Entries for October 2013

Legislation to fund pay raises for government professional and scientific employees will be introduced by House Republicans during the Special Session....

A couple of weeks ago, this commentary examined some of the hurdles that stand in the way of producing more affordable housing....

Now that health plans and rates are available, standard weekly reports should be made public to chart the progress of enrolling Hawaii’s 100,000 uninsured residents....

Visitors spend about $76 million a day in communities near national parks, the National Park Service estimated....

On September 6, 2013, HECO announced a change to  its rules for connecting new PV systems to the electricity grid....

This case stems from complaints concerning the possible influence of $381,000 of private donations over Mayor Kirk Caldwell and his new administration....

These “mobs” are buoyed by their self-image of “total correctness,” and the illusion that they represent “the people”....

Opposition to GMO’s in Hawaii has attracted an eclectic mix of well-worn politicians and other “characters” interested in riding the groundswell of fear and misinformation....

...student veteran leaders representing chapters of Hawaiʻi Alliance of Student Veterans (HASV) at the University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa and Leeward Community College, testified in front of the University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents in an effort to spark dialogue over the idea of amending tuition waiver regulations....

The White House and Congress are inching closer to a conversation about serious entitlement reform....

Now that the government is whirring again, President Obama has identified three priorities for the country....

...the legislature and governor have already mandated their own interpretation of the Constitution –one which is at odds with Louie’s....

The Hawaii State Department of Health (DOH) will hold public hearings in all counties between Dec. 2 and 6, 2013....

Our national nightmare isn’t the government shutdown; it’s Obamacare....

The problem lies with the nature of the law itself, promising trillions in new government benefits while relying on dubious financing mechanisms. These problems were not only foreseeable, they were indeed widely foreseen....

August Ahrens Elementary, Highlands Intermediate, Pearl City High and Waipahu High schools....

Judge Tashima still has to rule on whether the Beretania Street Tunnel is a viable alternative....

HealthPocket also found that some exchanges did not allow for anonymous health plan shopping....

"With decisive advantages in money, endorsements, organization, and manpower as well as an ideology...."

Gov. Neil Abercrombie is in Washington, D.C. just after returning from vacation in France....

The following message has been sent to other House members inviting them to participate in a series of hearings on Same Sex Marriage....

The rub is that here, it is the State of Hawaii that is claiming the interest, the right to mineral and metallic mines (including geothermal rights) on several large parcels....

...while some consumers were able to view the information on plans and pricing, others continued to receive an error message....

Think small business owners really are going to get tax credits through Obamacare health exchanges? Think again....

A family-owned North Carolina-based manufacturer is calling upon the US federal government and governors from five states to probe the reasons why Hoku Corporation and its major partner in the project, Tianwei have failed to pay its debts and review its investment practices into foreign owned businesses....

...these soldiers, who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country, will return home this week to a nation that initially refused to pay their families the military death benefit....

Sorry, Hawaii is not included likely due to the last-in-the nation start for the Hawaii Health Connector....

Horner suggested that the BOE’s curriculum and civil rights compliance offices, with oversight by the Attorney General, would be the appropriate authorities to make these determinations....

In 2008, the Legislature amended H.R.S. §206E·3 to require Kakaako small business representation on HCDA. The cultural expert and Kakaako resident members were added last year by Act 323. At present, HCDA does not meet these membership requirements....

Every scientific body worth counting has judged biotechnology to be safe and necessary, but still many environmental radicals play on fears of the unknown to get the public and sadly, all too often successfully, public officials....

On Friday (Sept. 27), the governor and his wife Nancie Caraway will travel to France.  Originally scheduled to return Oct 11, the governor is now planning to be back in Hawaii Oct. 20....

The Coast Guard has created safety zones within the commercial harbors of the main Hawaiian Islands that will require evacuation if a tsunami warning is issued....

“This website is temporarily unavailable, please try again later."

"There are two reasons for our opposition: First, it attempts to redefine marriage. The church is firm in its belief that marriage as the union of a man and a woman is essential to the well-being of children, families, and society. Second, the protections offered in the current draft are completely inadequate to safeguard constitutionally guaranteed religious freedoms...."

Attorney General Louie has announced that he has issued Formal Opinion No. 13-1 (Op. No. 13-1) in which he has concluded that ... the Legislature has the authority... to consider and enact a bill relating to marriage ....

Recent Congressional Votes

• House: Military Death Benefits – Continuing Resolution

Upcoming Congressional Bills

• Senate: Debt Limit
• House: Debt Limit and Government Funding

A preview of what is coming to Hawaii....

legislative action might be required to remedy an apparent effort to frustrate state open records law....

Americans are learning the reason this law’s implementation was postponed until after the presidential election....

We are within that Coalition organizing community volunteers on all the islands to support the Coalition to “Let The People Decide On Marriage” by organizing their local communities....

There are about 34,000 civilian federal jobs in Hawaii, a fraction of which were deemed essential....

HBE is a consortium of three of Hawaii's largest landowners and three venture capital companies....

The 9th Circuit heard arguments on a challenge to Hawaii's campaign finance laws, but hinted that it may delay a ruling until the U.S. Supreme Court decides a similar case....

Vermont, perhaps best known as home of the hippie ice cream company Ben & Jerry's, is 12th-best for new businesses, while South Carolina placed toward the bottom....

Most governments will need to summon substantial political will to use ObamaCare to drop retiree health care coverage....

Second year: Placement of employees on their appropriate step and continuation of the step movement plan....

The House has passed a variety of bills that would have reopened portions of the federal government, but the Senate has rejected them....