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• <br /> • - r r. • 1. ... " <br /> • SUPREME,COURT OF HAWAII-9' <br /> • <br /> • <br /> . Opinion of the Court <br /> I. <br /> no more than a statutory chartersTn to frame and adopt a <br /> e constitution merely I <br /> empowers each political subdivision <br /> charter"within such limits and under such procedures'as 1 <br /> '' may be prescribed by law," thus leaving the scope of <br /> local self-government to legislative control. There is, <br /> however, one constitutional limitation in the exercise of <br /> this control. That limitation is contained in article VII, f <br /> • section 1 which provides: "Each political _subdivision , <br /> shall have and exercise such powers as shall be conferred <br /> under general laws." Subject to this provision, the legis- • •1 • i <br /> • <br /> lature is free to enact any legislation affecting the powers t <br /> - of political subdivisions. There is nothing in the constitu- <br /> • sa s that the legislature may not amend a .i <br /> Lion whichY <br /> charter provision after a political subdivision has once t <br /> adopted a charter. t <br /> However, • <br /> we rendered the Fasi opinion on March 25,' 1. <br /> • <br /> 1968, before the convening on July 15, 1968 of the Constitu- E <br /> •I -tional Convention of 1968. The Constitutional Convention of ' ! <br />• • - 1968 recommended to the people of this Statethat section 2 of <br /> . article VII be amended to read as follows: 1 <br /> . LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT: CHARTER . <br /> • <br /> t i <br /> Section 2. Each political subdivision shall have power <br /> to frame and adopt a charter for its own self-government I <br /> within such limits and under such procedures as may be <br /> • prescribed by general law. Thee prescribed procedures, <br /> . however, shall not require the approval of a charter by a <br /> .. legislative body. <br /> ' Charter provisions • with • respect to a political . . 1 j <br /> subdivision's executive, legislative and-.administrative . I 1I s <br /> structure and organization shall be superior to statutory <br /> provisions, subject to the authority of the legislature to <br /> enact general laws allocating and reallocating powers and • <br /> functions. 1 <br /> A law may qualify as a general law even though it is <br /> inapplicable to one or more counties by reason of the <br /> '"` provisions of this section. <br /> • <br /> • The Constitutional Convention of 1968 further recom- ' <br /> • <br /> r <br /> i <br />