Updated at 6:33 p.m., Tuesday, May 1, 2007
State Senate overrides Lingle vetoes on UH regents
By DERRICK DePLEDGE and TREENA SHAPIRO
Advertiser Government Writers
The Senate also overturned Lingle's vetoes on bills that would allow Hawai'i to join an interstate compact to elect the president by popular vote, rather than through the Electoral College, and give public-worker unions the ability to negotiate assignments and transfers during collective bargaining.
The state House is expected to follow the Senate Thursday, the last day of the session, although there is some doubt about whether the House has the votes to override the union veto. Police and fire chiefs, along with other county officials, have urged lawmakers to let the veto stand, arguing the proposed law could restrict their ability to make personnel decisions and protect public safety.
House and Senate Democrats, who have veto-proof majorities in both chambers, have not overridden a veto by the Republican governor in two years.
"We believed these were very important measures and that we should override," said state Senate President Colleen Hanabusa, D-21st (Nanakuli, Makaha.)
Lingle told reporters she did not relish issuing the vetoes. "But when their work is not in the public interest, that's my responsibility, that's why people voted for me, and that's why we have this check and balance," the governor said.
