Unemployment Insurance Tax bill passes committee

Senator Clayton Hee (Chair of the Judiciary and Labor Committee) and David Ige (Chair of the Ways and Means Committee) and their respective committee members passed HB 2096 HD1, the Unemployment Insurance Tax bill, unamended. The bill now goes for a full floor vote on the Senate.

Ban Would Favor Clayton Hee's Irish Opihi Monopoly

Ban Would Favor Clayton Hee's Irish Opihi Monopoly By Andrew Walden :: 288 Views :: Hawaii State News, Hawaii State Politics
Clayton Hee’s opihi scam by Andrew Walden July 7, 2006 (Republished in honor of SB 2923, SD1 introduced 2012 by Sen Clayton Hee.  SB 2923, SD1 has passed second reading and will be heard by JDL Tuesday 02-28-12 at 10:00AM in conference room 016.) Sen. Clayton Hee (D-Kaneohe) a former Office of Hawaiian Affairs chair, pushed through the legislature a bill (SB2006) banning the sale of Hawaiian opihi. Governor Lingle has issued a June 26 ‘intent to veto’ notice on the bill. Hee, chair of the Senate Higher Education Committee supported the recent protests demanding that UH relinquish ownership of patents on the improvements in disease-resistant taro. Hee opposed the use of UH facilities to host a University-Allied Research Center (UARC). Hee has family connections to Sandwich Isles Communications a federally funded $500 million scheme to connect Hawaiian Homelands to high speed internet with costs estimated as high as $278,000 per connection. All of these schemes are based on Clayton Hee’s Al Sharpton-esque posturing about Hawaiian culture. So why is Hee suddenly trying to put Hawaiian opihi pickers out of business?  More at Hawaii Free Press

Conflict of interest because of... religion?

Excerpt of Senator Hee's part of the meeting taken from the Thursday, October 11, 2011 Ko'olauloa Neighborhood Board Meeting at the Hau'ula Community Center.

The comment (in "conflict of interest" below) implicates over half of the board and leaves only those who are strongly opposed to Envision Laie plan. The remaining voters represent a very small cross section of the Koolauloa area.

This is Senator Hee's only appearance at the Ko'olauloa Neighborhood Board meeting this year (2011). He is the elected senator for the Ko'olauloa area. His last appearance was November 2010. Meetings are held monthly (no meetings for Jan. and July).

Senator Clayton Hee – Senator Hee highlighted on the Forfeiture Law (previous presentation) that was passed in the 80’s to codify the federal law. The reason why more people were not arrested is because rules have to be followed and there is a due process. Decriminalizing marijuana was passed this year; marijuana is still against the law, but that it will be handled at the civil courts level.

Questions, comments and concerns followed:
Civil Defense – The Senator is working on a request of raising monies for Civil Defense supplies. He was also in conversation the Governor where instructions given were to release those monies. He would be in contact tomorrow with Marvin Wong who is doing the research. Agriculture Issues – A request that the legislature, in this coming session, do something about agricultural lands before it is all gone. Hee is the only member intervening on the Ho`opili case for the preservation of agricultural lands and jobs; and putting these 12,000 homes on vacant, baron and non-productive land; it is not about jobs, it is about food security. He encouraged the Board to take a position, to either way by supporting a resolution.

Ulupono – A request asked the Senator to follow-up on a Mao Farm type project for the youth in this area. Sen Hee and Rep Wooley met with Ulupono to talk about turning Waiahole Elementary School into a target campus for agriculture. Working with Ulupono will be a challenge but the bigger challenge will be the DOE.

Farming Technology – With new farming technology such as Global Bucket Technology, the question was why focusing on labor. Sen Hee responded that labor, not only in Hawaii but in the nation, is the reality and the issue in this economic downturn. The issue is much more complicated.

Taking a Stance – The Senator made an impression on his attempt with taking a position on Ho`opili. There is a similar problem emerging in the Ko`olauloa area La`ie to Kahuku, and the question was if Sen Hee would give an early warning indication of his disposition of keeping the country, country, and keeping agricultural lands for agriculture, and for making Ko`olauloa more food sufficient. In response, the Senator noted that the infrastructure on this side is not adequate to deal with the plans that have been rolled out to date. Although he presumes that the plan is going to change, it has not to date. The Senator has invited all the Council members to visit the district and view the area through the eyes of others besides HRI, to make a more informed decision. Sen Hee will be on a panel to hear the future of Turtle Bay in two Wednesdays.

Conflict of Interest – HRI was congratulated for their successful campaign to build the hotel; however, any paid employee of HRI or LDS who sits on this Board should not have been allowed to vote on this development due to conflicts of interest. It is believed that the Neighborhood Commission and Corporation Counsel dropped the ball on this.

Medical Marijuana – At a previous meeting, this resident was misunderstood on her stance to support medical marijuana. She is requesting the support of medical marijuana legislation to help people with chronic conditions rather than using synthetic medical treatments with horrible side effects.