[Update of April 3 re PASSED is post #30 below...]

[Update of March 29 is #23 below...]

[UPDATE OF MARCH 11 IS REPLY #10 BELOW...]

Wow, they announced this one early... it's only 3:28 on Friday afternoon. Last week they waited until 4:54.

This creates the so-called "gun violence" prevention center, which is a euphemism for spending tax-payer dollars to produce fraudulent "research" demonstrating that our rights must be further infringed Hawaii needs just a few more commonsense gun safety regulations.

Hearing is Tuesday, so testimony is due MONDAY, FEB. 25, 2019.

Have a nice weekend.

COMMITTEE ON FINANCE

Tuesday, February 26, 2019, 1:30 P.M.

HB 1541, HD2
(HSCR759)

RELATING TO GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION.

Establishes the Hawaii Gun Violence Prevention Center within the University of Hawaii to research strategies to prevent gun violence.  Creates a special fund to support the Center.  Appropriates funds.

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=1541&year=2019

on HPR today they were talking about how they cant remove homeless structures from the sidewalks and streets because it violates the 5th and 14th amendments.  (I assume they meant cant take property without just compensation and can deprive property without due process)

Hey, Honolulu?  CAN YOU COUNT TO 2?  What about the 2nd?  You all were ready to confiscate a whole ton of property 2 weeks ago while at the same time making people felons for exercising a right.   

Testimony will have to be different since this is the Finance committee.  They are focusing primarily on the money side so you have to put fiscal related issues.

The center can be funded by donations from individuals and organizations which can be a conflict of interest, like if Bezos or Mom's Demand Action donated money.

The center can also give out money to non governmental organizations.  Brady Campaign and others?

Also a waste of taxpayer money with Hawaiis low gun crime rate.  Money could be better spent on enforcement.

Lastly why doesn't this bill research and promote defensive uses of firearms?  Sounds biased to me.

Testimony will have to be different since this is the Finance committee.  They are focusing primarily on the money side so you have to put fiscal related issues.

The center can be funded by donations from individuals and organizations which can be a conflict of interest, like if Bezos or Mom's Demand Action donated money.

The center can also give out money to non governmental organizations.  Brady Campaign and others?

Also a waste of taxpayer money with Hawaiis low gun crime rate.  Money could be better spent on enforcement.

Lastly why doesn't this bill research and promote defensive uses of firearms?  Sounds biased to me.

this is in the FINANCE COMMITTEE, so please add on a sentence or two about the money aspect. for example, the legislature funded a study last year, and it showed that we do not have a gun violence problem in Hawaii, so this bill is pointless...

After I had submitted my testimony yesterday (and thus cannot amend it) I came across this article by a physician in Forbes arguing about what should be included in "gun violence" "studies" that usually isn't, especially when conducted by people who are really doing "advocacy research" where they start with the conclusion they want to reach ("gunz bad") and then structure the research in a way so as to find such a conclusion (amazing how that works...). I'm hoping someone with use this study as part of their testimony, maybe even include the whole article as addendum, to demonstrate the uselessness of creating another state run fake research facility (California already has one and New Jersey currently has a bill trying to create one there). If it's a state-run perpetrator of fraud, I think it's safe to say that would be an unwise financial investment. The only glitch in that argument is that the legislators voting on the funding (and bill as a whole) are in favor of further destroying our rights and don't view fraud as a problem in doing so. I'm just sayin'...

[I've got this article and another by the same author, "That Time The CDC Asked About Defensive Gun Uses", edited into a document that could be easily incorporated into written testimony... if anyone wants them please message me with an email address and I will attach them.  ]

Any Study Of 'Gun Violence' Should Include How Guns Save Lives

https://www.forbes.com/sites/paulhsieh/2018/04/30/that-time-the-cdc-asked-about-defensive-gun-uses/#b6e0503299aa

But regardless of whether “gun violence” research is being conducted by the federal government, states, universities, or private organizations, there are three key principles all public health researchers and firearms policy analysts should remember.

1. Firearms save lives as well take lives.

2. The value of firearms in the hands of law-abiding citizens should be measured in terms of lives saved or crimes prevented, not criminals killed.

