HAWAII'S CONSTITUTIONAL COVENTIONS ARE MEETINGS WHERE DELEGATES PROPOSE CHANGES TO THE STATE CONSTITUTION.

THE LAST CONCON IN 1978 WAS A LANDMARK EVENT THAT RESHAPED OUR POLITICAL AND CULTURAL LANDSCAPE.

HAWAII VOTERS WILL SOON BE DETERMINING IF IT'S TIME FOR ANOTHER CONCON.

SOME SAY IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PROGRESSIVE REFORM.

OTHERS WORRY IT COULD LEAD TO COSTLY BATTLES AND UNPREDICTABLE CHANGE.

JOAN THE JOIN THE DISCUSSION.

TONIGHT'S LIVE BROADCAST AND LIVE STREAM OF KAKOU: HAWAII'S TOWN HALL, START NOW.

ALOHA AND WELCOME TO KAKOU: HAWAII'S TOWN HALL, LIVE FROM THE HARRY AND JEANETTE WEINBERG MULTI-MEDIA STUDIO.

I'M YUNJI DE NIES.

WHAT IF YOU HAD THE POWER TO REWRITE THE RULES THAT GUIDE HOW HAWAII IS GOVERNED?

TOGETHER, WE ALL DO.

ONCE EVERY TEN YEARS, VOTERS ARE ASKED WHETHER HAWAII SHOULD HOLD A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION — A PROCESS THAT ALLOWS THE PUBLIC TO REVIEW AND PROPOSE CHANGES TO THE STATE CONSTITUTION.

IT'S A POWER HAWAII RESIDENTS HAVE USED BEFORE: IN 1968, AND MOST NOTABLY IN 1978 — LEADING TO LAWS THAT STILL IMPACT OUR LIVES TODAY, BUT IT'S A POWER WE HAVEN'T USED SINCE.

VOTERS WILL DECIDE AGAIN IN 2028, SO WE'RE ASKING: IS IT TIME FOR A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION?

BEFORE WE BRING IN OUR PANEL, LET'S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT WHAT A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION IS — AND WHY IT MATTERS.

JULY 5TH, 1978 — OPENING DAY OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION — BEGAN WITH THE VOICE OF EDITH KANAKAOLE.

(CHANTING) OLI AND HULA SET THE TONE, AS THE 102 DELEGATES GATHERED FOR WHAT WOULD BECOME NEARLY THREE MONTHS OF DEBATE OVER THE FUTURE OF HAWAII.

THAT CONVENTION GENERATED MORE THAN 800 PROPOSALS.

ULTIMATELY, 34 CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS WERE SENT TO VOTERS — AND EVERY SINGLE ONE PASSED.

THOSE CHANGES RESHAPED HAWAII IN LASTING WAYS — CREATING THE OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS, MAKING OLELO HAWAII AN OFFICIAL STATE LANGUAGE, ESTABLISHING THE STATE WATER COMMISSION, AND ENSHRINING THE RIGHT TO PRIVACY IN THE CONSTITUTION.

BUT A DECADE EARLIER, THE 1968 CONSTITUTION CONVENTION LAID THE FOUNDATION FOR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RIGHTS FOR PUBLIC EMPLOYEES — A CHANGE THAT RESHAPED LABOR RELATIONS IN THE STATE.

OFTEN CALLED A CONCON, A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION ALLOWS RESIDENTS TO REVIEW AND PROPOSE CHANGES TO THE STATE CONSTITUTION, WHICH GOVERNS HOW HAWAII RUNS.

LAWMAKERS CAN PROPOSE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS DURING A LEGISLATIVE SESSION — BUT IT TAKES A TWO-THIRDS VOTE OF THE LEGISLATURE JUST TO GET THEM ON THE BALLOT.

A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION IS DIFFERENT.

IT BYPASSES THE LEGISLATURE.

DELEGATES CHOSEN BY VOTERS DECIDE WHAT GOES ON THE BALLOT.

WHATEVER THEY APPROVE IS SENT DIRECTLY TO VOTERS STATEWIDE FOR A DECISION - YES OR NO.

AND AMENDMENTS APPROVED BY VOTERS CANNOT BE VETOED BY THE GOVERNOR.

IN 1996, VOTERS AGAIN APPROVED HOLDING A CONVENTION, BUT A COURT RULING LATER INVALIDATED THE VOTE, SAYING THAT BLANK BALLOTS SHOULD BE COUNTED AS NO VOTES.

SINCE THEN, VOTERS HAVE REJECTED PROPOSED CONVENTIONS IN 1998, 2008, AND 2018.

A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION IS A RARE OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO BYPASS LEGISLATIVE GRIDLOCK AND DIRECTLY SHAPE HAWAII'S FUTURE.

IT'S ALSO UNPREDICTABLE.

OPENING UP THE STATE CONSTITUTION COULD PUT VITAL PROTECTIONS AT RISK.

KAKOU MEANS ALL OF US — AND WHEN IT COMES TO THE CONSTITUTION, WHAT'S IN THERE AFFECTS US ALL.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU IN OUR DISCUSSION.

YOU CAN EMAIL OR CALL IN YOUR QUESTIONS.

WE'RE ALSO STREAMING LIVE AT PBSHAWAII.ORG AND OUR YOUTUBE PAGE.

IN OUR TOWN HALL TONIGHT, WE'RE JOINED BY FORMER CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION DELEGATES WHO LATER WENT ON TO SERVE IN ELECTED OFFICE, CURRENT OFFICE HOLDERS, COMMUNITY ADVOCATES, AND POLICY EXPERTS.

SO, LET'S BEGIN.

START WITH FORMER GOVERNOR JOHN WAIHEE VIDEO HERE AT THE 1978 CONSTITUTIONAL CONVE CONVENTION.

LATER GOING ON TO SERVE HAWAII HE'S GOVERNOR FOR TWO TERMS.

WHEN YOU LOOK B BACK AT CHANGES YOUR GENERATION MADE THEN, DO YOU THINK THOSE REFORMS WORKED AND WHY?

>> I THINK THEY SET POLITICAL AGENDA FOR HAWAII.

AND DEPENDS I GUESS WHICH SIDE OF THE ISSUE YOU'RE ON.

FOR ME I THINK IT WORKED BECAUSE IT CHANGED THE DISCUSSION OF POLITICS THROUGH SOMETHING THAT WAS MORE FOCUSED ON HAWAII AS OPPOSED TO THE NATION IN GENERAL.

SO YEAH, >>Yunji: TALK TO SOMEONE ELSE ALSO THERE.

BARBARA WITH US.

WE HAVE VIDEO OF YOU AS WELL FROM THE 1978 ConCon.

YOU QUENTIN ON TO SERVE MORE THAN 3-WENT ON FOR SERVE MORE THAN THREE DECADES IN THE HAWAII STATE HOUSE OF FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE HOW DOES A DECISIONMAKING AT CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION DIFFER THAN DOING IT IN THE LEGISLATURE IN THAT TRADITIONAL PROCESS?

>> WELL, IT WAS MUCH MORE OPEN FORUM.

AT THE TIME, I REALLY LIKED THE WAY THEY DID IT.

THEY WOULD HAVE HEARING ON ARTICLE 3, FOR INSTANCE, LEGISLATURE, SO ALL PROPOSALS WERE UP FOR DISCUSSION.

IF YOU WANTED TO ADDRESS PROPOSAL NUMBER 73, YOU SIMPLY SPOKE ABOUT IT.

BUT YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO BEG THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE TO HOLD A HEARING ON YOUR BILL OR SOMEBODY ELSE'S BILL.

BUT IT WAS OPEN FORUM.

SO THAT WAY, THERE WAS NO WAY FOR ONE TO KNOW WHO THE AUTHOR WAS.

WHETHER IT WAS FROM A RECIPROCAL A REPUBLICOR DEPARTM.

IN THIS CASE INDEPENDENT.

SO THE MERITS OF BILL WERE CONSIDERED AND SO I HAD SEVERAL OF MY PROPOSALS ACC ACCEPTED >>Yunji: SO INTERESTING.

SOUNDS LIKE A MUCH MORE EQUITABLE SHARE OF VOICE THAN WHAT WE HAVE AT THE LEGISLATURE NOW >> CORRECT.

>>Yunji: ONE OF THE BIG THINGS WE REFERENCED THAT CAME OUT OF ConCon '78 WAS OHA JOIN US IS KAI KAHELE CHOIR OF THE OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS.

CHAIR.

OHA ORIGINAL IPS HOW DO YOU VIEW THE I IDEA OF ANOTHER CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION TODAY PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO THE RIGHTS OF NATIVE HAWAIIANS?

>> I THINK WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS WHEN CONSIDERING WHETHER WE SHOULD HAVE A ConCon OR NOT IS DO THE CONDITIONS EXIST IN HAWAII TODAY AND ALSO AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL, THAT IT WOULD WARRANT REOPENING ST STATE'S CONSTITUTION, AND ADDRESSING SOME OF THE WOULD PERCEIVE SHORTFALLS THAT THE LEGISLATURE HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO ENACT.

FOR THE OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS, THE 1978 ConCon WAS APEX OF ATTEMPT TO ADDRESS THE INJUSTICES THAT THE NATIVE HAWAIIAN COMMUNITY HAD EXPERIENCED FOR DECADES, FOR SEVERAL GENERATIONS.

WHAT WE SAW AFTER THE ConCon WAS WHEN THE LEGISLATURE PUT ITS FINGER ON THE SCALE AND THE WATERING DOWN WHAT THE TRUE INTENT OF THE ConCon DEL DELEGATES WERE IN THE CREATION OF OHA IN 1979 AND ENABLING STATUTE AND THEN THE DETERMINATION OF HOW OHA WOULD BE FUNDED, THROUGH ITS PRO RATA SHARE, THOSE TWO ISSUES, LEGISLATURE DEVIATED CONSIDERABLY FROM WHAT DELEGATES WANTED, AND AS GOVERNOR WAIHEE YOU POINTED OUT IN THE PAST, THE TWO SITTING MEMBERS OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION WERE DELEGATES, WERE ALSO MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE IN 1979 VOTED NO ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE STATUTORY LANGUAGE FOR OHA.

BECAUSE IT DIDN'T MEET THE SPIRIT AND INTENT THAT THE ConCon DELEGATES ENVISIONED FOR OHA >>Yunji: GIVEN ALL OF THAT, DO YOU THINK THEN IT IS TIME TO GO BACK REVISIT CONSTITUTION AND STRENGTHEN THAT REACH THE TRUE INTENT HE OF 78?

>> IN THE POSITION I'M IN NOW, AS CHAIR OF THE OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS, FOR NOW, MY ANSWER WOULD BE NO.

>>Yunji: OKAY.

WE'LL EXPLORE THAT MORE DETAIL.

