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Hawaii House Blog

  • Weekend Christmas Concert at the Capitol

    A variety of Hawaii's favorite local musicians will perform in "A Capitol Christmas", a free Christmas concert held in the State Capitol Rotunda from 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. tomorrow Dec. 4, 2009, which is also First Friday in Chinatown.The music extravaganza is being held in an effort to collect canned [...]
    Posted: December 03, 2009, 10:08am EST
  • Be counted - Census 2010

    The House Majority received information today regarding the 2010 U.S. Census. The census is a count of everyone residing in the United States. The U.S. Constitution requires that a national census be taken every ten years.The U.S. Census Bureau is currently recruiting census takers to work within their own communities. [...]
    Posted: December 03, 2009, 9:29am EST
  • And then there were 3

    Protea farm damage on the Big IslandAccording to this story on KHON last night, there were 48 protea farmers in Ocean View on the Big Island a year ago. Today, because of the severe vog conditions, there are 3. While the federal government has offered low-interest loans to the farmers, [...]
    Posted: December 01, 2009, 8:35am EST
  • Pre-Session Forum with Rep Marcus Oshiro

    Representative Marcus Oshiro, House Finance chair, will be holding a pre-session forum tonight, December 1, 2009, from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. at Wahiawa District Park in the Hale Koa Room.Meeting Agenda6:00 p.m. Socialize/ Refreshments6:30 p.m. Meeting beginsDiscuss furloughs, general assistance cuts, drug abuse, homeless, Wahiawa General Hospital, the possibility of [...]
    Posted: December 01, 2009, 6:07am EST
  • "Between a rock and a hard place"

    In Representative Isaac Choy's December issue of "Prevailing Winds," he discusses the possible solutions to closing the state budget deficit and the difference in opinions that he may have with his constituents. At the end of his message to the community, Choy writes:As your representative, the important thing is to [...]
    Posted: November 30, 2009, 10:49am EST
  • Kikiaola Boat Harbor

    Photo: U.S. Army Corps of EngineersRep. Roland Sagum (District 16 - Niihau, Waimea, Koloa) released the following statement on November 20th as a means to draw attention to the problems at Kikiaola Small Boat Harbor on Kauai. The Honolulu Advertiser followed up with a story on Saturday, November 28th.“I am [...]
    Posted: November 30, 2009, 6:34am EST
  • An Even More Thankful House

    Continued from yesterday's post, more responses from House members and their staff about the things they are thankful for.Maureen Andrade, Office Manager, and Rep. Henry Aquino, D-35 (Pearl City, Waipahu)"Rep. Aquino is off island but I know that he is thankful for the Lords Blessings and for the Love from" [...]
    Posted: November 25, 2009, 11:41am EST
  • A Thankful House

    This has been a tough year for the country, the state, the legislature, government in general, and especially the people that it serves. Many of you muster the strength to weather the tailspin of the state budget, the capricious economy, and other obstacles that life throws at you. As the [...]
    Posted: November 24, 2009, 11:33am EST
  • Time to clean up the school furlough mess

    The following opinion piece, written by Rep. Roy Takumi, was printed on October 30, 2009 in the Honolulu Advertiser.One day I came across Karley, my granddaughter, sitting in the middle of a mess in the living room. When asked "Who did this?" she said, "Isaiah," her oldest brother and favorite [...]
    Posted: November 24, 2009, 10:43am EST
  • Good Schools = Good Leaders

    Rep. Roy Takumi, chairman of the House Education Committee, recently attended a three-day conference to examine school leadership development strategies with other state lawmakers, education policy analysts, school principals and experts in education leadership.He is featured in a video interview discussing what he will take away from the conference, what [...]
    Posted: November 23, 2009, 11:41am EST
  • Rescind education budget restrictions

    The following opinion was published in The Honolulu Advertiser on November 22, 2009:By Rep. Marcus Oshiro, ChairHouse Finance CommitteeIt was heartening to learn last Sunday of a possible solution coming from the governor's office rather than a steady stream of "it's not our fault." The recent announcement that the governor [...]
    Posted: November 22, 2009, 3:20am EST
  • House announces budget reductions

    The Hawaii House of Representatives today announced its plan to deal with the economic and state budget crisis which includes salary reductions for permanent and session staff. There are no furloughs or layoffs. Effective between the dates of January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2010, reductions will be as follows:· [...]
    Posted: November 20, 2009, 1:08pm EST
  • Should we be worried?

