HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-01-28 Letter to Senator Jarrett Keohokalole SB 337 Relating to the Legislature (Establishing a Remote Legislative Access Program) (2)Harry Kim
Mayor
County of Pakii`i
Wil Okabe
Managing Director
Barbara J. Kossow
Deputy Managing Director
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January 30, 2019
Senator Jarrett Keohokalole, Chair
Committee on Technology
Hawai'i State Capitol
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
Dear Chair Keohokalole and Committee Members:
Re: SB 337 Relating to the Legislature (Establishing a Remote Legislative
Access Program)
Hearing Date: January 31, 2019 — 2:45 PM; Senate Conference Room 414
Article I, Section 1, of the Constitution of the State of Hawai'i provides that "All political
power of this State is inherent in the people and the responsibility for the exercise thereof rests
with the people." In that spirit, and over the course of its history, the Hawaii State Legislature
has been dedicated to assuring citizen participation in its activities, and has often been at the
forefront of innovations that enhance that participation and make it more effective.
Technology has now reached the point where persons with disabilities, residents of rural
Oahu, and even more so, neighbor island residents, can be enabled to more fully participate in
the legislative process without experiencing inconvenient, expensive and/or time-consuming
travel to the Capitol. Exactly how that should be done, without jeopardizing the need for an
expeditious legislative process, may require further thought and deliberations, and that is
exactly what SB 337 would allow. SB 337 does not presuppose a method, but neither is it just
another "study." Truly action oriented, it mandates the outcome that "There is established in the
state capitol a remote legislative access program that shall become part of the legislature's
public access program," and then leaves it to a joint committee to figure out the details. That is
the kind of balance that this Legislature is known for and can be proud of.
An earlier generation of Hawaii leaders recognized that all residents of the State
deserved equal educational opportunities, regardless of where they lived. Now this generation
of leaders is better assuring that all have equal access to their government. Thank you for
taking this next step.
I hope you will approve SB 337.
Resctfullresubmitted,
Harry Kim
Mayor, County of Hawaii
County of Hawai`i is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.