Statements of Objection (Veto Messages)
HB987 HD1 SD2
Veto: March 19, 2008
RELATING TO POLICE OFFICERS
Would require counties to provide a publicly paid attorney to defend police officers for all acts they performed, even if they engaged in an illegal activity, while on duty, on special duty or in certain off-duty situations. Read a message from the Governor.
HB2391 HD1
Vetoed: April 14, 2008
RELATING TO LEGAL SERVICE.
Would jeopardize the ability of the Attorney General's Office to represent the State by permitting individual deputy attorneys general to provide free legal services that could create conflicts of interest. Read a message from the Governor.
HB2974 HD2
Vetoed: April 14, 2008
RELATING TO LABOR.
Eliminates a worker's right to a secret ballot when determining whether or not to have collective bargaining representation in the workplace and mandates timelines for collective bargaining negotiations. Read a message from the Governor.
SB1805 SD1
Vetoed by Lt. Governor Aiona, Acting Governor: April 17, 2008
RELATING TO GENETIC COUNSELORS.
Unnecessarily mandates a State licensure program for genetic counselors contrary to the recommendations of the State Auditor. Read a message from the Governor.
HB3161 SD3
Line Item Veto: April 21, 2008
MAKING AN EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION TO THE HAWAI‘I HEALTH SYSTEMS CORPORATION.
Deletes an unnecessary $11 million State appropriation to Maui Memorial Medical Center because the Center has secured private funds. Read a message from the Governor.
SB2898 SD1
Veto: April 22, 2008
RELATING TO THE AGREEMENT AMONG THE STATES TO ELECT THE PRESIDENT BY NATIONAL POPULAR VOTE.
Undermines the electoral process by allowing Hawai‘i’s electoral votes to go to a presidential candidate for whom the majority of Hawai‘i voters did not vote. Read a message from the Governor.
SB868 SD2
Veto: April 22, 2008
RELATING TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
Unnecessarily bypasses the heads of departments in communications between the Legislature and boards and commissions attached to that department. Read a message from the Governor.
HB2045 SD1
Vetoed: April 29, 2008
RELATING TO ESTABLISHING A GLOBAL YOUTH CENTER.
Establishes a Global Youth Center within the University of Hawai‘i contrary to the provisions of the State Ethics Code. Read a message from the Governor.
HB2263 SD1
Vetoed: April 29, 2008
RELATING TO HARBORS.
Requires the Department of Transportation to regulate sound levels of vessels moored at commercial harbors and exempts vehicles from being weighed when moving neighbor island cargo. Read a message from the Governor.
HB7 HD1 SD1
Vetoed: May 1, 2008
RELATING TO THE I-SAVERX PRESCRIPTION DRUG PROGRAM.
Requires the Governor to enter into an agreement that would allow Hawai‘i residents to import prescription drugs from other countries in violation of federal law. Read a message from the Governor.
SB2129 SD2 HD1
Vetoed: May 1, 2008
RELATING TO ELDER AFFAIRS.
Allows the Policy Advisory Board for Elder Affairs to bypass the Executive Branch in submitting testimony to the Legislature which is contrary to statute and the procedures followed by other boards and commissions. Read a message from the Governor.
SB2779 HD2
Vetoed: May 1, 2008
RELATING TO LABOR.
Restricts the Governor’s authority to protect public health and safety by narrowing when the Governor may suspend prevailing wage and hour laws during an emergency. Read a message from the Governor.
SB2828 SD2 HD2
Vetoed: May 1, 2008
RELATING TO DISASTER RELIEF.
Restricts the Governor’s emergency powers by narrowing the circumstances when an emergency can be declared. Read a message from the Governor.
SB2915 SD2 HD1 CD1
Line Item Vetoed: July 2, 2008
RELATING TO TARO
Appropriates $325,000 of public money to fund activities related to a taro security and purity task force, not included within the State’s six-year balanced budget plan. Read a message from the Governor.
HB2531 HD1 SD2 CD1
Line Item Vetoed: July 3, 2008
RELATING TO THE WEST MAUI TRANSPORTATION ACCESS PLAN
Uses State funds not within the budget to develop a West Maui Transportation Access Plan Working Group to develop a plan to address periodic road closures in that region. Read a message from the Governor.