MOVE ON TO ISAAC.

WHO ISEL CONSTITUTIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL ATTORNEY.

WORKED EXTENSION LALLY ON WATER AND PUBLIC TRUST ISSUE.

PEOPLE NOT FAMILIAR, WHAT ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION CAME OUT OF 1978 AND WHAT DIFFERENCE HAVE THOSE CHANGES MEANT FOR HAWAII IN THE YEAR SINCE >> >> WHOLE BUNCH ADVANCES AND BEEN REALLY IMPACTFUL IN TERMS OF ADVANCING THIS NOTION OF RIGHT TO CLEAN ENVIRONMENT, AND THEN ALSO SHALL NOTION THAT WATER RESOURCES ALL NATURAL RESOURCES INCLUDING OUR CLIMATE NOW HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED BY COURTS.

IS NATURAL RESOURCES PUBLIC TRUST THAT HAS TO BE PROTECTED FOR THE BENEFIT OF PRESENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS.

OUR OFFICEEL EARTH JUSTICE WORK ON THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, WATER RESOURCES, FOR OVER A GENERATION.

AND INSPIRED BY THE GREAT WORK OF THE 78 ConCon, BASICALLY DONE THAT WORK GENERATIONS IN PACRIM WITH OTHERS, TO PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHERS BREATHE MEANING IN THOSE PROVISIONS.

TODAY YES I CAN SAY THANKS TO OUR HAWAII SUPREME COURT LEADS NATION IN SO MANY RESPECTS BUT ALSO IN THIS ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE REALM, IT'S VERY CLEAR AND HAWAII LEADS THE WAY IN THIS PRINCIPLE THAT ALL NATURAL RESOURCES ARE PUBLIC TRUST RESOURCE AND EVERY CITIZEN HAS THAT RIGHT TO CLEAN AND HEALTHFUL ENVIRONMENT >>Yunji: GIVEN THAT DO YOU THINK THAT OPENING UP THE CONSTITUTION COULD PUT SOME OF THOSE RIGHTS AT RISK OR DO YOU THINK THEY COULD BE STRENGTHENING ANDED NOW WE KNOW SO MUCH MORE ABOUT THE DANGERS OF CLIMATE CHANGE >> DOING A FINE JOB WITH THE LAWS WE HAVE NOW.

DEFINITE RISK O OPEN IT UP IT'S GOING TO BE HULI OVERTURNED >>Yunji: INTERESTING.

COLIN MOORE POLITICAL SCIENCE SEQUUNIVERSITY OF HAWAII LEADING AN TEST.

SHORT ANSWER, HOW DID ConCon '78 CHANGE HAWAII POLITICS >> I THINK AMONG OTHER THINGS LAUNCHED CAREERS SOME OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL MEMBERS OF OUR POLITICAL ESTABLISHMENT.

GOVERNOR WAIHEE, REP MORE MORIMOTONUMBER OF OTHERS.

THING TO REMEMBER WHETHER ConCon 78 IS MEDIAN AGE WAS 35.

102 DELEGATES.

ONLY TWO ALREADY ELECTED OFFICIALS >> VERY YOUNG GROUP OF FOLKS SAND MANY FUTURE POLITICS FUTURE LEADERS GOT THEIR START AT ConCon.

SO IT REALLY WAS A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY I THINK FOR CIVIC EDUCATION, FOR DIFFERENT GROUPS TO GET TOGETHER AND REALIZE THAT THEY COULD WORK TOGETHER.

ONE-TWO UNIQUE THINGS ABOUT '78 ConCon IS NO ONE, I BELIEVE FAIR TO SAY GOVERNOR WAIHEE CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, NO ONE REALLY INEXPECTED WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

READ THE REPORTING BEFORE ConCon, IN THAT ERA, THERE WASN'T A REALLY A CLEAR SENSE OF WHAT WOULD EMERGE FROM IT.

SSO THIS REALLY WAS ONE OF STATE'S GRANDEST EXPERIMENTS IN DEMOCRACY.

YOU HAD PEOPLE FROM VERY DIFFERENT WALKS OF LIFE, VERY YOUNG GROUP, WHO THEN BECAME VERY INFLUENTIAL DECIDE AND CREATE ONE OF THE MOST MAYBE THE MOST PROGRESSIONIVE CONSTITUTION IN THE COUNTRY >>Yunji: TO BORROW CHAIR'S LANGUAGE, DO YOU THINK THAT THE CONDITIONS EXIST TODAY THAT WOULD CREATE A SIMILAR OUTCOME?

>> I HOPE THEY DO.

FEW THINGS GIVE ME A LITTLE BIT OF PAUSE AND SO I THINK SPECIAL INTERESTS MORE PO POWERFUL, MORE INFLUENTIAL.

AFTER CITIZENS UNITED, PROBABLY HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO SPEND A LOT OF MONEY AFFECTING DELEGATE ELECTIONS WHICH WOULD BE PART OF ConCon AT THE SAME TIME I THINK THERE ARE SOME PRETTY STRONG GUARDRAILS.

I THINK THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE LIKELY TO BE ELECTED, IF IT WORKED AS DID IN A 78, HAVE 102 DELEGATES FROM TWO MEMBERS OF EACH LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT.

THOSE WILL HAVE TO BE YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS.

I THINK IT WOULD BE PRETTY HARD FOR CANDIDATES NOBODY KNOWS AND ANY OF THOSE NEIGHBORS TO WIN ELECTION.

I ALSO THINK THAT THE EXPERIENCE AS REP MORIMOTO TALKED ABOUT, EXPERIENCE OF WORKING WITH THE OTHER DELEGATES, SEEMS TO HAVE CHANGED SOMETHING.

DELEGATES IN A 78 SEEMED TO REALLY H HAVE CREATED SOMETHING NEW NO ONE EXPECTED.

THINK OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT EXIST TODAY TOO.

>>Yunji: PERRY, IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HOUSING HAWAII FUTURE.

WHICH WORKS ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING POLICY.

ACTUALLY WRIGHT BOOK ABOUT THE 1978 CON U ConCon, WHAT DO YOU SEE IT THE LAST LASTING LEGISLATIVE IMPACT CAME OUT OF THAT CONVENING?

>> I'LL NOTE DIRECTOR OF POLICY AT HOUSING HAWAII'S FUTURE.

MOST LASTING LEGISLATIVE IMPACT?

>>Yunji: YES.

>> I THINK I MEAN, THERE WAS A GREAT -- THIS ESTABLISHMENT OF OHA WOULD HAVE BEEN THE GREATEST LASTING LEGISLATIVE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THAT EVENT.

BUT TO CHAIR KAHELE POINT I THINK THE POLITICAL MANDATE PREDPRODUCED 78 CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION LEFT A GREAT DEAL TO BE UNREALIZED.

AT TIME WENT ON, THE LEGISLATIVE MANDATE PRODUCED BY THE '78 ConCon, NOT JUST IN THE REALM OF OHA, BUT IN THE REALM OF RIGHT TO CLEAN AND HEALTHFUL ENVIRONMENT, FORMATION OFEL WATER COMMISSION, A LOT OF THOSE MOVEMENTS I THINK WITH TIME, THEY WERE, THE GENDE AGENDA OF 8 FORGOTTEN.

COMMISSION, THE WATER COMMISSION ITSELF WAS NOT ESTABLISHED UNTIL 1978.

NINE YEARS AFTER THE ConCon.

AND I THINK WITH TIME, THOSE ARE JUST THE PIECES OF THE CONSTITUTION THAT WERE IMPLEMENTED.

THERE'S MANY OTHER PIECES.

OF OUR CONSTITUTION THAT HAVE BEEN FORGOTTEN.

SINCE THEN.

>>Yunji: WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT PROFESSOR MOORE'S POINT ABOUT THIS SORT OF, NEW BREEDING GROUND FOR THE NEW VICE VOICES IN POLITICS?

DO YOU THINK THAT WOULD BE AN EXCITING OPPORTUNITY OR DO YOU WORRY ABOUT THE RISKS OF OPENING UP THE CONSTITUTION?

>> D DIM OBJECTING RAY IS REALLY SCARY.

DEMOCRACY REALLY SCARY.

NO POINT WHERE IT IS OPPO OPPORTUNE.

YOU KNOW, I WAS BORN IN 199 19199820AREAS AFTER THE 1978 CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.

MORE THAN HALF OF HAWAII WAS NOT EVEN ALIVE, WHEN THE 1978 CONSTITUTIONAL CONVECTION CONVENTIONOCCURRED.

GREAT DEALF OPPORTUNITY WITH ANY EVENT LIKE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVE CONVENTION.

BUT THERE'S ALSO A GREAT DEAL OF RISK.

I THINK THE BIGGER QUESTION TO ASK IS WHETHER OR NOT WE ARE PREPARED AS A SOCIETY TO ENTER INTO A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.

THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF EDUCATION WHICH WOULD PROBABLY GO INTO PREPARING HAWAII'S ELECT RAELECTORATE AND HAWAII'SY FOR A ConCon.

THAT WILL TAKE SOME TIME.

HAWAII'S PEOPLE FOR A ConCon.

I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE AT THAT POINT >>Yunji: FIRST EEN DIFFERENT TONIGHT.

SANDY OSHIRO JOURNALIST WORKED VARIETY OF O OUTLETS.

COVERED 1978 ConCon FOR THE THEN HONOLULUIZEER.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT IT MOMENT WORK AND ARE THOSE CONDITIONS PRESENT TODAY?

HONOLULU ADVERTISER >> I THINK WHAT MADE IT WORK WAS IF INDEED PEOPLE'S ConCon.

DIVERSITY, AGE RANGE, AMONG THE DELEGATES.

WERE SO DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WAS IN THE LEGISLATURE.

SO YOU GOT THE PROGRESSIVE PROPOSALS.

CAME UP BECAUSE THAT WAS THE KIND OF FEELING THAT THIS IS MOMENTOUS HISTORIC EVENT THAT CAN CHANGE THE DIRECTION WHICH HAWAII WAS GOING.

BUT AS TO WHETHER THIS IS RIGHT TIME TO DO IT, I THINK I'M CONFLICTED.

LIKE MANY OTHERS FOR MANY OTHER REASONS, YOU HEAR TODAY, I DO THINK AS MY ROLE AS REPRESENTING MEDIA, GIVEN THE NEWS DESERT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, THE LACK OF NEWS RESOURCES IN THE COMMUNITY, IT WAS SO DIFFERENT BACK THEN.

WE HAD TWO ROBUST NEWSPAPERS.

STATIONS COVERING ConCon.

WE HAD THE WIRE SERVICES AND SNUB NNUMBER OF INDEPENDENT PUBLICATION.

NO LONGER THE CASE TODAY.

AND THEN THERE ARE OTHER ISSUES, FUNDING AND DIVI DIVISIVENESS THAT SPECIAL AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.

