.hawaii.gov (808) 586-8420Senator Hanabusa -senhanabusa@Capitol.hawaii.gov (808) 586-7793Senator Tokuda -sentokuda@Capitol.hawaii.gov (808) 587-7215Representative Ito -repito@Capitol.hawaii.gov (808) 586-8470Representative Ward -repward@Capitol.hawaii.gov (808) 586-6420Representative Say -repsay@Capitol.hawaii.gov (808) 586-6100Representative Karamatsu -repkaramatsu@Capitol.hawaii.gov (808) 586-8490Contact those listed above and let them know any measure pertaining to the Ceded Land Settlement is unacceptable and should not be passed.You, your family, and friends can make a critical difference.Neighbor islands residents call the following toll free -Hawai`i - 974-4000Kaua`i - 274-3141Maui - 984-2400Molokai / Lana`i - (800) 468-4644Here's a sample message to send them -Aloha mai,I am contacting you to help kill HB 1201.I believe that the disputed matters pertaining to the Ceded Lands can be resolved in a fair, just, and honest manner.But the legislation OHA is suggesting is not legitimate.Once the Settlement Agreement is nullified, I support 1) a full and complete inventory of the Ceded Lands, 2) an audit of all gross revenues generated by the Ceded Lands, 3) beneficiary consultation with all stakeholders, and 4) an OHA audit.Please vote "NO" on HB1201.Mahalo,Your NameCity, State
From Ikaika Hussey's Blog :
From the Hawaii Standard:
Joan Conrow posted some thoughts yesterday on some possible back room politics within the State House of Representatives to bring the OHA settlement bill back to life. Conrow cites an email circulated by Andre Perez. [Full disclosure: Andre is a colleague and friend.]
Apparently, according to Andre’s email, HB1201, a bill carried over from last year, is being used as a shell for a settlement bill drafted by OHA: HB1201 HD1 SD1 CD1 PROPOSED. The email goes on to say:
Rep. Kirk Caldwell is calling for a conference to discuss HB1201 HD1 SD1 CD1 PROPOSED (OHA's Proposed Version) with the intention of removing OHA's proposed language and inserting HB266 HD2 language (Ceded Land Settlement legislation that was held in Senate Committees). There is a lot of back door maneuvering.
If this is true, it would seem to violate conference rules:
The authority of the Conference Committee shall be limited to resolving differences between the Senate and House drafts of a bill ... a Conference Committee shall not amend a bill or resolution by inserting into the bill or resolution any unrelated or new subject matter.
I've left a message on Kirk Caldwell's answering machine to verify this story. I'll post a follow-up if I do get a call back.
Why new conferees?
Also of note is the placement of new legislators on the conference committee. According to the legislature's website, House leadership has replaced Pono Chong and Karen Leinani Awana with Jon Riki Karamatsu and Gene Ward. It's worth asking why the two previous legislators are being replaced at all, regardless of what plans the House leadership has for this bill.
But beyond that, if this bill is indeed going to become a vehicle for any iteration of the settlement legislation, why aren't Ken Ito and Tommy Waters, the chairs of the House committees which originally heard the bill, on this conference committee?
It would be a blow to public faith in the legislative process if Caldwell and others in leadership positions make any move to resuscitate a bill which had such resounding (and unified) opposition, and which obviously represented a lack of consensus in the Hawaiian community.
Comments
From the Hawaii Standard:
Joan Conrow posted some thoughts yesterday on some possible back room politics within the State House of Representatives to bring the OHA settlement bill back to life. Conrow cites an email circulated by Andre Perez. [Full disclosure: Andre is a colleague and friend.]
Apparently, according to Andre’s email, HB1201, a bill carried over from last year, is being used as a shell for a settlement bill drafted by OHA: HB1201 HD1 SD1 CD1 PROPOSED. The email goes on to say:
Rep. Kirk Caldwell is calling for a conference to discuss HB1201 HD1 SD1 CD1 PROPOSED (OHA's Proposed Version) with the intention of removing OHA's proposed language and inserting HB266 HD2 language (Ceded Land Settlement legislation that was held in Senate Committees). There is a lot of back door maneuvering.
If this is true, it would seem to violate conference rules:
The authority of the Conference Committee shall be limited to resolving differences between the Senate and House drafts of a bill ... a Conference Committee shall not amend a bill or resolution by inserting into the bill or resolution any unrelated or new subject matter.
I've left a message on Kirk Caldwell's answering machine to verify this story. I'll post a follow-up if I do get a call back.
Why new conferees?
Also of note is the placement of new legislators on the conference committee. According to the legislature's website, House leadership has replaced Pono Chong and Karen Leinani Awana with Jon Riki Karamatsu and Gene Ward. It's worth asking why the two previous legislators are being replaced at all, regardless of what plans the House leadership has for this bill.
But beyond that, if this bill is indeed going to become a vehicle for any iteration of the settlement legislation, why aren't Ken Ito and Tommy Waters, the chairs of the House committees which originally heard the bill, on this conference committee?
It would be a blow to public faith in the legislative process if Caldwell and others in leadership positions make any move to resuscitate a bill which had such resounding (and unified) opposition, and which obviously represented a lack of consensus in the Hawaiian community.
aloha, I.