HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle today vetoed 32 bills that would adversely impact Hawai‘i residents and businesses, would be detrimental to public policy and would hinder efforts to expand the economy and create jobs.
The bills were vetoed due to various factors including significant negative impacts on the public, legal or constitutional concerns, potential unintended consequences, or technical flaws in the legislation.
“After carefully reviewing each of these bills and weighing the considerable amount of input that we received from the public, I made the decision to not allow these measures to become law,” said Governor Lingle. “Although the Legislature passed bills they believe are important, I have the final responsibility to ensure that any new law is constitutional, fiscally responsible and in the best interest of the state.”
On June 21, the Governor submitted to the Legislature a list of 39 bills she was considering vetoing.
Of the 39 bills on the Governor’s potential veto list, three bills had been vetoed earlier. SB2001 would have retroactively eliminated previously promised high technology investment tax credits. HB1907 would have resulted in tax increases totaling more than $140 million over the next five years and discouraged charitable contributions. HB415 would have required an expensive and unnecessary audit of the Department of Public Safety.
She also signed HB1015 (Act 187), which affirms that the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands may initiate housing and other projects prior to having the full funds for the project available and allows the Department to extend existing commercial land leases for up to an additional 20 years.
Six other bills that had been on the potential veto list were allowed to become law without her signature.
The Governor’s statements of objections regarding the bills she vetoed today can be found on her website at: https://www.hawaii.gov/gov/leg/2010-legislative-session
The full list of all bills signed and vetoed by the Governor in 2010 is also posted on the Governor’s website.
Submitted by the governor’s office