Senate Majority Caucus

Starting next week, free workshops designed to educate and encourage public participation in the State legislative process will be offered at numerous Kaua‘i locations. The workshops will be hosted by former Kaua‘i resident Suzanne Marinelli, the current Public Access Coordinator at the Public Access Room (PAR), a division of the State of Hawai‘i’s non-partisan Legislative Reference Bureau.

Schedule of workshops on Kaua‘i:

• Wednesday, 11/5/08; 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.; Princeville Public Library

• Thursday, 11/6/08; 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.; Hanapēpē Public Library

• Saturday, 11/8/08; 3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.; Koloa Public Library

• Monday, 11/10/08; 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.; Kapaa Public Library

• Wednesday,  11/12/08; 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.; Līhu‘e Neighborhood Center

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By Hawaii State Senator Will Espero

“We have formulated the vision and ambition to get rid of fossil fuel completely in a reasonably short time.” – President Olafur Grimsson of Iceland, the world’s first country using 100% renewable energy

Geothermal can play a key role in Hawaii’s transition to renewable energy. Our current state policy is that geothermal energy will be exclusively for use on the Big Island, which has the highest proportion of renewable energy sources in the Hawaii. Puna Geothermal is contracted for up to 30 MW (megawatts) of energy, meeting close to 20% of the annual electricity needs of the Big Island. (more…)

Senate Resolution No. 2 (2008) established a Senate Special Investigative Committee to conduct an investigation of the award of a contract by DBEDT to H2 Energy LLC to manage the Hydrogen Investment Capital Special Fund in 2007, which was subsequently ordered to be rescinded by the State’s Chief Procurement Officer. The Special Investigative Committee conducted thirteen hearings lasting over fifty-six hours, received testimony from twenty-two witnesses, and received in excess of twenty-one thousand pages of documents in response to subpoenas. The committee on October 14, 2008 adopted and issued its final report which sets forth its findings, conclusions, and recommendations. The entire final report can be viewed at the Hawaii State Legislature Website “http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/“. DVD’s of the entire fifty-six hours of recorded hearings can be obtained from the Senate Clerk’s office room 010.

Click on the below links to view…

Final Report Summary

Closing Remarks of Committee Chair

Summary of the Investigative Committee’s Expenses

Edited video excerpts of broadcasted hearings:

Ted Liu Hydrogen Investigation “Was it a recommendation?”

Ted Liu’s Relationship with Barry Wienman

Kitamura’s advice to Ted Liu about RFP Procedures

Ted Liu “Can the director select?”

Ted Liu “Director’s Justification” Part 1

Ted Liu “Director’s Justification” Part 2

Ted Liu Hydrogen Investigation Attorney General Conflict

Senate President Colleen Hanabusa will be appearing live in an hour-long, commercial free debate on October 14, 2008, starting from 6:30 p.m. on KGMB television. After the debate, Olelo will rebroadcast the segment on channel 49 as well as on KGMB’s website via streaming video. The event is sponsored by the League of Women Voters and Hawaii Institute for Public Affairs to inform the community on the pros and cons of having a constitutional convention.