Summer 1977

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Winter 1978

Many Sides of Action: Any Member Can Be a Lobbyist Money and the Lack of It Ka Po'e - The People Are the Source of the Law ERA Update Hawaii Legislative Reform Consensus Join the d.a.r. State League... 1978 Legislative Package Study: Primary Process Thank God, It's NMP (Sue Francis) When We Look at the Problems of Our Cities (Ruth Clusen)

Legislative Reform Consensus The League of Women Voters of Hawaii believes that changes in our present legislative structure are necessary to insure more responsiveness, openness, and efficiency in government. We favor a part-time legislature, meeting in a split session to permit a recess after bills are introduced so that legislators and constituents may have time to consider and study the proposed legislation. We support procedures which would eliminate duplication of bills and limit the number of bills introduced in a session. We further support a limit on terms in order to preserve the concept of a citizen legislature. Citizens should have the power of direct legislation to effect laws which govern them. Toward this end, we support the direct initiative to propose statute law. We support retaining compulsory referendum for constitutional amendment and favor the petition referendum to allow citizens to affirm or overturn laws passed by the legislature. Laws governing use of the initiative and referendum should be made difficult enough so as to discourage frivolous use but not so restrictive as to be too formidable. There should be adequate constitutional safeguards protecting the enabling mechanism. We further believe that the governor's power of veto should not extend to laws passed by initiative or referendum and that it should be difficult for the legislature to overturn or amend a measure passed by direct legislation.

Summer 1977

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Winter 1978