RATINGS of HAWAIIacuratings.conservative.org/.../10/Hawaii_2018_web-2.pdf · 2019-06-25 · 25-0. 12. SB 134 Prohibiting Tobacco Use at the University of Hawaii. This bill completely

2018

Letter from the Chairman .......................................................2

ACU & ACUF Board Members ..............................................3

Selecting the Votes .......................................................................3

2018 Winners & Losers ................................................................4

HI Senate Statistics .......................................................................5

HI Senate Vote Descriptions ................................................. 6

HI Senate Scores ............................................................................ 9

HI House Statistics ........................................................................11

HI House Vote Descriptions .................................................12

HI House Scores .............................................................................15

TABLE OF CONTENTS

RATINGS of HAWAIIRATINGS of HAWAII

ACUConservative @ACUFoundation | #ACURatings Conservative.org

2

AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE UNION FOUNDATION’S 2018 Ratings of Hawaii

Dear Fellow Conservative,

The American Conservative Union Foundation is proud to present our ratings of the 2018 meeting of the Hawaii State Legislature. Like our Ratings of Congress, which date back 47 years, our state ratings are meant to reflect how elected officials view the role of government in an individual’s life. We begin with our philosophy i.e., conservatism is the political philosophy that sovereignty resides in the person, and then apply our understanding of government (its essential role is to defend Life, Liberty and Property).

Because our ratings are designed to educate the public about how consistently elected officials adhere to conservatism, we carefully examine the entire docket of legislation introduced in each state every year. We select the most meaningful bills and publish the results after the dust has settled. ACUF state ratings—launched in 2011 with ratings for five states—have become a nationally recognized resource for evaluating over 8,000 elected officials comprising each of America’s 99 state legislative chambers.

Each election cycle, citizens choose leaders whose vision for the state most closely matches their own, hoping that candidates’ promises will be kept. ACUF’s ratings measure whether those promises were fulfilled or forsaken. With nearly a decade of data on state legislators’ voting records and average scores for every legislative chamber, citizens in every state can assess how effectively their lawmakers have applied conservative philosophy to the role of government.

We at ACUF believe, as Ronald Reagan once said, that freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We hope that by providing this unique tool, these ratings will empower Americans to exercise their right to protect our unique American democracy from tyranny.

Sincerely,

Matt Schlapp Chairman American Conservative Union Foundation

LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN

ACUConservative @ACUFoundation | #ACURatings Conservative.org

TO SEE MORE ACU RATINGS, PLEASE VISIT: acuratings.conservative.org

3


SELECTING THE VOTES

ACU researched and selected a range of bills before the Hawaii State Legislature that determine a member’s adherence to conservative principles. We selected bills that focus on Ronald Reagan’s philosophy of the “three-legged stool”: 1) fiscal and economic: taxes, budgets, regulation, spending, healthcare, and property; 2) social and cultural: 2nd amendment, religion, life, welfare, and education; and 3) government integrity: voting, individual liberty, privacy, and transparency. This wide range of issues are designed to give citizens an accurate assessment that conveys which of Hawaii’s elected leaders best defend the principles of a free society: Life, Liberty and Property.

Matt Schlapp Chairman

Charlie Gerow Vice Chairman

Carolyn D. Meadows 2nd Vice Chair

Bob Beauprez Treasurer

Ron Christie Secretary

Ed Yevoli At-Large

Dan Schneider Executive Director

ACUExecutive Committee

Jackie Arends

Larry Beasley

Kimberly Bellissimo

Morton C. Blackwell

Jamie Burke

José Cárdenas

Muriel Coleman

Sean Fieler

Alan M. Gottlieb

Van D. Hipp, Jr.

Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser

Ed McFadden

Priscilla O’Shaughnessy

Ron Robinson

Mike Rose

Peter Samuelson

Sabrina Schaeffer

Terry Schilling

Matt Smith

Chris Turner

Bill Walton

Thomas Winter

Board Members

ACUFExecutive CommitteeMatt Schlapp Chairman

Millie Hallow Vice Chair

Van D. Hipp, Jr. Treasurer

Kimberly Bellissimo Secretary

Dan Schneider Executive Director

Board Members

José Cárdenas

Gordon Chang

Jonathan Garthwaite

Charlie Gerow

Niger Innis

Adam Laxalt

Willes K. Lee

Mary Matalin

Carolyn D. Meadows

Randy Neugebauer

Thomas Winter

The ACUF Legislative Ratings Team

Fred McGrath, Director

Luke Schneider, Public Affairs & Policy Analyst

Francis Finnegan, Data Manager

Larry Hart, Senior Policy Fellow

Abby Draiss, Policy Fellow

Joseph Johns, Policy Fellow

Jonathan Moy, Policy Fellow

4


SENATE

Chang

Dela Cruz

Espero

Galuteria

Green

Harimoto

Inouye

Kahele

Keith-Agaran

Kidani

SENATE

Kim

Kouchi

Nishihara

Rhoads

Ruderman

Shimabukuro

Taniguchi

Thielen

Tokuda

10% COALITION OF THE RADICAL LEFT

HOUSE

Mckelvey

Yamane

≤

2018 WINNERS & LOSERS

SENATE

n/a

90-100% AWARD FOR CONSERVATIVE EXCELLENCE

HOUSE

n/a

SENATE

n/a

HOUSE

n/a

80-89% AWARD FOR CONSERVATIVE ACHIEVEMENT

5


HAWAII SENATE STATISTICS

7%OVERALL AVERAGE

LOWEST REPUBLICAN

n/aREPUBLICAN AVERAGE

7%DEMOCRAT AVERAGE

RIVIERE21%

HIGHEST DEMOCRAT

HAWAII SENATE CONSERVATIVE RATINGS

RED = REPUBLICANS BLUE = DEMOCRATS

# OF STATE

SENATORS

20

18

16

14

12

10

8

6

4

2

090-100%

2018 ACUF PERCENTAGE

0-9% 10-19% 30-39% 40-49% 50-59% 60-69% 70-79% 80-89%20-29%

n/a

6


1. SB 2100 Implementing Tax Credits for “Renewable Energy Products.” This bill expands government interference in the energy marketplace by providing income tax credits for the purchase of “renewable energy products,” including energy storage systems that store wind and solar energy. ACU supports all sources of energy, believes government should not favor one source of energy over another and opposed this bill. The Senate advanced the bill on March 6, 2018 by a vote of 25-0.

2. SB 2498 Banning Styrofoam Food Containers. This bill prohibits the sale of any food container whose contents include Polystyrene, a common component of Styrofoam products. ACU opposes government efforts to limit individuals’ choices in how they carry their meals and unreasonable bans that drive up business costs and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on March 6, 2018 by a vote of 25-0.

3. SB 2585 Reducing Job Opportunities and Increasing Education Costs by Unionizing Graduate Student Assistants. This bill expands the dues base for union bosses and drives up the cost of higher education by unionizing graduate students at the University of Hawaii. ACU supports efforts to limit the cost of publicly funded schools and opposes efforts to artificially raise wages for teachers’ assistants, which ultimately reduce employment opportunities for students, and opposed this bill. The Senate advanced the bill on March 6, 2018 by a vote of 23-2.

4. SB 2290 Obstructing Enforcement of Federal Immigration Law by Making Hawaii a Sanctuary State. This bill obstructs the enforcement of federal immigration law by making Hawaii a “sanctuary state.” Specifically, the bill prevents law enforcement from complying with federal authorities when it comes to enforcement of federal immigration law, including detainment of those in the country illegally arrested on separate criminal charges. ACU supports assisting the federal government in performing its constitutional role to enforce our nation’s immigration laws and opposed this bill. The Senate advanced the bill on March 6, 2018 by a vote of 23-2.

5. HB 2739 Exonerating from Criminal Penalties Physicians who Assist in a Patient’s Death. This bill exonerates physicians from criminal penalties if they participate in killing a person by prescribing lethal drugs. While this bill purports to be limited to adult patients who have been diagnosed with terminal conditions, it substantively fails to address the problem of people being coerced into asking doctors to terminate their lives. ACU Foundation’s Center for Human Dignity engages heavily on this issue and others that threaten to undermine the inherent dignity and value of every human life. ACU opposes efforts to reverse the physicians’ Hippocratic Oath (i.e., “First do no harm … Neither will I administer a poison to anybody when asked to do so, nor will I suggest such a course”) and creates a class of citizens no longer protected from coercion from medical professionals, insurance companies and heirs and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on March 29, 2018 by a vote of 23-2.

