In The News
Legislature Confident On Key Issues
April 13, 2006
KGMB9
The leadership in the state legislature is pleased where it stands as the session enters its second crossover. This is a crucial period as lawmakers from the House and Senate begin the process of working out their differences over hundreds of bills.
The House Speaker and the Senate President are busy putting together conference committees which are expected to begin meeting next week.
House Speaker Calvin Say says the guts of its majority package heading into the session remain intact.
“Housing is an issue and the omnibus bill is going through. public education, both lower and higher education and also the energy package. We had a lot of input from the administration and from the members of the House and Senate,” said Say.
The state’s decision regarding the Kukui Gardens Housing project will reflect how it approaches the issue of affordable housing as a whole. That’s according to Ron Menor, chairman of the senate consumer protection and housing committee.
“If we allow the project to be sold, my fear is we’re going to lose a very important project that can help our state effectively address our affordable housing crisis down the road,” said Menor.
Some 2,500 tenants at Kukui Gardens fear the property owner will sell the site when an agreement with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) expires in 2011. That agreement calls for the units to remain affordable.
Those tenants, many of them elderly, want the owner to sell to a non-profit organization to ensure the units remain affordable. Conference conferees will try to work out the kinks in a bill that empowers the state’s public housing authority to negotiate with the property owner. If that passes, it is expected lawmakers will wait until next session to pay for the property based on the negotiated price. The bill also calls for the state to condemn the site if the two parties cannot reach an agreement on the sale.
Menor is also expected to spearhead the Senate conferees regarding the gas cap law bill. Menor, who is considered the architect of the cap law, has agreed to suspend the law. However, that bill also includes a “trigger mechanism” that would temporarily bring back the cap if gas prices get out of whack.
However, the House wants an immediate suspension of the cap law with no “trigger mechanism.”
“The House position is suspension then repeal, how’s that, as a point of negotiations. I hope the Senate will look wisely at the House position, i think it’s a fair position to be taking at this point,” said Say.
Say and Bunda agree they would like this issue to be resolved quickly. If the conferees do not reach a compromise, the current gas cap law would remain in effect. Say said that could be disastrous.
“By the end of the year, I think the barrel of oil is going to be over $73 dollars a barrel. As of today, it’s up to $62-$63, and that’s very scary,” said Say.
With a projected half-billion dollar budget surplus, Governor Linda Lingle said tax relief should be at the top of the legislature’s agenda. However, there has been little noise this session about tax relief. However, a Senate bill that carried over from last session will be heard in conference committee. That bill calls for expanding the individual standard deduction and adjusting the earned income tax credit (EITC).
“If there’s a major push by the Senate, I think the House of Representatives will consider it. We’ll probably look at the earned income tax credit as a major focus of the House,” said Say.
Bunda said the standard deduction proposal would cost about $22 million and the EITC would cost about $10 million.
“We’re looking at maybe $30-$40 million and hopefully, the standard deduction and EITC the earned income tax credit will help the poor and middle class,” said Bunda.
Other bills that will go to conference committee include a $14 million emergency appropriation to address the damage inflicted by last month’s heavy rains. The House also passed a resolution calling for an independent investigation into the March 14 Kaloko dam break disaster on Kauai. The Senate will now consider it.
“I would highly recommend the chairman of the committee would at least hear it, give it a fair shake,” said Bunda.
One bill that has already passed both houses is a measure to change the 1970 state abortion law. The bill would no longer require a woman to be a resident to have the procedure performed in Hawaii. It also would allow abortions to be performed in doctor’s offices and clinics. Currently, the procedures are done in hospital settings.
The law also provides added protection to a woman’s right to an abortion should Roe v. Wade be overturned in the future.
Supporters of the bill say they do not believe the bill would open the gates for Hawaii to become the haven for those seeking abortions.
“Hawaii sits out in the middle of the Pacific,” said Rep. Roz Baker, chairwoman of the House Health Committee. “There are at least a dozen states on the west coast that currently don’t have residency requirements. They probably have less restrictions and easier access than somebody jumping on a plane to come to Hawaii.
“If you look at it logically, if you live in California, you’re going to go to California. If you live in Washington State, you’re going to go to Washington State, I think that (Hawaii becoming the abortion state) is bogus,” Baker added.
That bill has been sent to the governor for her signature. Even though it runs against Republican party lines, Baker said she is confident Governor Lingle will sign it. If not, Baker said there are enough votes in the Senate and House to override a veto.
