Hawaii Voting to Ban Sale of Shark Fins

[sailingk8]

Your help is needed:

Urgent: Hawaii State Gov to vote on a precedent setting ban on trade of shark fins in the State this month. Please send a little note to support Bill SB2169. Hawaii would become the first area to fully ban the sale, trade, handling of Shark fins. Hawaii has a lot of Asian restaurants opposing this bill, please write to the state representatives as locals, tourists, sailors or divers in support of Bill SB216 to:
reps@capitol.hawaii.gov

It is currently legal to buy/sell/ eat shark fins all over the world including all 50 US states.
Approx. 250,000 shark are killed A DAY worldwide, please help fight this by sending a short note to support this new ban of sales in at least one influential area.

 

[Abidon]

You might be too late: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/hawaii-ohana/328963-help-stop-shark-finning.html
Looks like the bill failed pass. Apparently, the bill was so badly written that even re-searchers from the University of Hawaii were opposed to it. You'd think at least one politician would be smart enough to craft a bill capable of passing.

 

[sailingk8]

Nope, not dead:

Hawaii revives shark fin ban legislation

3 April 2010
Only days after the proposed bill to ban shark fin possession in Hawaii was seemingly dead, a state legislator has put the initiative back on the table in a move that has activists and shark advocacy groups excited about a possible ban. Representative Jon Riki Karamatsu, chairman of the state’s House Judiciary Committee, had deferred on Tuesday Senate Bill 2169, but on Thursday he brought it back before his committee, which passed it unanimously and now a vote on the House floor awaits.

According to Karamatsu’s office, the Democrat reversed his earlier decision after native Hawaiians and state Senator Clayton Hee – who had initially introduced the bill – had asked for its reintroduction to see if a compromise could be found.

Reports from the state argue native Hawaiians consider sharks to be a kind of deity, while environmentalists say shark bans are needed to ease fishing pressure on the animals. “I passed it to allow further discussion,” Karamatsu said in a statement from his office.

The full House vote will take place on April 6, and a number of shark groups are telling their supporters and partners that this is a “first-step” in the fight to ban shark fins.
Hawaii revives shark fin ban legislation | Bikya Masr

 

[sailingk8]

This Bill goes to vote tommorrow the 6th.... please write with your support, this is a very important bill for sharks:
Bill SB2169
reps@capital.hawaii.gov

 

[akmike]

Sent an email off to the address given, hopefully it will help.
Mike

 

[sailingk8]

It passed!!! The Hawaiian House just voted in favor of the bill to ban the distribution, sale and possession of shark fins in Hawaii. Still a few more steps to go, but this is another huge hurdle!
Thanks to everyone who helped make this get this far!
Whoo hoo!!

 

[derek b]

following is an email attached.
Unfortunately, I need your help again.

Yes, we made it through the House vote with the shark finning bill, but that was not the end of it.
The bill is now in conference where a final version is being discussed between Representatives of House and Senate.

There is very strong push back from the same House members that tried to kill it in the first place.
If the conference committee can't come to an agreement, the bill dies.
Deadline is next week. We don't have much time.

In the meantime we have addressed the concerns and talked to all opposing groups. Most are now on board with this bill.
However, there is STILL a strong push against the bill from a few members of the House. We are not sure who is influencing them.

But they are willing to go against the overwhelming majority of the public that is in support.
The problem is that they are able to influence a large portion of the House votes, due to their position.
It is hard to understand, and VERY frustrating.

We cannot let this small group of Bullies win!
Why do we bother to have 50 Representatives when one or two guys can abuse their position to keep the rest in check?
Why go through the hassles of committees and hearing and votes when it all comes down to a power play amongst the Representatives?

We have scheduled a press conference for Sunday where we will show the depth of support that we really have. We have invited members of the community to represent the Hawaiian and the chinese culture, as well as representatives of conservation groups. We will have videos, photos and articles available.

We have talked, explained, and negotiated for weeks. Reasonable discussion is obviously not enough!
We need to bring down a storm of letters onto the House Representatives AGAIN, so they will get on with it once and for all. If we can get the majority of the House to see the light, then they will be able to outvote the few stubborn opponents.

