The Hawai‘i State Senate and ‘Olelo Community Television today announced that Senate hearings that are cablecast on ‘Olelo will also be available for on-demand viewing on the Internet for up to six months from the hearing date. Via a link provided on the Senate’s home page, users will be allowed to search the archive based on the closed captioning that is already offered on Senate cablecasts. Full use of the free public service requires a broadband connection. The initial pilot project is scheduled to last six months.
“This is an excellent way to offer the public still greater access to the workings of their government,” said Senate President Colleen Hanabusa. “It is an important step, along with our paperless initiative and providing committee testimony online, that will allow the public to follow the Senate’s decision-making process, even if their personal schedules do not allow them to come to the Capitol on a regular basis.”
‘Olelo President and CEO Keali‘i Lopez shares the Senate’s vision of making their deliberations more accessible. “We are excited about offering this pilot service to the State Senate and appreciate their eagerness to make their legislative proceedings so readily accessible to the public,” Lopez said. “although ‘Olelo serves the island of O‘ahu, we know our neighbor island counterparts value that the communities they serve throughout the state can also access their State government’s proceedings.”
Jeff Mikulina, director of the Sierra Club Hawai`i chapter, asked House committee members to pass Senate Bill 644 because even with existing incentives for installing solar water heating, only 20 to 25 percent of new homes in Hawai`i install systems.
