HOOSER: The movement for legislative change

So what happens next?

There’s the general election of Nov. 5, the 2025 legislative session, the movement for legislative reform, and yes it’s not too early to be thinking about the 2026 elections.

At the top of my list and I hope yours as well, is aggressively supporting the legislative reform movement now building momentum across the islands.

Sparked by Kim Coco Iwamoto, who defeated House Speaker Scott Saiki, the wave of change seems unstoppable.

Advocacy groups on every island are already passing resolutions, gathering petition signatures, and doing serious community organizing — all laser focused on making legislative and campaign finance reform the litmus test issue of 2025.

Hawaii voters are no longer looking the other way.

The corrupting influence of money in politics, the centralization of power, and the arrogance of it all — is no longer something the public is willing to ignore.

The historic defeat of Speaker Scott Saiki is clear proof voters are sick and tired and not going to take it anymore. It’s also motivating a growing pool of excellent candidates who’re ready, willing, and able to step up and challenge entrenched incumbents knowing full-well it might take them three elections to succeed.

Woe be it to those legislators, especially state House members, who resist this tide of change.

With two year terms and districts small enough to walk door-to-door, House seats are much more vulnerable than those in the Senate or council.

Reelection challenges (or not) will start at the moment the House reorganizes and a new Speaker is chosen. House rules are normally approved and made public at this same time or shortly thereafter.

At this point, we’ll know whether legislators will be embracing the reforms or blowing us off.

The reforms being proposed by a coalition of community groups and backed by an increasing number of House members are common sense changes to rules governing the basic legislative process.

If passed, the rule changes would require that passage or failure of legislative proposals be based on a committee vote and not by a single individual committee chair.

Yes, it sounds pretty basic. A bill for a new law is proposed, a public hearing is held, the legislative committee votes, and a decision is made. Unfortunately, that’s not the way it currently happens in that big square building on Beretania Street.

Proposed reforms would also require public testimony be made available to the public when submitted, and proposed changes/amendments to legislation disclosed publicly in writing prior to the vote.

Again, this is basic democracy, good government stuff, but not the way it’s now done at the Capitol.

Rules governing the “bill referral process” now allow the House Finance Committee to control every single legislative proposal that’s proposed, even if there’s zero impact on the budget.

Existing rules grant the finance chair total control — no exaggeration, no hyperbole. The proposed reforms would eliminate this extreme concentration of power and allow referral to the finance committee only those bills that require funding or otherwise have budget implications.

If the incoming House majority say yes to these basic yet comprehensive changes to their internal rules, they will be celebrated.

Should they choose to ignore the public clamor for reform, candidates on every island will no doubt start lining up for 2026, chafing at the bit to take-out incumbent legislators viewed as road-blocks to positive change.

And as happened in the Kim Coco Iwamoto, Scott Saiki race, the broader community will be there, supporting and cheering on the challengers.

Speaking of “broader community” — if that includes you please consider signing this petition https://tinyurl.com/ycyka2pm and joining with thousands of others across the islands in the movement for change.