I’ll never forget my favorite uncle telling me shortly after my first successful election in a rather blunt kind of way, “Congratulations on your election, I hope you don’t turn out like all the rest.”

Wow. In one short sentence, he says what 80% of people are thinking.

All politicians are crooks.

From that moment on, I redoubled my commitment to make my family proud and prove my favorite uncle wrong.

And it’s not true of course. All politicians are not crooks.

The great majority of those serving in public office, in my experience, are good human beings just trying to do their job.

Yes, some take cash bribes stuffed into paper bags. Other’s load up their campaign coffers by soliciting contributions from special interests. Still others exercise their corruption by standing on the sidelines, doing nothing, and looking the other way.

All politicians, including of course your’s truly, without a doubt are imperfect.

This is where you, the average citizen on the street comes in.

To keep our democracy, our government and our politicians “on track” two things are essential – YOUR participation and SUNSHINE.

Which brings me back to the title and purpose of today’s column.

The Hawai’i Constitution says unequivocally that state legislative committees (where all the lawmaking occurs) must conduct their decision making in public.

Unfortunately the majority of legislative committees are making a mockery of this constitutional requirement and the vast majority of committee decisions are made behind closed doors.

The decision as to whether or not a legislative committee will even hold a hearing on a bill is made in secret. The public has no clue as to how, why, or even when this decision is made.

For bills that do receive a public hearing, the ultimate decision by the committee to pass, defer, or amend a bill is also made in private, and then later announced in public.

As part of the decision-making process, the committee chair meets with and discusses the bills in private, with various committee members, staff, and influential “stakeholders”.

This process does not come even close to meeting the requirements of Article 3 Section 12, paragraph 3 of the Hawaii State Constitution which states, “Every meeting of a committee in either house or of a committee comprised of a member or members from both houses held for the purpose of making decision on matters referred to the committee shall be open to the public.”

So, what are we going to do about it?

Fortunately for us, 8 citizen plaintiffs decided they’re not going to take it anymore and filed a lawsuit against the House of Representatives in early 2025 – Acasio, Aiwohi, Alcubilla, Aynessazian, Cobeen, Cobeen, Pahia and Ikeuchi v House of Representatives.

The core argument before the court is based on the fact that at the start of the 2025 legislative session, the State House of Representatives convened the House Advisory Committee on Rules and Procedure which then conducted 100% of its deliberations and decision-making in total secrecy.

This official House committee held no public meetings whatsoever yet “made decisions on matters referred to their committee”.

Mark your calendar for May 27 at 9:00am and support these 8 citizen plaintiffs, as they seek a motion for summary judgment at the First Judicial Circuit, Tenth Division at Ka`ahumanu Hale, 777 Punchbowl Street, 4th Floor, Courtroom 17 – on Oahu.

I’m not a plaintiff, but I’ll be there and hoping we can fill the room in quiet respectful support of the 8 plaintiffs.

Their request is simple and straightforward.

The State House of Representatives must follow the State Constitution and STOP making committee decisions in secret meetings behind closed doors.

Important end note: Two or more people communicating with each other (in person, via phone, text, email, zoom) is a meeting. A meeting may be held “in-person” or “on-line” and may be conducted as a “serial meeting” where participants are not all in the same “room” together at the same time.

PLEASE JOIN ME IN HELPING THEM FUND THEIR LEGAL EXPENSES via GoFundMe – THE GOAL IS 100 PEOPLE GIVING $100 – 10 PEOPLE A DAY OVER THE NEXT 9 DAYS!

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE – SHOW THESE 8 CITIZEN PLAINTIFFS HOW MUCH YOU APPRECIATE THEM. AND GIVE WHATEVER YOU CAN TODAY!