“Suzanne Gelb Image”

”Rudeness in Front of the Children — What Can I Do?”

Q: Dear Dr. Gelb:

I am feeling quite angry right now. Last night our family was to go to a dinner party after church. Because of a busy afternoon we had 2 cars and I, with one daughter, was to follow my husband, driving with 2nd daughter, to the dinner because he knew where to go and I did not. In the space of maybe 4 miles he managed to zip through a yellow light, leaving me at the red light and then turn Right at a red light even though the sign said “No Right Turn on Red,” again leaving me behind. The first time he pulled over and waited for me, the second time I had to call his cell phone to find out where he was.

This type of behavior is typical and I am working at accepting the limitations of this relationship. Sometimes, however, the rudeness, especially in front of our children, makes me quite angry. I don’t think there is anything I can do … is there?

Stranded

A: Dr. Gelb says:

Dear Stranded:

It is always interesting to me when people expect someone to change their behavior, even though experience tells them that this is unlikely to occur. This is not unlike the situation you describe. One explanation for this could be that when someone is aware of the limitations of another’s behavior (in your case it sounds like it was almost predictable that your husband would behave irresponsibly and not wait for you) and the person with the awareness does not change their attitude toward this behavior (i.e., anticipate it and work around it), what tends to occur is an unpleasant experience (such as the one you describe) that tends to feed a martyr image. This is a subtle concept. Specifically, this behavior offers one an opportunity to continue to see the other person in a negative light and then to martyr (suffer) over it. Why martyr? For some, this offers a sense of solace when they get sympathy from others for how bad things are, or even just feeling sorry for oneself tends to offer some people a temporary sense of consolation.

Those who have freed themselves of this type of “poor me” approach have considered a positive resolve — not for the other person necessarily, but for themselves. If I were in your situation I believe I would opt for not in the future agreeing to follow the irresponsible individual in a car. I would buy myself an inexpensive map, know where I am going, and let go of this false dependency that I have on the irresponsible person.

”Inappropriately Curious — How Can I Fix This?”

Q: Dear Dr. Gelb:

I’m a 41-year-old male and I am happily married. My wife and I have a good sex life. We don’t quarrel, we don’t fight, and I couldn’t be happier with my family. However I feel so ashamed because when I’m in a public place or restaurant and my eyes catch female legs under a table, and I must be honest that when they spread their legs, especially with a dress on, and I hope it is ok to write the next part, but I need to say that I get curious and gaze at their crotch. I’m afraid I’ll get caught sneaking a peek.

Dear Sneaking A Peek:

I suspect that you are probably not the only person who experiences what you describe. For many people this type of behavior is simply a natural curiosity. For others it can be a morbid curiosity (e.g., a type of curiosity that was not fulfilled during the early years), depending on the conditioning they experienced during childhood about sexuality. Where guilt and shame are experienced, the curiosity is more likely to be of the morbid type. Here, a few sessions with a competent sex therapist could possibly free one of these inhibitors.

”’Suzanne J. Gelb, Ph.D., J.D. authors this daily column, Dr. Gelb Says, which answers questions about daily living and behavior issues. Dr. Gelb is a licensed psychologist in private practice in Honolulu. She holds a Ph.D. in Psychology and a Ph.D. in Human Services. Dr. Gelb is also a published author of a book on Overcoming Addictions and a book on Relationships.”’

”’This column is intended for entertainment use only and is not intended for the purpose of psychological diagnosis, treatment or personalized advice. For more about the column’s purpose, see”’ “An Online Intro to Dr. Gelb Says”

”’Email your questions to mailto:DrGelbSays@hawaiireporter.com More information on Dr. Gelb’s services and related resources available at”’ https://www.DrGelbSays.com

