Honolulu Weekly

John Mizuno / What was your biggest accomplishment this session?

“Passing HB200 – the Budget bill. This measure provides for general funding of $714 million in FY2010 and $780 million in FY2011 for Human Services. Also, we secured $154.6 million in TANF and Federal funds (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 & the Deficit Reduction Act) for Human Services for FY2010 and $128.9 million for FY2011.

The funding for Human Services will provide for the following services and programs: Employment training, assistance to the unemployed, pre-school and child care services, legal services to low-income families and immigrants, youth gang prevention programs, assistance with Keiki Care – health insurance to uninsured youth, immigrant health initiatives, adult dental services, services to those who have developmental disabilities, Safe Houses for non-violent youth, outreach services to the uninsured, increasing Medicaid funding for Hawaii, providing mental health services, domestic violence shelters, and domestic violence services (TRO’s and PO’s), and Adult Personal Care Services.”

With which piece of 2009 legislation are you most proud to be affiliated and why?

“HB200. As Chair of the House Committee on Human Services, I worked with the Senate Chair of Human Services to secure funding for human services. We delivered a package to help the most needy in our state, despite the difficult recession.”

What was the biggest disappointment of the session and how might a similar disappointment be prevented in the future?

“Not passing HB819–Karen’s law. I am planning on holding meetings and briefings with the Prosecutor’s Office, Public Defender’s Office, Victim Witness branch, the Judiciary and members of Karen Ertell’s family and friends on working on a bill that will have the support needed to pass. My goal is to improve the judicial system, not to adversely affect it.”

Debating which issue turned out to be the biggest distraction from your priorities?

“Party politics caused distraction from good bills and attention to bad bills.”

What’s one thing you wish voters better understood about you or the political process as a whole?

“It is extremely difficult to pass every bill or prevent every bill that the public may not like at the Legislature. Many factors are involved in the legislative process and it would be much more useful to have the public come to the capitol, spend time with their legislators and work with us on crafting bills. The community should seek to become part of the solution to helping Hawaii become the best state in the union.
The doors of my office are always open to you, because you are my employer and it’s your office too!”