NATIONALLY, THAT CAN PLAY INTO THE DECISION OF WHETHER IT'S THE RIGHT TIME OR NOT.

>>Yunji: THE NEWS DESERT SEEMS TO BE A BIG CHALLENGE.

DO YOU THINK THAT WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST CONCERN WHEN IT COMES TO INFORMATION COMING OUT OF EVENT LIKE THAT?

GIVEN THE LACK OF RESOURCES IN TTHAT ARENA TODAY?

>> IT WAS DIFFICULT.

WE HAD FROM THE ADVERTISED OWEENER FOR EXAMPLE, HAD ADVERTISER FOR EXAMPLE HAD TWO REGULAR REPORTERS, DAILY REP REPORTERS, OTHERS, SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE WOULD COME IN AND COVER THE JUDICIARY ISSUES, EDUCATIONAL ISSUES.

WE DON'T HAVE THAT ANY MORE.

SO WHAT WILL COME OUT OF IT, SPECIAL INTERESTS BE ABLE TO INFLUENCE THE RESULTS?

THERE IS THAT FACTOR THAT I THINK GIVES ME PAUSE.

>>Yunji: ABSOLUTELY.

TINA REPRESENTS HOUSE DISTRICT 18 INCLUDES K KAPAHULU KAIMUKI AND PARTS EAST HONOLULU.

FROM WHERE YOU SIT, DOES A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION GIVE IT CONSTITUENTS STRONGER VOICE THAN IN THE LEGISLATURE?

>> GOOD QUESTION.

I THINK IT COULD AND YOU KNOW, SPEAKING NOT AS A LEGISLATURE, BUT AS SOMEONE WITH BACKGROUND IN ACTIVISM AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZING, ONE THING THAT EXCITES ME ABOUT ConCon IS MOBILIZING OUR COMMUNITIES IN TOWARDS SOMETHING ASPIRA ASPIRATIONAL.

OPPORTUNITY TO REDESIGN A SYSTEM THAT WILL MAKE PEOPLE FEEL MORE HEARD.

BECAUSE I THINK WE'VE SEEN ENGAGEMENT SORT OF SHIFT AWAY FROM THE LEGISLATURE IN A LOT OF WAYS, I THINK BECAUSE PEOPLE WHO OTHERWISE CARE VERY MUCH FOR THEIR COMMUNITY AND TRY TO MAKE CHANGE, DON'T SEE THE LEGISLATURE AS A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD.

BUT FOR ME, I FROM THAT COMING FROM THAT SAME PERSPECTIVE I THINK IT'S LESS OF A QUESTION OF WHETHER TO ConCon OR NOT TO ConCon.

AND MORE ABOUT COMMUNITY ORGANIZING THAT WILL COME NEIGHBORHOOD BY NEIGHBORHOOD ASK OURSELVES THAT QUESTION.

BECAUSE THE ConCon IS ONE VEHICLE FOR CHANGE, BUT THERE ARE MANY OTHER AVENUE THAT IS COMMUNITIES CAN TAKE TO BUILD POWER TO CHART A NEW PATH THAT IS MORE INDEPENDENT OF CORPORATE CONTROL AND SPECIAL INTERESTS.

SO I THINK THE NEXT YEAR OR SO WILL BE REALLY EXCITING TO SEE HOW THE COMMUNITY LEADERS, PEOPLE ON THE GROUND, RESPOND TO THIS QUESTION THEMSELVES >>Yunji: THANK YOU.

MOVE TO ANOTHER REPRESENTATIVE DIAMOND GARCIA STATE LIVE SERVING HOUSE DISTRICT 42 REPRESENTING KAPOLEI AND EWA.

REPRESENTATIVE, WHAT CONCERNS YOU PERHAPS ABOUT OPENING P A ConCon?

>> I WANT TO TAKE A DIFFERENT POSITION TONIGHT.

I'M IN FULL SUPPORT OF ConCon.

IT'S BEEN 50 YEARS.

YOU SAID BORN IN A 98, I WAS BORN I IN A 98.

19 YEARS AFTER THE '78 ConCon.

SO I BELIEVE SPEAKING FROM A GEN-Z GENERATION, IT'S TIME FOR OUR GENERATION TO STAND UP AND REALLY AFFECT THE CONSTITUTION OF OUR STATE.

WE'RE GOING TO BE IN CHARGE OF GOVERNMENT, PRIVATE SECTOR, WHAT HAPPENS HERE IN HAWAII FOR DECADES TO COME.

AND I BELIEVE IT'S TIME FOR OUR GENERATION TO REALLY HAVE A VOICE IN CONSTRUCTING AND LOOKING AT OUR CURRENT CONSTITUTION TO MAKE IT WORK US.

THESE LAST FEW YEARS, ESPECIALLY DURING COVID, MANY OF THE RESIDENTS IN MY COMMUNITY IN WEST OAHU FELT THAT THERE WAS LOTS OF GOVERNMENT OVER REACH WHEN IT CAME FOR COVID RESPONSE, CAME TO MEDICAL MANDATE, AND I BELIEVE ConCon COULD BE A SETTING WHERE WE CAN ENSHRINE OUR CONSTITUTIONAL AUTONOMY, MEDICAL RIGHTS, ET CETERA, HERE IN HAWAII.

>>Yunji: INTERESTING TAKE.

JOSH WISH IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HOLOMUA COLLE COLLECTIVE.

NONPROFIT FOCUSED ON MAKE HAWAII MORE AFFORDABLE FOR WORWEAWORKING FAMILIES.

WHEN THE ConCon QUESTION CAME UP IN 2018 HEAD OF AC LUVMENT.

YOU WERE VERY PUBLICLY LIKELY AGAINST A ConCon.

HAS YOUR THINKING EVOLVED SINCE THEN?

>> SUCH A FAIR QUESTION.

I SEE GOVERNOR HERE LAUGHING.

GOT YA.

YES.

IT HAS E INNO E VIDEOGRAPHERRED.

I -- EVOLVED MUCH MORE OPEN TO IT THAN I WAS THEN.

AND ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS THAT I AM IS SINCE THAT TIME, I HAVE GAINED JUST A GREATER APPRECIATION FOR ALL OF THE SAFEGUARDS THAT ARE IN PLACE.

BASICALLY, A LOT OF THE CHECKPOINTS THAT I THINK WOULD MAKE IT LESS LIKELY THAT SOME.

MOST EXTREME PROPOSALS MIGHT MAKE IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH.

JUST FOR THE FOLKS WATCHING THIS, UNDERSTAND HOW THE PROCESS WOULD WORK.

THE FIRST THING YOU HAVE TO DO IS ACTUALLY JUST HOLD THE VOTE ON WHETHER YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.

THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT AGE SO FAR IN THE PANEL, I'LL OUT MYSELF.

SO I TURNED 51 NEXT WEEK.

AND THE LAST TIME WE HELD A ConCon, I WAS 3 YEARS OLD.

AND SO THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY TO SAY IT'S TIME.

THAT IS TO SAY, HITTING THAT FIRST STEP ISN'T EASY.

THAT'S JUST THE FIRST ACCEPT.

DO WE HOLD A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION?

FIRST STEP.

ONCE YOU CLEAR THAT CHECK CHECKPOINT.

THEN Y YOU HAVE AELECT DEL       S DELEGATES.

COLIN SAID YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE PRETTY WELL-KNOWN IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.

WHEN WE HAD HAD IN A 78, FARMERS SOCIAL WORKS TEACHERS.

YOUNGER MEDIAN AGE.

AND YOU'RE GOING TO BE ELECTING YOUR NEIGHBORS DO THIS.

SECOND CHECKPOINT.

THEN THEY'RE ALL GOING TO GET TOGETHER, ALL MAYBE 102 OF THEM AND DISCUSS AND CAJON OLD AND TRY TO CONVINCE EACH OTHER WHAT TO DO AND WE HEARD HOW MANY PROPOSALS THEY CONSIDERED AND HOW RELATIVELY FEW MADE IT OUT OF THAT.

SO THAT IS YOUR THIRD CHECKPOINT.

THEN FINALLY, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE, ACTUALLY M MET LET ME BACK UP.

ALSO NOT GOING IN WITH COMPLETELY BLANK PIECE OF PAPER.

NOT ERASING CONSTITUTION STARTING OVER.

IT IS MAKING AMENDMENTS TO EACH ONE.

AND THEN ALL OF THE AMENDMENTS THAT THEY PROPOSE GO TO THE ELECTORATE.

AND THE ELECTORATE HAS TO VOTE ON EACH ONE OF THEM ONE BY O ONE.

SO WITH THAT UNDERSTANDING, THIS ISN'T JUST NECESSARILY RUN AWAY TRAIN, BUT IT'S MORE LIKE HIKING TRAIL WITH A BUNCH OF CHECK POINTS YOU'VE GOT TO GO THROUGH.

THAT APPRECIATION MAKES ME MORE OPEN TO IT.

THAN I USED TO BE.

>>Yunji: CHAIR KAHELE LOVE FOR YOU TO RESPOND TO THAT.

WHAT YOU DO I I THINK?

ENOUGH GUARDRAILS IN PLACE THIS COULD BE SUCCESSFUL?

>> OPENING UP THE CONSTITUTION AND I THINK JOSH HAD SAID IT BACK WHEN HE WROTE ON ON OPED HG OPEN-HEART SURGERY.

>> WAS THE LINE.

THANKS >> AND IT PUTS VERY IMPORTANT GAINS THAT NOT JUST THE NATIVE HAWAIIAN COMMUNITY HAS MADE BUT THE BROADER COMMUNITY POTENTIALLY AT RISK.

RIGHT TO PRIVACY, RIGHT TO COLLECTIVELY BARGAIN ALL THE NATIVE HAWAIIAN RIGHTS THAT WERE HARD WON THEN.

AND THERE HAS TO BE AGAIN, I GO BACK TO WHAT PROBLEM WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE?

AND DO CONDITIONS EXIST THAT WARRANT US DOING THIS TODAY?

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REALLY TODAY AND 1978 WAS YOU HAD THIS VERY, VERY PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT COMING OUT OF THE VIETNAM WAR.

MAJOR FEDERAL ELECTIONS REFORM WITH THE I AM I IMPEACHMENT PRT NIXON AT THE TIME.

50 YEARS LANDING OF KAHO'OLAWE NINE.

GOVERNOR WAIHEE ONE OF THE ATTORNEYS FOR THE PIKIO AT THE TIME.

YOU HAD THIS HOKULEA AND MAJOR RESURGENCE OF NATIVE HAWAIIAN COMMUNITY.

CALL IT THE HAWAIIAN RENAISSANCE.

THAT WAVE LED INTO THIS VERY SPECIAL TIME IN HAWAII WHEN WE HAD THAT '78 ConCon.

