Native Hawaiian Roll: Threats and Scare Tactics
The Second Most Unfair Tax System? Really?
Same-sex marriage battle not over yet
SA: ...The Hawaii Supreme Court has before it a case challenging the constitutionality of the Legislature's effort to redefine marriage in state law under the current Hawaii Constitution.
State Rep. Bob McDermott, who represents House District 40 (Ewa, Ewa Beach, Ewa Gentry and Iroquois Point), filed a lawsuit during the marathon hearings in the joint committee meeting that lasted more than a week in October and November 2013. On Oct. 30, 2013, McDermott sued the governor, arguing that before the Legislature could redefine marriage, the Hawaii Constitution had to be amended by the people of Hawaii to change Article 1, Section 3, known as the Marriage Amendment, which then and now reads: "The legislature shall have the power to reserve marriage to opposite sex couples."
The trial court ruled that the Legislature did have the power to make marriage genderless in spite of the Marriage Amendment. McDermott's case qualified for a direct appeal to the Hawaii Supreme Court, where the case is now pending.
...If the Hawaii Supreme Court rules that Act 1 was unconstitutional because the Legislature failed to give the people of Hawaii the opportunity to change the wording of the Hawaii Constitution, then the definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman will once again be the law in Hawaii.
If the court decides the other way, the Legislature will still be free to propose a constitutional amendment that would allow the people of Hawaii to vote to reserve marriage to opposite-sex couples, thereby superseding Act 1.
It is important that voters hold candidates accountable and demand to know where they stand on restoring the right of Hawaii voters to define marriage as an institution of society reserved only for the union of one man and one woman.
read ... James Hochberg
NYT: Aiona Competitive in Hawaii
NYT: The governor's election in Hawaii is also being shaken up by an independent. A former mayor of Honolulu, Mufi Hannemann, is a Democrat but is running as an independent against David Ige, who defeated the incumbent governor, Neil Abercrombie, in the Democratic primary. Republicans are a distinct minority in Hawaii, but their nominee, Duke Aiona, is competitive in part because of Hannemann's presence in the race.
read ... Competitive
Kealoha Lashes out at Critics, Strikes Out
Borreca: First up is Louis Kealoha, Honolulu's chief of police, whose initial reaction was to lash out at critics when security video was released of an off-duty police officer repeatedly punching a woman in a restaurant.
Kealoha and the department were criticized by legislators and even the usually mild-manner Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell.
Apparently the entire story of the attack and the HPD response is complicated, but Kealoha's first response indicates a police department lacking a modern public communications policy.
read ... Three up and three down: Government strikes out
HPD must drop culture of impunity
SA: Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha's pledge that the department he leads will become more transparent to the public it serves marks an important acknowledgment by HPD that trust and accountability go hand in hand. The chief's welcome words will be meaningless, however, without continuous action to back them up....
The hearing, in the state Capitol's Conference Room 309, is scheduled for Tuesday from 10 a.m. to noon.
read ... Impunity
Manoa Doesn't Have a Permanent Chancellor, But they are Selecting a Vice Chancellor
HNN: Adam Rockman, who is vice president for student affairs at Queens College in New York, will visit Oct. 2-3.
Robert Kelly is a consultant and former vice president for student development at Loyola University in Chicago. He'll visit Manoa Oct. 6-7.
Jan Javinar is UH's interim associate vice president for students. Javinar's campus visit is scheduled for Oct. 9-10.
University of Maine Vice President for Enrollment Management Jimmy Jung is visiting Oct. 13-14.
read ... Finalists selected for Manoa vice chancellor spot
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