Legislature in "Damage Control"

With more than 2/3 of the legislative session completed, we are now in "Damage Control" mode as many bad bills (from an economic standpoint) have passed out of both houses and crossed over to the other. Bills have crossed over and a few back to their respective houses of origin.

BAD BILLS ARE MOVING ALONG:

I voted "no" on the following selected "bad" bills:

SB 1491 SD1: This bill raids various special and revolving funds for a grand total of $55.8 million. The funds will be transferred to the general fund. I have consistently voted against all special funds because they open the opportunity for legislators to raid them later. Funding for all state programs should come out of the general fund.

HB 2796 HD1 SD1: Raids $9.4 million from the Emergency & Budget Reserve "Rainy Day" Fund.

SB 2125 SD1 increases the conveyance tax. Whether you buy, rent or have a commercial lease that must be recorded, will be subjected to a graduated scale of increases to this tax based on the real property’s value. I vote "no" on all tax increases.

SB 2690 SD2 will establish a new tax in disguise to pay for emergency medical services. A new $10 tax will be tacked on to motor vehicle registrations and deposited into a new special fund.

SB 2711 SD2 will authorize the Hawaii Tourism Authority to employ its own attorneys. The Governor vetoed a bill like this last year.

SB 3019 SD1 will allow the members of the Police union to take a tax credit of up to $960 for single coverage and $2,400 for family coverage for annual health insurance premiums. This bill sets a bad precedent since all the other public sector unions will ask for the same thing. Items like this should be part of the collective bargaining process.

SB 3069 SD2 will transfer the management of the state capitol to a joint legislative management committee. This bill will create problems for the executive branch in so far as usage of the capitol. It is one of several bills that try to strip powers away from the executive branch.

SB 3189 SD2 will impose a surcharge (tax) on every cell phone user to subsidize 911-locator service. The fee will be used to enable cell phone calls made to 911 to automatically provide information on the cell phone caller’s location. A special fund will be created to administer this program.

SB 3193 SD2 was amended to untie Hawaii from the California gasoline price average and instead to a national average. Drivers in California are already paying $2.16 per gallon for regular gas. Prices continue to rise. The amended gas cap bill if passed will take effect on July 1.

SB 3237 SD1: I was the lone legislator who voted against the Hawaii Rx bill in the Senate on Tuesday. While the bill will offer relief to a select group of people who earn $36,155 of annual income or less, the legislation remains flawed even though it was improved over similar legislation passed in the State of Maine. The Hawaii Rx bills will not be entirely problem-free as they contain many requirements that consumers as well as the pharmaceutical industry must follow. The bill also creates a special fund in which monies will be deposited, only to be raided later for something else. It fixes prices and forces businesses to sign an agreement. A similar bill also passed out of the house ( HB 2005 ).

SB 3238 SD2, the majority bill in opposition to the Lingle reform, will transfer funding mechanisms out of the executive branch and to the Department of Education for the purpose of running the education system. It does not reform or decentralize the DOE.

Several bad bills have crossed over from the House, and we’re currently hearing and making decisions on them.

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