28th Hawaii Legislative Session Opens!



Senate Chamber Opening ceremonies. (KHON photo)

         January 21, 2015 marks the opening of the 28th Hawaii Legislative Session.  Our office will be monitoring and testifying on bills that impact the laws Wage Standards Division administers and enforces.  Returning Labor and Public Employment Committee chair Representative Mark Nakashima from House District 1 on the Big Island and Senator Gilbert S.C. Keith-Agaran, from Senate District 5 on Maui will be the key leaders for all matters related to labor issues.

Meanwhile, on the north shore of Oahu, Waimea Beach was closed today due to high surf. 


Surfers at Waimea Beach, Oahu (KHON Photo)

Hawaii Legislature Opens and New Website Unveiled

     The opening of the Hawaii Legislature is always an emotional event.  Despite celebratory events being more low key this year, the anticipation of the dance still tweaks our amygdalas. There are high hopes that our elected officials will find a path that best meets the needs of most of the people in Hawaii.  If it happens, it can be a mutually beneficial event as it woud support re-election for the legislators, which is on the minds of most this election year. 
        Participation in the legislative process has always been difficult for the working person or business as most of the hearings and proceedings happen during the day and tracking the issues has never been easy - - until this year.  If you haven't been to the newly redesigned website, you must see it.  Find it at http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/
    There are many innovations that streamline and make it more user friendly.  All you need to do is "register" with your name and e-mail address to set up an account that tracks the bills you are interested in.  Finding the bills is still a bit of a "keyword" challenge, but once identified a new feature allows you to add those bills to a list and generate a  "Report"  that provides the information and status on each measure you are tracking.  You can set up various "Lists" to keep your reports focused on issues or groups.  Notices about committee hearings are still available by e-mail.  Although there is still not a lot of notice before the hearing is announced, there have been innovations in submitting testimony.
     The new website  appears to have an easy way to submit testimony.  Click the "Submit Testimony" button.  The "Submit Testimony" button seems to be everywhere. On the main page and on each measure page.   This innovation should produce more public comment and get a more accurate public perception of the issues. 
      All these new features should make our jobs easier tracking information.  Let's hope these time savers give us more time to listen to each other and build bridges that connect our values and pattern better solutions.  BRAVO Webmaster!