Meeting Notes: November 15, 2004
The meeting was convened by Sen. Chun Oakland and Rep Dennis Arakaki at Noon in room 325 at the Capitol. The results of the voting on issues in different categories were presented.
Economy:
1. Raise the minimum wage.
2. Build affordable housing.
3. Develop "family-friendly" work places including encouraging home telecommuting.
Education: (Note more than 3!)
1. Quality early childhood education.
2. School voucher programs.
3. Obtain more parental involvement in their children's education.
4. Capitol improvements to bring all the facilities within the school up to standard.
5. Provide professional training to increase the number of certified child development specialists.
Environment:
1. Mandatory recycling with incentives.
2. Traffic relief with alternatives to car commuting and road choice.
3. Provide and maintain good air quality.
Health:
1. Obesity. Specific issues will be coming from the Obesity Legislative Task Force.
2. Support the development of non-school hours healthy programs.
3. Support education for healthy lifestyles such as the new physical education curriculum and others.
4. Support the Edible School Yard program (!).
Housing:
1. Maximize available affordable housing by the State being proactive in increasing and providing resources.
2. Increase the Public Housing by building more units and renovating existing ones.
3. Improve the effectiveness of Section 8 by prioritizing candidates based on need and increasing the subsidy to landlords.
Safety:
1. Enact the Graduated Drivers Licensing program.
2. Provide a safe environment on the school campus and in the pathways between school and home.
3. Improve the coordination between child welfare and domestic violence programs.
Next steps. Some of these issues will require bills, some resolutions and some administrative policy changes. This will be the business of the next Keiki Caucus Meeting on December 1st in room 325 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m..
Next Meetings : Wednesday, December 1st.
Obesity Legislative Task Force. Noon to 2:00 p.m. Room 325, State Capitol. The issues related to obesity for the Keiki Caucus legislative package will be discussed.
Keiki Caucus. 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Room 325, State Capitol. Work on priority issues as above.
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