On Tuesday, Nov. 12, the state Senate voted again on SB1, the bill legalizing same-sex marriage. The vote was 19-4 with two excused, which came as no surprise given that Senate Judiciary Chairman Clayton Hee had predicted an easy passage the week before. On the morning of Nov. 13, Governor Neil Abercrombie–who had called the […]
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Scary House Testimony On Hawaii Same Sex Marriage Bill and Not So Scary Lahaina Halloween Arrest Figures While Maui County Council Votes To Demolish The Old Montana House
THE HORROR I don’t know about you, but I’ve been hiding under my desk since Halloween night. Usually, the evening passes uneventfully for me each year, with minimal frights and few true scares. But this year was different. That’s what I get for monitoring the state House of Representatives Special Session hearing on SB1, the […]
Hawaii Attorney General Says Legislative Special Session On Same Sex Marriage Is Constitutional
Anyone out there worried that the state Legislature’s upcoming Oct. 28 special session that’s slated to consider a bill legalizing same-sex marriage may be in some way unconstitutional (either state or federal) can rest easier, Attorney General David M. Louie said on Oct. 15. “The authority to enact legislation recognizing marriages between two individuals of […]
Hawaii Senators Protect Sweet Trade Protections For Big Sugar While Tea Party Maui Cries Over IRS Scrutiny
SWEET, SWEET VICTORY FOR HC&S Thanks to Hawaii’s two U.S. Senators (both of which are Democrats), Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar can breathe a bit easier. According to a May 22 press release just received from the office of U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, the good senator has helped stop an awful, awful amendment to the […]
Why The Demise Of Hawaii Marijuana Bills Is Bad For Everyone
This Saturday marked a sad 4/20 for tokers and hemp fans across Hawaii. Well, sad probably isn’t the word (tears won’t be the reason eyes are red), but the recent failure of our state Legislature to pass meaningful cannabis law reform should be enough to dampen anyone’s vibe. Even in the wake of Colorado and […]
Former Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle Knows Gas But The Hawaii Reporter Shield Law Bill HB622 Should Just Die
LINGLE KNOWS GAS For all of you out there wondering whatever became of former Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle (you know who you are), I have some important new information for you. Turns out she’s gone and joined something called the U.S. Energy Security Council. “Governor Lingle brings to the council a unique perspective and wealth […]
Publicly Funded Elections Bill Moves Forward In Hawaii State Legislature
This week the Senate Ways and Means Committee passed House Bill 1481 HD2 SD1, stated a news release sent out today from the non-partisan organization Voter Owned Hawaii, which supports the bill. HB 1481 would create a full public funding option for state elections. “We’re delighted with this bill’s passage, and excited about the prospect […]
The Steven Tyler Act Dies While The Reporter Shield Law Still Sorta Lives And Monsanto Protesters Take To The Streets
IS THE STEVEN TYLER ACT DEAD? It seems like only yesterday that Maui’s own Democratic Senator J. Kalani English captured the hearts of his colleagues with his SB465, which would criminalize the taking of photos of celebrities in the islands who were enjoying “private” moments. English called his bill “The Steven Tyler Act,” after one […]
Hawaii Legislature May Save Maui Land and Pine Pensioners And Lipoa Point While We Read More Bad Vet News
MAUI LAND PENSIONERS (AND MAYBE LIPOA POINT) SAVED! Looks like state officials have figured out a scheme to relieve Maui Land & Pineapple of its pension benefits crisis. “A bill to purchase land at Lipoa Point for permanent preservation passed unanimously out of the State House of Representatives on Thursday,” stated a Mar. 1 press […]
How The War Between Maui Brewing Company and Kona Brewing Company Over What It Means To Be A Local Beer Spilled Over Into The Hawaii State Legislature
You don’t have to spend more than five minutes in a bar on Front Street or in the Kihei Triangle or any of the big Ka‘anapali and Wailea resorts before a visitor (usually a male) walks in, scans the bar taps and then asks the bartender what “local beers” they have. A decade ago, that […]
Hawaii Senate Judiciary Committee Loves Steven Tyler Act while GMO Labeling Bill Moves Forward
STEVEN TYLER ACT SAILING ALONG As anyone who’s watched five minutes of C-SPAN should know, there was nothing in the least surprising last Friday about the Senate Judiciary and Labor Committee’s passing of SB465–the so-called “Steven Tyler Act.” The news was abuzz Friday morning when Steven Tyler himself testified before the committee on the bill […]
Hawaii Senators Want to Protect Poor Celebs From Evil Paparazzi While Governor Abercrombie Punches Holes in Reporter Shield Law
MAUI SEN. ENGLISH PROPOSES ‘STEVEN TYLER ACT’ Credit Malia Zimmerman of Hawaii Reporter for breaking this one on Thursday, Jan. 31: “State Senator Kalani English, a Maui Democrat, introduced the Steven Tyler Act, which would make it a tort to invade the privacy of celebrities,” Zimmerman reported. “The bill aims to ‘encourage celebrities to visit […]
House Speaker Joe Souki Wants To Legalize Marijuana While Maui Police Fail To Enforce Stupid Law Banning Signs On Street During Martin Luther King Jr Day March
DUDE! SPEAKER JOE WANTS WANTS TO LEGALIZE IT! The big takeaway from new/old state House Speaker Joe Souki’s prepared remarks upon taking office on Jan. 16 was that the state needed to “enhance our revenue stream.” “We must put together a mix of strategies that will generate more state revenues–equitably,” he said. While he spent […]
New Bill HB 1727 Would Legalize Organic Industrial Hemp Research In Hawaii
Ramoda Anand, a local activist who crusades for stuff like public access for disabled people, GMO-labeling and loosening up county Liquor Control rules prohibiting dancing in clubs is adding legalizing industrial hemp research to his list of things to get done. With the help of state Representatives Joe Souki (D-Wailuku), Cynthia Thielen (R-Kailua), Barbara Marumoto […]