Proposing Amendments To Articles Ii, Iii, And Xvii Of The Constitution Of The State Of Hawaii To Provide For Initiative, Referendum, And Recall.
If enacted, the amendments would significantly shift existing voter powers in Hawaii. Specifically, they would reserve the initiative power to the people, requiring a petition with signatures from at least fifteen percent of voters from the previous gubernatorial election for a law, and twenty percent for a constitutional amendment. The bill also mandates that any initiative embrace only one subject and that conflicting initiatives in the same election would be resolved based on the majority vote results. This empowerment might encourage citizen engagement in governance and democratize law-making processes, fostering a more participatory political environment.
House Bill 1173 proposes amendments to the Constitution of the State of Hawaii aimed at enhancing direct democracy through initiatives, referendums, and mechanisms for recalling elected officials. It seeks to empower Hawaiian voters by allowing them to submit initiative measures directly to the ballot, reject existing laws, and initiate recall votes against elected officials. According to the bill's justification, the absence of these mechanisms in Hawaii's current constitution restricts voter agency and diminishes the checks and balances that are fundamental in a democratic society.
There are potential points of contention surrounding HB 1173. Critics may raise concerns regarding the feasibility and administrative challenges of collecting sufficient signatures for initiatives and referendums. Moreover, opposition could center around the implications for governance stability by enabling recalls for officials deemed unresponsive to their constituents. The bill's provisions that prevent initiatives from addressing land use issues or compromising public health and safety also indicate a careful attempt to balance voter power with the need for responsible governance.