Suzanne Gelb Image ‘Rudeness in Front of the Children — What Can I Do?’ Q: Dear Dr. Gelb: I am feeling quite angry right now. Last night our family was to go to a dinner party after church. Because of a busy afternoon we had 2 cars and I, with one daughter, was to follow my husband, driving with 2nd daughter, to the dinner because he knew where to go and I did not. In the space of maybe 4 miles he managed to zip through a yellow light, leaving me at the red light and then turn Right at a red light even though the sign said “No Right Turn on Red,” again leaving me behind. The first time he pulled over and waited for me, the second time I had to call his cell phone to find out where he was. This type of behavior is typical and I am working at accepting the limitations of this relationship. Sometimes, however, the rudeness, especially in front of our children, makes me quite angry. I don’t think there is anything I can do … is there? Stranded A: Dr. Gelb says: Dear Stranded: It is always interesting to me when people expect someone to change their behavior, even though experience tells them that this is unlikely to occur. This is not unlike the situation you describe. One explanation for this could be that when someone is aware of the limitations of another’s behavior (in your case it sounds like it was almost predictable that your husband would behave irresponsibly and not wait for you) and the person with the awareness does not change their attitude toward this behavior (i.e., anticipate it and work around it), what tends to occur is an unpleasant experience (such as the one you describe) that tends to feed a martyr image. This is a subtle concept. Specifically, this behavior offers one an opportunity to continue to see the other person in a negative light and then to martyr (suffer) over it. Why martyr? For some, this offers a sense of solace when they get sympathy from others for how bad things are, or even just feeling sorry for oneself tends to offer some people a temporary sense of consolation. Those who have freed themselves of this type of “poor me” approach have considered a positive resolve — not for the other person necessarily, but for themselves. If I were in your situation I believe I would opt for not in the future agreeing to follow the irresponsible individual in a car. I would buy myself an inexpensive map, know where I am going, and let go of this false dependency that I have on the irresponsible person. ‘Inappropriately Curious — How Can I Fix This?’ Q: Dear Dr. Gelb: I’m a 41-year-old male and I am happily married. My wife and I have a good sex life. We don’t quarrel, we don’t fight, and I couldn’t be happier with my family. However I feel so ashamed because when I’m in a public place or restaurant and my eyes catch female legs under a table, and I must be honest that when they spread their legs, especially with a dress on, and I hope it is ok to write the next part, but I need to say that I get curious and gaze at their crotch. I’m afraid I’ll get caught sneaking a peek. Dear Sneaking A Peek: I suspect that you are probably not the only person who experiences what you describe. For many people this type of behavior is simply a natural curiosity. For others it can be a morbid curiosity (e.g., a type of curiosity that was not fulfilled during the early years), depending on the conditioning they experienced during childhood about sexuality. Where guilt and shame are experienced, the curiosity is more likely to be of the morbid type. Here, a few sessions with a competent sex therapist could possibly free one of these inhibitors. ”Suzanne J. Gelb, Ph.D., J.D. authors this daily column, Dr. Gelb Says, which answers questions about daily living and behavior issues. Dr. Gelb is a licensed psychologist in private practice in Honolulu. She holds a Ph.D. in Psychology and a Ph.D. in Human Services. Dr. Gelb is also a published author of a book on Overcoming Addictions and a book on Relationships.” ”This column is intended for entertainment use only and is not intended for the purpose of psychological diagnosis, treatment or personalized advice. For more about the column’s purpose, see” “An Online Intro to Dr. Gelb Says” ”Email your questions to mailto:DrGelbSays@hawaiireporter.com More information on Dr. Gelb’s services and related resources available at” https://www.DrGelbSays.com

“Malia headshot Image”

”Opening Day Brings Colorful Characters, Food, Festivities, Empty Promises of Bi-Partisanship”

Opening Day at the state Legislature is one of the most fun and least significant days of the 60-day session, which wraps up in early May. There are opening day speeches by the majority and minority leaders from the Democrat and Republican caucuses respectively, typically filled with empty rhetoric and promises of bi-partisanship.

The saving grace is the occasional interesting proposals that pop out during these speeches, although that is rare.

Also making the whole event more interesting are the strange and unusual characters who annually make an appearance, such as the “Emperor of China,” the “King of Hawaii,” the “Condom Lady,” and the “Beehive Lady,” just to name a few. And then there is the “real” governor of Hawaii, who shows in overalls and suspenders and his two children and makes the rounds for his once-a-year filling of his larder in all of the different office offering food. It is a banner day for florists, with hundreds of flower arrangements flowing into the capitol, although there are fewer flowers this year than most.

Following the formalities, there is entertainment in the Senate and House chambers. And then hordes of lobbyists, union workers, small business people, media and hungry visitors go from office to office, tasting the fancy spreads, meeting with legislators and riding the extremely slow elevators to the fifth floor of the capitol to the governor and lieutenant governor’s offices.

There also will be many a meeting and alliance formed by people hanging over the railings of the four upper floors of the square-shaped building that is hollow in the middle, allowing the four sides to face each other and those who hang there to keep tabs on one another.

