06/08/22 Mayors Blangiardi, Roth, Victorino, and Kawakami urge Governor Ige to veto HB 1567

Mayors Blangiardi, Roth, Victorino, and Kawakami urge Governor Ige to veto HB 1567

From L to R: Sean Pritchard of the San Jose Police Officers Union, SHOPO President "Bobby" Cavaco, Maui Mayor Mike Victorino, Hawai'i County Mayor Mitch Roth, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi, Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Steve Alm, and HPD Assistant Chief Calvin Tong

HONOLULU - Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi was joined by other elected leaders and representatives from multiple law enforcement agencies on Wednesday to hold a news conference urging Governor Ige to veto HB 1567 HD1 SD1 CD1, which eliminates the use of monetary bail and requires defendants to be released on their own recognizance for certain nonviolent offenses, subject to certain exclusions.

Mayor Blangiardi was joined on Wednesday by Hawai'i County Mayor Mitch Roth, Maui County Mayor Mike Victorino, Kaua'i County Mayor Derek Kawakami (virtual), Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Steven Alm, Honolulu Police Assistant Chief Calvin Tong, SHOPO President Robert "Bobby" Cavaco, and Sean Pritchard of the San Jose Police Officers Union.

"I am so grateful to everyone who joined us today," said Mayor Blangiardi. "This is a major statement about our commitment to public safety and the support for our police department. From the moment I heard about HB 1567 being passed, I've been vocal against it in every way and every venue that I could. I am urging the Governor to do the right thing and veto it when it gets to his desk. This is not a good piece of legislation, and it flies in the face of every citizen or visitor who values public safety and family safety above all else."

"This is like taking a bazooka to a problem of a fly instead of a flyswatter," added Hawai'i County Mayor Mitch Roth. "The collateral damage that this bill could cause is humongous. We have judges that are already letting people out that have the ability to do everything that this bill is talking about, but what it forgets about are the victims. The victims being hit by the same offenders and causing our police officers to put their lives in danger. When you start to erode the criminal justice system, when you start to erode the confidence in our courts, you start to see people acting differently, and this bill does not help us it just hurts us."

"I would like to ask that we have a well-planned, well-funded alternative monetary bail bill," said Maui County Mayor Mike Victorino. "I'm talking about an alternative developed with input from all the stakeholders, which would include law enforcement, the judiciary, and county officials who have to enforce a lot of this."

"We feel the measure, as well intended as it is, is overly broad," said Kaua'i County Mayor Derek Kawakami in pre-recorded remarks expressing his support of the veto request. "Perhaps we should come back in with a measure that is more targeted so that we can do criminal pre-trial reform in a manner that will ensure that we can keep our communities safe."

Also in attendance on Wednesday were Honolulu City Council members Calvin Say, Brandon Elefante, Carol Fukunaga, Heidi Tsuneyoshi, and Augie Tulba. State Senators Kurt Fevella, Sharon Moriwaki, and Donna Mercado Kim were in the audience to show their disapproval of HB 1567, along with State Representative Gene Ward.

-PAU-