3. The right to self-defense does not depend on statistics and numbers.

After I had submitted my testimony yesterday (and thus cannot amend it) I came across this article by a physician in Forbes arguing about what should be included in "gun violence" "studies" that usually isn't, especially when conducted by people who are really doing "advocacy research" where they start with the conclusion they want to reach ("gunz bad") and then structure the research in a way so as to find such a conclusion (amazing how that works...). I'm hoping someone with use this study as part of their testimony, maybe even include the whole article as addendum, to demonstrate the uselessness of creating another state run fake research facility (California already has one and New Jersey currently has a bill trying to create one there). If it's a state-run perpetrator of fraud, I think it's safe to say that would be an unwise financial investment. The only glitch in that argument is that the legislators voting on the funding (and bill as a whole) are in favor of further destroying our rights and don't view fraud as a problem in doing so. I'm just sayin'...

[I've got this article and another by the same author, "That Time The CDC Asked About Defensive Gun Uses", edited into a document that could be easily incorporated into written testimony... if anyone wants them please message me with an email address and I will attach them.  ]

Any Study Of 'Gun Violence' Should Include How Guns Save Lives

https://www.forbes.com/sites/paulhsieh/2018/04/30/that-time-the-cdc-asked-about-defensive-gun-uses/#b6e0503299aa

But regardless of whether “gun violence” research is being conducted by the federal government, states, universities, or private organizations, there are three key principles all public health researchers and firearms policy analysts should remember.

1. Firearms save lives as well take lives.

2. The value of firearms in the hands of law-abiding citizens should be measured in terms of lives saved or crimes prevented, not criminals killed.

3. The right to self-defense does not depend on statistics and numbers.

that would require that the people at the leg actually read the testimony...

I'll add the articles into the Hifico testimony.

Done, told them it was ridiculous to spend money on non-existant problems out of a political urge.

that would require that the people at the leg actually read the testimony...

Yeah, if only we could require the people at the leg to actually read the testimony... and then be tested on it, and not be allowed to vote on a bill unless they passed the test. That would require some kind of strict rule that legislators had to be informed and responsible in order to vote. We all know that ain't ever gonna happen.

I'll add the articles into the Hifico testimony.

A N D... the results (gee, who coulda guessed... another nearly unanimous decision against us with the one "Republican" feebly voting "Aye... with reservations"... that's some defense of our rights Mr. McDermott!).

I noticed that even University of Hawaii at Manoa lied about the Dickey Amendment in their testimony. Go figure.

And I guess they didn't like my suggested amendment... I mean, had they read it...

02/26/2019   H   The committees on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 14 Ayes: Representative(s) Luke, Cullen, Eli, Gates, Hashimoto, Holt, Kitagawa, B. Kobayashi, Matayoshi, Nakamura, Todd, Wildberger, Yamashita; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) McDermott; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Nishimoto.

Hearing Thurs. 3/14, Testimony due Wed. 3/13.

They earlier refused to adopt any amendment that would either guarantee that they include all the "positive"/public safety enhancing uses of guns in the studies, or that would guarantee that the research grants were alotted equally among researchers who have a previous history of publishing pro and anti gun studies.

(Also note the the socialists(aka "Democrats" and "RINOs") in congress have introduced a bill asking for $50 MILLION for the CDC to study "gun violence".)

To submit testimony directly: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=1541&year=2019

COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

Senator Donna Mercado Kim, Chair

Senator Michelle N. Kidani, Vice Chair

NOTICE OF HEARING

DATE: Thursday, March 14, 2019

TIME: 2:45 PM

PLACE: Conference Room 229
State Capitol
415 South Beretania Street

A G E N D A

HB 1541, HD2

      (HSCR1127)

RELATING TO GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION.

Establishes the Hawaii Gun Violence Prevention Center within the University of Hawaii to research strategies to prevent gun violence.  Creates a special fund to support the Center.  Appropriates funds.  (HB1541 HD2)

It's in the higher education committee due to UH conducting the research.  add something related to education in your testimonies.

Wow, they announced this one early... it's only 3:28 on Friday afternoon. Last week they waited until 4:54.

Opposition submitted.

And around and round we go... opposition submitted!

sample testimony- the legislature, JUST LAST YEAR, funded a study on gun violence
the result of the study was HAWAII DOES NOT HAVE A GUN VIOLENCE PROBLEM!
yet the legislature wants to WASTE more money and time in an effort to come up with false "proof" that more "common sense gun legislation" is needed
please spend time and money on THE REAL PROBLEMS IN HAWAII, like the cost of living, homelessness, mental health issues, traffic, illegal drugs... i could go on listing things forever.

