Abercrombie signs several bills into law

HONOLULU — Governor Neil Abercrombie signed the following bills into law today:

House Bill 112:  Allows the Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to designate an access organization to oversee public, educational, and governmental channels on cable television. Promotes use of ‘Olelo, Akaku, and Ho’ike community public communications.

House Bill 1540:  Makes permanent the current practice of allowing the Department of Education to hire teachers as “emergency hires” for only three years.  The intent is to motivate emergency hired teachers to obtain their teaching license.  This ensures that emergency hire teachers obtain proper training to meet the federal requirement to be “highly qualified.”

Senate Bill 1171:  Allows the Board of Education to grant a waiver if schools want to deviate from the common, single school calendar; and allows the lowest performing schools identified in Race to the Top to be able to add school days for extended learning time.

Senate Bill 675:  Repeals state authorization to allow a private not-for-profit corporation to acquire student loan notes.

Senate Bill 1484:  Clarifies insurance code for those organizations that primarily provide insurance benefits to members of our armed forces, veterans, and their families.

Senate Bill 698:  Eliminates mandate requiring minimum recycled glass content in roadway materials.  Roads should now be better built and glass will be better recycled.

To date, 24 measures have been enacted.  The Governor has until July 12, 2011 to sign into law all measures that are passed out of the state Senate and the House of Representatives.  The Legislature adjourns on May 5th.

For more information on these measures and other legislative bills, please visit http://capitol.hawaii.gov.