While today most people act kindly toward one another, that ends pretty quickly once the food is put away. Tomorrow marks the day the real work begins, particularly for those who are fighting for true reform in the business climate, many who have been fighting for this reform for the last 40 years. Tomorrow also marks the day where the term “bi-partisanship” will become meaningless, and the Democrats and Republicans will return to their caucuses and the majority party, still in control of the legislative branch, will figure ways to ignore and kill off Republican bills.

”Good Cop, Bad Cop Strategy Used on Lingle”

The Democrat majority in the House and Senate already are taking a page from the police department’s playbook in handling the first Republican governor in 40 years. The strategy: good cop, bad cop.

Senate Democrats are being extremely kind to Gov. Linda Lingle, saying little negative about her proposals or about the budget proposal her new budget director unveiled yesterday before the Senate Ways and Means Committee.

However, the House Democrats are on the attack. The House leadership already has attempted to stop Lingle on several fronts, even the simple proposals she wants to implement, such as changing the time of her State of the State address to 6 p.m. instead of 10 a.m. so more people can attend after work. Other proposals she’s made have been given the cold shoulder by some in the House majority party and they have attacked her on the news.

Maybe the Democrats in the Senate are just nicer than the House leadership, or maybe it is part of the strategy of ensuring Lingle doesn’t get her proposals through or get re-elected. Their actions will speak louder than words this session.

The media isn’t helping Lingle either. Already KITV News promoted a story last night on the governor “backing off” on her campaign promises, specifically her tax reduction proposals. Being at the same press conference as KITV and other reporters, and sitting through the entire presentation by Georgina Kawamura on the budget, never did the governor “back off” on her proposals. In fact, she refused to talk about her proposal in too much detail until her State of the State address next week Tuesday.

During the presentation of the operating budget, Senate Ways and Means members questioned Kawamura on the effect of the governor’s plans touted in her gubernatorial campaign to eliminate taxes on food and medical services beginning in 2005. Senate Ways and Means Chair Brian Taniguchi says Democrats estimate that the reduction will result in between $160 million and $240 million “tax revenue loss” for the state, while Kawamura has the figure closer to $30 million beginning in 2005. She would not give specifics, so Senators were not sure if the $30 million was attributed to food or medical or both, saying they will have to wait for details.

Senate Republicans look at any tax exemption for food and medical, not as a “loss,” but as more discretionary income in the hands of the Hawaii families who earned the money in the first place.

The state’s annual operating budget is around $3.5 billion, while special funds total around $3.5 billion. This will be the focus of the Legislature, although the media and others will attempt to shift the attention from how much the government is actually extracting from island families by regurgitating issues that come up every year such as physician assisted suicide and gambling.

”Lingle Appoints New Two New Cabinet Members”

Gov. Linda Lingle has nearly completed selecting her 16 cabinet members, though Democrats in the Legislature say they are surprised it took her so long. Lingle says she didn’t want to “settle” for appointees who might not have been the right person for the job. She also waded through hundreds upon hundreds of resumes, trying to select appointees who aren’t the usual suspects that have circulated from government appointment to government appointment for the last 40 years under a Democrat-controlled administration and Legislature.

The new appointees are Peter Young, businessman currently a deputy director in the Big Island county, who will serve as the director of the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Young will take over an agency famously hostile to small businesses, specifically those businesses in the boating industry. In fact, the Department of Land and Natural Resources has contributed to many a small businesses going out of business –

“Malia headshot Image”

”Opening Day Brings Colorful Characters, Food, Festivities, Empty Promises of Bi-Partisanship”

Opening Day at the state Legislature is one of the most fun and least significant days of the 60-day session, which wraps up in early May. There are opening day speeches by the majority and minority leaders from the Democrat and Republican caucuses respectively, typically filled with empty rhetoric and promises of bi-partisanship.

The saving grace is the occasional interesting proposals that pop out during these speeches, although that is rare.

Also making the whole event more interesting are the strange and unusual characters who annually make an appearance, such as the “Emperor of China,” the “King of Hawaii,” the “Condom Lady,” and the “Beehive Lady,” just to name a few. And then there is the “real” governor of Hawaii, who shows in overalls and suspenders and his two children and makes the rounds for his once-a-year filling of his larder in all of the different office offering food. It is a banner day for florists, with hundreds of flower arrangements flowing into the capitol, although there are fewer flowers this year than most.

