Governor vetoes 32 bills, signs 1, and allows 6 to pass without signature

Governor Linda Lingle vetoed 32 bills, signed one bill into law, and allowed another six to pass without her signature. The bills were among a list of 39 Governor Linda Lingle had submitted to the Legislature as she considered possible vetoes of the items.

The most controversial of the items was the veto today of HB 444 regarding Civil Unions. MauiNOW coverage of the Governor’s announcement can be accessed at the following link: http://mauinow.com/2010/07/06/governor-veotes-controversial-civil-unions-bill/

“After carefully reviewing each of these bills and weighing the considerable amount of input that we received from the public, I made the decision to not allow these measures to become law,” said Governor Lingle. “Although the Legislature passed bills they believe are important, I have the final responsibility to ensure that any new law is constitutional, fiscally responsible and in the best interest of the state,” said Lingle.

Of the 39 bills on the Governor’s potential veto list, three bills had been vetoed earlier. In a press release issued of the Office of the Governor today, Lingle said SB2001 would have retroactively eliminated previously promised high technology investment tax credits; HB1907 would have resulted in tax increases totaling more than $140 million over the next five years and discouraged charitable contributions; and HB415 would have required an expensive and unnecessary audit of the Department of Public Safety.

The governor signed a single bill on the potential veto list, HB1015 (Act 187), which affirms that the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands may initiate housing and other projects prior to having the full funds for the project available. Act 187 also allows the Department to extend existing commercial land leases for up to an additional 20 years.

Six other bills that had been on the potential veto list were allowed to become law without the Governor’s signature.