6. HB 2411 Expanding Competition by Reducing Alcohol Regulations. This bill allows direct shipment of all alcoholic beverages, including liquor and beer, as opposed to only wine as previous law restricted. Additionally, the bill increases the amount of beer craft breweries are allowed to produce. ACU believes in reducing consumer costs through a freer market for alcohol and supported this bill as a step in the right direction. The Senate passed the bill on April 10, 2018 by a vote of 24-0.

7. HB 1971 Expanding Cronyism by Providing Taxpayer Financing to a Select Company. This bill authorizes up to $50 million in special purpose revenue bonds to finance the business operations of the Kunoa Cattle Company. Additionally, the Kunoa Cattle Company is instructed to spend funds to develop “agritourism services” and expand their “renewable” energy assets. ACU believes government should not deprive taxpayers of their hard-earned money to finance the operations of select companies and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on April 10, 2018 by a vote of 24-0.

8. HB 1727 Reducing Employment Opportunities by Mandating Paid Sick Leave. This bill mandates paid sick leave for any employee who works in the state. Under the bill, sick leave accrues at one hour for every 40 hours worked. ACU believes employees should have the ability to negotiate their own benefits and opposes employer mandates that drive up business costs and reduce employment opportunities and opposed this bill. The Senate advanced the bill on April 10, 2018 by a vote of 24-0.

HAWAII SENATE VOTE DESCRIPTIONS

7


9. SB 2922 Imposing Additional Taxes on Investment in Residential Real Estate. This bill further drives up housing costs by proposing to eliminate the state’s constitutional protection granting taxing authority on investment real estate exclusively to localities. The bill, written and lobbied by teachers union bosses, allows the state to impose a tax on investment real estate properties valued over $1 million. ACU opposes driving up housing costs and decreasing investment to satisfy greedy union bosses and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on April 23, 2018 by a vote of 23-1.

10. SB 2340 Preserving Obamacare if Repealed at the Federal Level. This bill drives up the cost of health insurance by requiring insurance companies to comply with Obamacare mandates regardless of potential reforms or replacements made at the federal level. Under the bill, the extended mandates under Obamacare include preventing insurers from determining premiums based on health risks of patients and forcing the coverage of young adults on their parents’ health plans. ACU has long opposed Obamacare and its costly mandates that have led to massive increases in insurance premiums and deductibles and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on May 1, 2018 by a vote of 25-0.

11. SB 2351 Prohibiting Employers from Inquiring about Salary History. This bill prohibits employers from inquiring about prospective employees’ salary history. Additionally, the bill allows employees to violate contract agreements that limit discussions of salaries between employees. ACU opposes government interference in the hiring process and believes salary history is a legitimate line of inquiry, especially considering it is required by the federal government, the nation’s largest employer, and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on May 1, 2018 by a vote of 25-0.

12. SB 134 Prohibiting Tobacco Use at the University of Hawaii. This bill completely prohibits the use of any tobacco or e-cigarette products on the University of Hawaii campus. ACU opposes this overly broad ban and believes both tobacco and e-cigarettes are a personal liberty issue and government regulations on products are only appropriate when their use substantially affects others and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on May 1, 2018 by a vote of 25-0.

13. HB 2651 Advancing “5G” Technology through a Regulatory Framework. This bill is designed to foster the installation of “5G” broadband technology. Specifically, the bill establishes a regulatory framework that permits the installation of infrastructure while accounting for the concerns of municipalities. ACU supports the ability of private enterprise to provide the next generation of wireless technology and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on May 1, 2018 by a vote of 22-3.

14. HB 1895 Advancing the State’s War on Tobacco. This bill expands the state’s efforts to suppress the tobacco market by infringing on individual liberties and imposing additional regulations. Specifically, the bill expands on the prohibition against the sale of tobacco products to those under age 21 by criminalizing the mere possession of those products in either traditional or e-cigarette form. Additionally, the bill requires shops that sell vapor products to pay a $500 registration fee and limit the visibility of their product displays, among other provisions. ACU believes the use of tobacco and e-cigarettes is a personal liberty issue and those who are old enough to serve our country are old enough to decide for themselves whether to use tobacco products and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on May 1, 2018 by a vote of 25-0.