Following the formalities, there is entertainment in the Senate and House chambers. And then hordes of lobbyists, union workers, small business people, media and hungry visitors go from office to office, tasting the fancy spreads, meeting with legislators and riding the extremely slow elevators to the fifth floor of the capitol to the governor and lieutenant governor’s offices.

There also will be many a meeting and alliance formed by people hanging over the railings of the four upper floors of the square-shaped building that is hollow in the middle, allowing the four sides to face each other and those who hang there to keep tabs on one another.

While today most people act kindly toward one another, that ends pretty quickly once the food is put away. Tomorrow marks the day the real work begins, particularly for those who are fighting for true reform in the business climate, many who have been fighting for this reform for the last 40 years. Tomorrow also marks the day where the term “bi-partisanship” will become meaningless, and the Democrats and Republicans will return to their caucuses and the majority party, still in control of the legislative branch, will figure ways to ignore and kill off Republican bills.

”Good Cop, Bad Cop Strategy Used on Lingle”

The Democrat majority in the House and Senate already are taking a page from the police department’s playbook in handling the first Republican governor in 40 years. The strategy: good cop, bad cop.

Senate Democrats are being extremely kind to Gov. Linda Lingle, saying little negative about her proposals or about the budget proposal her new budget director unveiled yesterday before the Senate Ways and Means Committee.

However, the House Democrats are on the attack. The House leadership already has attempted to stop Lingle on several fronts, even the simple proposals she wants to implement, such as changing the time of her State of the State address to 6 p.m. instead of 10 a.m. so more people can attend after work. Other proposals she’s made have been given the cold shoulder by some in the House majority party and they have attacked her on the news.

Maybe the Democrats in the Senate are just nicer than the House leadership, or maybe it is part of the strategy of ensuring Lingle doesn’t get her proposals through or get re-elected. Their actions will speak louder than words this session.

The media isn’t helping Lingle either. Already KITV News promoted a story last night on the governor “backing off” on her campaign promises, specifically her tax reduction proposals. Being at the same press conference as KITV and other reporters, and sitting through the entire presentation by Georgina Kawamura on the budget, never did the governor “back off” on her proposals. In fact, she refused to talk about her proposal in too much detail until her State of the State address next week Tuesday.

During the presentation of the operating budget, Senate Ways and Means members questioned Kawamura on the effect of the governor’s plans touted in her gubernatorial campaign to eliminate taxes on food and medical services beginning in 2005. Senate Ways and Means Chair Brian Taniguchi says Democrats estimate that the reduction will result in between $160 million and $240 million “tax revenue loss” for the state, while Kawamura has the figure closer to $30 million beginning in 2005. She would not give specifics, so Senators were not sure if the $30 million was attributed to food or medical or both, saying they will have to wait for details.

Senate Republicans look at any tax exemption for food and medical, not as a “loss,” but as more discretionary income in the hands of the Hawaii families who earned the money in the first place.

The state’s annual operating budget is around $3.5 billion, while special funds total around $3.5 billion. This will be the focus of the Legislature, although the media and others will attempt to shift the attention from how much the government is actually extracting from island families by regurgitating issues that come up every year such as physician assisted suicide and gambling.

”Lingle Appoints New Two New Cabinet Members”

Gov. Linda Lingle has nearly completed selecting her 16 cabinet members, though Democrats in the Legislature say they are surprised it took her so long. Lingle says she didn’t want to “settle” for appointees who might not have been the right person for the job. She also waded through hundreds upon hundreds of resumes, trying to select appointees who aren’t the usual suspects that have circulated from government appointment to government appointment for the last 40 years under a Democrat-controlled administration and Legislature.

The new appointees are Peter Young, businessman currently a deputy director in the Big Island county, who will serve as the director of the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Young will take over an agency famously hostile to small businesses, specifically those businesses in the boating industry. In fact, the Department of Land and Natural Resources has contributed to many a small businesses going out of business –

“Laura Brown Image”

It is “a decrepit mess almost totally impervious to reform, paralyzed by bureaucratic and political gridlock,” reports WestEd, a federally funded education laboratory that recently issued a study on the Los Angeles public education system.