MANY OF THE, RESULTS FROM THAT ConCon WERE RESULT I THINK OF THAT GENERATION.

I DON'T BELIEVE THAT EXISTS CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW.

THAT TAKES A LOT OF HARD WORK.

TALKS A LOT OF CAPACITY BUILDING A LOT OF TIME AND ENERGY, AND I THINK THERE'S JUST A LITTLE BIT TOO MUCH AT RISK IF WE WERE TO HAVE A ConCon RIGHT NOW.

NOT TO SAY THAT WE COULDN'T, BUT WOULD TAKE A LOT OF TIME TO DO THAT >>Yunji: I'M CURIOUS YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS OPEN-HEART SURGERY.

IF YOU THINK IT'S WORTH, IS HAWAII PATIENT IN NEED OF THIS KIND OF SURGERY >> OPEN-HEART SURGERY IS MORE PREVALENT.

THAN SOME OF THE PEOPLE IN THE ROOM.

I'M AT AI'M AN AGE.

THERE WAS A TIME WHEN I WAS LIKE THE YOUNG GUY IN THE RO ROOM.

JUST LIKE OPPOSITE.

IN A SENSE.

WHAT'S INTERESTING IS PEOPLE DISCUSS THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION, THE REACTION TO IT AS THE DECADES WENT BY, ACTION TO REACTION, PUBLIC REACTION TO 1978, ONE 1978 ONE OF THE FIS THING --FIRST THINGS HAD A HAPPD AFTER THE '78 CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION, HAWAII STATE LEGISLATURE MADE IT HARDER TO PASS CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS.

THEY INCREASED VOTE THAT YOU FEEDTO RATIFY.

LOOKED IS THAT YOU NEEDED TO RATIFY.

LOOKED AT THAT CONVENTION RUN AWAY CONVENTION.

40 YEARS, 50 YEARS LATER, WE ARE DOING EXACT OPPOSITE.

WE'RE LOOKING AT THE CONVENTION AND SAYING WE DON'T WANT TO CHANGE WHAT THESE CRAZCRAZY GUYS DID IN A 78.

AND SO I THINK ONE OF THE MISTAKES WOULD BE TO TRY AND IMAGINE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THE SAME CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION AGAIN.

I MEAN, DECISION ABOUT WHETHER YOU HAVE IT OR NOT HAS TO BE MADE IN THE I BELIEVE, HAS TO BE MADE IN THE CONTEXT AT THE TIME.

IN 19 1960, CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.

AND THAT CONVENTION WAS I THINK MORE THAN 70% OF THE PEOPLE IN THE CONVENTION WERE ALREADY ELECTED OFFICIALS.

THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN IN '78.

COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.

IN 1960, GENTLEMAN CALLED JIM BACON STANDS UP IN THE CONVENTION AND SAYS, WE SHOULD DO THE BEST WE CAN TO SUPPORT.

PARAPHRASESSING.

HAWAIIAN CULTURE AND SO FORTH.

AND HE ESSENTIALLY GOT LAUGHED OFF THE FLOOR.

NOW, CONTRAST THAT TO '78 AND YOU GOT A WHOLE DIFFERENT DINE MANDYNAMIC.

UNWRITTEN STORY OF 1978 IS THE FACT THAT WE EVEN ENDED UP WITH THINGS THAT WERE PASSED.

THE POTENTIAL FOR CHAOS S EXIST THE.

IN A 78 PASSED RULES THAT WERE VERY -- 67 PASSED RULES VERY, ON PAPER VERY LIBERAL AND BUT THEY DIDN'T ACTUALLY FOLLOW THEM.

IN A 68 LEGISLATORS.

THEY KNEW HOW TO HOLD COMMITTEE METTLE.

TAKE ONE MEETINGS TAKE ONE VOTE DID NOT BRING UP AMENDMENTS THAT HAD FAILED.

IN A 78 CITIZENS ConCon IN A SENSE AND, WE FOLLOWED SAME RULE BECAUSE WE THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.

AND YOU KNOW, AS REPRESENTATIVE MARUMOTO TALKED ABOUT, THAT MEANT THAT EVERYTHING HAD TO HAVE A HEARING, EVERYTHING HAD TO BE TO B BEVOTED ON.

WE USED TO MAE AMENDMENTS ON SECOND PASSAGE.

ON THE FLOOR OF THE CONVE CONVENTION.

BUT SOMEHOW, IT ALL WORKED.

SO YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN MORE A KUA THAN IT IS US THAN WAS SEAHAWK SUCCESSFUL >>Yunji: WHAT PROPELLED YOU TO JUMP IN AND WANT TO BE A ConCon REPRESENTATIVE AND WHAT CAN OTHERS TAKEAWAY FROM THAT EXPERIENCE BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT YOU WENT ON TO BECOME TO BE INVOLVED IN POLITICS MORE THAN 30 YEARS AFTER THAT.

>> WELL, HI HAD SEVERAL ITEMS ON MY PERSONAL AGENDA.

AS A WHOLE, ADDRESS THE POINT THAT SINCE SO MANY OF YOU EXPRESS FEAR ABOUT FUTURE ConCon TAKING AWAY THINGS THAT YOU GAINED, I DON'T THINK THAT ANOTHER ConCon WOULD TAKEAWAY THESE THINGS THAT WE HAVE FOUGHT SO HARD FOR.

AND FOUND SO IMPORTANT.

A LOT OF THE, WHEN PEOPLE WENT INTO THE '78 ConCon.

THINKING IN TERMS OF INITIATIVE REFERENDUM AND RECALL.

AND NOTHING MUCH ELSE.

BUT WHAT CAME OUT OF IT WAS MERIT SELECTION OF JUDGES, REAPPORTIONMENT COMMISSION, THAT DID THE REAPPORTIONMENT INSTEAD OF LEGISLATORS THEMSELVES DOING IT.

GENERAL FUND SPENDING CEILING.

THERE'S SO MANY BALANCED BUDGET, DEBT CEILING, WHICH IS VERY EFFECTIVE.

AND HAS HELD PRETTY STRONG.

THERE ARE A MYRIAD OF THINGS THAT CAME OUT IN THOSE 34, '36 BRIAN36MEAVMENTS THA AMENDMENTSE PASSED.

WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT WHEN WE WENT IN F FROM THIS RAG TAG RESIDENTIAL GROUP.

>> BARBARA BASH BASH BARBARA SY DIFFERENT SITUATION IN THE SENSE THAT MOST OF THE FOCUS, MEDIA FOCUS NOW, IS ON THE IDEA THERE WAS A GROUP THAT WERE TWO GROUPS.

ONE WANTED INURN T ISSUE TERVIVA REFERENDUM MORE STRUCK IT WILL.

ININITIATIVE REFERENDUM, ONE DIDN'T WANT IT.

IN ACTU ACTUALITY WHAT YOU REALY HAD WAS A LOT OF SIDE THAT DIDN'T GET INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM AT THE SAME TIME WAS VERY, VERY MUCH INTERESTED IN DOING PROGRESSIVE THINGS.

AND THE ESTABLISHED PARTIES, WWERE ON ONE SIDE IN A SENSE.

THEN YOU HAD YOUNG GROUP COMING IN AND IDEAS, IT WAS A VERY FERTILE ENVIRONMENT >>Yunji: JOSH SO BEAUTIFULLY LAID OUT, THERE ARE A MYRIAD OF STEPS NEED TO HAPPEN BEFORE WE GET TO THE POINT OF DELEGATES.

WE WENT OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY, DID ASK PEOPLE ABOUT HOW THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT THE IDEA OFFER CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.

HERE'S LITTLE WHAT WE HEARD.

>> MANNY MARWEIN: I THINK GIVING THE PEOPLE A VOICE IS, IS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT.

YOU KNOW, ISN'T THAT THE WHOLE POINT OF OUR DEMOCRACY OF, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S STATE, LOCAL, EVEN FEDERAL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

YOU KNOW, I, I, WE NEED TO GIVE MORE POWER BACK TO THE PEOPLE.

TEANAROA WORTHINGTON: ABSOLUTELY, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK IN EVERY ASPECT OF YOUR LIFE, UH, THINGS CHANGE OVER TIME AND THINGS NEED TO BE UPDATED, UH, INCLUDING THE,THE STATE CONSTITUTION.

I, I MUST SAY, I DON'T KNOW THE DETAILS OF THE STATE CONSTITUTION, BUT AS A GENERAL PRINCIPLE, I THINK IT SHOULD ALWAYS, THAT'S WHAT AMENDMENTS ARE FOR, IS TO MAKE CHANGES, UM, TO, YOU KNOW, TO, TO MAKE THINGS BETTER.

>> LAURA ROSA LEONG: I WOULD SAY YES, ESPECIALLY WITH THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON RIGHT NOW IN OUR WORLD, IN OUR, ESPECIALLY IN OUR COUNTRY, I THINK THAT WE JUST NEED TO CONVENE AND DISCUSS WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO US AND WHAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IS REALLY EMBEDDED IN OUR PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE HERE ON THESE ISLANDS.

I THINK THAT BUILDING COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW IS LIKE, SO IMPORTANT.

WE NEED TO BE COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW, REALLY SOLID.

>>Yunji: REPRESENTATIVE, THAT WAS IN YOUR DISTRICT.

RIGHT THERE IN THE HEART OF KAIMUKI.

I'M CURIOUS, VERY INTERESTING QUESTION POSTED BY CHAIR KAHELE.

WHAT PROBLEM ARE WE TRYING TO SOVEREIGN.

WHAT PROBLEM DO YOU THINK A ConCon COULD SOLVE?

>> IF I U FI I WANTED TO DO SAY ACKNOWLEDGE SERIOUS RISKS OPEN UP OUR CONSTITUTION I THINK I WOULD SAY PROBABLY MANY OFOUS FOF USFEEL WE'RE IN A MOMENT OF CRISIS OF DEMOCRACY RIGHT NOW TRUST, IN OUR PUBLIC CONSTSUNRISEON HASUNINSTITUTIONG FEELINGS HERE AT HOME.

ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING AT STATE LEVEL AND NATIONALLY.

SO IDEA OF INVITING PEOPLE IN TO REDESIGN THE SYSTEM, IS EXCITING TO ME.

I THINK IT HAS TO COME WITH COMMITMENT TO ENSURE THAT IT IS CITIZEN AGAIN.

THINGS WE CAN DO ABOUT THAT.

IN MY MIND, STRICT SPENDING LIMITS FOR DELEGATE ELECTIONS OR EVEN PUBLIC FINANCING FOR DELEGATE ELECTIONS.