SB2082 SD2 HD1 CD1
Line Item Vetoed: July 7, 2008
RELATING TO PUBLIC SAFETY
Appropriates $100,000 not included in the State’s six-year financial plan and outside of the approved biennium budget to prepare a plan to return to Hawai‘i female inmates incarcerated on the mainland. Read a message from the Governor.
SB2830 SD2 HD2 CD1
Line Item Vetoed: July 7, 2008
RELATING TO CAREGIVING
Appropriates $500,000 for kupuna care, duplicating additional appropriations already provided in Act 204 of 2007, outside of the approved biennium budget and not included in the State's balanced financial plan. Read a message from the Governor.
HB1412 HD1 SD1 CD1
Vetoed: July 8, 2008
RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION’S BENEFITS-FUNDED REVENUE-GENERATING COMPUTER
Sets unrealistic deadlines and parameters requiring the Department of Taxation to execute outside contracts for tax collections. Read a message from the Governor.
HB2085 HD1 SD2
Vetoed: July 8, 2008
RELATING TO THE AGRIBUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Diverts the resources of the Agribusiness Development Corporation to perform another study and unnecessarily changes the composition of the board, contrary to the recommendations of the agricultural community. Read a message from the Governor.
HB2238 HD1 SD1
Vetoed: July 8, 2008
RELATING TO PUBLIC HOUSING
Restricts the flexibility of the State and counties to develop, renovate, or manage public housing projects by requiring the units in the project to remain affordable in perpetuity. This restriction would prohibit mixed-use and mixed-income projects as a method to support the renovation and repair of public housing units. Read a message from the Governor.
HB2250 HD1
Vetoed: July 8, 2008
RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION
Reduces airline incentives to operate efficiently and competitively, contrary to the federal government’s Airline Deregulation Act of 1978, by establishing a commission to regulate Hawai‘i’s inter-island air carriers. Read a message from the Governor.
HB2386 SD2 CD1
Vetoed: July 8, 2008
RELATING TO WORKERS’ COMPENSATION
Allows workers to continue to receive temporary disability benefits even after they have been deemed fit to return to work, requires an employer to pay benefits, and creates disincentives for workers to return to their jobs. Read a message from the Governor.
HB2387 HD1 SD2
Vetoed: July 8, 2008
RELATING TO WORKERS’ COMPENSATION
Unnecessarily creates a working group to study paying for medical examinations under Hawai‘i’s workers’ compensation law when the private sector already covers these costs. Read a message from the Governor.
HB2388 HD1 SD2 CD1
Vetoed: July 8, 2008
RELATING TO WORKERS’ COMPENSATION
Requires employers to continue paying for workers’ compensation medical care after it has been determined that continued treatments are inappropriate, excessive, or an independent physician has determined the employee is ready to return to work. Read a message from the Governor.
HB2675 HD2 SD1
Vetoed: July 8, 2008
RELATING TO MEDICAL MARIJUANA
Establishes a Medical Marijuana Task Force within the University of Hawai‘i to study ways to cultivate and transport medical marijuana, contrary to federal prohibitions against cultivation, possession and transportation of this federally-prohibited drug. Read a message from the Governor.
HB2704 HD2 SD1 CD1
Vetoed: July 8, 2008
RELATING TO HA‘IKU VALLEY
Transfers private lands and lands set aside for the beneficiaries of Hawaiian Home Lands to a commission without just compensation for these lands. Read a message from the Governor.
HB2761 HD1 SD1 CD1
Vetoed: July 8, 2008
RELATING TO WOMEN’S HEALTH
Requires the Department of Human Services to apply to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to extend post-partum and interconception care from eight weeks to at least six months for women who participate in the QUEST program, creating additional fiscal demands outside of the approved balanced State budget. Read a message from the Governor.
HB2843 HD2 SD2 CD1
Vetoed: July 8, 2008
RELATING TO INVASIVE SPECIES
Restructures the fee imposed on cargo coming into the State by calculating this fee on a per pound basis; expands this fee's applicability to all cargo entering the State, creating cost-increase implications for all consumers. Read a message from the Governor.
HB2847 SD1 CD1
Vetoed: July 8, 2008
RELATING TO CONDITIONAL LICENSE PERMITS
Increases the number of individuals who can continue to drive a vehicle after being convicted of driving under the influence of an intoxicant. Read a message from the Governor.