15. SB 3077 Expanding the “Renewable Fuels” Tax Credit. This bill increases government interference in the marketplace by expanding the size of the state’s renewable fuels production tax credit program. Under the bill, eligibility for the tax credits is expanded by reducing the amount of renewable fuel that must be produced in order to receive the credit. Additionally, the bill expands the credit for users of other biofuels, including wood products. The bill also creates the position of “renewable fuels facilitator” to help run the program. ACU opposes this program that shifts tax burdens to other taxpayers, supports all sources of energy, believes government should not favor one source of energy over another and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on May 1, 2018 by a vote of 25-0.

16. SB 2436 Weakening Second Amendment Rights and Due Process. This bill weakens Second Amendment rights by requiring people to turn over any firearms within seven days (reduced from 30 days) merely based on ex-parte allegations being leveled against them. ACU supports the founders’ belief in the Second Amendment and opposes the seizure of property, including firearms, without due process and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on May 1, 2018 by a vote of 25-0.

8


17. HB 1520 Preserving Obamacare by Restricting Low-Cost Health Plans. This bill is another attempt to preserve Obamacare by preventing individuals from renewing a Short-Term Limited Duration Health Plans (STLDHPs) if they are eligible to purchase health insurance through the state’s Obamacare exchange. These plans are typically much cheaper than traditional policies as they are not regulated under the Affordable Care Act and are not required to contain coverage for pre-existing conditions or “essential health benefits.” The bill is in response to actions taken by the Trump Administration to make health care more affordable by expanding the duration of STLDHPs that health insurers can offer to 364 days and allowing renewals up to three years. ACU supports lowering health care costs by providing consumers the freedom to purchase the insurance plan that best suits their needs and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on May 1, 2018 by a vote of 25-0.

18. SB 2490 Interfering in Motor Vehicle Franchise Agreements. This bill triggers state involvement in private negotiations between automobile dealers and manufacturers in order to benefit dealers. Specifically, the bill dictates the terms of the dealership construction and renovation contracts and the way in which dealership performance standards are measured within franchise agreements. ACU believes manufacturers and dealers should be free to negotiate their own private contracts and opposes this government interference in the marketplace which results in higher consumer prices and worse car-buying experiences and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on May 1, 2018 by a vote of 25-0.

19. HB 2106 Violating Private Property Rights to Advance a Politicized Global Warming Agenda. This bill interferes with the right of citizens to develop private property by requiring all environmental assessments and impact statements issued by the state to include consideration of “sea level rise.” The bill is designed to ban all development along Hawaii’s coastline, yet preserve the state’s ability to grant development waivers to government-favored designs and builders. ACU Foundation’s Center for 21st Century Property Rights is a leading voice on this issue and works to ensure the rights of all property owners are protected from government overreach. ACU opposes this violation of private property rights for the sake of advancing a politicized global warming agenda and believes property owners should have the right to weigh the risk of developing their property and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on May 1, 2018 by a vote of 25-0.

9


HAWAII SENATE VOTE DETAIL

Party Dist.

SB 210

0

SB 2498

SB 2585

SB 2290

HB

2739

HB

2411

HB

1971

HB

1727

SB 2922

SB 2340

SB 2351

SB 134

HB

2651

HB

1895

SB 30

77

SB 2436

HB

1520

SB 2490

HB

2106 ACU

VotesVotes Cast

2018 %

2017 %

LIFETIME AVG

Baker D 6 - - - - - + - - - - - - + - - - - - - 2 19 11% 23% 15%

Chang D 9 - - - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 19 5% 18% 12%

Dela Cruz D 22 - - - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 19 5% 23% 15%

English D 7 - - - - - + - - - - - - + - - - - - - 2 19 11% 26% 16%

Espero D 19 - - - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 19 5% 19% 14%

Gabbard D 20 - - - + + + - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3 19 16% 32% 24%

Galuteria D 12 - - - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 19 5% 23% 14%