BECAUSE THE APPEAL OF THIS IS TO GIVE PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE AND IF WE DON'T BRING NEW PEOPLE IN, IF THE PEOPLE AT THE CONVENTION END UP BEING THE PEOPLE KINDS OF PEOPLE WE HAVE HERE IN THIS CONVERSATION, IT DOESN'T REALLY ACHIEVE THAT AT ALL.

BUT THOSE INTERVIEWS THAT SENSE OF OPTIMISM, IS SO RARE NOWADAYS.

I CAME IN LIKE REALLY MIDDLE OF THE ROAD.

I STILL AM.

ULTIMATELY, I THINK AGAIN, WHAT WE NEED IS EVERY ARE HUNGRY FOR AT LEAST HAVING THE CHOICE.

>>Yunji: GO AHEAD >> I'LL GO BACK TO MANNY TALKED ABOUT PEOPLE NEED A VOICE.

THEY DO HAVE A VOICE.

WE JUST CONVENE 33 LEGIS LEGISLATURE.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE CIVIC EDUCATION, MORE ACTIVE PARTICIPATION AT THE LEGISLATURE.

FOLLOWING BILLS.

SHOWING UP TO TESTIFY.

VOTING.

WE HAVE ONE OF THE LOWEST VOTING RATES TURNOUTS IN THE NATION.

YEAR OVER YEAR.

THAT SOMETHING WE NEED TO ADDRESS.

AS A STATE.

BECAUSE THE PEOPLE DO HAVE A VOICE.

AND THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO AFFECT THE CONSTITUTION EVERY SINGLE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

THROUGH THEIR LEGISLATORS.

WE DON'T HAVE OPEN UP THE ENTIRE CONSTITUTION WHEN EVERY LEGISLATIVE SESSION, PEOPLE HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE IT THROUGH THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS.

AND IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN CONSTITUTION HAS BEEN CHANGED.

OVER 30 TIMES SINCE 1978.

SO THE PEOPLE DO HAVE THE POWER TO DO THAT.

WE DON'T HAVE TO OPEN UP THE CONSTITUTION IN ITS ENTIRETY TO ACHIEVE THAT >>Yunji: I WANT TO SECOND THAT.

>> TLC A WAY TO AMEND THE CONSTITUTION WITHOUT A HUGE ConCon WE'VE DONE IT HE PLENTY OF TIMES FELT NEED FELT STRONGLY ABOUT IT REALLY CA CARED.

DID TWICE ON MARRIAGE EQUA EQUALITY.

WE ALSO HAVE SUPREME COURT TO PRETTY AND DEFEND CONSTITUTION THAT'S THE USUAL WAY WHERE WE EVOLVE THE CONSTITUTION.

HAVE SACRED FOUNDING DOCUMENT.

DON'T OPEN IT UP WITH THE O OPEN UP HEART SURGERY.

STATE SUPREME COURT LIKE THE U.S.

FAITHFUL AND TRUE TO THAT KULEANA AND THEREFORE, WE HAVE SOME OF THE STRONGEST MANY FRONTS LAWS AND CONSTITUTIONAL LEVEL IN THE NATION.

SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF.

AND THIS IDEA OF LET THE PEOPLE DECIDE.

YES, I UNDERSTAND THAT.

I AGREE WITH IT.

HEY, I'M SO WISH THAT I COULD GO BACK IN THE TIME MACHINE AND BE PART OF THAT MAGIC OF 78.

I'M OKAY WITH >> ME TOO!

>> I'M OKAY WITH THE DOCUMENT THAT WE HAVE AS CHAIR KAHELE POINTED OUT.

MORE ABOUT ENFORCING WHAT WE HAVE AND NOT CREATING SOMETHING FLU B NEW.

WALKED DOWN THAT ROAD BEFORE.

FULFILL WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE.

I'M NOT AT THAT SCHOOL OF, IT'S OUR TIME.

IT'S THE NEXT GENERATION.

LET'S MAKE GOOD ON WHAT HE WITH ALREADY ESTABLISHED.

>>Yunji: PERRY >> TELL YOU, ONE THING IS TH THAT, THIS DEVIL'S ADVOCATE POINT OF VIEW.

THAT IS THAT YES, THE LEGISLATURE CAN MAKE AMEN AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTI CONSTITUTION.

AND HAVE.

FOR THE MOST PA PART THOSE AMENDMENTS WERE ACTUALLY CUTTING BACK ON THE RIGHTS THAT WERE ESTABLISHED IN 1978.

TELLS YOU THAT SOMETIMES THE SYSTEM MAY NEED A LITTLE INJECTION.

NOW, I USED TO TAKE THE POSITION THAT LIKE THE GENTLEMAN SAID, I THINK EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE YOU GOT TO GO AND SEE WHAT YOU DID STILL MAKES SENSE.

TODAY, I'M A LITTLE BIT HAVE MIXED FEELINGS BECAUSE OF THE DIVISIONS IN OUR SOCIETY.

THAT MAY BE DIDN'T EXIST.

ONE THING ABOUT '78 WAS THAT THERE WERE NO ISSUES THAT WERE AS DIVISIVE AS MIGHT BE TODAY.

I MEAN, FOR EXAMPLE, HAWAII WAS FIRST STATE THAT PASSED CHOICE.

WOMAN'S RIGHT TO CHOICE.

WE WERE ONE OF THE FIRST PLACES THAT HAD PUBLIC COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.

AND WHEN THE '78 CONSTITUTION CAME, ABOUT, DIDN'T MATTER WHICH SIDE YOU WERE ON PERSPECTIVE, IN THE CONSTITUTION, AS A GENERAL MATTER, THOSE KINDS OF ISSUES WERE JUST SAID WE ALL AGREE THAT WHERE WE ARE NOW.

AND WHAT THE CONSTITUTION, WHAT THE CONVENTION DID WAS TOOK EVERY PROPOSAL DEALT WITH THOSE TWO ISSUES, PUT IT ON THE FLOOR AND VOTED IT ALL DOWN.

THAT KIND OF COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVE WILL NOT EXIST TODAY.

>>Yunji: I THINK SAFE BET THAT IT WOULD NOT.

BRING IN PERRY NOW.

I'M CURIOUS, GIVEN WHAT WE HEARD SO FAR TONIGHT, THE IDEA THAT WE NEED MORE YOUNG PEOPLE EWA OFFRAMP OF IN GOVER GOVERNMENT.ER THIS COULD BE A PATH.

YOUNG PEOPLE INVOLVED IN GOVERNMENT.

WHAT IS YOUR VIEW ON THAT >> I MEAN, YOUNG PEOPLE WILL MAKE OF THIS OPPORTUNITY WHAT THEY WILL.

I THINK A LOT OF WHAT I HEARD SO FAR, THAT THE LEGISLATURE EXISTS AS A VEHICLE, THAT CERTAINLY TRUE.

LEGISLATURE DOES EXIST AS A VEHICLE.

AND THERE ARE CERTAIN PEOPLE YOUNG PEOPLE, WHO DO ENGAGE IN THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS AND THEY GO AND LOBBY GOVERNOR AND BECOME ATTORNEYS.

BUT THAT'S A VERY SLIM MINORITY OF HAWAII'S YOUNG PEOPLE TODAY.

I WAS ON THE PHONE WITH MY BROTHER.

HE GREW UP WENT TO CAMPBELL HIGH SCHOOL.

MOVED TO OREGON.

HE JOKED WITH ME, HE SAID, YOUNG PEOPLE HERE THEY DON'T VOTE AT THE BALLOT BOX.

THEY VOTE WITH PLANE TICKETS BECAUSE THEY DON'T SEE A FUTURE HERE.

AND I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE FEEL THAT WAY ABOUT HAWAII TODAY.

FASTEST AGING STATE IN THE UNITED STATES.

WE HAVE LOWEST RATE OF HOMEOWHOMEOWNERSHIP AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE.

PEOPLE UNDER THE AGE OF 35.

I WOULD SAY THAT IN SPITE OF WHAT YOU SHOWED ME A MOMENT OAGSTILL A GENERAL SENSE OF RESIGNATION AMONG A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE.

WITH THAT SAID, CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION COULD SERVE AS OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO GAUGE IN ENGAGE IN THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESSMENT LIKE I SAID TOO, EARLIER, WE DON'T KNOW IF YOUNG PEOPLE WILL COME OUT.

THAT IS WHERE THE EDUCATION IS CRITICAL.

>>Yunji: I WANT TO GO TO YOU AND APPOINT THAT CHAIR KAHELE WAS MAKING ABOUT JUST THE LACK OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.

YEAR AFTER YEAR, WE HAVE SHOWS WE TALK ABOUT JUST HOW LOW VOTER TURNOUT IS.

DO YOU DUI IN THIS COULD IGNITE MORE POLITICAL INTEREST OR SAME FOLKS TALKING TO E EACH OTHER IN A ROOM?

>> I THINK IT WILL INTERGOVWILL I UG NIGHTMORE PO.

RECEPTIONS PRESUMLY BACK IN 1978 YOU HAD ALMOST 600 PEOPLE RUNNING FOR 102 SEATS GENERATED HUGE AMOUNT OF INTEREST.

I THINK THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE NECESSARILY PARTISAN IDEOLOGICAL ELECTION.

ONE OF THE THINGS TURNS A LOT OF PEOPLE OFF FROM CIVIC ENGAGEMENT IS POST ELEC ELECTIONSnd ARE VERY COMPETITIVE.

PRETTY MUCH SETTLED IN PRIMARY AND SO I THINK PARTICULARLY, IF ELECTED OFFICIALS DON'T GET INVOLVED, YOU COULD HAVE A REAL UNIQUE DOOR-TO-DOOR CAMPAIGN, SMALL DISTRICTS, A LOT OF PEOPLE RUNNING, AND I THINK I THINK JUST KNOWING FROM MY STUDENTS SAY, I THINK THEY SEE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY.

NOT JUST TO GET INTO POLITICS FINALLY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY SHAPE THE FUTURE OF THE STATE BECAUSE THERE IS ONE THING THAT MAKES ConCon SO UNIQUE, DIFFERENT THAN JUST PUTTING AMENDMENT THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE, IT IS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A HOLISTIC LOOK AT THE WAY THE STATE WORKS.

ALL OF THESE SYSTEMS THAT IS THE CONSTITUTION, YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT WHEN YOU'RE JUST DOING ONE OF AMENDMENTS.

I TH THINK ITSELF MIGHT BE PARTICULARLY ATTRACTIVE TO YOUNG FOLKS.

I THINK OTHER THING SO INTERESTING ABOUT ConCon, IS YOU DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET WHICH MAKES US SO NERVOUS.

GOVERNGOVERNOR WAIHEE RIGHT.

78, BIG ISSUE WOULD BE REFERENDUM AND RECALL.

DON'T HAVE.

END UP REJEGH REJECTING THAT.

DON'T THINK YOU REALLY KNOW WHAT IT IS.

