Specifically, they want to know if the Rice vs. Cayetano decision created a vacancy on the OHA board. Cayetano believes the Feb. 23 U.S. Supreme Court ruling created vacancies in eight of the nine trustee seats. The OHA board believes the Rice decision did not address the matter at all. Two Senate committees hold an informational briefing at 1 p.m. Tuesday to review the state audit of the state Highways Division and to hear from the Transportation Department on its plans for future rockslide preparedness in the aftermath of the Waimea Bay rock fall. The Senate Water, Land and Hawaiian Affairs panel will hear a bill on Monday that establishes an official color and flower or lei material for each of the Hawaiian islands.
Senators also vote on a bill that limits the possession, purchase, sale or trade of shark fins.
A similar bill died in conference committee last year. If approved, the measures go to the full House and Senate for final approval. A written record of the vote should also be kept, he said. Watumull offered to donate about 200 acres for the prison site in exchange for the roads and utilities that would make the area viable for urban and resort development, Schull said.