Age–just a number?
The House Committee on Finance passed legislation yesterday that would propose an amendment to the state constitution to lower the age required for Hawai`i’s governor or lieutenant governor. Senate Bill 966, introduced last session by Sen. David Ige (`Aiea-Pearl City), would ask citizens on an election ballot whether or not to change the requirement from 30 to 25.
“There are many outstanding, qualified, and experienced candidates under 30 who are unable to run for the office of governor or lieutenant governor because of the current arbitrary age restriction…” the bill says.
Many states permit citizens younger than 30 to be governor. Louisiana requires that its governor be at least 25, and South Dakota at least 21. Other state constitutions contain no age requirement at all.
Internationally, legislation enacted last year lowered the age required to hold any public office in England, Scotland and Wales from 21 to 18.
Senate Bill 966 also mentions that a person of 25 years is eligible to run for U.S. Congress and therefore has the power to declare war. Many of Hawai`i’s young soldiers are returning from Iraq and are inspired to serve the state in a leadership position, but young people generally feel more disillusioned with and excluded from the government, the bill says.
Testifiers such as the Hawaii State Teachers Association, League of Women Voters of Hawai`i and Vote Outreach! Hawai`i have supported the bill, mentioning several of the same reasons.
Since its introduction at the beginning of the 2007 legislative session, Senate Bill 966 passed its Judiciary and Labor Senate committee hearing and two House committees without amendments, meaning that upon a vote of approval by the entire House, it will transfer from the legislature to the office of the governor.