Fall 1976

Home   Newsletters Winter 1977

Spring 1977

Project Con-Con LWV Hawaii Education Fund, Inc. LWV Opens a Door Voting Rights GOC Boarding at State Convention Hired by BNA Publications Who Said...? Legislative Log (Muriel Roberts) Legislative Interviews (Jerry Hess)

Project Con-Con The LWV of Hawaii has long been involved in preparation for a Constitutional Convention: first in going to court and lobbying the 1975 Legislature to make sure the choice of having a convention was placed on the ballot last November; then campaigning successfully for a "yes" vote; recommending procedures for running the Con-Con to the present Legislature; and studying some of the issues likely to be discussed (see Facts & Issues - UNICAMERALISM AND OTHER LEGISLATIVE REFORMS). With the recent establishment of the League of Women Voters of Hawaii Education Fund, we were ready to go when four attorneys proposed to the League a project for widespread community participation in the constitutional revision process. A steering committee was formed with Ed Fund members Pat Shutt, Jerry Hess, Laura Goo, and Rhoda Miller, and the attorneys, Paul Alston, Jim Paul, Corey Park, and John Van Dyke. Seed money to begin the project was obtained from the Wallace Alexander Gerbode Foundation. The next step was hiring an executive director for the project, and the committee chose Euclid Lee who is already at work writing the grant proposal. Why a Con Con project ? In the past little effort was made to unearth and critically examine new suggestions for constitutional issues. The Ed Fund project is based on the unquestionable premise that many citizens can make valuable contributions to the revision process and thereby improve Hawaii's Constitution. How do we do it ? In a number of ways. To quote from President Pat Shutt's Letter to the Editor (HONOLULU ADVERTISER, February 2, 1977): "We plan to participate in community group discussions, sponsor meetings, and to reach out through community contacts to those persons that might not attend larger meetings. We also plan to make wide use of the media to give information about and create awareness of the issues involved in the revision of a constitution. All issues that are brought forward will be researched for the legal, social and economic consequences of those proposals, and the results of these findings will be published and presented to the delegates, legislature and the public." The need is there. Con-Con will soon be upon us. Through the Ed Fund project we will all have the opportunity to be well-prepared.

Fall 1976

Top   Home   Newsletters

Spring 1977