COULD ATTRACT A LOT OF PE INTEREST FROM YOUNG PEOPLE >> I WANTED STEP BACK FOR ONE MINUTE AND NOTE THAT PART OF WHAT I THINK WOULD BE VALUABLE AND KIND OF A THINK LIKE REP SAID, I AM NOT EVEN SAYING PRO OR CON DOING IT RIGHT NOW.

WHERE MY EVOLUTION BEEN ON THIS IS I AM MORE OPEN TO CONSIDERING IT.

AND EVEN P BEFORE WE GET TO THE RACE FOR THE DELL DELEGAT OE OF THE THINGS DOES CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY PEOPLE REALIZE CHANCE TO HAVE A REAL DISCUSSION BEFORE THE VOTE HAPPENS, IN 2028.

REMINDER TO THE VIEWERS, THAT'S HOW FAR OFF IT IS.

WE HAVEN'T EVEN GOTTEN TO GENERAL ELECTION IN 2026.

THIS IS GOING TO BE ON THE BALLOT IN 2028.

SERVICE PBS ALREADY HAVING THIS CONVERSATION.

SO I THINK PEOPLE HAVE A SENSE OF THIS REAL OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION, FOR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, EVERYTHING PERRY WAS SAYING ABOUT YOUNG PEOPLE VOTING WITH THEIR FEET, ALSO NOT JUST THEM.

WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT VOTER APATHY, NATIONWIDE.

ESPECIALLY BAD HERE IN HAWAII.

AND ONE KIND OF PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IS NONPROFIT AT HOME MEW A, A LOT OF HOLOMUA A LOT OF PEOPLE WHAT DID HE PUBLIC EDUCATION WORK SPEND A LOT OF TIME INTENTIONALLY BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER, FROM DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES.

FOR PROFIT, NONPROFIT, GOVERNMENT, LABOR KENNY AUNE UNIONS BRINGTHEM TOGE TO TOGETHS ISSUES DOUCHES THEY ALWAYS AGREE SURF HAD NO.

WHAT WE -- TO DISCUSS ISSUES.

DO THEY ALWAYS AGREE?

NO.

INCREASED TRUST AMONG THOSE PEOPLE TO SIT DOWN IN A ROOM AND HAVE A DISCUSSION BASED ON ISSUES, BASED ON THE DATA, ABOUT WHAT CAN WE DO BETTER.

AND WHEN YOU HAVE THAT ENGAGE IN THE EDUCATION PIECE, REALLY SEE IS INCREASE IN TRUST AND HOHOPE.

PEOPLE END UP VOTING YES OR NO IN 2028, I THINK JUST IMPORTANT THAT THEY FEEL LIKE THEY ARE MAKING THAT EDUCATED AND INFORMED YES OR NO.

THEY CAN KIND OF DO THAT WITH THEIR WHOLE WHOLE HEART >>Yunji: VALUE OF CIVIC EXERCISE SAKE FOR ENGAGEMENT.

I WANTED TO GO TO YOU REPRESENTATIVE GARRIN GARCIA.

CHECK CHUCK FREEDMAN SAYS AREN'T AWE AFRAID THAT PACS THOSE BEHIND CERTAIN UNIONS PUT BIG MONEY BEHIND DELEGATES RUNNING FOR ECOSYST ELECTION.

PUTTING GUARDRAILS I DON'T KNOW IF LEGALLY THAT WOULD EVEN BE POSSIBLE.

GIVEN THAT WE LIVE IN INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, THAT IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN THE ONE 50 YEARS AGO, DO YOU SHARE CHUCK'S CONCERNS ABOUT OUTSIDE MONEY OR INFLUENCE IN THIS PROCESS?

>> WHY E POLITICS IS ALWAYS RISKY WE CAN USE SAME O ARGUMENT FOR THE NEXT 100 YEARS AND NOT HOLD A ConCon.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT TTHERE IS A CLEAR DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE POWER, HIERARCHY AT ConCon VERSUS LEGISLATURE.

YES, LEDGE IS THE PEOPLE'S VOICE CURRENTLY.

BUT WHAT YOU HAVE AT THE LEDGE IS IMBALANCE.

ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT THE ConCon IS DELEGATES RUN IN NONPARTISAN RACE.

THERE IS NO ARE BEING.

NO DEMOCRAT.

NO REPUBLIC C CAN.

PARTS AND COMMITTEE CHAIRS HOLD MAJOR POWER.

CHOOSE NOT TO HEAR SOMETHING IT'S DEAD.

ConCon YOU FOLKS HAVE POWER TO DO FLOOR AMENDMENTS, AND ALL SORT OF THINGS ARE AND U WOULD GO BEYOND THE LEGISLATIVE MACHINE THAT CURRENTLY RULES HAWAII.

I THINI THINK ONE OF THE BE BENF HAVING A ConCon.

YES, SPECIAL INTERESTS WILL BE THERE FOR SURE.

AGAIN, NONPARTISAN RACES, GRASSROOT RACES I THINK HAWAII RESIDENTS ESPECIALLY IN MY GENERATION.

WOULD VIEW THIS AS A MECHANISM AND TOOL FOR THEM TO REALLY SHAPE THE NEXT FEW DECADES IF HERE IN HAWAII >>Yunji: BRING YOU BACK INTO THE CONVERSATION SANDY.

THINKING ABOUT THE DELEGATES IN 1978 AND FACT ONLY TWO WERE LAWMAKERS.

PRETTY REMARKABLE.

WOULD YOU EXPECT SIMILAR OUTCOME THIS TIME AROUND?

WHAT WAS THAT LIKE TO COVER GIVEN THAT THESE WERE ALL FRESH VOICES?

>> A LOT OF PRESSURE ON ELECTED OFFICIAL NOT TO RUN FOR ConCon.

BECAUSE IT WOULD BE CITIZENS CONVENING OF WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER FOR HAWAII.

IN THIS MOMENT, I'M NOT SURE YOU WOULD GET THAT KIND OF AGREEMENT CONSENSUS TO DO TH THAT.

SPECIAL INTERESTS GROUPS BACK THEN WERE, THEY WERE THERE.

HGEA WOULD MAKE UP THE SALARY OF ANYONE, ANY OF ITS MEMBERS WHO BECAME A DELEGATE.

EL AS AN EXAMPLE.

DEVELOPING MORE OF THAT, AS WELL MATTER WHEN ConCon IS AGAIN CONVENED.

SO I DO THINK THAT IN THE END, YOU NEED TO TRUST THE VOTERS AND TO SAY THAT THEY WERE ALL IN LOCKSTEP, VOTED FOR ALL 34 34AMENDMENTS FAILS TO UNDERSTAND NUANCE THERE BECAUSE YOU LOOK AT THE TOTAL VOTES ON THESE INDIVIDUALS AMENDMENTS.

SEE SOME DIFFERENCES.

FAILED TO SEE THE NUANCE.

VARIATIONS OHA, DEPARTMENT OF HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS, OPEN PRIMARY DIDN'T GET AS MANY VOTESAS SOME OTHERS.

DISCERNMENT THERE.

GAVE ME HOPE THAT THE ELECTORATE IS NOT THIS C CONGLOMERATE THAT IS CONTROLLED BY SPECIAL INTERESTS.

>>Yunji: THERE IS A QUESTION WHEWHETHER TO HAVE THE ConCon AN WHAT TO DISCUSS IF WE ACTUALLY GET THERE.

WE DID ASK PEOPLE OUT IN COMMUNITY WHAT THEY WOULD WHATnd TO SEE PROTECTED OR STRENGTHENED IN WE WERE TO REVISIT CONSTITUTION.

TAKE A LOOK.

PROTECTING THE PEOPLE OF HAWAII, AND OF COURSE, HAWAIIANS IT PARTICULAR.

ALL KNOW DI DISENFRANCHISED A LT IN THE PAST CHED AND SO THOSE ONES I WO WOULD PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO.

HAWAPEOPLE AND HAWAIIANS >> ALWAYS CONSIDER, DEMOCRATIC OR DEMP DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC.

LIKE TO FOR THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE.

AND SO CLIMATE CHANGE CULTURE CHANGE, THINGS LIKE THAT, I THINK ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE OPEN MIND TO THINGS LIKE OF THE FUTURE, LIKE SUCH AS AI AND THINGS LIKE THAT INCORPORATING INTO IN OUR STATE RUNS.

>> OVERALL, BE GOOD TO ORGANIZED RUNNING HUMAN RIGHTS APPROACH.

BEGIN WITH INDIGENOUS.

U.N.

DECLARATION RIGHTS OF DIGINDIGENOUS PEOPLES UNDRIP THAT'S THE BASE ASSIST.

GREATER DID BASIS.

GREATER SELF-DETERMINATION THAN WHAT WAS DONE IN 78 FOR KAKAAKO ALL THE PEOPLE LIVING HERE.

FOR KANAKA.

ALL PEOPLES LIVING HERE OF PEOPLE WITH LAHAINA AND CLIMATE CRISIS.

CRISIS IS HERE.

GREATER LOOK TO SUSTAINABILITY HEALTHY FUTURE ROOTED IN ALOHA AINA WOULD ALSO BE IMPORTANT.

AND THEN OF COURSE, I THINK NEVER DOING ENOUGH ON ASPECT OF WOMEN'S RIGHTS.

SO DEFINITELY BODILY AUTONOMY, REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS, DID LEAD THE NATION AT THAT POINT AND I THINK IT'S TIME TO REAFFIRM THAT.

>>Yunji: CLEARLY A LOT PEOPLE WANT TO EXPLORE.

SO WHAT CAN A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION ACTUALLY ADDRESS, WHAT ARE THE LIMITS SEE SOME QUESTIONS COMING IN THE PEROT VVOTERS.IF WE ARE TO HAVE A ConCon, WHAT ISSUES WOULD LIKELY BE BROUGHT UP AND WOULD GETS TO DECIDE HOW IT WOULD BE RUN?

WHAT ISSUES GET TO COME TO THE FLOOR?

>> TERRIFIC QUESTION.

WHO GETS TO DECIDE HOW IT WOULD RUN.

DELEGATES GET TO DECIDE HOW IT RUNS.

LEGISLATURE DETERMINES HOW MANY AND FEW OTHER THINGS.

SORT OF SET THE TABLE BUT THE DELEGATES DECIDE THAT.

WHAT ISSUES LIKELY TO COME IN.

TEN YEARS AT U.H., CITIZENS JURY.

18 FOLKS FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD BOARDS TO COME AND LEARN EVERYTHING ABOUT ConCon.

BUNCH OF GREAT SPEAKERS.

FROM THE LAW SCHOOL, ANSWERED ALL OF THEIR QUESTIONS.

HAD PEOPLE SPEAK FOR AND AGAINST ConCon.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, THESE FOLKS, 18 NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD MEMBERS, CAME OUT IN FAVOR OF ConCon.

