We Need You To Send E-mails!

Now that SB 1085 passed out of the Senate Judiciary and Government Operations committee, the full senate will need to vote on it. We're asking you to send our senators e-mails urging them to pass SB 1085.

E-mails should be sent to sens@capitol.hawaii.gov if you can include us on the cc (or better yet the BCC) by putting kupuaina@gmail.com in that e-mail, we'd greatly appreciate it.

We have templates for you to use if you don't know what to write in an e-mail. Please pick one template only:

• Template 1


• Template 2


• Template 3

We also have a special template for our supporters who do not live in Hawai‘i. CLICK HERE for the special out-of-Hawai‘i template.

Legislative Updates regarding ceded lands.

The Associated Press, via Maui News has an article that shows the riff between Democrats in the State House of Representatives and the relevance of that riff to the ceded lands issue.

Early into the article, House Speaker Calvin Say is identified as the reason why House bills designed to protect the ceded lands did not move forward. The article states, "Reps. Scott Saiki, Mele Carroll and Faye Hanohano, all Democrats, said it appears that House Speaker Calvin Say does not want the bills to progress . . . ." But the article does not end there. It further suggests that there is some sort of political "ping-pong" action going on. The AP article suggests that one politician points to another politician, who then either points back to the first politician or to a third politician. In the end, the ping-ponging however goes on between House committee chairs generally and the Speaker of the House, Calvin Say. Here's what the article also says,

"Saiki said the chairman of House Water, Land and Ocean Resources Committee (pictured left, Rep. Ken Ito), where the three bills are waiting after winning approval from Carroll's panel last week, has indicated that there will be no hearing on the measures any time soon."

The article also reports that, "A call for comment from Say was referred to House Majority Leader Blake Oshiro, who said that because the bills were referred to four committees, there is no way to complete the legislative process in time for the Supreme Court's oral arguments Feb. 25."

But the article also reports that perhaps it's the House Speaker, Calvin Say who decides which bills get heard. "Carroll said she asked Ito when his panel would hear the measures, and Ito replied that he'd have to check with Say." In one of our own meetings with Calvin Say, he told us that it was up to the individual committees as to which bills get heard in committee. If Representative Say is under the impression that Rep. Ken Ito is deciding which bills are being heard in Ito's committee, and Ito is under the impression that Say is going to tell him which bills to hear in Ito's committee, then it seems like someone doesn't know what the other is doing. Hopefully, this type of process is not indicative of how our state House of Representatives works.

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Bills and Resolutions.

The Senate Bill (SB 1677) introduced by Senate President Colleen Hanabusa was passed out of the Senate today. SB 1677 however, is not a moratorium bill. Senate Bill 1085 is a moratorium bill, even after its amendments. Senate Bill 1085, started off as a full-moratorium bill that re-affirmed the Hawaii Supreme Court's landmark ruling last year. The amended version has a limited 5 year moratorium and then after the expiration of 5 years, a two-thirds vote is necessary. Both the Honolulu Advertiser and the Honolulu Star-Bulletin report today on the Senate's passage of SB 1677.

From here SB 1677 will now go to the House of Representatives. We presume that it will start off in the House Hawaiian Affairs Committee, then be also be referred to the same committees that the other moratorium bills were referred to. BUT, we hope that we're wrong.

What has not been reported in the two Honolulu dailies is that, the Senate today passed two resolutions. Senate Resolution 25 and Senate Concurrent Resolution 40.

These two resolutions urge the Governor to withdraw and establish that the senate (or Legislature for SCR 40) policy is to support the Hawaii Supreme Court's decision from January 31, 2008.
Not surprisingly, the two lawmakers who voted against the resolutions were Senators Fred Hemmings and Sam Slom.

Resolutions are not binding, but they do express the policy of the legislative body. it could be used to demonstrate to the U.S. Supreme Court that the government of the State of Hawai'i is actively dealing with the claims of Native Hawaiians.

Contact your legislators

We need you to call and e-mail your lawmakers.

To find out who your District Representative and Senator is, type the name of your street in the field below and click on submit. Be sure to choose the county you live in.

Find Legislators:

Honolulu (Oahu)
Hawaii
Maui
Kauai

Write a letter to the editor of a local newspaper.

Write a letter to the editor of a local newspaper.
Letters to the editor of a local newspaper can help to shape public opinion on a political issue. With our guidelines, you can write a letter to the editor in about 5 minutes. Below is an outline for a letter to the editor. We encourage supporters to use their own words while we just provide you with ideas.

I. A moratorium on the sale of ceded lands is (provide your own descriptive word(s)) for Hawaii.

A. For the next sentence, briefly use some historical fact(s) to explain why a moratorium is good or proper

1. examples include (BUT DON’T USE more than one in a single letter):
- the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom,
- that reparations have not yet been made,
- that reconciliation efforts for historical wrongs has not fully started, etc.,

B. In another sentence, briefly describe a current situation(s) we are experiencing now that justifies a need for a moratorium today

1. examples include (BUT DON’T USE more than one in a letter):
- bad economy right now, we need to hold onto our assets,
- unlike other states, Hawaii as extremely limited land and natural resources so selling lands permanently diminishes the amount of lands that belong to the general public through the government.
- Hawaii government has committed itself to reconciliation in the recent past, and its time we make good on that.
- Our Hawaii Supreme Court ruled on the issue and we should support our judiciary’s position on this unique and complex issue.
- A U.S. Supreme Court ruling on this issue diminishes our ability as a state to deal with unique local issues. A state created moratorium shows that we, as a state, make our own decisions regarding Hawaii issues.

