Honolulu Star-Bulletin from Honolulu, Hawaii • 4

Stor-uilctin A-4 Thursday, February 26, 1 WH CAPITOL WRAP-UP Land department seeks authority to set fishing rules LEGISLATURE CTrj pljrinfirliiif liTl The state's lawmakers aren't as well-equipped to set regulations to govern fishing, DLNR says By Craig Gima Star-Bulletin Endreson of the Hawaii Fishermen's Foundation. "Hawaii is the only state left in the United States where fisheries regulations is by statute." The Senate Economic Development Committee passed the measure yesterday, but the House Judiciary Committee is still considering the measure and is scheduled to decide on it next week. During hearings Tuesday, Judiciary Chairman Terrance Tom (D, Kaneohe) expressed concern over the precedent that would be set by turning legislative functions over to the administration. hook and waited for the fish to bite at Kewalo Basin yesterday. About a mile away at the state Capitol, senators had just finished listening to testimony on a bill to allow the Department of Land and Natural Resources to make the rules governing fishing rather than leave it in the hands of the Legislature.

"This is our chance to change the future so we don't have a declining resource," Mike Wilson, chairman of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, said after the hearing. Wilson testified that there is a need to systematically review and update the state's fishing regulations. He cited the law that allows opakapaka and onaga to be caught before they can spawn as something that needs to be changed. Since the department works with fishermen and scientists year-round, Wilson said the department would be better able to make the rules than the Legislature. Fishermen testifying at the hearing agreed.

"Hawaii is in the dark ages when it comes to fisheries management," testified Bob Garrett Young has been fishing since he was 3 years old and remembers when weke, mullet and moi were plentiful. Not so, anymore. "If there's no rules, people would just catch them all," he said as he baited his Dailies lose lock on legal notice ads Funds sought to bring pageant to isles Age requirement for kindergarten could be changed A bill would require students to be 5 on or before July 1 Waiahole Ditch purchase a step closer to reality The state seeks $10.2 million to buy, repair and operate the ditch The price tag to host the Miss Universe contest is $3.3 million L1 VV Star-Bulletin staff Gov. Ben Cayetano today signed into law a bill aimed at saving taxpayers' money by giving the state more flexibility in determining where to place legal notices, including on the Internet. This means that readers could be turning to free weekly newspapers to find government advertisements rather than to the state's two major dailies, the afternoon Honolulu Star-Bulletin and the morning Honolulu Advertiser.

How much the state might save is unclear, Cayetano said. The new law allows statewide notices to be published in a daily or weekly publication of statewide circulation or in separate daily or weekly publications whose combined circulation is statewide, Cayetano noted. Christopher McMahon, vice president and general sales manager of MidWeek, the free weekly, said his company will be bidding for legal notices. 4 V- r. jt-y- I CAPITOL ROUNDUP AAA 3 4 A calendar of tomorrow's hearings to be held at the state Capitol, 415 S.

Beretania unless noted: 1 KV By PatOmandam Star-Bulletin The clock is ticking to secure $3.3 million in state funds to host the Miss Universe Pageant this May in Hawaii, say state officials involved in the event. The Senate Ways and Means Committee yesterday heard a bill that funds the internationally televised pageant, but put off a decision on it. Organizers are requesting the emergency appropriation be released by March 15 since work already is under way for the event. The panel has until March 6 to decide whether the bill will move forward to a vote on the Senate floor. Joseph Blanco, executive assistant for economic development for Gov.

Ben Cayetano, said getting the pageant for Hawaii is a major coup, and he's confident the committee will pass the measure. "But if not, I need to know right away," he said. Blanco and state Office of Planning Director Rick Egged are part of the state's negotiation team that brought the event to Hawaii. The state's push to host the pageant was boosted by waii resident and current Miss Universe, Brook Lee. Committee Co-Chairwoman Rosalyn Baker (D, West Maui-Lanai) questioned whether there were enough incentives for organizers to keep the event under budget.