Pau
-------------------------------
I OPPOSE HB1541

Just last year in December of 2018, the legislature published a 140 page report (attached) on Hawaii firearm laws and related statistics. In the report, the commission only had 1 recommendation to make. In the end, it essentially stated that Hawaii DOES NOT HAVE A FIREARM PROBLEM. As such, after many months and countless taxpayer dollars spent, the “need” to spend more of our tax dollars on a wasteful study to glean information already freely available is a waste and is repugnant to the citizens of Hawaii.

Based on a CDC report, Hawaii is ranked 50th for firearm related deaths (2.5:100,000) with the majority of 66% being suicide. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/sosmap/firearm_mortality/firearm.htm

We already have one of the highest cost of livings in the country and poorest infrastructures. A recent study using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to find out what the average "living wage" is in each state showed we need to make $136, 437 (the highest) to meet the guideline. The next in line was California at $99,971, a $36,000 difference. Again, the “need” to spend more money to have another study done for information we already have is a waste.

Hawaii still one of the worst states to pay taxes, study says
https://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/news/2018/10/11/hawaii-still-one-of-the-worst-states-to-pay-taxes.html

MOST EXPENSIVE PLACE TO LIVE IN U.S.? HAWAII, WHERE TOILET PAPER COSTS MORE THAN ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD
https://www.newsweek.com/most-expensive-place-live-us-hawaiitoilet-paper-costs-more-628977

This Is the Living Wage You Need in All 50 States
https://www.gobankingrates.com/making-money/jobs/living-wage-every-state/?utm_campaign=788761&utm_source=yahoo.com&utm_content=1
“Hawaii is the most expensive state in the country, mostly due to housing costs that run more than triple the national average at about $36,000 a year. As such, despite a median income of nearly $75,000 a year, the typical Hawaiian is still over $61,000 short of a living wage — the largest such gap in this study.”

Please do not waste anymore of our hard earned tax dollars on this or any other wasteful program.

Mahalo

Pau
-------------------------------
I OPPOSE HB1541

Just last year in December of 2018, the legislature published a 140 page report (attached) on Hawaii firearm laws and related statistics. In the report, the commission only had 1 recommendation to make. In the end, it essentially stated that Hawaii DOES NOT HAVE A FIREARM PROBLEM. As such, after many months and countless taxpayer dollars spent, the “need” to spend more of our tax dollars on a wasteful study to glean information already freely available is a waste and is repugnant to the citizens of Hawaii.

Based on a CDC report, Hawaii is ranked 50th for firearm related deaths (2.5:100,000) with the majority of 66% being suicide. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/sosmap/firearm_mortality/firearm.htm

We already have one of the highest cost of livings in the country and poorest infrastructures. A recent study using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to find out what the average "living wage" is in each state showed we need to make $136, 437 (the highest) to meet the guideline. The next in line was California at $99,971, a $36,000 difference. Again, the “need” to spend more money to have another study done for information we already have is a waste.

Hawaii still one of the worst states to pay taxes, study says
https://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/news/2018/10/11/hawaii-still-one-of-the-worst-states-to-pay-taxes.html

MOST EXPENSIVE PLACE TO LIVE IN U.S.? HAWAII, WHERE TOILET PAPER COSTS MORE THAN ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD
https://www.newsweek.com/most-expensive-place-live-us-hawaiitoilet-paper-costs-more-628977

This Is the Living Wage You Need in All 50 States
https://www.gobankingrates.com/making-money/jobs/living-wage-every-state/?utm_campaign=788761&utm_source=yahoo.com&utm_content=1
“Hawaii is the most expensive state in the country, mostly due to housing costs that run more than triple the national average at about $36,000 a year. As such, despite a median income of nearly $75,000 a year, the typical Hawaiian is still over $61,000 short of a living wage — the largest such gap in this study.”

Please do not waste anymore of our hard earned tax dollars on this or any other wasteful program.

Mahalo

wow, yours is WAY better than mines...

wow, yours is WAY better than mines...

Doesn't mean they listen. They only hear what their wallet tells them and how much political clout they can gain. If enough "normal" people say its a waste then maybe they kill it. Otherwise it's gonna happen 

All I can do is add stats to hope that maybe 1 or 2 committee members read it and have a pause for discussion rather than shove shit down our throats

Damn your guys testimony sounds better than mine. Mine is written like I talk (conversational).

Damn your guys testimony sounds better than mine. Mine is written like I talk (conversational).

Doesn't matter how its said as long as it GETS SAID.