Winter 1990

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Summer 1990

President's Message (Sandra Duckworth) Board Notes Report from the Hill This and That Member Information Million Million Call to Council Contribution Neighbor Island Message

Board Notes March 17 the Board of Directors met in the League office. President Sandra Duckworth and Board member Pat Tummons reported on their legislative and community-wide activities. Pat met with Senator Daniel K. Inouye along with representatives of several environmental groups to discuss coastal zone management renewal and clean air legislation. Both are long standing issues of League concern. She noted that Hawaii has 30% of the endangered species currently listed nationwide. For this and other environmental reasons, it is important to maintain firm regulations in the two areas. Solid Waste management is an additional focus for legislative action. Pat has presented League testimony in support of an integrated waste management approach; as currently designed, legislation would provide monies to permit the Department of Health to hire sufficient staff to develop regulations for waste management. The House and Senate are wrestling with the issue of environmental emergency response and Pat is helping clarify the issues as seen from the League perspective. Our long standing concern regarding environmental issues demands constant vigilance and we hail Pat for being our "point person" in this area. See the Presidential report for information on Sandra's legislative and other activities. Noted - and with thanks to Vice-President Evelyn Bender- the Legislative Access Room is open! Near the Press Room, in room 39 of the Capitol basement, are 10 computer terminals, a modem, boxes for organizations to collect bills, telephones, a copying machine and bulletin board. Volunteers are also there and volunteers are needed. If being close to the action is your "thing," this might be just the place to give time which will be appreciated by many community groups and individuals. Tell Evelyn and she will help with the connection. A League subcommittee assessed a possible conference on the advocacy of the voter, lacking a clear focus they did not recommend further planning in this area. The Board suggests instead that we join with other community groups or governmental agencies to carry forward the message of registering and to encourage voting. The Board will build on the League of Women Voter US action by promoting September 21 to 28 as Voter Awareness Week. Members should call Sandra Duckworth soon to offer their help. Jerry Hess joined Sandra in meeting with the staff of television station KGMB to discuss debate possibilities. (TV station KHON has announced their plans since then to do debates, too.) League is well known for our interest in promoting this forum for citizen information and to maintain the high quality of those debates in which League is involved, a citizen committee worked in 1988, with League leaders, to suggest criteria which will be used in determining who is qualified to participate in the debate arena. Members who wish to be part of debate planning should contact Sandra Duckworth. It is a great way to get involved! The Board voted to solicit members for operating funds via an appeal letter. Although the board recognizes that local and national leagues also appeal for monies, it believes that many members wish to contribute directly to the ongoing work of the state league. Our last appeal brought support and we hope that this one will also. Every attempt will be made to write the letter so there will be no confusion about the intent. In the meantime, we continue to seek support from the corporate/business sector. May 4 & 5 are dates set for the Food Forum Education Project. Jim Koshi and Karen Caires are LWVHI participants. "The Abortion Politics: The Hawaii Experience" is available to members at a special discount price of $5.56 from the Order Department, University of Hawaii Press, 2840 Lolowalu St., Honolulu, HI 96822. Add $1.00 for shipping costs. This is the story of Hawaii's experience, the grass roots campaign that dramatically changed public consciousness about abortion and translated public concern into institutional change, written by Patricia G. Steinhoff and Milton Diamond nineteen years after Hawaii become the first state to repeal its criminal abortion law in March 1970. The Honolulu Star-Bulletin described the book as background reading "for readers on both sides of the issue."

Winter 1990

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Summer 1990