While the study is not on Hawaii and doesn’t even mention our state, it describes problems in Hawaii’s local education system perfectly:

“The governance system is characterized by a set of structures and a culture that are [both] highly resistant to change, leadership constraints that impede the progress of the superintendent, a school board operating in a politically charged environment, limited school autonomy, and unclear accountability at all levels. It is no wonder that the results of past education reforms have been limited.” To be fair, the report adds that resistance to change may also be the result of “reform fatigue” — administrative burnout from an endless barrage of political education reform initiatives since the early 1980s.

Los Angeles Unified School District’s request for recommendations on optimal governance and structure resulted in one clear recommendation that Hawaii can learn from: encourage the growth of charter schools. Free from onerous rules and regulations, charter schools offer hope for accountability and student performance, the report says.

The Los Angeles Alliance for Student Achievement agreed to act as an incubator for its district’s charter schools, outlining learning goals and accountability, ensuring professional development to access best practices and making accessible data system and timely, meaningful reports on school performance.

The Alliance also worked on community outreach, as an advocate for students, as a policy development group that provided continual research and evaluation.

Meanwhile, the district must act to limit interference with charter school policy, remove budgetary red tape, provide access to services and monitor school progress, the study says.

Specifically, budgets must be decentralized and autonomy increased by allowing dollars to follow individual students. The district’s role would shift to that of service provider for schools.

Finally, the superintendent and school board must provide leadership. These are good lessons for Hawaii lawmakers, bureaucrats and educators and show it is easier to make way for charter schools’ success by getting out of the way, rather than paralyzing what has already been proven to work with the right funding and attitude.

”’For the full report, go to:”’ https://www.wested.org/cs/wew/view/rs/685

”’Laura Brown is the education writer and researcher for HawaiiReporter.com. She can be reached via email at”’ mailto:LauraBrown@Hawaii.rr.com

Laura Brown Image It is “a decrepit mess almost totally impervious to reform, paralyzed by bureaucratic and political gridlock,” reports WestEd, a federally funded education laboratory that recently issued a study on the Los Angeles public education system. While the study is not on Hawaii and doesn’t even mention our state, it describes problems in Hawaii’s local education system perfectly: “The governance system is characterized by a set of structures and a culture that are [both] highly resistant to change, leadership constraints that impede the progress of the superintendent, a school board operating in a politically charged environment, limited school autonomy, and unclear accountability at all levels. It is no wonder that the results of past education reforms have been limited.” To be fair, the report adds that resistance to change may also be the result of “reform fatigue” — administrative burnout from an endless barrage of political education reform initiatives since the early 1980s. Los Angeles Unified School District’s request for recommendations on optimal governance and structure resulted in one clear recommendation that Hawaii can learn from: encourage the growth of charter schools. Free from onerous rules and regulations, charter schools offer hope for accountability and student performance, the report says. The Los Angeles Alliance for Student Achievement agreed to act as an incubator for its district’s charter schools, outlining learning goals and accountability, ensuring professional development to access best practices and making accessible data system and timely, meaningful reports on school performance. The Alliance also worked on community outreach, as an advocate for students, as a policy development group that provided continual research and evaluation. Meanwhile, the district must act to limit interference with charter school policy, remove budgetary red tape, provide access to services and monitor school progress, the study says. Specifically, budgets must be decentralized and autonomy increased by allowing dollars to follow individual students. The district’s role would shift to that of service provider for schools. Finally, the superintendent and school board must provide leadership. These are good lessons for Hawaii lawmakers, bureaucrats and educators and show it is easier to make way for charter schools’ success by getting out of the way, rather than paralyzing what has already been proven to work with the right funding and attitude. ”For the full report, go to:” https://www.wested.org/cs/wew/view/rs/685 ”Laura Brown is the education writer and researcher for HawaiiReporter.com. She can be reached via email at” mailto:LauraBrown@Hawaii.rr.com

Hawaii State Republican Senators unveiled their Senate caucus package earlier this week, in preparation for the opening of the Twenty Second Legislature, which begins today and runs through May.

House Republicans and Senate Republicans are aligned on many of the proposals, which includes tax breaks on food for the poor, medical services, Medicare and Medicaid, decentralizing the educational system and tougher penalties for corrupt politicians.

Freshman Representative Lynn Finnegan says she and the Republican Caucus will be pushing this legislative session for a food tax credit for the poor.

The Democrat controlled legislature and Governor Benjamin Cayetano repealed this tax credit in 1998. Republicans also will be pushing to remove the General Excise Tax from medical services, Medicare and Medicaid.

