Who’s Running: Candidates Pulling Papers as of March 18, 2016
MDs: Gender Ideology Harms Children
Where to Vote: Hawaii Democrats Presidential Preference Poll March 26
Applicants Sought for Ethics Commission
Hawaii State Senate: A Wall of Secrecy ‘for year or more’
AP: …A top Hawaii lawmaker is delaying a public records request because of a dispute that could hold up similar requests for years. The outcome will likely determine whether legislators can withhold emails, calendars and other information from the public, which watchdog groups see as crucial to government accountability.
The Associated Press recently sought emails and schedules of legislative leaders in all 50 states, and the request was met with more denials than approvals. Some lawmakers claimed legislative immunity from the public records laws that apply to most state officials, while others said secrecy was essential to making laws.
But a response from the Hawaii Senate president stood out because the reason for not providing records was a pending appeal of a different records request, suggesting the Senate could be walling off similar information requests for a year or more.
The issue began when a non-profit group asked for copies of communications between several senators, representatives and the agriculture industry on pesticides and genetically engineered crops, sensitive topics in Hawaii.
Two representatives denied the request, so the group — The Center for Food Safety — appealed their case to the state office that resolves disagreements about access to government records….
Flashback: AP: Only Senator Sam Slom Responded Fully to Our Open Records Request
read … Wall of Secrecy
Anti-GMO Realtors Demand Seizure of HC&S Land
MN: …If the group (luxury realtors, mostly) gathers enough valid voter signatures, both issues would go on the Nov. 8 general election ballot.
The first, called the "Community Organic Farmland Initiative," proposes a law to establish a mechanism for Maui residents to petition the council to (mis-use eminent domain to) convert Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. lands into public agricultural parks that exclusively use organic and regenerative agricultural practices, according to an announcement from the group, the Community Farmland Council.
The group has many of the same members as Sustainable Hawaiian Agriculture for the Keiki and the Aina Movement, or SHAKA Movement, which successfully led a 2014 voter drive for a narrowly approved moratorium on genetically modified organisms in Maui County. However, former U.S. District Judge Susan Oki Mollway struck down the moratorium ordinance in 2015, saying it was "invalid and unenforceable," and that it exceeded the county's authority and was pre-empted by federal and state law….
KGI: Anti-GMO Hypesters Waste 45 minutes of Governor’s Time
read … Morons Seek Land to Plant Luxury Estates on
Conflict of Interest: Anti-Ag Activist Appointed to Maui Water Board
MN: …Maui community activist Lucienne de Naie was confirmed Friday as a member of the Board of Water Supply, but the Maui County Council's vote wasn't unanimous.
Council Members Don Couch and Riki Hokama voted against her appointment to the advisory panel after expressing concerns about potential conflicts of interest with her being president of Maui Tomorrow Foundation and a board member of the Sierra Club.
Both environmental advocacy groups have a track record of tangling legally with Maui County. The Sierra Club has an ongoing case involving drilling for water in East Maui….
read … Ag is Doomed
Obamacare Gives HMSA New Way to Reduce Quality of Medical Care
SA: …Hawaii Medical Service Association is on the verge of making a historic change in how it reimburses primary care medical providers. Until now the largest private payer in the state has reimbursed physicians on a fee-for-service basis. Under its Payment Transformation Pilot, HMSA will instead pay selected providers a fixed dollar amount for each member in their practice each month. HMSA believes that this will benefit patients, providers and the insurer because it will improve clinical outcomes and contain costs. Will it work? That remains to be seen.
The Payment Transformation initiative is consistent with the spirit of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. The ACA has done more than enact guidelines to create access to health insurance for more Americans. In an effort to ensure quality care and control costs, the ACA has also changed American medicine by encouraging shifts in the traditional payment model.
Fixed monthly checks to providers based on the number of HMSA patients they care for will, under the pilot, constitute an 80 percent guaranteed base payment. This is called capitation. The remaining 20 percent must be earned by providers by complying with certain standards known as “engagement measures.” These measures include a database to check for gaps in care for conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes. It also involves checking on the well-being of each patient at least once per year, performing certain screening measures and referring patients to HMSA education workshops….
WHT: Kona doctor arrested for alleged state Uniform Controlled Substances Act violation
read … Time will tell whether health insurer’s new model succeeds
Chilly temps aren't slowing state's push to cool classrooms
HNN: …He gives the DOE an A-minus for effort, leaving room for improvement. "We've been actively pursuing the top 10 schools on our list, given the funding that we had from last year," he said.
Air conditioning or other cooling equipment will be installed in those schools during the summer, when classes are out.
Plus the DOE bought about 400 portable air conditioning units, installed portable ACs in more than 100 classrooms, and is upgrading electrical systems on seven campuses.
"We've covered well over 370 portables with a reflective type of coating that is proven to keep the temperature inside about 10 degrees cooler," Carlson said.
Also, ceiling fans have been installed in 135 portables.
The DOE is also working deeper down its priority list of schools needing cooling. In the last two weeks, inspectors checked out 32 schools.
"Last week they presented us an initial concept of how they want to make those classrooms in those 32 schools thermally comfortable," Carlson said….
read … Chilly temps aren't slowing state's push to cool classrooms
Police Standards Board Bill Revived
HTH: …Nakashima, D-Hamakua, said he initially deferred Senate Bill 2755 because he didn’t think it had enough teeth.
“It was basically a bureaucratic organ and not really doing what the name made it sound like it was going to do,” he said.
Under the bill, law enforcement agencies would not be compelled to adhere to the standards set by the board created by the legislation.
Espero said he hopes to add language allowing for at least some basic mandates….
SB2755: Text, Status
read … Standards
SB2411: Police Body Cams Committee Vote Tuesday
CB: …Decision making is set for Tuesday in Rep. Karl Rhoads House Judiciary Committee on legislation requiring body-worn cameras and vehicle cameras for county police departments and some money to help them pay for it.
Senate Bill 2411 received similar testimony as to what was heard when the measure moved its way through the Senate….
read … Cops On Camera, Cameras On Cops
Four Officers Involved in Conspiracy to Stage Auto Theft—Vehicle Later Used in Robbery of Drug Dealer
SA: …Jeremy Javillo, 30, said he got the keys to the Nissan from the other police officer. The now-former officer, Roddy Takao Tsunezumi, 39, testified earlier that he got the keys from Rudolfo, who told him the owners (two Sheriffs Deputies) wanted the vehicle stolen so they could make a theft claim with their insurer.
Tsunezumi and Javillo are each serving 33-month federal prison sentences for an unrelated extortion scheme.
Javillo said he used the Nissan in a robbery of a drug dealer in Chinatown. He said he confronted a drug-dealing couple about money owed to a bookie. When the husband left to presumably get the money, Javillo said he snatched the wife’s purse and fled.
He said the purse contained $5,000 cash and $2,500 worth of drugs. He said he kept the cash and gave the drugs to the person who directed him to the drug dealers….
read … Vehicle in conspiracy case was used in robbery
Ethics Panel Seat Still Open
CB: …The Judicial Council has extended the deadline to March 31 for applications to fill an upcoming vacancy on the Hawaii State Ethics Commission….
read … Open
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