Hawaii Reporter

1 week ago | hawaiireporter.com | Tom Yamachika

It’s around this time in our legislative session when surprises start happening. Some are good, some not so great.  But you, the taxpaying public, are not alone when it comes to surprises. Sometimes it’s the government itself that is on the receiving end. House Bill 1153, Relating to Funding Adjustments for State Programs, is an example. It is an Administration bill introduced by the Department of Transportation to remedy a technical problem in prior appropriations bills.

2 weeks ago | hawaiireporter.com | Sydney Ross Singer

The Impact of Early-Life Sleep Position on Penile Curvature and other Anatomical MalformationsIt may sound like a small matter, but the way parents treat their newborn son’s penis is a big deal. At least, it will be when the kid grows up and finds that his penis is bent. A bent penis may not seem like a terrible thing. But as any gardener will tell you, you don’t want your hose bent, since that can interfere with the flow. Well, the same thing goes for penises.

2 weeks ago | hawaiireporter.com | Tom Yamachika

At this time in our legislative session, in the chaos that is our system for making laws in this State, those interested in laws being made, like us in the Foundation for instance, are relegated to waiting on the side nervously while back-room decisions about legislative bills are being made. It is the time for conference committee meetings, when representatives of the House and the Senate work out differences between their respective versions of bills.

3 weeks ago | hawaiireporter.com | Tom Yamachika

We are now in the home stretch at the Legislature. This is the time when conference committees meet to iron out differences between versions of legislation passed by the House and by the Senate. Unfortunately, all of the negotiations and conversations take place behind closed doors. We don’t get to see the results until agreement is reached and a public meeting is called to vote on the conference draft. One of the bills still in play is what I call the Category Killer, House Bill 1369.

1 month ago | hawaiireporter.com | Tom Yamachika

Sometimes we at the Foundation have to save our government from accidentally shooting itself in the foot. In our current legislative session, the Hawaii Department of Transportation (HIDOT) introduced Senate Bill 1473, Relating to Central Services Assessment.  HIDOT’s work is largely paid for by special funds, namely the Highway Fund, the Airport Revenue Fund, and the Harbor Special Fund.