Question: I have seen yard and street-side campaign signs for City Council, lieutenant governor, state representative and even a labor union sign in the past month. I thought signs were allowed only from 45 days prior to the election. Can you check and let us know what we can do when we see illegally posted signs?
Answer: The statewide restriction you recall was abolished years ago, so if these are standard campaign signs on private property and not interfering with traffic, there’s likely no infraction to report. Hawaii Revised Statutes section 445-112(11) used to prohibit the posting of campaign signs more than 45 days before an election, but that rule “was deemed unconstitutional and unenforceable by the Attorney General. As such, (the law) was subsequently amended to its current form, which has no such prohibition,” the state Office of Elections says on its website, referencing a 1996 opinion (Att. Gen. Op. 96-4) and 2003 amended law (Act 194).
The Attorney General’s Office said the rule was unconstitutional because “in purporting to apply durational limitations to political signs but not to other signs, it grants commercial speech greater protection than noncommercial speech.”
Now HRS 445-112 (11) says that “signs urging voters to vote for or against any person or issue, may be erected, maintained, and used, except where contrary to or prohibited by law.”
We’ve heard from other readers annoyed by perpetual campaign signs. One approach is to let candidates know you don’t appreciate the tactic.
Q: Do we have to be vaccinated or tested to walk around Honolulu City Lights? I’ve heard conflicting information.
A: We received this question from multiple readers, some of whom were relying on an inaccurate tourism website. The answer is no. “A vaccination card or a negative test result is not required when visiting Honolulu City Lights. That includes walking around outdoors or viewing the exhibits inside Honolulu Hale. Inside Honolulu Hale we will be requiring masks to be worn and managing the crowds to stay below the building capacity, which may cause a brief wait during peak times,” city spokesman Tim Sakahara said in an email.
Honolulu City Lights will be available to the public seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. beginning Sunday, through Jan. 2. The tree lighting at Honolulu Hale is scheduled for Saturday, but the ceremony isn’t open to the public. There will be no parade. ‘Olelo Community Media will livestream the opening ceremony, including the tree lighting and live entertainment, beginning at 5:30 p.m. on channel 53 and on the ‘Olelo Facebook page and ‘OleloNet at olelo.org, and through the mobile app.
Q: I thought that the nonrenewal for vehicle safety inspections expired a while back. I still see some vehicles with February 2020 safety tags driving around. Can you clarify this?
A: You are correct. There haven’t been extensions to expired safety inspection certificates and stickers under Gov. David Ige’s COVID- 19 emergency proclamations since January, according to the state Department of Transportation. DOT says on its website that safety inspection stations closed briefly early in the pandemic but “have been open since May 15, 2020.”
Landlords invited
Oahu landlords can learn how to apply for rent relief on behalf of tenants, and about new processes for potential evictions, during an online session hosted by Honolulu County’s Office of Economic Revitalization. The general public is welcome, too. The session is scheduled to be livestreamed from 3:30 to 4:15 p.m. Monday at face book.com/OneOahu. You don’t need a Facebook account to view the session, the office says.
Mahalo
Thank you to Lori, who was ahead of us in the Express Line at Don Quijote on Nov. 22, for paying for our purchases. We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. You certainly surprised us with your kindness. Mahalo. — Grateful seniors
Mahalo
A sincere thank you to the upstanding and honest person who turned in my package, which I had forgotten at my lunch table at Windward Mall. May God bless you and yours always. — A.G.
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
