Hawaii Legislature begins 2016 session, focuses on homeless
STAR-ADVERTISER / AUG. 2015
Religious leaders, homeless individuals and homeless advocates delivered letters to the mayor, council members, legislators and governor outlining their ideas to deal with homeless. The group made their way from Honolulu Hale to the State Capitol.
CRAIG T. KOJIMA/ CKOJIMA@STARADVERTISER.COM
Senate President Ron Kouchi opens the 2016 session of the Hawaii Legislature this morning.
Homelessness and affordable housing will be key topics as the Hawaii Legislature begins its 2016 session.
The House and Senate began their legislative session Wednesday, talking about the need to create a more economically viable community.
People sang and chanted outside the chambers about protecting Hawaii’s delicate environment, and students and families lined up to get a seat before the session began.
Democratic House Speaker Joe Souki began the session with a moment of silence for the 12 Marines who are missing after a helicopter crash last week.
“Let’s pause to remember that those Marines and their families have all sacrificed so much and have put their lives on the lines in service to our country in times of peace and war,” Souki said.
As Senate President Ron Kouchi began the chamber’s first official meeting of the year, the senators sang “Hawaii Ponoi,” a song about Hawaii, while wearing flower lei.
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Kouchi talked about the importance of creating more affordable housing, relaying how during his own childhood his family did not own a home.
“The problem isn’t just here on Oahu,” Kouchi said. “The problem is statewide, and we need to look at it in that particular fashion”
The Rev. Bob Nakata, a housing advocate, said he’s hopeful that the Legislature will provide more money for affordable housing this year.
“The crisis is so bad it can’t really be shifted to the side,” Nakata said.
Senators also talked about the need for more oversight about how the state is spending the taxpayers’ money.
On the House side, Democratic Rep. Matt LoPresti said he planned to introduce legislation to regulate police body cameras and to protect online privacy for students and adults.
“We need to realize that legislation has not kept up with the technology,” LoPresti said in a news conference. “We should be able to keep our social media profiles private.”
8 responses to “Hawaii Legislature begins 2016 session, focuses on homeless”
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Can the State tell the Counties who they can fire? These people need to take care of State issues!
“Tackle?” It will be more like flag football.
“Sen. Will Espero says he plans to renew his efforts to increase police oversight. He’s pushing to give mayors or police commissions the ability to fire a police chief. He’s also going to try again for an independent board to review police misconduct.”
Senator Espero, Who has the authority to fire a mayor who has misused PCards?
I’m shocked to find out that we don’t already have an independent board overseeing police misconduct. Perhaps this is the reason we have non conformance in our police force. An impartial panel needs to be implemented to offer unbiased viewpoints. No accountability and disciplining of our ‘misguided’ few.
You may want to implement/resolve police misconduct before the state’s new medical marijuana dispensary system takes shape.
Again, taking about homelessness, be truthful…………….
Mr. Mayor, need to inform and share with the public on your plans; let’s start off by filling all city owned buildings with vacate units/now come clean you ordered the realtor company managing the city building, to put VA first (in occupying) these unit in City Buildings, person with disabilities second and homeless third.
I don’t consider this being fair, just or right, let’s be fair and follow the rules. My sister is homeless with a disability and been approved for Section 8 and on a very long wait list to city own buildings, sad!
Affordable housing, you tried and failed; the government has to stop picking our pockets to pay for all these nice to have and really focus in reducing the cost of living here/at home Hawaii.
How can they get any work done with 10 lbs of lei draping over their shoulders?? I hope things get done this year.
Don’t hold your breath, compromise is more important to these folks than getting things done. “Main ting everybody stay happy”
I miss the food each politician had on opening day.
Fixing all the potholes should take priority over the homeless problem.