C. A moratorium on the sale of ceded lands is (provide your own descriptive word(s)) for the future of Hawaii also.

1. examples to explain the above sentence include:
- a moratorium protects the public land trust for future generations
- by protecting public lands, we provide lawmakers with opportunity to use these resources for the benefit of the public and not just private interests.
- With an increasing population with no more natural resources such as land coming our way any time soon, protecting the lands now allows for better management of all our resources
- If Kamehameha Schools can manage all those lands in trust and generate revenue, why can’t the state?

II. Hawaii residents (or use “lawmakers”) should _(insert descriptive word here) a moratorium on the sale of ceded lands.

A. Conclude the letter with a sentence that summarizes the previous sentences.

1. examples of concluding sentences might look like,
- A moratorium on ceded lands sales protects our present and future.
- A moratorium is an exercise of our own political will and ambition.
- The passage of a moratorium bill brings us one step closer to resolving historical wrongs we have yet to correct.
- If Native Hawaiians have a only moral claim, as Mark Bennett argues, a moratorium passed by our legislature is appropriate.
- If Native Hawaiian claims, according to Mark Bennett, are to be dealt with through the legislative process. Then, there is nothing wrong with the legislature passing a moratorium.

TIPS: Your letter to the editor should be no more than 175-200 words. You can send your letters to one or two e-mail addresses. Send your letters to letters@honoluluadvertiser.com, letters@starbulletin.com and citydesk@mauinews.com (or go to http://vnr.oweb.net/vnr/add_submission.asp?categoryID=769&publicationID=110>

In the e-mail, be sure to include:

• Your name


• the name of the area you live in


• a phone number for the newspaper to call you at.

e-mail a lawmaker

2. E-mail a Lawmaker.
Just like calling a lawmaker, there are a number of lawmakers who need to be e-mailed. We should always start off with our very own elected representative and senator. You can start off there.Use the following form to find your representative and Senator.

Do NOT add the words street, road, avenue, highway, or any street abbreviations.

Honolulu (Oahu)
Hawaii

Maui
Kauai

The same key lawmakers we call also need to be called e-mailed:

Senators

• Brian Taniguchi sentaniguchi@capitol.hawaii.gov

Representatives

• Calvin Say repsay@capitol.hawaii.gov


• Ken Ito repito@capitol.hawaii.gov


• Sharon Har rephar@capitol.hawaii.gov


• Jon Riki Karamatsu repkaramatsu@capitol.hawaii.gov


• Marcus Oshiro reposhiro@capitol.hawaii.gov

Dear Senator Taniguchi,

My name is _______________. As the Chair of the Senate Judiciary and Government Operations Committee, I want you to schedule a hearing for Senate Bill 1085 as soon as possible to meet deadlines. Senate Bill 1085 is an important piece of legislation and it should be heard immediately. I want you to support this bill so that it can go to the State House.

Please feel free to e-mail me if you have questions.

Thank you,
___________________

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Dear Representative ______________,

Aloha, my name is ____________________. I'm writing to you because I want you to support and pass House Bill 1667. My family and I want to see House Bill 1667 pass out of its committees. House Bill 1667 is important proposed legislation that we support. I want you to support and pass this bill. If you have any questions, feel free to reply to this e-mail address.

Thank you,

Call a Lawmaker

There are a number of lawmakers that need to be called. For starters, you should call the lawmakers of your representative and senatorial districts. If you do not know who your representative and/or senator is, you can put type in your street name below, choose the right county and click on submit. Use the following form to find your representative and Senator.

Do NOT add the words street, road, avenue, highway, or any street abbreviations.

Honolulu (Oahu)
Hawaii

Maui
Kauai

Other key lawmakers that need to be called include:
Senators

• Brian Taniguchi (808) 586-6460

Representatives

• Calvin Say (808) 586-6100


• Ken Ito (808) 586-8470


• Sharon Har (808) 586-8500


• Jon Riki Karamatsu (808) 586-8490


• Marcus Oshiro (808) 586-6200

When you call a lawmaker it is very likely that you will speak with his/her secretary or office aide. This is okay. Leave a message for that lawmaker letting them know you want them to support moratorium bills.

When calling Senator Taniguchi, feel free to use this script below.
Aloha, my name is ____________________. I'm calling Senator Taniguchi because I want him to support and pass Senate Bill 1085. My family and I want to see Senate Bill 1085 pass out of his committee. Please give Senator Taniguchi this message for me. If he has any questions, he can contact me at _________________.

When calling a Representative, feel free to use this script below.
Aloha, my name is ____________________. I'm calling Representative _____________ because I want to urge him/her to support and pass Moratorium Bills. My family and I want Moratorium Bills to pass out of its committees. Please give Representative __________________ this message for me. If s/he has any questions, s/he can contact me at _________________.

"State court correct in protecting ceded lands"

Two UH law professors wrote a commentary in their individual capacities as attorneys for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Professors Jon Van Dyke and Melody Kapilialoha MacKenzie have a commentary in today's Honolulu Advertiser.

The commentary does a great job of discussing the Hawai'i Supreme Court's decision while also countering statements from the Lingle Administration. The commentary, in part, provides, "The administration has also incorrectly asserted that the Hawai'i Supreme Court found that the state does not have good title to the ceded lands. In fact, the opinion expressly stayed away from that issue and explained that "the issue of Native Hawaiian title to the ceded lands will be addressed through the political process."