Last year’s rain and subsequent dam burst led to the devastation
By Honolulu Star-Bulletin Writer Tom Finnegan
Three streams damaged by last year’s heavy rain and the private land surrounding them will get a cleanup and restoration work, thanks to a $6.7 million joint federal-state project, officials said yesterday.
By Hawaii State Senator Will Espero
There are inmates who must be kept in prison due to the nature of their crimes. There are also non-violent inmates who could probably be released with proper supervision, monitoring, assistance, and programs. Our prison population is increasing, and a different approach to handling our offenders must be implemented. Eventually, the majority of offenders will be released into our society to integrate with us.
Read about Hawaii State Senator Will Espero’s meeting at Keoneula Elementary School Cafeteria on July 30, 2007, Special Session, his new chairmanship of OMPO, and Senate Bill 932- Comprehensive Offender Re-entry Sytem:
Senator Espero’s Legislative Connections (Click here)
By Hawaii State Senator Will Espero
Let’s make no mistake about this: the Legislature cares about public safety. We want to reduce the incidence of repeat offenses by former inmates. We want to relieve prison overcrowding. The reality is that most offenders will complete their prison terms and go back into the community. The corrections system should, in that time while the
By Hawaii State Senator Gary L. Hooser
The recent special session of July 10 is being characterized by some, both in the media and on the street, as a political power play. To a certain extent, this is not an entirely untrue statement. What happened on that day was a perfect example of our democratic government at work and the ebb and flow of power being balanced between the executive and legislative branches. The drafters of our constitution, who were more concerned about the consolidation of power rather (more…)
By Honolulu Advertiser Government Writer Derrick DePledge
A culture of dysfunction and favoritism permeates the state Bureau of Conveyances, according to documents turned over under subpoena to a special legislative investigative committee yesterday by the state Ethics Commission.
Bureau workers accused each other of mismanagement, impropriety and harassment, along with giving special favors and access to title (more…)
By Hawaii State Senator Colleen Hanabusa
I am perplexed by Lieutenant Governor James “Duke” Aiona’s piece “Flawed bills need a fix, not a fight;” and I ask: “Where in the world was Duke?” We know that the governor was in Asia, but I believe Duke was here. So, why didn’t he call?
At no time did Duke contact the Speaker or me to discuss these bills. I did contact Linda Smith, the University of Hawaii, PBS, the Attorney General and others on SB 1922, all within the week (more…)
Honolulu Advertiser Government Writers Derrick DePledge and Treena Shapiro.
The state Legislature yesterday overrode a veto of a bill that directs $3 million over two years for pedestrian safety, but Gov. Linda Lingle vowed not to release the money because it would come out of the (more…)
By Honolulu Advertiser Columnist David Shapiro
Gov. Linda Lingle issued one of her most blistering attacks ever against Democratic lawmakers after the Legislature overrode 11 of her 27 vetoes in a special session yesterday. “It is disappointing that the (more…)
Eleven bills became law due to the efforts of the Hawaii State Legislature. The Hawaii State Senate overrode 12 bills that Governor Lingle vetoed, but the State House did not pass out SB 1174 (Revenue (more…)
The Hawai‘i State Senate today voted to override 12 of Governor Linda Lingle’s vetoes, preserving bills passed in the last legislative session on such topics as pedestrian safety, the Child Safe Haven, and the (more…)
By Honolulu Advertiser Government Writer Treena Shapiro
Gov. Linda Lingle publicly asked lawmakers yesterday to compromise on a few bills on her potential veto list, but legislative leaders said they intend to stick with their own plans for a one-day special override (more…)
By Honolulu Star Bulletin Writer Richard Borreca
Legislative leaders are rejecting Gov. Linda Lingle’s last-minute request that the Legislature amend four of 33 bills that the governor is threatening to veto.
Lingle said she prefers lawmakers change the bills so they can become (more…)
The Joint Senate-House Investigative Committee looking into practices at the Hawai‘i Bureau of Conveyances will postpone the receipt of an investigative report prepared for the State Ethics Commission until (more…)