HB2929 HD1 SD1
Vetoed: July 8, 2008
RELATING TO WORKERS’ COMPENSATION
Eliminates the right of an employer to designate a physician to perform an independent medical examination of an employee receiving workers’ compensation benefits. Read a message from the Governor.
HB2972 HD1 SD2 CD1
Vetoed: July 8, 2008
RELATING TO EDUCATION
Creates a Facilities Alignment Commission within the Department of Education and singles out certain smaller schools throughout the State for the commission to evaluate and provide recommendations to the Legislature for school closure or consolidation. Read a message from the Governor.
HB3386 HD1 SD2 CD1
Vetoed: July 8, 2008
RELATING TO ATTORNEYS
Requires any licensed attorney employed by the Department of Taxation as an administrative rules officer or specialist to be designated as special tax counsel and unnecessarily removes his or her status as an exempt employee, adversely impacting the incumbent’s employment status. Read a message from the Governor.
SB0156 SD2 HD2 CD1
Vetoed: July 8, 2008
RELATING TO VOTING
Allows permanent absentee voting without proper safeguards. Read a message from the Governor.
SB0871 SD2 HD2 CD1
Vetoed: July 8, 2008
RELATING TO FOOD WASTE RECYCLING
Appropriates $25,000 to establish a three-year pilot project to conduct food waste recycling in Hawai‘i’s public schools that was not requested by the Department of Education. Read a message from the Governor.
SB1526 SD2 HD3 CD1
Vetoed: July 8, 2008
RELATING TO JUDICIARY
Allows the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to increase the salaries of the administrator and deputy administrator of the courts by 6.7 percent to 30.5 percent, even though their job duties have not increased. Read a message from the Governor.
SB1793 SD1 HD1 CD1
Vetoed: July 8, 2008
RELATING TO THE NATURAL ENERGY LABORATORY OF HAWAI‘I AUTHORITY
Changes the relationship between executive branch departments and attached agencies by removing the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism’s oversight and authority to represent the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawai‘i Authority (NELHA) in conversations with the Governor and the Legislature; to approve personnel decisions; and to approve the purchase of supplies, equipment, and furniture. Read a message from the Governor.
SB2196 SD2 HD2 CD1
Vetoed: July 8, 2008
RELATING TO COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES ON OCEAN WATERS
Requires the State’s Department of Land and Natural Resources to regulate activities in privately-owned marinas. Read a message from the Governor.
SB2198 SD2 HD2 CD2
Vetoed: July 8, 2008
RELATING TO LAND CONSERVATION
Allows private landowners to claim up to $1 million in tax credits if they sell, donate, or manage their land for conservation purposes, even though other State and federal programs exist, to encourage land conservation, and outside of the revenue estimates in the State’s biennium budget. Read a message from the Governor.
SB2262 SD1 HD2 CD2
Vetoed: July 8, 2008
RELATING TO HEALTH
Unjustifiably extends the Voluntary Employees’ Beneficiary Association (VEBA) trust pilot program, continuing to adversely impact the State’s Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund providing health benefits for State active and retired personnel. Read a message from the Governor.
SB2263 SD2 HD1
Vetoed: July 8, 2008
RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI‘I
Requires the University of Hawai‘i to disclose in an open meeting confidential personnel and compensation information and to disclose university fiscal data prematurely. Read a message from the Governor.
SB2334 SD2 HD1 CD1
Vetoed: July 8, 2008
RELATING TO PUBLIC SAFETY
Unnecessarily restricts the Administration’s ability to appoint well-qualified candidates who are not graduates of a law enforcement academy, such as prosecutors or military police, for the positions of sheriff and deputy director of law enforcement, even if they have experience in related fields. Read a message from the Governor.
SB2341 SD1 HD1 CD1
Vetoed: July 8, 2008
RELATING TO PUBLIC SAFETY
Singles out private prisons contracting with the State of Hawai‘i by ordering the contractor to provide public access to data that no other entity contracting with the State is required to provide. Read a message from the Governor.
SB2345 SD1 HD1 CD1
Vetoed: July 8, 2008
RELATING TO CHILDREN
Establishes vague and impractical guiding principles for State agencies to follow when dealing with the children of incarcerated parents, potentially increasing the State’s liability. Read a message from the Governor.
SB2434 HD1 CD1
Vetoed: July 8, 2008
RELATING TO THE STADIUM AUTHORITY
Usurps the Governor of Hawai‘i’s authority to appoint members to the Aloha Stadium Authority by transferring nomination responsibilities to the State Legislature. Read a message from the Governor.
