HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-02-04 Letter to Ty Cullen re HB1153 - Remote Testimony in Legislative HearingsHarry Kim
Mai or
February 4, 2019
County of Hawaii
Office of the Mayor
25 Aupuni Street, Suite 2603 • Hilo, Hawaii 96720 . (808) 961-8211 . Fax (808) 961-6553
KONA 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy, Bldg C • Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740
(808) 323-4444 . Fax (808) 323-4440
Rep. Ty J.K. Cullen, Chair
COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE MANAGEMENT
Hawai'i State Legislature
Dear Chair Cullen and Committee Members:
RE: H131153, RELATING TO REMOTE TESTIMONY IN LEGISLATIVE
HEARINGS
Wit Okabe
Alanaging Director
Barbara J. Kossow
Depnlr Managing Director
Article I, Section 1, of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii 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 HB 1153 would allow.
HB 1153 does not presuppose a method, but neither is it just another "study." Truly action oriented, it
mandates the outcome that remote testimony shall be allowed, and then leaves it to each house 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 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 HB 1153.
Iarry
erel Ki
Mayor
County of Hawari is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer