by Andrew Walden

Opposition to Governor Abercrombie's pension tax proposal is being cited as a key factor in his stunning primary election defeat.  But Abercrombie is not the only politician responsible.

With this complete list of pension tax votes, voters may find their state representative and determine how he or she voted every time the pension tax was up for a vote.

HB1092 of 2011--the House version of the pension tax bill--was approved twice by the House Finance committee and passed all readings in the State House before being sent to the Senate which did not take it up.

Meanwhile the Senate approved a non-pension tax increase, SB570 SD1, later amended to SB570 SD2 and sent to the House.  With the Senate showing no interest in HB1092 or its companion pension tax bill SB1319, introduced 'by request' by then-Senator Shan Tsutsui, the House Finance Committee April 4, 2011 approved an amended version, SB570 SD2 HD1, which contained the pension tax language.  SB570 SD2 HD1 was then voted up by the House on second and third reading April 8 and April 12 respectively.

A Conference Committee reconciled the opposing House and Senate versions, producing SB570 SD2 HD1 CD1 on April 29, 2011--which did not contain the pension tax.  This version was approved by both houses and signed into law June 14, 2011 by Governor Abercrombie as Act 97 of 2011. 

The House voted four times on pension tax bills in addition to four House Finance Committee votes--including one vote to reconsider.  The Senate never voted on any bill containing the pension tax language.

These are the recorded votes in the State House on the pension tax via HB1092 of 2011. 

March 1, 2011: The committees on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 14 Ayes: Representative(s) M. Oshiro, M. Lee, Chong, Choy, Coffman, Jordan, C. Lee, Morikawa, Tokioka, Yamashita; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Cullen, Har, Hashem, Ichiyama; 3 Noes: Representative(s) Marumoto, Riviere, Ward; and Excused: none.

On March 3, all present committee members voted unanimously to reconsider the pension tax version passed March 1.  They then changed some of the language without eliminating the pension tax.  Here is the vote on the newly amended HD1 version. 

March 3, 2011: The committees on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 12 Ayes: Representative(s) M. Oshiro, M. Lee, Chong, Coffman, Jordan, Morikawa, Tokioka, Yamashita; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Cullen, Har, Hashem, Ichiyama; 3 Noes: Representative(s) Marumoto, Riviere, Ward; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Choy, C. Lee.

March 4, 2011: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1; placed on the calendar for Third Reading with Representative(s) Aquino, Awana, Belatti, Brower, Carroll, Chang, Chong, Choy, Coffman, Cullen, Evans,  Hanohano, Har, Hashem, Herkes, Ichiyama, Ito, Jordan, Keith-Agaran, M. Lee, Luke, Manahan, Mizuno, Morikawa, Morita, Nakashima, Nishimoto, B. Oshiro, M. Oshiro, Rhoads, Say, Souki, Takai, Tokioka, Tsuji, Wooley, Yamane, Yamashita voting 'aye' (38), Representative(s) Fontaine, Johanson, Marumoto, Pine, Riviere, Thielen, Ward voting no (7) and Representative(s) Cabanilla, Ching, C. Lee, McKelvey, Saiki, Takumi excused (6).

March 8, 2011: Passed Third Reading with Representative(s) Aquino, Awana, Cabanilla, Carroll, Chang, Chong, Choy, Coffman, Evans,  Herkes, Ito, Jordan, Keith-Agaran,  C. Lee, M. Lee, Luke, Manahan, Mizuno, Morikawa, Morita, Nakashima, B. Oshiro, M. Oshiro, Rhoads, Saiki, Say, Souki, Takumi, Tokioka, Tsuji, Yamashita voting 'aye' (31), Representative(s) Hanohano, Har, Ichiyama, McKelvey, Takai, Wooley, Yamane voting aye with reservations (6); Representative(s) Belatti, Brower, Ching, Cullen, Fontaine, Hashem, Johanson, Marumoto, Nishimoto, Pine, Riviere, Thielen, Ward voting no (13) and Representative(s) Morita excused (1). Transmitted to Senate.

These are the recorded votes in the State House on the pension tax via SB570 SD2 HD1.

April 4, 2011:  The committees on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 14 Ayes: Representative(s) M. Oshiro, M. Lee, Chong, Choy, Coffman, Cullen, Har, Hashem, Jordan, C. Lee, Morikawa, Tokioka, Yamashita; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Ichiyama; 2 Noes: Representative(s) Marumoto, Riviere; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Ward.

April 8, 2011: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1; placed on the calendar for Third Reading with Representative(s) Aquino, Awana, Brower, Cabanilla, Carroll, Chang, Chong, Choy, Coffman, Cullen, Evans,  Hanohano, Har, Hashem, Herkes, Ichiyama, Ito, Jordan, Kawakami, Keith-Agaran, M. Lee, Manahan, McKelvey, Mizuno, Morikawa, Nakashima, B. Oshiro, M. Oshiro, Rhoads, Saiki, Say, Souki, Tokioka, Tsuji, Yamane, Yamashita voting aye (36), with Representative(s) Belatti, Ching, Fontaine, Johanson, C. Lee, Luke, Marumoto, Nishimoto, Pine, Riviere, Takai, Thielen, Ward, Wooley voting no (14) and Representative(s) Takumi excused (1).

April 12, 2011: Passed Third Reading with Representative(s) Aquino, Awana, Cabanilla, Chang, Chong, Choy, Coffman, Evans,  Herkes, Ito, Jordan, Kawakami, M. Lee, Manahan, Mizuno, B. Oshiro, M. Oshiro, Rhoads, Say, Souki, Takumi Tokioka, Tsuji, Yamane, Yamashita (25) voting aye, with Representative(s) Har, Ichiyama, McKelvey voting aye with reservations (3); Representative(s) Belatti, Brower, Carroll, Ching, Cullen, Fontaine, Hanohano, Hashem, Johanson, Keith-Agaran, C. Lee, Luke, Marumoto, Morikawa, Nakashima, Nishimoto, Pine, Riviere, Saiki, Takai, Thielen, Ward, Wooley voting no (23) and none excused (0). Transmitted to Senate.

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Text, Status: HB1092 of 2011

Text, Status: SB570 of 2011

List of 2011 House Representatives at time of votes:

Aquino, Awana, Belatti, Brower, Cabanilla, Carroll, Chang, Ching, Chong, Choy, Coffman, Cullen, Evans,  Fontaine, Hanohano, Har, Hashem, Herkes, Ichiyama, Ito, Johanson, Jordan, Keith-Agaran,  C. Lee, M. Lee, Luke, Manahan, Marumoto, McKelvey, Mizuno, Morikawa, Morita/Kawakami*, Nakashima, Nishimoto, B. Oshiro, M. Oshiro, Pine, Rhoads, Riviere, Saiki, Say, Souki, Takai, Takumi, Thielen, Tokioka, Tsuji, Ward, Wooley, Yamane, Yamashita.  

Note: Due to resignations and appointments during the session, this list is slightly different from the 2011 House list maintained on the Legislative website, which is accurate as of December 31, 2011. 

*HD14 Rep Hermina Morita resigned effective March 14, 2011 to become PUC Commission Chair.  Governor Abercrombie appointed Derek Kawakami to take her place effective at noon April 6, 2011.