    The Daily Show With Jon StewartMon - Thurs 11p / 10cArizona State Capitol Building for Salehttp://www.thedailyshow.com/Daily ShowFull EpisodesPolitical HumorHealth Care CrisisRep. Marcus Oshiro, House Finance Chair, forwarded this link on how the Arizona legislature is planning to "fix the state budget". Hawaii faces a potential $1 - 1.5 billion shortfall [...]
    Posted: November 18, 2009, 4:00am EST
  • Speaker Say's Statement on Governor's Furlough Proposal

    "I commend the Governor for advancing a proposal to reduce the number of furlough days for teachers. Implementation of the proposal apparently requires amendment of the teachers' collective bargaining agreement and an appropriation by the Legislature. The former, amendment of the agreement, requires approval by the parties to the negotiations,'" [...]
    Posted: November 16, 2009, 9:20am EST
  • Pilila'au 'Ohana Honored on Veteran's Day

    From Representative Maile Shimabukuro,D-45 (Wai'anae, Makaha, Makua), who attended the Wai'anae Veteran's Day Ceremony to recognize the Pilila'au 'Ohana.On 11/11/09, the relatives of Wai`anae Medal of Honor recipient Herbert Kaili Pilila`au attended the annual Veteran's Day ceremony. Each year the ceremony is hosted by the Wai`anae Coast's Veterans of Foreign [...]
    Posted: November 16, 2009, 8:23am EST
  • Healthy Start and Quest

    Coming up on Monday, November 16th, the House and Senate committees on Human Services and the Senate committee on Health will hold joint informational briefings on the state's Healthy Start and Quest programs.Healthy Start11:00 a.m.State Capitol, Room 329At one time, Hawaii's Healthy Start program was recognized as a model for [...]
    Posted: November 13, 2009, 10:46am EST
  • Canned Goods, Vegas and Christmas Music

    The public is invited to the "A Capitol Christmas", a free concert featuring a variety of Hawaii's favorite local music artists to be held in the State Capitol Rotunda. Concert organizers suggest that attendees bring in donation items such as canned goods and/or non-perishable foods. Those who bring in a [...]
    Posted: November 12, 2009, 11:32am EST
  • Reinventing Government committees formed

    At its last meeting on November 6, 2009, the Reinventing Government Task Force established program area committees and assigned members as respective chairs. They are:State Agency/IssueDepartment of Education/Education - Chair Don HornerDepartment of Transportation/Transportation - Chair Mark FukunagaDepartment of Land & Natural Resources/Land and Natural Resourses - Chair Laura ThielenDepartment [...]
    Posted: November 12, 2009, 5:16am EST
  • "Peanut Butta Jelly"

    Above, Rep. Marcus Oshiro performs a live reading of the poem "Peanut Butta Jelly" by Kenneth Lynn Quilantang, Jr. It was part of the Aloha Shorts program produced by Bamboo Ridge Press, which is broadcast on Hawaii Public Radio, Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m. on KIPO, 89.3 FM. This particular program will [...]
    Posted: November 12, 2009, 4:11am EST
  • "We the Powerful" heads to Kauai

    The Public Access Room (PAR) will head to the island of Kauai later this week to conduct a series of FREE workshops on the legislative process and how to get involved. The series is called "We the Powerful", and the workshops are designed to demonstrate how people can speak out [...]
    Posted: November 10, 2009, 4:21am EST
  • BOE Blog

    The Hawaii Board of Education launched its own blog back in July to provide news and commentary on public education issues. I perused a few of the blog entries, which highlight what is going on in the BOE, Department of Education, Hawaii Public Library System, and individual public schools, and [...]
    Posted: November 09, 2009, 11:08am EST
  • "Furloughs, Students and Politics"

    Rep. Roy Takumi will be a guest on a live, call-in show, produced by the Department of Ethnic Studies at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. It's called "Furloughs, Students and Politics", hosted by Ibrahim G. Aoudé. Here are the details:Air Date: Tuesday, November 10, 2009Time: 8:00 - 9:00 p.m.Channel:' [...]
    Posted: November 09, 2009, 5:58am EST
  • Rep Choy: "How many Girl Scouts are you going to arrest this year?"

    That was Rep. Isaac Choy's question to the Hawaii State Tax Department on the department's initiative to zero-in on cash-only businesses.The story in yesterday's Honolulu Advertiser is here.The program was established through Act 134 which passed the 2009 legislature and was enacted in June of this year. The department has [...]
    Posted: November 09, 2009, 4:22am EST
  • Surfing toward the Olympics

    Bradah Mel's Canoe Surfing and Stand-Up Surfing Championships announced today that they are helping to raise funds for the Dolan Brothers of Kailua, Patrick, 21, and Ryan, 19, members of the U.S. Olympic Kayak team, on a quest to reach the 2012 Olympics in London. Proceeds collected will go toward [...]
    Posted: November 03, 2009, 11:50am EST
  • Town Hall Meeting at 'Ahuimanu Elementary School

