Of Committees and Caucuses
The July editorial, “At Capitol, Accountability is in Short Supply,” provides a very good insight into a serious problem in the process of enacting legislation at the Hawai`i Legislature. By a combination of the committee structure and the informal caucus vote, the public is seldom able to discern the positions of legislators on many issues. This is especially so for those that are controversial.
It is not an easy problem to solve. One essential element is raising the consciousness of the people of Hawaii to its presence and motivating them to demand change. Your Newsletter helps advance that goal, and I commend you for it.
Ed Bybee
Representative, 19th District
A Clarification on the Biotech Bill
I would like to clarify the one reference to an issue which came before the Senate Health Committee. The article on biotech tests says that the bill died in my committee. Actually, I reported the bill out in spite of the opposition from various sources, but it was killed in the Democratic caucus.
Andrew Levin
Senator, First District
Volume 1, Number 2 August 1990