Finnegan and other republicans say Hawaii is the only state in the nation that taxes medical care, Medicare and Medicaid benefits for the elderly, and is one of the few states that taxes food.

Here are their specific proposals outlined in a Monday press conference.

”TAX RELIEF MEASURES”

”1. GET TAX EXEMPTION ON GROCERIES AND MEDICAL SERVICES”

*Only applies to unprepared groceries.
*Does not apply to food purchased in restaurants.
*Applies to meals prepared for home distribution for disabled or handicapped persons 60 years or older who are physically or mentally unable to adequately prepare their own food.
*Cost savings estimate is $182 back in the taxpayers’ pockets: $82 million from medical services, and $100 million in food.

”2. GET EXEMPTION FOR EMPLOYEE LEASING”

*Provides a GET exemption for amount representing employee wages and benefits paid to an employee leasing company.
*Eliminates the duplicative taxing of employee benefits paid by employee leasing companies.
*Fiscal impact is approximately $345,000.

”3. ZERO-BASED BUDGETING”

*To provide accurate, truthful budgeting for the state of Hawaii.

”4. GET REDUCTION”

*Annually reduces the GET by a 0.5 percent across the board.
*Fiscal impact of this measure would be $200 million back in the taxpayers’ pockets.

”5. ELIMINATION OF MOST SPECIAL FUNDS”

*Eliminates most special funds and returns the money to the general funds.
*Does not include federally-mandated special funds and the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund.
*Estimated amount transferred to general fund is $3 billion dollars.

”EDUCATION MEASURES”

”1. DECENTRALIZATION OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM”

*Restructures the DOE and BOE into elected and autonomous school boards with seven members.
*The seven members are: five elected members, two appointed by the governor one of whom will have administrative experience and the other shall have fiscal experience.
*This bill includes a state Constitutional amendment.

”2. CHARTER SCHOOLS”

*Doubles the number of authorized new century charter schools.
*Requires the DOE and BOE to keep charter school budget requests and regular public school budget requests separate when reporting to the legislature and auditor.
*Requires a budget report from the auditor’s office within 30 days of the release of the second round of charter school funds.
*Authorizes equal benefits: tenure, probationary status, DOE seniority, accrued retirement for all conversion charter schools.

”3. TEACHER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION”

*Creates a partnership with U.H. and other Hawaii universities.
*Provides tuition assistance for teaching and/or administrative degrees.
*Provides teacher scholarships/waivers, vouchers for teachers.

”ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT”

”1. MARITIME INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT”

*Allows private contractors to develop new harbor resources without infringing on interest of existing lessees.

”2. SMALL AIRPORTS”

*Allows the state to sell or lease small airports.

”3. DEREGULATION OF GROUND AND MARITIME TRANSPORTATION”

*Eliminates regulation by the Public Utilities Commission of ground and maritime industries.

”4. LAND USE COMMISSION”

*Eliminates the Land Use Commission.
*Includes proviso for civil servants to retain their jobs.
*Transfers state Land Use Commission records to county land use commissions.

”5. WATER USE COMMISSION”

*Eliminates the Commission on Resource Management (Water Commission)
*Transfers authority to the various county water commissions.
*This bill includes a Constitutional amendment.
*Transfers Water Use Commission records to the county water use commissions.
*Includes proviso for civil servants to retain their jobs.

”6. DEREGULATION OF THE ELECTRIC AND GAS INDUSTRIES”

*Removes the electric and gas companies from Public Utility Commission oversight.
*Promotes energy diversity.
*Creates a new Commission to be known as the Energy Commission.
*Establishes enterprise zones.

”7. PROFESSION LICENSING RECIPROCITY”

*Institutes reciprocity for certain categories of regulated professions.
*License holders in other states can obtain a Hawaii license without additional schooling, exams, or other requirements.

”OTHER MEASURES”

”1. TORT LIABILITY REFORM; JOINT AND SEVERAL LIABILITY/PUNITIVE DAMAGES”

*Extends government’s immunity from joint and several liability to all defendants.

*Caps punitive damages at $375,000.

”2. LAWSUIT ABUSE”

*Eliminates uninsured and chemically impaired motorists’ right to sue for non-economic damages.

”3. MEDICAL MALPRACTICE REFORM”

*Provides additional protections for medical professionals, based on California model.

”4. TRAFFIC FINES”

*Legislates that 50 percent of non-adjudicated traffic fines go to county general funds.