    Come to a town hall meeting with Rep. Jessica Wooley at 'Ahuimanu Elementary School tomorrow, November 4, 2009, from 6:30-8:00 p.m. Rep. Wooley is holding this meeting to hear community concerns and give residents an opportunity to bring ideas for legislation to the table for the 2010 Legislative Session and' [...]
    Posted: November 03, 2009, 10:14am EST
  • Samoa Relief Effort

    By Rep. Joey Manahan The Kalihi community has been working hard to help the tsunami victims in Samoa. We collected a truck load of food, clothing, towels, blankets, and beddings, all of which were delivered to the Women's Center at Kuhio Park Terrace. Rep. Manahan with Tiva Aga and volunteers' [...]
    Posted: November 02, 2009, 11:40am EST
  • "We the Powerful"

    The Hawaii State Legislature's Public Access Room will be on Maui this week, conducting a series of FREE workshops on the legislative process. Called "We the Powerful!", the purpose of the workshops is to discover the public's power in the legislative process. Here is the schedule:Monday, November 2nd7:00 p.m.Kihei Community [...]
    Posted: November 02, 2009, 11:32am EST
  • Contact Us

    An updated House/Senate telephone and fax directory is here. [...]
    Posted: November 02, 2009, 9:17am EST
  • Kalihi schools compete in Lego Robotics

    By Rep. Joey Manahan Rep Manahan with Kalakaua Middle TeamKalihi area schools, Fern Elementary, Puuhale Elementary, Dole Middle School, and Kalakaua Middle School all competed against each other in the Lego Robotics competition held this year at Kalakaua Middle School. The schools receive a grant to purchase equipment, and they [...]
    Posted: November 02, 2009, 6:51am EST
  • Talk Story with Representative Sharon Har

    Representative Har will be holding a Talk Story to hear concerns from community members. The meeting will be in the teacher's lounge of Kapolei High School Saturday, November 14, 2009 at 9:00 a.m.Catch up on what's been going on at the Capitol and in District40 - Royal Kunia, Makakilo, Kapolei, [...]
    Posted: October 30, 2009, 12:53pm EDT
  • Capitol Ghost Stories 2009 - D.C. (and that doesn't stand for District of Columbia)

    The Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. counts former presidents, congressmen, senators, and even a black cat amongst its ghostly population. One listing of capitol ghosts can be found here. The cat is appropriately named DC, but that's short for...Demon Cat!DC is a black cat, its gender unknown. As was common [...]
    Posted: October 30, 2009, 7:58am EDT
  • Aloha Shorts

    Anyone who parks at the State Capitol underground lot on a regular basis will have seen, from time to time, Rep. Marcus Oshiro's white SUV, surfboard on the roof, and a pair of aloha print swim shorts drying on the antenna. Who better than Rep. Oshiro to perform a live [...]
    Posted: October 29, 2009, 5:18am EDT
  • Capitol Ghost Stories 2009 - The Spirit of Rep. Bob Nakasone

    Rep. Jon Riki Karamatsu (left) and Rep. Bob Nakasone in 2006Rep. Jon Riki Karamatsu shared with me some of his personal experiences involving the spirit of the late Rep. Bob Nakasone. Rep. Nakasone, who represented Maui House District 9 – Kahului, Wailuku, Paia, passed away on December 7, 2008. His [...]
    Posted: October 28, 2009, 5:45am EDT
  • Philippine Relief Effort Continues

    Rep. Manahan with the students of Filipino Clubs from the University of Hawaii (Katipunan) and Hawaii Pacific University (Kababayan). Rep. Joey Manahan (District 29 - Sand Island, Mokauea, Kalihi Kai, Kapalama) in the yellow shirt, Deputy Consul Lourdes Tabamo, and Consul General Leoncio R. Cardenas at the Philippine Consulate. Behind [...]
    Posted: October 27, 2009, 12:00pm EDT
  • Capitol Ghost Stories: Governor Burns' Cigar Smoke

    Submitted by Malia: So, I'm too young (cough! cough!) to have been there for his admin, but I was told that Governor Burns smoked cigars in his office. Theres a 4th floor conference room - the one near the makai elevators - that used to be office space for WAM,' [...]
    Posted: October 27, 2009, 8:22am EDT
  • Capitol Ghost Stories 2009 - Enemies Forever

    The state capitol building in Nashville, Tennessee is reportedly haunted by two men heard arguing, at times violently, but no one has ever seen them.Long time residents of Nashville believe that the the voices belong to the ghosts of two men who have had an intimate relationship with the capitol [...]
    Posted: October 26, 2009, 6:07am EDT
  • My child left behind

    Hundreds of demonstrators rallied at the State Capitol today to protest the closing of Hawaii public schools due to the State's implementation of "furlough Fridays."As part of the Hawaii State Teacher's Association (HSTA) recently ratified two-year contract with the State, teachers will be furloughed 17 days of each school year, [...]
    Posted: October 23, 2009, 11:43am EDT
  • Speaker Calvin Say's Statement on Parent's Rally