Green D 3 - - - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 19 5% 32% 17%

Harimoto D 16 - - - - + X E E E - - - - - - - - - - 1 15 7% 32% 19%

Ihara D 10 - - - - - + - - - - - - + - - - - - - 2 19 11% 23% 17%

Inouye D 4 - - - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 19 5% 27% 17%

Kahele D 1 - - - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 19 5% 27% 19%

Keith-Agaran D 5 - - - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 19 5% 23% 14%

Kidani D 18 - - - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 19 5% 23% 14%

Kim D 14 - - - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 19 5% 27% 17%

Kouchi D 8 - - - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 19 5% 23% 14%

Nishihara D 17 - - - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 19 5% 23% 14%

Rhoads D 13 - - - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 19 5% 18% 14%

Riviere D 23 - - + + - + - - + - - - - - - - - - - 4 19 21% 36% 28%

Ruderman D 2 - - - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 19 5% 27% 18%

Shimabukuro D 21 - - - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 19 5% 23% 14%

Taniguchi D 11 - - - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 19 5% 23% 13%

Thielen D 25 - - - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 19 5% 27% 22%

HAWAII SENATE SCORES

10


HAWAII SENATE VOTE DETAIL

Party Dist.

SB 210

0

SB 2498

SB 2585

SB 2290

HB

2739

HB

2411

HB

1971

HB

1727

SB 2922

SB 2340

SB 2351

SB 134

HB

2651

HB

1895

SB 30

77

SB 2436

HB

1520

SB 2490

HB

2106 ACU

VotesVotes Cast

2018 %

2017 %

LIFETIME AVG

Tokuda D 24 - - - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 19 5% 23% 14%

Wakai D 15 - - + - - + - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2 19 11% 24% 17%

“+” Member voted with ACU’s position“-” Member voted against ACU’s position“X” Member was absent for vote“E” Member was excused for vote

† Legislator did not vote on enough of the selected bills and as a result the 2018 percentage was not rated. 2/3rds of the selected bills must be voted on to receive a score.

11


HAWAII HOUSE STATISTICS

14%OVERALL AVERAGE

MATSUMOTOTHIELEN12%

LOWEST REPUBLICANS

19%REPUBLICAN AVERAGE

14%DEMOCRAT AVERAGE

HAR29%

HIGHEST DEMOCRAT

HAWAII HOUSE CONSERVATIVE RATINGS

RED = REPUBLICANS BLUE = DEMOCRATS

# OF STATE REPS

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

090-100%

2018 ACUF PERCENTAGE

0-9% 10-19% 30-39% 40-49% 50-59% 60-69% 70-79% 80-89%20-29%

12


1. HB 2411 Expanding Competition by Reducing Alcohol Regulations. This bill allows direct shipment of all alcoholic beverages, including liquor and beer, as opposed to only wine as previous law restricted. Additionally, the bill increases the amount of beer craft breweries are allowed to produce. ACU believes in reducing consumer costs through a freer market for alcohol and supported this bill as a step in the right direction. The House passed the bill on March 1, 2018 by a vote of 49-0.

2. HB 1727 Reducing Employment Opportunities by Mandating Paid Sick Leave. This bill mandates paid sick leave for any employee who works in the state. Under the bill, sick leave accrues at one hour for every 40 hours worked. ACU believes employees should have the ability to negotiate their own benefits and opposes employer mandates that drive up business costs and reduce employment opportunities and opposed this bill. The House advanced the bill on March 2, 2018 by a vote of 42-4.

3. HB 2739 Exonerating from Criminal Penalties Physicians who Assist in a Patient’s Death. This bill exonerates physicians from criminal penalties if they participate in killing a person by prescribing lethal drugs. While this bill purports to be limited to adult patients who have been diagnosed with terminal conditions, it substantively fails to address the problem of people being coerced into asking doctors to terminate their lives. ACU Foundation’s Center for Human Dignity engages heavily on this issue and others that threaten to undermine the inherent dignity and value of every human life. ACU opposes efforts to reverse the physicians’ Hippocratic Oath (i.e., “First do no harm … Neither will I administer a poison to anybody when asked to do so, nor will I suggest such a course”) and creates a class of citizens no longer protected from coercion from medical professionals, insurance companies and heirs and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on March 6, 2018 by a vote of 39-12.

