Posted on: Thursday, June 28, 2007
Hawaii Democrats target Lingle's vetos
By Derrick DePledge
Advertiser Government Writer
State House and Senate Democrats said yesterday it is likely they will hold a one-day veto override session July 10 and believe they have enough votes to override most of the bills on Gov. Linda Lingle's potential veto list.
Democrats met yesterday in separate closed-door caucuses and said afterward there was strong sentiment to hold an override session.
Lingle has until July 10 to announce her vetoes, so Democrats do not know the final list of bills she will reject, but leaders said they likely have enough votes to override all but about four of the 33 bills on her list.
Two-thirds votes in both the House and Senate are required to override a veto.
"We're not going to ignore what we see as the will of the people," state Senate President Colleen Hanabusa, D-21st (Nanakuli, Makaha), said of the bills passed by the Legislature. "We're going to look at every bill on that list as a potential override."
Hanabusa also urged people to contact the governor before the deadline to share their opinions.
State House Majority Leader Kirk Caldwell, D-24th (Manoa), said House and Senate leaders will meet to discuss an override strategy. "The sense of our caucus is that there are vetoes we want to override," he said.
Several Democrats said they are confident there are enough votes for overrides on some of the more high-profile bills the Republican governor has identified, including one that would provide $3 million for pedestrian safety.
But at least four bills are in doubt if she follows through with vetoes.
Democrats may not have the votes to overturn a veto of a bill giving psychologists limited prescribing rights at federally qualified health centers and a bill that removes private or government accounting experience from the criteria to meet professional experience for a public accountancy license.
Also in doubt is a bill allowing the University of Hawai'i to use the state's tobacco settlement money for operating expenses at its medical school, and a bill stripping authority of the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations director over workers' compensation rules.
Lingle, meanwhile, signed the two-year, $20.9 billion state budget into law yesterday.
WHAT'S PROBABLY ON LINGLE VETO LIST
Here are the 33 bills Gov. Linda Lingle may veto. Democratic leaders believe they have enough votes to override most of the bills but have doubts about the four at the top of this list.
Psychologists (SB 1004): Allows psychologists limited prescribing rights to patients in federally qualified health centers.
Public accountancy (HB 91) Eliminates accounting and auditing in the private or government sectors as qualifying experience for an accounting license.
Tobacco fund (SB 1283): Allows money from the fund to be used for operating expenses at the University of Hawai'i Medical School.
Workers' compensation (SB 1060): Strips rulemaking powers over workers' compensation from the director of the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.
OVERRIDE CONFIDENCE
Democratic leaders are confident they can override vetoes on these bills:
Relating to International Trade Agreements (HB 30): Would prohibit the governor from approving an international trade agreement without legislative approval.
Technology (HB 310): Creates a Broadband Task Force appointed by the Senate and House and supported by legislative auditor, rather than the state Department of Accounting and General Services, which manages the state's Internet activities.
Human Services (HB 436): Obligates the state to pay for chiropractic services under state healthcare programs.
Kaka'ako (HB 718): Sets aside two Kaka'ako parcels for the Kewalo Keiki Fishing Conservancy.
Workers' compensation (HB 855): Allows workers to receive medical treatment during disputes over need, including when doctors clear workers to return to work. Restricts the rulemaking authority of the director of the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.
State planning (HB 1270): Requires the state auditor to continue work on a 2050 sustainability plan.
Unemployment (HB 1503): Requires businesses going through bankruptcy or restructuring to notify employees and the state of potential closure.
Traffic control (HB 1605): Moves $400,000 from the state highway fund for a Maui traffic control center.
Procurement (HB 1659): Uses taxpayer money, rather than private contributions, to pay for certain trade mission expenses.
Ingenuity charter (HB 1670): Creates a private, state-backed, for-profit ingenuity company.
Public-employee benefits (HB 1746): Extends for one year the sunset date for public employees to form Voluntary Employees' Beneficiary Association trusts.
Hawai'i Health Systems Corp. (HB 1764): Authorizes revenue bonds to help the corporation build or improve its healthcare facilities.
Government employees (HB 1818): Sets a timetable for the governor to submit nominations for department head vacancies. Requires that vacancies be temporarily filled with the highest-ranking officials in the departments if vacancies extend more than 60 days.
Child Protection (HB 1830): Offers immunity from prosecution for people who leave newborns at hospitals or police or fire stations within 72 hours of birth.
Government operations (SB 46): Requires the University of Hawai'i to publicly announce proposed — or changed — compensation rates for high-level administrative positions.
Diamond Head (SB 138): Requires that 55 percent of fees charged at Diamond Head state monument be kept to repair and maintain the monument rather than used at other state parks.
'Iolani Palace (SB 162). Exempts Friends of 'Iolani Palace from accountability and reporting standards for receiving state building management funds.
Early education (SB 613): Requires a series of early childhood education programs be implemented before a state task force on the subject finishes its work.
County ethics (SB 755): Requires independent bodies to select members of county ethics commissions effective in July 2112.
Waimano Ridge (SB 810): Provides money for the Waimano Ridge task force.
Agriculture (SB 837): Authorizes the Agribusiness Development Corporation to purchase agricultural land in Kunia and 'Ewa from private entities.
Archaeological data (SB 870): Establishes an archaeological data survey as an online database program of the Hawai'i Museum of Natural and Cultural History, starting with the collections of Bishop Museum.
Prisoner release (SB 932): Creates an offender re-entry system with legislative oversight. Authorizes the state to parole prisoners to counties where they may receive the greatest support.
License revocation (SB 946): Creates an opportunity for drivers with a lifetime license revocation to restore their licenses after 10 years with no offenses.
Invasive species (SB 1066): Imposes a new fee on marine commercial containers.
Pedestrian safety (SB 1191): Appropriates $3 million over two years from the state highway fund for pedestrian safety improvements.
Family leave (SB 1833):
Requires that only workers can choose to use paid leave, including vacation, personal or family leave, for any part of the four-week period of family leave provided under the law.
Creative media (SB 1922): Provides money for an interim home at the University of Hawai'i for the Academy of Creative Media and money for an experimental music development program at Honolulu Community College.
Honey (SB 1988): Sets up new labeling requirements for honey.
Reach Derrick DePledge at ddepledge@honoluluadvertiser.com.