    "I recognize that parents are concerned about the furloughs for public school teachers on instructional days.By law, wages and hours of employment of state employees are subject to collective bargaining agreement between the union and state employer (which, for public school teachers, are the Board of Education, Superintendent of Education," [...]
    Posted: October 23, 2009, 8:35am EDT
  • Reinventing Government

    The Task Force on Reinventing Government met for the first time today. Don Horner was selected to chair the task force. The members are:House Appointees:Rep. Marcus Oshiro - House Finance ChairDon Horner - Chairman/CEO, First Hawaiian BankReginald Castanares - Business Manager, Plumbers & Fitters Local 675John Monahan - Pres/CEO, Hawaii [...]
    Posted: October 22, 2009, 11:12am EDT
  • Capitol Ghost Stories 2009 - Walking on Water

    This story dates back to late Spring of 1982, shortly after the statue of Queen Liliuokalani was erected at the Capitol mall. The Queen faces the State Capitol and looks out through the rotunda and toward Beretania Street. The story was told to a current capitol staffer, who said that [...]
    Posted: October 22, 2009, 7:15am EDT
  • Keiki Identification Drive in Pearl Kai

    Majority Leader Blake Oshiro's October community bulletin for Aiea and Pearl City is now online. One of the upcoming events parents may be interested in is the Keiki ID Drive at McDonald's Pearl Kai for children 12 years old and younger. Keiki must be accompanied by an adult. On the [...]
    Posted: October 21, 2009, 12:26pm EDT
  • Rep Nishimoto - Fashionista!

    Photo: Nadine Kam, Honolulu Star-BulletinNice shirt! That's Rep. Scott Nishimoto on the left, one of the male models at the Hui Makaala fashion show last Sunday, October 18th. The featured designers are mother and daughter, Mitsuko and Kanna Yamauchi. See Nadine Kam's full blog post here. [...]
    Posted: October 21, 2009, 7:04am EDT
  • Capitol open on Furlough Fridays

    Click here to see the memorandum from DAGS on the implementation of two-day Furlough Fridays and how it will affect State buildings. Twenty one state buildings will be affected. The State Capitol is not on this list and will remain open on furlough days. [...]
    Posted: October 20, 2009, 11:48am EDT
  • U.S. Senate Health Care Bill Online

    The Senate Finance Committee Health Care Bill, "America's Healthy Future Act of 2009", is now available online. Warning - it's 1500 pages. Click here.Update: A helpful reader pointed out that there is also The Senate HELP (Health Education Labor and Pensions) Committee Health Care Bill version. The difference is that [...]
    Posted: October 20, 2009, 5:07am EDT
  • We're Hiring for 2010 Legislative Session

    If you are interested in government, politics and the legislative process, the House of Representatives is looking to hire people for the 2010 legislative session. Click here to view the list of positions available and instructions on how to apply. [...]
    Posted: October 19, 2009, 8:52am EDT
  • Medical Marijuana - New Federal Policy Guidelines

    The U.S. Justice Department today issued this memorandum to selected U.S. Attorneys in states authorizing the use of medical marijuana. Hawaii is one of those states. The Department makes clear that it considers marijuana a dangerous drug, and that the illegal sale and distribution of marijuana is a serious crime. [...]
    Posted: October 19, 2009, 6:05am EDT
  • Capitol ghost stories - "We're around here."

    This is the first Capitol Ghost Story for 2009. I'll be posting others up until Halloween. It's still early, so if you have a ghost story to share, please send me a message. If you want to see the past ghost stories from 2007 and 2008, click on the "Capitol" [...]
    Posted: October 16, 2009, 7:00am EDT
  • Speaker Say Honored by Saint Louis School

    Speaker of the House Calvin Say was named to Saint Louis School's Hall of Fame recently. This year, the school also named distinguished alumni Jimmy Borges and John Henry Felix. See the KGMB9 footage of the event here.Calvin Say was born in Honolulu on February 1, 1952. He attended and [...]
    Posted: October 14, 2009, 7:01am EDT
  • Let's take the stairs

    Thanks to the folks at Governing.com, who found a great video on an initiative by Volkswagen to encourage more people to take the stairs. Changing behavior is easier when you include an element of fun. [...]
    Posted: October 13, 2009, 5:34am EDT
  • Hawaii Medical Association honors Lawmakers

    The Hawaii Medical Association announced the winners of their 8th annual "Ola Pono Ike" (Health is knowledge) awards which will be presented on October 17th.A reader-submitted story in the Honolulu Advertiser is here.Congratulations to the following, including a State Senator and three House Representatives!Physician of the Year: Dr. Josh Green. [...]
    Posted: October 12, 2009, 6:25am EDT

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