In the right hands, a force for good

The 19 Republicans in Hawai‘i’s lower house have won a significant victory — an agreement with the Democratic majority that will allow them to pull bills out of House committees for discussion and potential votes.

Considering the way Democratic committee chairs used to bottle up important bills so they’d never again see the light of day, it’s a real breakthrough.

Used properly, this new GOP power can be a genuine force for better government. But the temptation will be strong to use it for purposes of political gamesmanship.

Believe it or not, there are dozens of bills that get held in committees for perfectly good reasons.

Case in point: the pending bills to raise the age of consent for girls. Seldom have we seen legislation that seemed such a slam dunk at first blush raise so many doubts on further reflection.

Elevating the age of consent may in the end prove to be the wisest course. But to pull these bills now to the House floor is premature. Members need to hear reasoned testimony from both sides in hearings.

Once the issue has been thoroughly hashed out in committee, however, it will be time to stand and be counted. And if the Legislature appears ready to duck rather than confront the issue, the GOP should act.

A viable opposition party in Hawai‘i’s Legislature can be a force for progress — if it exercises its powers wisely.

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