4. SB 2585 Reducing Job Opportunities and Increasing Education Costs by Unionizing Graduate Student Assistants. This bill expands the dues base for union bosses and drives up the cost of higher education by unionizing graduate students at the University of Hawaii. ACU supports efforts to limit the cost of publicly funded schools and opposes efforts to artificially raise wages for teachers’ assistants, which ultimately reduce employment opportunities for students, and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on April 6, 2018 by a vote of 50-0.

5. SB 2922 Imposing Additional Taxes on Investment in Residential Real Estate. This bill further drives up housing costs by proposing to eliminate the state’s constitutional protection granting taxing authority on investment real estate exclusively to localities. The bill, written and lobbied by teachers union bosses, allows the state to impose a tax on investment real estate properties valued over $1 million. ACU opposes driving up housing costs and decreasing investment to satisfy greedy union bosses and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on April 10, 2018 by a vote of 51-0.

6. SB 2100 Implementing Tax Credits for “Renewable Energy Products.” This bill expands government interference in the energy marketplace by providing income tax credits for the purchase of “renewable energy products,” including energy storage systems that store wind and solar energy. ACU supports all sources of energy, believes government should not favor one source of energy over another and opposed this bill. The House advanced the bill on April 10, 2018 by a vote of 51-0.

7. HB 1971 Expanding Cronyism by Providing Taxpayer Financing to a Select Company. This bill authorizes up to $50 million in special purpose revenue bonds to finance the business operations of the Kunoa Cattle Company. Additionally, the Kunoa Cattle Company is instructed to spend funds to develop “agritourism services” and expand their “renewable” energy assets. ACU believes government should not deprive taxpayers of their hard-earned money to finance the operations of select companies and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on April 26, 2018 by a vote of 49-0.

8. SB 2340 Preserving Obamacare if Repealed at the Federal Level. This bill drives up the cost of health insurance by requiring insurance companies to comply with Obamacare mandates regardless of potential reforms or replacements made at the federal level. Under the bill, the extended mandates under Obamacare include preventing insurers from determining premiums based on health risks of patients and forcing the coverage of young adults on their parents’ health plans. ACU has long opposed Obamacare and its costly mandates that have led to massive increases in insurance premiums and deductibles and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on May 1, 2018 by a vote of 51-0.

HAWAII HOUSE VOTE DESCRIPTIONS

13


9. SB 2351 Prohibiting Employers from Inquiring about Salary History. This bill prohibits employers from inquiring about prospective employees’ salary history. Additionally, the bill allows employees to violate contract agreements that limit discussions of salaries between employees. ACU opposes government interference in the hiring process and believes salary history is a legitimate line of inquiry, especially considering it is required by the federal government, the nation’s largest employer, and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on May 1, 2018 by a vote of 51-0.

10. SB 134 Prohibiting Tobacco Use at the University of Hawaii. This bill completely prohibits the use of any tobacco or e-cigarette products on the University of Hawaii campus. ACU opposes this overly broad ban and believes both tobacco and e-cigarettes are a personal liberty issue and government regulations on products are only appropriate when their use substantially affects others and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on May 1, 2018 by a vote of 50-1.

11. HB 2651 Advancing “5G” Technology through a Regulatory Framework. This bill is designed to foster the installation of “5G” broadband technology. Specifically, the bill establishes a regulatory framework that permits the installation of infrastructure while accounting for the concerns of municipalities. ACU supports the ability of private enterprise to provide the next generation of wireless technology and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on May 1, 2018 by a vote of 50-0.

12. HB 1895 Advancing the State’s War on Tobacco. This bill expands the state’s efforts to suppress the tobacco market by infringing on individual liberties and imposing additional regulations. Specifically, the bill expands on the prohibition against the sale of tobacco products to those under age 21 by criminalizing the mere possession of those products in either traditional or e-cigarette form. Additionally, the bill requires shops that sell vapor products to pay a $500 registration fee and limit the visibility of their product displays, among other provisions. ACU believes the use of tobacco and e-cigarettes is a personal liberty issue and those who are old enough to serve our country are old enough to decide for themselves whether to use tobacco products and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on May 1, 2018 by a vote of 49-1.