BUT THE TWO ISSUES THAT WERE AT THE TOP OF THEIR GENDER, TWO ISSUES THAT I-UNDER THEIR AGENDA.

LIKELY TO COME OUT ARE CREATE INITIATIVE REFERENDUM AND SYSTEM IN HAWAII.

WE DON'T HAVE ONE.

ONE OF THE VERY FEW STATE THAT IS DO.

ALLOW LEGIS INSTA LEGISLATION SY CITIZENS.

PPOPULAR IN OUR FORUM.

SECOND IS TERM LITS.

FROM THE FOLKS IN OUR SESSION WE WANT TO MAKE SOME CHANGES.

TERM LIMITS WAS AT THE VERY TOP.

INITIATIVES TOO.

LEGISLATLEGISLATURE WON'T DID DT IN THEIR INTEREST TO DO IT AND THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO HAVE ConCon.

I THINK THOSE WOULD PROBABLY BE THE TWO OBVIOUS ONES.

I THINK WE CAN NAME A I'M SURE FOLKS HAVE AN IDEA ABOUT WHAT OTHERS WOULD BE.

THOSE FOR SURE.

THOSE WERE WHAT CAME UP IN OUR FORUM >>Yunji: CHAIR KAHELE WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THAT?

GIVEN WHAT YOU LAID OUT ABOUT THE FACT THAT SPIRIT OF OHA WHAT WAS PASSED IN A 78, PERHAPS NOT LIVING TOWN T THAT IN THIS MOMENT?

COULD BE OPPORTUNITIES TO STRENGTHEN THOSE PROTECTIONS AND PERHAPS ADD MORE?

>> IT COULD BE.

BUT THE QUESTION AGAIN IS SHOULDTHUDWE PLACE EMTHIS ON TH- SHOULD WE PLACE THEM ON THE TABLE AS A TIME WHEN FEDERAL LAW, COURTS, NATIONAL POLITICS, ALL IN FLUX.

I THINK THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

I WOULD LOVE TO SEE GREATER CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM.

I WOULD ACTUALLY LIKE TO SEE CHANGING TERM LIMITS FOR THE OFFICE OF GOVERNOR.

AND SO THERE IS NO INFLUENCE OF POLITICAL CAMPAIGNING DURING THE TIME WHEN YOU NEED TO LEAD THE STATE.

AS IT'S HIGHEST OFFICE HOLDER.

BUT GEN AGAIN I THINK OTHER WAYS TO DO THAT.

AND THE CONDITIONS NEED TO BE RIGHT TO DO IT.

>>Yunji: BARBARA I WANT YOU TO BRING YOU IN ON THIS ONE.

DAVID FROM HAWAII ISLAND SAYS, BAD TIME FOR A ConCon.

WE HAVE VERY LITTLE LOCAL NEWS COVERAGE TO SANDY'S POINT.

TOO MUCH DARK MONEY IN POLITICS.

TOO MANY IT WEALTHY PEOPLE MOVED TO HAWAII IT.

TEND TO BE MORE CONSERVATIVE.

THE MAKE-UP OF THE CONVENTION COULD BE MUCH DIFFERENT THAN IN A 78.

I KNOW THAT YOU WERE SPEAKING ABOUT, SOME OF CONCERNS AND WORRIES THAT PEOPLE HAVE.

HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO WHAT DAVID HAS TO SAY >> PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE COST OF THE ConCon.

NOT THAT EXPENSIVE AND TOTAL PICK PHYSICAL PICTURE.

BUT YOU BRING UP DARK MONEY.

TO ME, BIGGEST THREAT TO OUR DEMOCRACY TODAY.

BECAUSE OF U.S.

SUPREME COURT DECISION IN 2010, THEY FORMED WERE ABLE TO FORM SUPER PACs AND SUPER PACs JUST OPERATE IN THE DARK.

THEY OPERATE WITH A LOT MORE MONEY THAN CANDIDATES CAMPAIGN COMMITTEES.

THE LAWS THAT WE HAVE REG REGARDING CAMPAIGN LIMITS, WE FOLLOW THEM B REAL BIG MONEY GOES TO SUPER PACs.

YOU MAY BE ABLE TO GIVE JOHN WAIHEE $6,000 AS A CAMPAIGN DONATION.

BUT THEN IF I'M A MILLIONAIRE, I COULD GIVE A PACK SUPPORTING HIM.

$6 MILLION.

IT WOULD NEVER BE REPORTED.

WOULDN'T KNOW HOW IT'S BEING SPENT.

THIS IS NATIONAL PROBLEM.

AND I JUST DON'T SEE ANY WAY OUT OF IT BECAUSE THERE SEEMS TO BE PACKS FOR EVERYWHERE POLITICIAN THESE DAYS ESPECIALLY CONGRESSPEOPLE, AND MAJOR RACES, EVEN IN THE U.S.

I MEAN, EVEN IN HAWAII.

SO I DON'T THINK ANYBODY IS GOING TO VOTE AGAINST IT.

IT WILL NEGATES POWER OF PARTIES EVEN BECAUSE THEY HAVE MORE MONEY THAN POLITICAL PARTIESES.

SO I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN.

BECAUSE IT'S ALL SECRET.

SECRET MONEY >>Yunji: BUILDING ON THAT, ANOTHER VIEWER WRITING IN, IF A ConCon WERE TO HAPPEN, I BELIEVE IT WOULD BE CRI CRITICAL TO ENSURE PLACE THE ACTUAL PEOPLE OF HAWAII AND WHAT'S BEST FOR US IN OUR EXISTENCE IN OUR ISLANDS.

HOW DO WE ACTUALLY DO THAT?

GIVEN THE PER H PEREIRA I WILLS BARBARA LAID OUT, PER LIILS >> 100%.

DAVE ON POINT QUESTION HOW IN POLITICAL TIMES ARE WE GOING TO DO SOMETHING LIKE '78?

REALLY GOING GIVE THE PEOPLE THAT VOICE >> AND I WANT TO GO BACK TO SOME FRIEND BACK.

IDEA IF WE JUST BUILD IT THEY WILL COME.

AND WE'LL MAGICALLY CREATE THIS ENVIRONMENT WHERE PEOPLE CAN ENGAGE AND INSPIRE THE CONDITIONS.

BUT REALLY, KIND OF REMINDED ME RIGHT OFF OF SEE IT ALL THE TIME, RELATIONSHIPS ON THE ROCKS AND THEY SAY, MAYBE IF WE GET MARRIED, WHATEVER.

MAGIC.

BRING US TOGETHER.

WE ALL KNOW HOW THAT TURNS O OUT.

SO TO THINK THAT ConCon WILL SOLVE OUR PROBLEMS IN IN TERMS OF EDGHILL ENGAGEMENT REEL COMPLETELY WRONG HEHEAD.

78 PEOPLE'S ConCon.

WHOLE STORY THERE WAS THAT AGREEMENT THAT UNSPOKEN PROMISE THAT ELECTED OFFICIALS WOULD STAY OUT.

IT WASN'T WRITTEN INTO LAW.

IN WE CAN ACTUALLY WRITE THAT INTO THE BYLAWS OF THE ConCon, THAT MIGHT GIVE US A CHANCE TO HAVE ANOTHER TYPE OF '78 LIGHTNING IN THE BOTTLE SITUATION.

OTHERWISE, WE'RE JUST CREATING CONDITIONS FOR EVERYONE'S KIND OF LIKE, LEGISLATURE NOT DOING ENOUGH.

HAVE ELECTED IN THOSE POSITIONS AND CREATING A SUPER-LEGISLATURE GIVING THESE ELECTIVES SUPER-POWERS.

EXACTLY TO THE QUESTION.

HOW ARE WE GOING TO GIVE THE PEOPLE THE POWER >> I THINK WE GOT TO LOOK INTO WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED IN A 78 ESPECIALLY THAT SITUATION BRINGING FRESH BLOOD AND NEW PEOPLE MAKING THAT A CONDITION.

I DON'T THINK THIS IS THE WAY LEGISLATURE IS GOING TO SET UP.

>>Yunji: CURRENT LAWMAKER.

WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS?

>> BIGGEST LESSON POUR FO FOR ME COMING INTO, LISTENING TO THIS CONVERSATION AS A SITTING LEGISLEGISLATOR, IS THAT WE, THS PERVASIVE DISTRUST AND HO HOPELESSNESS AND FEAR SHOWS THAT WE HAVE RESPONSIBILITY RIGHT NOW, NOT JUST IN 2028, TO MAKE CHANGES SO THAT PEOPLE WOULDN'T BE AFRAID OF CORPORATE CAPTURE WHAT SHOULD BE CITIZEN LED PROCESS.

EVERY SESSION WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.

WE HAVE CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM BILLS BEFORE US THIS SESSION.

WE HAVE PUBLIC FINANCING OF THE ELECTION BILLS BEFORE US THIS SESSION.

WE PEOPLE I FEEL EXCITED ABOUT THE IDEA OF REBUILDING TRUST.

BUT I WOULD PREFER IF IT WASN'T A ConCon.

IF IT WAS CURRENT LEGISLATIVE BODY AND I DO ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT CHANGE IS POSSIBLE.

THAT OUR LEGISLATURE IS., AVERAGE AGE OF THE HOUSE IS MUCH YOUNGER THAN IT WAS FEW YEARS AGO.

MANY OF US ARE WORKING.

MANY OF US ARE JUNK C YOUNG CHI.

WORKING AGE, HAVE YOUNG CHILDREN.

IT CAN BE DONE.

I RANDOM CAMPAIGN PLEDGING NOT TO TAKE, DONATIONS FROM CORPORATE LOBBYISTS OR SPECIAL INTERESTS.

I RANDOM CONGRATS CAMPAIGN ENGAGED 75 YOUNG PEOPLE AT VOLUNTEERS CONSISTENTLY.

WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY, AS LEGISLATORS AS PEOPLE WOULD CARE ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY TO NOT TREAT THE ConCon AS A PANACEA A TO OUR PROBLEMS BUT ACT ON THE ISSUES WE SEE BEFORE US RIGHT NOW.

WE LOOK AT '78 ConCon AS WATERSHED MOMENT, BUT IT WAS REALLY THE BIGGEST WINS OF THAT ConCon WERE REALLY THE WINS OF DECADE OR MORE OF POLITICAL ORGANIZING, CULTURAL REREREVITALIZATION.

ACTIVISM, AND WE HAVE THE POWER IN OUR COMMUNITY AND IN OUR LEGISLATURE TO DO THAT RIGHT NOW.

>>Yunji: RIRVELG GARCIA, YOU STARTED OUT OF THE CONVERSATION SAYING THAT YOU WERE ABSOLUTELY FOR THIS PROCESS.

