Lingle weighs gas-price cap bill
By Lynda Arakawa
Advertiser Capitol Bureau
Bills that would delay a gasoline price cap law and prohibit campaign contributions from certain government contractors are among the measures Gov. Linda Lingle was still grappling with as she approached today's internal veto deadline.
The deadline for Lingle to notify lawmakers about a veto is technically Monday, but Lingle has said state Attorney General Mark Bennett advised her to declare her vetoes by the end of today.
Lingle said she is still deliberating about half a dozen bills, including the gasoline price cap bill and a campaign spending measure. There are more than 100 bills awaiting action.
Lingle vetoed 50 bills last year and has vetoed 10 bills so far this year. The Democrat-controlled Legislature overrode seven of her vetoes during this year's session, and House and Senate leaders say they are not interested in convening a special session this summer to override any subsequent vetoes.
Lingle yesterday said she would meet again with people representing both sides of the gasoline price cap argument.
Senate Bill 3193 amends a 2002 law by delaying the start of the law from July 1 this year to September 2005. It also changes the law by basing the price-cap formula on spot prices in several markets across the nation rather than only on the West Coast, and expands the caps to cover all gasoline grades except diesel.
If Lingle vetoes the bill, the 2002 law would take effect July 1, but she could still suspend it by exercising emergency powers. The Public Utilities Commission and the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, which would implement the law, have said the July 1 deadline cannot be met.
"The bottom line for us is I don't want to do anything that's going to raise the price of gasoline in the state," Lingle said. "In my opinion, neither of the bills (Senate Bill 3193 or the 2002 law) would do anything to bring down the price of gasoline. What I'm trying to avoid is any action that would raise the price of gas."
Lingle said she was also meeting with Bennett to discuss his concerns about the campaign spending bill.
Senate Bill 459, among other provisions, would prohibit campaign contributions from government contractors selected in a nonbid process for contracts greater than $25,000 and bans contributions from out-of-state corporations and unions.
The bill would also make it a felony to falsify reports and contribute under a false name to circumvent the law. It also prohibits fund raising on government property.
Lingle also said she is still considering House Bill 2136, which would bring virtually all state agencies back under tighter control of the State Procurement Code, eliminating all exemptions except those for the Hawaii Tourism Authority and the Research Corporation of UH.
The University of Hawai'i and the Hawai'i Health Systems Corporation, which manages state hospitals on every island, are opposed to the bill. State comptroller Russ Saito has said any changes would slow the procurement process but would also make it more open and establish an appeals process for bidders.
Other bills awaiting action include:
• Senate Bill 1611. Fine-tunes the deposit beverage container program that will allow consumers to be charged up to 6 cents per bottle or can beginning Nov. 1, and to redeem those containers for a 5-cent return beginning Jan. 1. The bill gives retailers required to set up redemption centers until July 1, 2005, to do so.
• House Bill 2741. Requires the governor to justify to the Legislature deputy director and special assistant positions in the executive branch that are not included in statute.
• House Bill 2294. Doubles fees for processing traffic citations, adding between $5 and $15 per ticket, with half the money tagged for the judiciary's new computer system.
Reach Lynda Arakawa at larakawa@honoluluadvertiser.com or at 525-8070.