13. SB 3077 Expanding the “Renewable Fuels” Tax Credit. This bill increases government interference in the marketplace by expanding the size of the state’s renewable fuels production tax credit program. Under the bill, eligibility for the tax credits is expanded by reducing the amount of renewable fuel that must be produced in order to receive the credit. Additionally, the bill expands the credit for users of other biofuels, including wood products. The bill also creates the position of “renewable fuels facilitator” to help run the program. ACU opposes this program that shifts tax burdens to other taxpayers, supports all sources of energy, believes government should not favor one source of energy over another and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on May 1, 2018 by a vote of 50-0.

14. SB 2436 Weakening Second Amendment Rights and Due Process. This bill weakens Second Amendment rights by requiring people to turn over any firearms within seven days (reduced from 30 days) merely based on ex-parte allegations being leveled against them. ACU supports the founders’ belief in the Second Amendment and opposes the seizure of property, including firearms, without due process and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on May 1, 2018 by a vote of 48-3.

15. HB 1520 Preserving Obamacare by Restricting Low-Cost Health Plans. This bill is another attempt to preserve Obamacare by preventing individuals from renewing a Short-Term Limited Duration Health Plans (STLDHPs) if they are eligible to purchase health insurance through the state’s Obamacare exchange. These plans are typically much cheaper than traditional policies as they are not regulated under the Affordable Care Act and are not required to contain coverage for pre-existing conditions or “essential health benefits.” The bill is in response to actions taken by the Trump Administration to make health care more affordable by expanding the duration of STLDHPs that health insurers can offer to 364 days and allowing renewals up to three years. ACU supports lowering health care costs by providing consumers the freedom to purchase the insurance plan that best suits their needs and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on May 1, 2018 by a vote of 51-0.

14


16. SB 2490 Interfering in Motor Vehicle Franchise Agreements. This bill triggers state involvement in private negotiations between automobile dealers and manufacturers in order to benefit dealers. Specifically, the bill dictates the terms of the dealership construction and renovation contracts and the way in which dealership performance standards are measured within franchise agreements. ACU believes manufacturers and dealers should be free to negotiate their own private contracts and opposes this government interference in the marketplace which results in higher consumer prices and worse car-buying experiences and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on May 1, 2018 by a vote of 51-0.

17. HB 2106 Violating Private Property Rights to Advance a Politicized Global Warming Agenda. This bill interferes with the right of citizens to develop private property by requiring all environmental assessments and impact statements issued by the state to include consideration of “sea level rise.” The bill is designed to ban all development along Hawaii’s coastline, yet preserve the state’s ability to grant development waivers to government-favored designs and builders. ACU Foundation’s Center for 21st Century Property Rights is a leading voice on this issue and works to ensure the rights of all property owners are protected from government overreach. ACU opposes this violation of private property rights for the sake of advancing a politicized global warming agenda and believes property owners should have the right to weigh the risk of developing their property and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on May 1, 2018 by a vote of 50-1.

15


HAWAII HOUSE VOTE DETAIL

Party Dist.

HB

2411

HB

1727

HB

2739

SB 2585

SB 2922

SB 210

0

SB 1971

SB 2340

SB 2351

SB 134

HB

2651

HB

1895

SB 30

77

SB 2436

HB

1520

SB 2490

HB

2106 ACU

VotesVotes Cast

2018 %

2017 %

LIFETIME AVG

Aquino D 38 + - + - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 3 17 18% 18% 20%

Belatti D 24 + - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 2 17 12% 20% 15%

Brower D 22 + - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 2 17 12% 25% 18%

Cachola D 30 + E + - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 3 16 19% 30% 19%

Choy D 23 + - + - - - - - - - + - - + - - - 4 17 24% 26% 30%

Creagan D 5 + - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 2 17 12% 25% 17%

Cullen D 39 + - + - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 3 17 18% 25% 21%

Decoite D 13 + - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 2 17 12% 17% 18%

Evans D 7 + - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 2 17 12% 25% 16%

Fukumoto D 36 + - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 2 17 12% 20% 16%

