Taxes, Transparency, Initiative, Referendum, Recall, Children and More Supported by Legislative Minority
From Senate Minority Blog, February 6, 2014
State Senator Sam Slom is leading the way this year with an aggressive legislative agenda that is supported at the top with three bills that call for initiative (SB 2142), referendum (SB 2143) and recall (SB 2141). These bills have been set up on the front burner of this year’s legislative agenda after the pre-empted initiative to “Let the People Vote” during last year’s “not -so-special-session” on same-sex marriage.
In a joint press conference held on January 28 with House Minority Republicans Aaron Johanson and Gene Ward, Senator Slom supports HB 1816 which also calls for initiative and referendum. Senator Slom, who is a long time advocate for legislative term limits, has also introduced a new bill to address that issue: SB 2144. Information on these issues are available at our Senate Minority Blog http://senate-minority.wordpress.com/ and the Citizens for Recall website at http://citizensforrecall.org/index.html. You can also call our office at 586-8420 for more information on these bills as well as all the other ones listed on this report.
The following is an update on bills that have gotten legislative action this year which were introduced by Senator Slom:
- SB 2153: State Tax Expenditures — Relating to Accountability — Passed out Ways & Means (WAM) 11 – 0.
- SB 2410: C.I.P. Operational Costs – Passed WAM with an SD1.
- SB 2147 / HB 1983: Senior Alert System for missing seniors; Passed out of Public Safety & Military Affairs (PSM); 5 to 0.
- SB 2318: Parental Rights Termination for Incest — Passed with an SD1 Human Services Committee (HMS) 3 to 0.
- SB 2149: Fraudulent records, civil actions — Scheduled for hearing in CPN / JDL committee; February 11.
- SB 2169: GE Tax exemption, food & medical services — was heard today in HMS.
Bills introduced by Senator Slom and House Minority:
- SB 2145 / HB 1981: Bill of Rights for Child victims and child witnesses
- SB 2146 / HB 1982: Video testimony of a child
- SB 2167 / HB 1986: Income tax exclusion for military on active duty who serve outside the State of Hawaii
- SB 2151 / HB 1984: Military veteran designation on Hawaii Driver’s License
- SB 2159 / HB 1985: Moves up disclosure deadline for financial interests to January 15
- SB 3080 / HB 2625: Conformation of the state personal exemption to the federal personal exemption (taxes)
In addition to these jointly supported measures, Senator Slom also introduced the following for 2014:
- SB 2150: Drones – unwanted surveillance by unmanned aircraft systems
- SB 2156: Eminent domain fees & costs: good faith estimates
- SB 2161: Electric companies; deregulation / customer choice
- SB 2164: Discrimination in public accommodations; religious organizations
- SB 2168: Pistols & revolvers: concealed carry license
- SB 2765: Sexual assault on a minor less than 14 years of age; mandatory sentencing — “Jessica’s Law”
- SB 2767: Repeal corporate income tax
- SB 2768: Repeal of inheritance and estate tax
- SB 2974: Evidence – news media “shield law”
A list of carry over bills and legislation introduced this year is attached to this link. Details on each bill are provided.
Top Photo: Senator Slom with the Minority Research and office staff, press conference January 31, 2014.
Originally published to the Kuliouou Neighborhood Board Report, 2-6-2014.
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