SB2542 SD2 HD2 CD1
Vetoed: July 8, 2008
RELATING TO PUBLIC HEALTH
Appropriates $1 million outside of the biennium budget to the Department of Health to cover medical costs of uninsured and attempts to codify administrative rule changes for community health centers already reimbursed through Medicaid. Read a message from the Governor.
SB2546 SD2 HD1 CD1
Vetoed: July 8, 2008
RELATING TO OFFENDER REENTRY
Requires the quarterly rotation of prisoners returning from the mainland and makes other impractical changes to the offender re-entry program, and makes these changes mandatory. Read a message from the Governor.
SB2644 SD1 HD1 CD1
Vetoed: July 8, 2008
RELATING TO THE STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER
Limits the pool of qualified individuals that may serve as the State’s chair of the Department of Land and Natural Resources by mandating that this individual be a historic preservation professional in architecture, architectural history, archaeology, history, culture, or a closely related field, although the federal government does not impose these requirements. Read a message from the Governor.
SB2663 SD2 HD2 CD1
Vetoed: July 8, 2008
RELATING TO THE HAWAI‘I TEACHER STANDARDS BOARD
Restricts what organizations can nominate members to the Hawai‘i Teacher Standards Board and micromanages who the members must represent. Read a message from the Governor.
SB2668 SD2 HD1 CD1
Vetoed: July 8, 2008
RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI‘I
Further restricts the pool of candidates from whom the Governor must select to nominate members of the University of Hawai‘i Board of Regents. Read a message from the Governor.
SB2803 SD1 HD1 CD1
Vetoed: July 8, 2008
RELATING TO PERSONAL INFORMATION
Would make it easier to access personal and confidential information contained in State and county documents. Read a message from the Governor.
SB2824 SD2 HD1 CD1
Vetoed: July 8, 2008
RELATING TO PROCUREMENT
Unjustifiably eliminates voting rights of State and county representatives on the Procurement Policy Board. Directs the Legislative Auditor’s Office and the Procurement Policy Board to audit only executive branch agencies for compliance with the State Procurement Code. Read a message from the Governor.
SB2827 SD1 HD1 CD1
Vetoed: July 8, 2008
RELATING TO PUBLIC CONTRACTS
Mandates multiple amendments to the State’s procurement laws without providing sufficient time to implement these changes that could inhibit the State’s ability to award contracts on a timely basis. Read a message from the Governor.
SB2840 SD2 HD1 CD1
Vetoed: July 8, 2008
RELATING TO SELF-SUFFICIENCY
Requires the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism to create and update a “self-sufficiency standard” in an attempt to create standards outside of federally approved benchmarks for federal public assistance programs. Read a message from the Governor.
SB2843 SD2 HD3 CD1
Vetoed: July 8, 2008
RELATING TO ELECTRONIC DEVICE RECYCLING
Establishes a State-run, mandatory recycling program for manufacturers of computers, computer printers, monitors, and certain portable computers, and requires these manufacturers to register with the State and pay a $5,000 registration fee while voluntary industry-funded recycling programs already exist and work well. Read a message from the Governor.
SB2867 SD2 HD2 CD1
Vetoed: July 8, 2008
RELATING TO THE HAWAI‘I PUBLIC PROCUREMENT CODE
Makes inconsistent and conflicting amendments to the State Procurement Code. Read a message from the Governor.
SB2878 SD2 HD2 CD1
Vetoed: July 8, 2008
RELATING TO EARLY LEARNING
Establishes a council with administrative and spending powers outside of the framework of existing State agencies that are responsible for funding, licensing, and regulating these programs. Read a message from the Governor.
SB2933 SD2 HD2 CD1
Vetoed: July 8, 2008
RELATING TO HOUSEHOLD ENERGY DEMAND.
Potentially invalidates the rules of homeowners associations by allowing owners of single-family residential dwellings or townhouses to use clotheslines, despite restrictions in their deeds, rules, or bylaws. Read a message from the Governor.
SB3252 SD2 HD2 CD1
Vetoed: July 8, 2008
RELATING TO TEACHERS.
Duplicates existing teacher recruitment, retention, and professional development efforts of the Department of Education and appropriates $300,000 in general funds outside of the balanced budget plan and approved biennium budget. Read a message from the Governor.