Gates D 44 + - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 2 17 12% 20% 16%

Har D 42 + - + - - - - - - - + - - + - - + 5 17 29% 24% 29%

Hashem D 18 + - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 2 17 12% 21% 15%

Hashimoto D 8 + - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 2 17 12% n/a 12%

Holt D 29 + - - E - - - - - - + - E - - - - 2 15 13% 20% 17%

Ichiyama D 32 + - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 2 17 12% n/a 16%

Ing D 11 + E - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 2 16 13% 20% 15%

Ito D 49 + - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 2 17 12% 20% 14%

Johanson D 31 + - + - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 3 17 18% 20% 18%

Keohokalole D 48 + - - - - - E - - - + - - - - - - 2 16 13% 20% 16%

Kobayashi D 19 + - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 2 17 12% 20% 17%

Kong D 33 + + + - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 4 17 24% 40% 36%

Learmont D 46 + - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 2 17 12% n/a 12%

HAWAII HOUSE SCORES

16



Party Dist.

HB

2411

HB

1727

HB

2739

SB 2585

SB 2922

SB 210

0

SB 1971

SB 2340

SB 2351

SB 134

HB

2651

HB

1895

SB 30

77

SB 2436

HB

1520

SB 2490

HB

2106 ACU

VotesVotes Cast

2018 %

2017 %

LIFETIME AVG

Lee D 51 + - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 2 17 12% 17% 16%

Lopresti D 41 + - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 2 17 12% 20% 16%

Lowen D 6 + - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 2 17 12% 25% 16%

Luke D 25 + - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 2 17 12% 20% 15%

MATSUMOTO R 45 + - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 2 17 12% 26% 19%

McDERMOTT R 40 + - + - - - E - - + + + - - - - - 5 16 31% 22% 41%

Mckelvey D 10 E - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 1 16 6% 26% 19%

Mizuno D 28 + - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 2 17 12% 20% 15%

Morikawa D 16 + - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 2 17 12% 20% 14%

Nakamura D 14 + - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 2 17 12% 20% 16%

Nakashima D 1 + - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 2 17 12% 20% 15%

Nishimoto D 21 + - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 2 17 12% 21% 17%

Ohno D 27 + - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 2 17 12% 21% 20%

Onishi D 3 + - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 2 17 12% 15% 12%

Quinlan D 47 + - + - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 3 17 18% 25% 21%

Saiki D 26 + - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 2 17 12% 22% 15%

San Buenaventura D 4 + E - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 2 16 13% 20% 18%

Say D 20 + E - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 2 16 13% 32% 23%

Takayama D 34 + - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 2 17 12% 20% 15%

Takumi D 35 + + - - - - - - - - E E - - - - - 2 15 13% 20% 15%

THIELEN R 50 + - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 2 17 12% 28% 23%

Todd D 2 + - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 2 17 12% 25% 18%

Tokioka D 15 + + - - - - - - - - + - - + - - - 4 17 24% 30% 29%

TUPOLA R 43 + - + - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 3 17 18% 30% 32%

WARD R 17 + + + - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 4 17 24% 40% 33%

Woodson D 9 + - + - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 3 17 18% 20% 15%

17



Party Dist.

HB

2411

HB

1727

HB

2739

SB 2585

SB 2922

SB 210

0

SB 1971

SB 2340

SB 2351

SB 134

HB

2651

HB

1895

SB 30

77

SB 2436

HB

1520

SB 2490

HB

2106 ACU

VotesVotes Cast

2018 %

2017 %

LIFETIME AVG

Yamane D 37 E E - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 1 15 7% 20% 18%

Yamashita D 12 + - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - 2 17 12% 20% 15%

“+” Member voted with ACU’s position“-” Member voted against ACU’s position“X” Member was absent for vote“E” Member was excused for vote

† Legislator did not vote on enough of the selected bills and as a result the 2018 percentage was not rated. 2/3rds of the selected bills must be voted on to receive a score.

Documents

RATINGS of HAWAIIacuratings.conservative.org/.../10/Hawaii_2018_web-2.pdf · 2019-06-25 · 25-0. 12. SB 134 Prohibiting Tobacco Use at the University of Hawaii. This bill completely