Time running out on age-of-consent veto override

Associated Press

Time is running out for lawmakers to decide if they are going to override Gov. Ben Cayetano's veto of a bill dealing with Hawai'i's age of consent.

It would be the first override of a gubernatorial veto in Hawai'i since 1957.

House Speaker Calvin Say, D-18th (Palolo Valley, Kaimuki), said yesterday that the proponents of voting to override, including the 19-member Republican minority, have yet to round up the two-thirds support in the 51-member House to call the special session for Tuesday, the deadline to act.

Hawai'i's present age of consent is 14. The bill would have raised the age to 16, but would apply only if the partner is five years older, or more, than the 14- or 15-year-olds.

Cayetano's biggest concern is the potential 20-year prison term for violators, such as a 19-year-old man having consensual sex with a 14-year-old girl.

"The game plan is to come to some decision by Monday," Say said, adding that he will be talking with Senate President Robert Bunda, D-22nd (Wahiawa, Hale'iwa, North Shore), during the weekend.

Bunda has said he's waiting to hear what the House is proposing before taking up the matter again with his members.

Say said he doubts there will be a special session because many of the House members willing to support an override session want other vetoed bills considered for an override.

Say said he's opposed taking up more than the single bill and feels the age-of-consent issue could wait until next year's legislative session — a view he shares with Bunda.

It would be better to let the House Judiciary Committee take up a new bill next year addressing Cayetano's concerns that prompted the veto, Say said.

House Minority Leader Galen Fox, R-21st (Waikiki, Ala Wai), said the Republicans are willing to return Tuesday and vote only on the age-of-consent bill, but he said it's up to the Democratic leadership to get the required two-thirds vote.

"My gut feeling is that it's not going to happen," Fox said.