She also wondered why the Hawaii Visitors Convention Bureau doesn't directly pick up the $3.3 million tab, as the bill's title relates to tourism marketing. Blanco said there is every incentive for the bureau to keep costs under budget, and any overruns will be borne by the bureau, which has a contract with the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism to coordinate the event with pageant officials. Since the pageant will be Associated Press By PatOmandam Star-Bulletin The state administration's plan to buy the Waiahole Ditch for $10.2 million has made it upstream and now rests with the Legislature's money committees. Members of the Senate Ways and Means and the House Finance Committee yesterday heard companion bills on the ditch purchase but haven't voted on them yet. The state is seeking to buy the ditch from Waiahole Irrigation a subsidiary of AmfacJMB Hawaii, for $8.5 million to secure a continuous source of water for Leeward farms.

It wants an additional $1.2 million for ditch repairs and $550,000 for first-year operating costs. Sen. Mike McCartney (D, Kahu-ku-Kaneohe) questioned Agriculture Director James J. Nakatani on whether his department will alter the ditch flow once it assumes control and operation of the system for the state. Although the ditch is seen as a long-term source of water for Leeward diversified agriculture, McCartney said the recent contested-case decision by the state Commission on Water Resource Management also provides a continuous water source for Windward streams and farms.

"We're abiding by the commission's ruling," Nakatani said. Others, like Sens. Cal Kawamoto (D, Waipahu) and Suzanne Chun Oakland (D, Palama-Kalihi) got assurances from the Board of Water Supply that use of Waiahole water for Leeward fields will help recharge the Pearl Harbor aquifer. Barry Usegawa, a long-range planner for the board, said the aquifer provides fresh water not just for the Leeward area, but for all of metropolitan Honolulu. The committee heard Senate Bill 3027, SD 1, yesterday morning.

The House version, House Bill 2990, HD 1, was expected to be heard late yesterday afternoon. Both committees have until March 10 to forward any budget bills for third reading in their respective chambers. Miss USA 1997 Brook Lee later became Miss Universe, and since then, she has backed Hawaii in hosting this year's Miss Universe Pageant. The committee is leaving By PatOmandam Star-Bulletin William M. and Leisha Bento are looking forward to the year 2000, when their daughter, Aubrey, would be able to attend kindergarten at age 4 years and 9 months.

That's under the current requirement for kindergarten: Children may be in kindergarten in the fall as long as they are 5 on or before Dec. 31 of the school year. A bill proposes to change it to require that children be 5 on or before July 1. The Bentos say the bill would not only hurt their daughter, but other children who may not meet the age requirement but are mature enough to begin school. The House Education Committee on Tuesday heard two measures that deal with the minimum age.

House Bill 3483 would require a child to be at least 5 years of age on or before July 1, while House Bill 2836 would allow the Board of Education to set the minimum age. The committee will vote on the measures March 5. "Since my wife and I will do what we can to continue to feed her ever-growing and curious mind, we feel that she may then be too mature socially, physically and intellectually to attend kindergarten," Bento said. "The mere fact that a child is held back from progressing in their own natural way both physically and intellectually could be as detrimental as overchallenging the child," he said. Denise Matsumoto, preschool teacher and Board of Education member, told Chairman David D.

Stegmaier (D, Hawaii Kai) that educational research has shown that children who start school at an earlier age than their peers may be at a significant disadvantage depending on their entry date. "The board recognizes that if admission to kindergarten is delayed for 'late-born' children by a year, parents may incur additional child-care expenses for that extra year," Matsumoto testified. "However, educational research indicates that delayed entry may be of significant benefit to late-born children throughout their educational careers." Dean R. Liskum, a marriage, family and child therapist, said that as a Hawaii school counselor for 22 years, he has seen an inordinate number of children who were retained in kindergarten, with a vast majority of them boys starting while under 5 or born during the latter half of the year. His studies show that statistically, younger students perform significantly poorer than those born earlier in the year.

Phyllis Kunimura, director of Kauai Independent Daycare Services explained in written testimony that younger children whose fine motor skills are not fully developed find it extremely difficult to form letters and to write compared to their older peers. "They're frustrated and see themselves as failures and often think, 'Something is wrong with me because I can't do what my friends can Kunimura said. Human Resources and Housing: Hearing on resolutions requesting management and program audit of Child Protective Services, and private and public agencies serving children to adopt a state policy for improving well-being of children, youth and families, 9 a.m., Room 329. Finance: Hearing on bills relating to land use, tourism and taxation at 12.30 p.m. Hearing at 2 p.m.

on bills relating to marriage, family therapists and long-term care. Hearing at 2:45 p.m. on bills relating to transportation and the Hawaii Maritime Authority. Hearing at 4 p.m. on bills relating to West Hawaii regional fishery management area, underwater attractions, freshwater fishing reserves, refuges and public fishing areas and state bonds.

Decision-making only to follow on bills relating to general excise taxation and taxation. Decision-making to follow each hearing if time permits, Room 308. Judiciary: Hearing on bills relating to criminal trespass, penal code, sentencing, family court and firearms. Decisionmaking to follow, 1:30 p.m., Room 325. Higher Education: Hearing with House Education Committee on bill relating to the University of Hawaii College of Education.

Higher Education only hearing on bill relating to admission into public institutions of higher education. Decision-making to follow, 2 p.m., Room 309. Isle pageantry The Miss Universe Pageant will be televised live in 74 countries during a two-hour special. Officials say it will showcase Hawaii's diversity and beauty. The event is expected to generate more than $9 million in immediate economic benefits, as well as boost tourism as a re-' suit of the broadcast.

the amount of the appropriation blank to let the Senate money committee decide the level of funding. The Senate Economic Development Committee, in its Feb. 18 report on Senate Bill 3033, SD 1, said hosting the pageant would present a valuable marketing opportunity for Hawaii. The 46-year-old pageant will be televised in 74 countries during a two-hour live special that state officials say will showcase the diversity and beauty of Hawaii. The event is expected to generate more than $9 million in immediate economic benefits, as well as millions of dollars more as tourists are lured here as a result of the held in the current fiscal year, Egged said the bureau couldn't directly fund it because its budget was already committed.

mm Same-sex marriage foes to return illegal foreign contribution Commerce, Consumer Protection and Information Technology: Hearing on bills relating to occupational therapy, psychologists, motor vehicle repairs, massage therapy and dental care. Decisionmaking to follow if time permits, 9 a.m., Room 016. Judiciary: Decision-making on short-form bill relating to the Judiciary at 9:15 a.m. Decision-making to follow at 9:30 a.m. on bills relating to sentencing, repeat offenders, sexual assault and civil rights.

No public testimony, Room 229. Ways and Means: Hearing on bills relating to cash management of state funds, emergency and budget stabilization fund, emergency medical services, insurance and the insurance code. Decision-making to follow if time permits, 9:30 a.m., Room 211. was discovered by gay activist William Woods, who filed a complaint. He said Save Traditional Marriage should have been aware of the law because Rose-hill had served as a campaign spending commissioner.

Efforts by the Star-Bulletin to reach consular staff were unsuccessful yesterday. Woods said a member of the Australian consular staff paid $200 to attend Save Traditional Marriage-'98, said yesterday that accepting the contribution "was a simple mistake." She said the committee was advised by the state Campaign Spending Commission to refund the money. State law prohibits foreign contributions to campaign committees. The contribution is listed on the group's most recent finance report, which covers the last six months of 1997. The questionable contribution Marriage's fund-raising dinner and business seminar three months ago.

Rosehill said she didn't know who attended the event or donated money. She said she would have advised Save Traditional Marriage of the state law if she knew about the contribution. Even though the $200 will be returned, Woods said he still wants the intent of the contribution investigated. By Keith Kosaki Star-Bulletin A political action committee opposed to same-sex marriage is returning a $200 contribution from the Australian Consulate in Honolulu after the illegal foreign donation was discovered by a gay activist. Attorney Linda Rosehill, a consultant for Save Traditional LIM' Ul" 1 ummw uiMiyi.i u.wMi.umi mammon mnu.ujppji vmnnmmp nm mi mm hlLETS CHINA BASIN STAINLESS STEEL SINKS FAUCETS HURRY! SUPPLY LIMITED 2 EPMITS Saturday February 28th 10:00 am pm Sunday March 1st Join iMALL, the largest and oldest Internet shopping mall with well over 25 million hits per month! iMALL Consulting, Inc.

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