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Hawaii News
- 11/20/08 - Consumers, Businesses and Organic Farmers Overwhelmingly Oppose Engineered Papaya
- 11/12/08 - Hawaii County Council Moves to Ban GE Coffee & Taro
- 11/10/08 - Hawaii Council to Consider GMO Advisory Commission
- 10/24/08 - Counties in California & Hawaii Ban GE Crops
- 10/16/08 - Hawaii: Council Bans GMO Taro, Coffee
- 09/05/08 - Lanai Windfarm Plan Fights Local Currents
- 09/05/08 - Plan to Transform Lana'i into the 'Power Isle' has Some Residents Set to Fight
- 08/22/08 - Hawaiian Blessing Sets Stage for Transformation of Coal-Fired Plant to Bioenergy Facility
- 08/22/08 - Grassroots Direct Action: San Francisco Voters Nov. 4 Will Tell Their Congress Reps to Defund the War
- 07/24/08 - Has Your Town Declared Peace Yet?
- 06/30/08 - States Taking Initiative on Environmental & Climate Crisis while Feds Do Little or Nothing
- 06/16/08 - Hawaii: With GM Taro Bill, Legislators Catered to Big Business
- 06/12/08 - Hawaii Legislators Ignore Public Clamor for a Ban on Genetically Engineered Taro Plant
- 06/11/08 - Move Over MoveOn: Grassroots Netroots Alliance (GNA) Launches New Progressive Campaign to 'Press the Politicians'
- 05/15/08 - Center for American Progress: What Are You Paying for the War?
- 05/13/08 - Hawaii Passes Landmark Solar Roofs Bill
- 04/15/08 - Greens Uncover Meridian's Secret Report
- 03/28/08 - Hawaii Won't Ban Genetically Engineered Coffee
- 03/25/08 - Four Waters of Maui Removed From Private Control
- 03/19/08 - Panel Backs GMO Taro Ban
- 03/14/08 - Hawaii Senate, House Consider Resolutions on Aspartame
- 03/06/08 - Army Sued to Clear Ordnance from Hawaiian Temples
- 02/26/08 - HI Action Alert: Label & Identify GE Foods & Crops
- 02/26/08 - Hawaii Bills to Label & Identify GE Foods & Crops
- 02/26/08 - Do You Care Whether You or Your Family Eats Genetically Engineered Foods?
- 02/16/08 - Feds Help Hawaii Move to 70% Renewables by 2030
- 02/16/08 - Developer Fined for Despoiling Hawaii's Largest Wetland
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Ask the Governor to Veto SB2646, the Farmland Sprawl Bill
SB2646, "The Farmland Sprawl Bill" passed the Hawaii legislature by a narrow margin. This means that hundreds of thousands of acres of land could be used for sprawling development. SB2646 allows landowners to mark a small portion of their land as "important agricultural land," and then develop the rest for uses like golf courses.
We still have a chance to stop SB2646 from becoming law; a veto from the Governor. Please write the Governor and ask her to veto this bill.
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Last updated 8/3/08
Hawaii 2008 Legislative Roundup
From Progressive States Network
This session, the Hawaii state legislature made some substantial gains in labor rights, election reform, promoting renewable energy, health care, and a number of other areas, overriding four of the governor's 13 vetoes in the process.
Labor Rights: An important bill passed by the legislature, HB 2974,
would enable a union to become the bargaining representative of
agricultural workers when it obtains authorization cards from a
majority of unit employees without a secret ballot election.
The legislature also overrode a governor's veto, enacting SB 2779, which restricts when the governor may suspend prevailing wage and hour laws during an emergency.
Health Care: The legislature enacted HB 7, which expands the state's prescription drug program, over the Governor's veto.
Clean energy and environment: Many advocates lauded energy policy gains but denounced
the land-use bills that passed, including a controversial bill that
creates incentives to preserve important agricultural land. The
legislature passed:
- SB 644 - a solar roofs bill that would require home builders to include solar water heaters in new single-family dwellings beginning in 2010.
- SB 2646 - provides tax credits for agricultural costs and creates a loan guarantee program for projects on land designated important agricultural land. The bill would also allow landowners to seek the designation of agricultural land as "important" in combination with the reclassification of a smaller, proportionate area as rural, urban or conservation. Some environmental advocates opposing the bill say it will create an opening for more development will little public input.
- SB 2423 - authorizes the purchase of Turtle Bay resort to prevent further development and maintain the rural nature of the community.
- HB 2527 - requires office of planning to develop a plan to establish a statewide system of greenways and trails, coordinate smart growth planning, and establish sustainable communities.
- HB 3179 - amends the definition of "renewable energy producer" so that biofuel production would be eligible for direct leases of public lands
- SB 2953 - establish electronic waste recycling program
- SB 3227 - this "Harbors Modernization" bill spends more than $862 million to renew infrastructure of Hawaii's harbors.
Election Reform: The state also passed a few bills on voting reform:
- The legislature overrode the Governor's veto of the National Popular Vote bill, HB 3013. In total, four states, including Illinois, New Jersey and Maryland, have adopted the compact.
- HB 661 - establishes a pilot project for comprehensive public funding of county council elections.
- SB 156 - authorizes permanent absentee voting.
Teleheath: The legislature also passed HCR 138, which requests the University of Hawaii's Telehealth Research Institute to form a task force to review the potential expansion of current practices and equipment of Hawaii's telemedicine system.
Government Accountability: SB 868, again enacted with an override of a veto, allows the Legislature to question boards and commissions without getting permission from governor.
There were a few important bills that failed to pass, including:
- HB 2044 and HB 2504 would have phased out incandescent light bulbs and established a CFL recycling program.
- HB 1375/SB 1461 would have required big-box operators to operate redemption centers for $0.05 beverage containers.
- HB 2449 would have banned phthalates and bisphenol-A from children's toys and products.
Take Action. Support Green Jobs!
The Green Jobs Act of 2007 authorized $125 million per year to create an Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Worker Training Program as an amendment to the Workforce Investment Act (WIA). The Green Jobs Act (GJA) is an initial pilot program to identify needed skills, develop training programs, and train workers for jobs in a range of industries - including energy efficient building, construction and retrofits, renewable electric power, energy efficient vehicles, biofuels, and manufacturing that produces sustainable products and uses sustainable processes and materials. It targets a broad range of populations for eligibility, but has a special focus on creating "green pathways out of poverty."
Congress has not yet appropriated money for the Green Jobs Act. Please contact your Senator today and urge them to fund the Green Jobs Act of 2007!
Read more at Green for All's web site.
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