But first we have to get this bill out of conference- intact and on time. (by next week Thursday)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here is how you can help me:

1) Please write a letter in support .... again.
Of course you can use what you wrote before, but keep it short and to the point. (half page or less)

Here are a few points that are important:
-Ask the members of the legislature to please make sure SB2169 will move ahead and become law. Don't let this important opportunity slip away.
-Legislators, please listen to the majority, and not to the interests of a small group that is trying to hold up this ground breaking movement.
-The world is watching. Hawaii can make a difference. Legislators can show great leadership by taking a strong stance... etc

It is important that they realize how many people are watching this effort, here in Hawaii, nationally and internationally. And how much impact this will have.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address it to:
Hawaii State Legislature
State Capitol Building
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813

Re: S.B. No. 2169, Relating to Shark Fins

Dear Members of the Hawaii State Legislature,
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Make sure you send the statement to me (this email address) before Sunday the 18th.
I will print them out and make sure the media gets them.
I will also make packages to pass on to the governor and other important people that can influence the outcome.

Then send a copy to all the representatives at this address:

reps@Capitol.hawaii.gov

If you live in Hawaii you can also call or email your district's representative and tell them that you are one of their constituents and that you would like your voice to be heard.
(find your Reps and Senators here )


If you get to this after the 18th, still go ahead, because the meetings will continue next week.


2) If you have time, and feel strongly about this, give these offices a call ASAP. They are the House Representatives on the conference committee that are making things difficult.

Speaker Say is not on the committee, but he is the speaker of the House, and therefore influences all Reps.
Feel free to ask some tough questions and demand answers on why they are hesitating to support this bill. I have included email addresses in case you want to follow up with materials etc.

Representative Jon Riki Karamatsu ph 808 586-8490 e-mail repkaramatsu@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Ken Ito: ph 808 586-8470 e-mail repito@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Angus McKelvey ph 808 586-6160 e-mail repmckelvey@Capitol.hawaii.gov
House Speaker Calvin K.Y. Say ph 808 586-6100 e-mail repsay@Capitol.hawaii.gov

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

When is the effective date of the ban in this revised bill?

In the meantime we have addressed the concerns and talked to all opposing groups. Most are now on board with this bill.

 

[sailingk8]

PROBLEMS WITH THE BILL - PLEASE HELP:
Shark Savers info
"The process requires that once passed through the House of Representatives bills then go to what is called 'Conference' where meetings are arranged to decide the final version of the outline. As this particular bill was almost defeated, resurrected and then eventually passed it had experienced some serious bounding around. During this journey some of the points have become bones of contention within the discussions.

The main problem now is that some of the House members are asking for the word 'Possession' meaning that at the end of the day it would still be allowed for the import of shark fin to Hawaii. If this becomes the sticking point the incredible and groundbreaking movement comes to a grinding halt, it won't move up to the next rung in the process ladder. "

Please send an email of support for Bill SB2169 to
reps@capitol.hawaii.gov



** Note about 2050 date:

Legislators insert a "defective date" on many bills that are expected to go through a great deal of discussion and amendments. When a committee feels that all issues have not been resolved, but they want to pass the bill out of their committee to keep it alive, (because the deadlines are so tight) they add the defective date. This signals to everyone that more discussion is needed, but that the bill is essentially alive. Without this option, some bills would get stuck in a committee until every single issue was resolved beyond any doubt. And as a result, these bills would never make it through all the steps within the designated time.

A defective date also forces the bill into a "conference meeting", which means that the bill has to be approved by the "originating body". Again, that's because after a bill has gone through a number of changes, the originating body (in this case Senator Hee's committee in the Senate) is given the opportunity to agree or disagree with the other Committee's additions and changes. This process prevents the bill from turning into something completely different from its original intent.

Once Representatives and Senators that have been designated to the conference committee have agreed on the final draft, they remove the defective date and assign the "effective date". Generally the effective date will be July of the same year or the beginning of the next year.

 

[sailingk8]

Those of you lucky enough to live in Hawaii, you can have a BIG impact on passing this bill. PLEASE get involved. This bill means more than saving shark in Hawaii, it's a stepping stone to getting this type of movement going in many other areas around the world.

These are the House Representatives on the conference committee that still have objections to the bill.

People should call them or write them directly at their offices.
-
Resistance to the bill is being led by Representative Jon Riki Karamatsu


Jon Riki Karamatsu
ph 808-586-8490
repkaramatsu@Capitol.hawaii.gov

Representative Ken Ito:
ph 808 586-8470
e-mail repito@Capitol.hawaii.gov

Representative Angus McKelvey:
ph 808 586-6160
e-mail repmckelvey@Capitol.hawaii.gov

House Speaker Calvin K.Y. Say
ph 808 586-6100
e-mail repsay@Capitol.hawaii.gov