Senate Committee on Economic Development, Government Operations and Housing (EDB) - chair: Donovan Dela Cruz, vice chair: Sam Slom

Monday, February 11, 2013, 2:00 p.m. Conf Rm 325

Testifier: Janet F. Mason, Vice-President, LWV of Hawaii

Click here to view SB246, SD1

Chair Dela Cruz and Vice-Chair Slom, Chair Solomon and Vice-Chair Shimabukuro and Committee members: The League of Women Voters of Hawaii supports the intent of the original SB246 which repeals the Public Land Development Corporation. The League opposes SB 246, SD 1. The purpose of the original bill was to repeal Act 282, Session Laws of Hawaii 201. Now we’d like to know what happened to SB246 during the past nineteen days when SB 246 Senate Draft 1 SD1 was produced. One thing that didn’t happen was any public hearing on SB 246. The League realizes that according to Senate rules, this Committee is not required to hold a public hearing on a measure, but it would have been more than appropriate considering how interested the public remains in this important bill. But what did happen to the original measure is a toxic practice. The content of the original SB 246 was deleted and replaced with content that is much different than the bill’s original intent to repeal Act 282. SB246, SD1 misleads the public, creates confusion, and leaves the public disenchanted with the undemocratic process used to handle this bill. We urge you to pass the original SB246, not the current draft of SB246, SD1. Thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony