A member of Hawaii’s House of Representatives last week introduced a bill that would create a state Nuclear Energy Commission, to include three experts on nuclear waste disposal who would be appointed by the governor.
The bill, HB1516, was referred last week to the House Energy and Environmental Protection Committee and the Consumer Protection and Commerce, where it awaited further action as of Monday. Rep. Cory Chun (D) sponsored the proposal. Chun’s district is about 14 miles northwest by road from Honolulu, the state capital on the island of Oahu, some 2,500 miles by plane from Los Angeles.
Separately, another state lawmaker, Elijah Pierick (R), introduced HB1741, which would lift Hawaii’s prohibition on building a nuclear power plant or storing nuclear waste in the state without the approval of two-thirds of all state lawmakers. Pierick is the assistant minority floor leader for Hawaii House Republicans. His district is a few miles west of Chun’s.
Cosponsoring Pierick’s bill were: state Reps. David Alcos (R); Diamond Garcia (R); Lauren Matsumoto (R), the minority leader; and Gene Ward (R). The measure awaited hearings in the House Energy and Environmental Protection Committee and the House Finance committee as of Monday.
Democrats control Hawaii’s entire state government, including the state House and Senate and the governor’s mansion. In the legislature they have overwhelming majorities, controlling the House 45-6 and the Senate 23-2.
Pierick told the local local Honolulu Star Advertiser that he was pessimistic about his bill’s prospects for passage.
