Total Solar Eclipse, Part Two

In what seems to be a more frequent event at the Legislature, House Finance Chair Sylvia Luke openly displayed her contempt for open government when she provided only one hour notice for a hearing she was holding this afternoon.  Capitol watchers did not receive notice of Luke’s 2:00PM hearing until 1:00PM today.

The list of bills being heard by Luke can be found here.

Readers will remember that this is not the first time (read Total Solar Eclipse) that Luke has held a hearing with such little notice as to not receive any public testimony regarding the measures before her.  It is as if she does not care what the public thinks.

The Sunshine Law is the state law that requires all government bodies to provide five days notice of a public hearing.  In its infinite wisdom, the Legislature exempted itself from Sunshine Law and is not subject to its provisions.  Legislative hearings are instead governed by rules in the House and Senate respectively.  House Rules require at least 48-hours notice to be provided for any hearing, save for a compelling reason.

As far as compelling reasons are concerned, the bills listed in the agenda have been on Luke’s desk for two weeks now.  There was no hurricane to prevent her leisurely commute from her district in Nuuanu to the State Capitol.  In fact, while other state employees being work around 7:30 or 8:00AM, Luke casually began the business of the House Finance Committee yesterday at 1:00PM in the afternoon.

While the compelling reason for the lack of any notice whatsoever escapes us, it is clear that Luke gets an “F” for government transparency.

For more on Sylvia Luke, please see the following posts:

• Total Solar Eclipse
• Dark Intentions
• Strict Scrutiny
• Above the Law
• Slap on the Wrist

For more on the promise of open government by ruling liberal House Democrats, see Twisted Logic.