Hypocrisy in Hawaiʻi's House of Representatives
The House of Representatives in Hawaiʻi is where good ideas go not for debate and refinement but simply to die without vote or discussion.
Such is the power and arrogance of House “leadership.”
Whether it’s increasing taxes on the highest income earners in the state, the legalization of cannabis, cutting taxes for the unemployed or increasing the minimum wage, when house leadership says no, you can take that to the bank (or the Chamber of Commerce).
After all, that’s probably where the order came from in the first place.
SB676, increasing the minimum wage to $12, has passed out of the senate and is waiting now for Rep. Richard Onishi, chair of the House Labor and Tourism Committee, to schedule a hearing.
Unfortunately, it appears that yet again Onishi’s boss, House Speaker Scott Saiki, will not be allowing a hearing—let alone a vote—on SB676.