GIVEN SOME CONCERNS WE HEARD TONIGHT, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS REALLY THE PEOPLE'S VOICE AND THAT SPECIAL INTERESTS DON'T TAKE OVER?

AND SHOULD WE JUST BE WORKING WITHIN THE PROGRAM TEETERS AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE ALREADY HAVE.

PARAMETERS >> WE COULD IF IT'S FAIR.

BUT IT'S FAIR.

DIREFOR EXAMPLELEGISLATIVE MAKE, NINE MEMBERS ARE OF OUR ELLISE KAKAZU IN THE HOUSE, THREE IN THE CAUCUS IN THE HOUSE THREE IN THE SENATE DOES NOT REPRESENT THE POLITICAL BELIEVES OR SENTIMENTS OF THE MAJORITY OF HAWAII RESIDENTS.

HAWAII ACTUALLY PRETTY CONSERVATIVE STATE.

NOT REPUBLICAN STATE BUT PRETTY CONSERVATIVE STATE.

IN THE LEGISLATURE, YOU DON'T HAVE THOSE ST.

VOICES ABLE TO SPEAK OUT FREELY TO HAVE THEIR IDEAS DISCUSSED FREELY AT AN ConCon YOU WOULD HAVE TH THAT.

BECAUSE THOSE PARTS LABELINGS ARE OUT OF THE WAY.

PARTIES LEILANIS ARE OUT OF THE WAY.

IT'S TIME TO HAVE A Con ConCon.

PARTISAN VOICE >> 50 YEARS IS HALF CENTURY I IT'S TIME.

HEARING THOSE PEOPLE, FROM YOUR DISTRICT, ACTUALLY QUITE REFRESHING, I BELIEVE IF YOU GO TO EVERY SINGLE HOUSE DISTRICT ACROSS THE STATE GET A SIMILAR SENTIMENT >>Yunji: INTERESTING.

GOVERNOR WAIHEE WE REJECTED THIS PROPOSAL FOR 50 YEARS N NOW.

WHY DO YOU THINK THIS?

GIVEN ALL THE SUCCESSES THAT YOU HAD IN A 78?

>> I TELL YOU, FIRST OF ALL, DIFFERENT REASONS.

AS I SAID EARLIER.

IP IIP INITIALLY BECAUSE THOUGHT IT WAS A RUNWAY CONVENTION.

GOT LEW LE USED TO IT.

GOOD FRIEND NEIL ABERCROMBIE SAYS, LONGER YOU S STAY OUT OF OFFICOFFICE MORE PEOPLE FORGET Y THEY DIDN'T LIKE YOU.

DIRECT QUOTE.

AND TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, THERE IS A A LITTLE BIT OF THAT.

BUT FOR ME, I THINK ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WE HAVE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE ConCon, IS THAT FOR ME, WE MISS MOSTLY CENTRAL POINT.

THAT IS THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY ONE AND I THINK REPRESENTATIVE MORIMOTO STARTING TO GET INTO THIS.

NOT ONE PROVISION OR ANOTHER.

IT'S THE TOTALITY OF WHAT WAS DONE.

AND THE MAGIC OF THE ConCon FOR MYSELF AND WHAT IS LASTED FOR 50 YEARS, IS CHANGE IN ATTITUDE ABOUT HOW WE TREAT ISLAND STATE.

IT USED TO BE, IT'S NOT THESE INDIVIDUAL THINGS.

ITIT'S THE FACT THAT THERE MAY BE A DIFFERENCE WITH HOW YOU TREAT THE ENVIRONMENT ON AN ISLAND AS OPPOSED TO A CONTINENT.

THERE MAY BE A DIFFERENCE TO WHAT HAPPENS TO INDIGENOUS PEOPLE HERE.

AND HOW THEY'RE THINKING MIGHT INFLUENCE ANNO ANYTHING.

PEOPLE OFTEN CREDIT US WITH HAVING PASSED OHA.

I THINK ONE OF THE MOST ASTONISHING THINGS WE'VE DONE IN THE ConCon WAS THE MAKING (HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE) OFFICIAL LANGUAGE.

STATE.

MAKING HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE OFFICIAL FACEBOOK PAGE E'O LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF STATE.

-- HAWAIIAN LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE STATE.

NOT BECAUSE OF THING THEY DID, FROM THOUSANDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE TODAY.

OFFICIAL LANGUAGES) SPEAK HAWAIIAN BUT YOU CAN'T SPEAK HAWAIIAN WITHOUT LEARNING HAWAIIAN VALUES.

AND THE VALUES OF THE CONSTICONSTITUTION IS WHAT NEEDO BE PROTECTED.

NOT NECESSARILY HOW WE WROTE IT.

IF I HAD TO DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN, I WOULD SCRATCH OUT HALF THE THINGS WE WROTE REGARDING AS SOMETHING BY LAW.

AS MADE BY LAW.

YEAH, SO I THINK ALWAYS MAKE SOMETHING BETTER.

BUT WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS TO REMEMBER WHAT THE REAL CONTRIBUTION OF '78 WAS.

BACK THEN, IN 1978, WHICH USED TO, I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO EXPRESS THAT STUFF.

SO WE TALKED ABOUT MAINLAND VALUES.

LOCAL VALUES.

AND EVERYBODY SAID, WELL, THAT'S KIND OF RACIST.

BUT IT'S REALLY AN IDEA THAT SAYS, THAT HAWAII AS AN ISLAND CAN CONTROL ITS OWN DESTINY.

IN FACT, ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING PARTS OF THE ENTIRE CONSTITUTION IS THE PREAMBLE.

THAT SAYS, THAT.

AND IF YOU CAN KEEP THAT IN MIND, THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GET TOGETHER, REINFORCE THE MOST IMPORTANT AGENDA WHICH IS WHAT MAKES US SPECIAL, AND THEN YOU DEAL WITH AMENDMENT IS NOT ONLY ABOUT HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS, THERE WAS ONE PART OF THE CONSTITUTION, BARBARA POINTED OUT, THIS WAS THE, WE HAD THINGS DEALING WITH FINANCES, WITH WAY YOU ELECTED JUDGES, WHOLE SLEW OF THINGS ALL TO CREATED IDEA THAT THIS WAS DIFFERENT KIND OFFER OF PLAE AND THAT IS WHAT MAKES ME EXCITED ABOUT ANY CONSTI CONSTITUTION.

IT'S THE VALUES BEHIND THE SPECIFIC PROPOSALS.

>>Yunji: INTERESTED TO HEAR FROM YOU.

THIS PREMISE OFFERER GOVERNOR JUST LAID OUT, WE WOULD ALL GATHER AROUND THIS IDEA HAWAII BEING ABLE TO CONTROL ITS OWN DESTINY.

FROM THAT EDUCATION PIECE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, WE CAN ALL EVEN GET TO THAT SAME PLACE THAT PREMISE TO START?

>> LIKE COLIN I'M RUTHLESSLY OPTIMISTIC.

AND I THINK PROBABLY LIKE THE GOVERNOR TOO.

SO I THINK WE CAN.

AND THAT'S BASED ON A COUPLE THINGS.

BASED ONEN MY OWN INHERENT OPTIMISM.

I THINK MOST PEOPLE IN THE STATE WANT NOT JUST BEST THINGS FOR THEM THEMSELVES BEST THINGS FOR THEIR NEIGHBORS.

YOU ASK MOST PEOPLE, THEY CARE ABOUT THE OTHER PEOPLE.

WHO ARE AROUND THEM.

AND IT'S ALSO BASED MY PAST EXPERIENCE OF THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, OF PULLING PEOPLE TOGETHER AROUND SOME PRETTY CONTENTIOUS ISSUES AND HAVING I THINK TWO OR ONE SOLID, INFORMED PASSIONATE, CONVERSATIONS WHERE OFTEN COMMON GROUND WAS FOUND.

NOT ALWAYS, BUT EVEN WHEN IT WASN'T, IN VARIABLY PEOPLE WALKWAY SAYING AT LEAST I UNDERSTAND NOW WHY THAT PERSON HAS THE POSITION THAT THEY HAVE.

THEY CAME WE THINKING EYE A LITLITTLE A LITTLE BIT BIT MORE OF BASICALLY DON'T THINK THEY'RE A SMOCK ANY MORE.

OLD EXPRESSION HARD TO HATE PEOPLE UP CLOSE.

SHMUCK) YOU CAN HAVE THIS CONVERSATION OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS AND SCAN D SQUANDER IT.

NOTHING BUT VIT ROW ALL AND KIND OF STUFF SEE IN THE CONTINENT EX SENDING NASTY MEMES ACROSS EACH OTHER FACEBOOK.

OR DO SOMETHING GOOD WITH THE CONVERSATION AND GET PEOPLE TO GET CLOSER TOGETHER, BUILD COMMUNITY AS REP HAS BEEN TALKING AS REP GARCIA WAS SAYING SEEING PEOPLE DISGRICT AGREEING WITH HIM.

FINDING THOSE, ISSUES WHERE YOU MIGHT NOT REALIZE YOU HAVE SOME COMMON GROUND AND THEN, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER IT PASSES, IN 2028, YOU'VE DONE SOME R REAL GOOD FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AND INCREASED TRUST AND HOPE AND WHATEVER WORK HAPPENS IN THE LEGISLATURE, GOING FORWARD, IS PROBABLY GOING TO BECOMING COMING FROM A BETTER PLACE >>Yunji: BUILD ON THAT.

DO YOU SEE THIS AS OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD COMMUNITY?

>> YES.

AND I WANT TO GO BACK TO THE PREAMBLE BECAUSE WHEN THE PREALANNABLPRABLEABLE WRITTEN.

RESERVE RIGHT TO CONTROL THEIR DESTINY.

AND THAT WORDING IS CRITICAL BECAUSE IT SUGGESTS PEOPLE HAWAII CAN DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT THEY WANT TO CONTROL THEIR DESTINY.

AND I THINK MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, TONIGHT'S CONVERSATION, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OPTION THAT PEOPLE CAN EXERCISE TO NOT CONTROL THEIR DESTINY.

PEOPLE MAY DECIDE NOT TO HAVE A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.

THEY MAY BE FROM A A AFRAID OF FEDERAL FORCES.

OR ANY ELEMENT THAT YOU CAN PICK OUT.

THERE'S ALWAYS REASONS TO BE AFRAID TO HAVE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.

THERE'S ALWAYS REASONS TO BE AFRAID TO CONTROL YOUR DESTINY.

I THINK A LOT OF O HOPE IN OUR PREAMBLE.

INCREDIBLY HOPABLE PREAM PREAMOUNAMOUNTABLE AND I LOVE OR PREAMBLE.

I'M REMINDED OF 1968 AND 19 197, THE PROCESS OF CONVENING A ConCon, IT BUILT ON THIS IDEA THAT HAWAII WAS UNIQUE.

WE WERE UNIQUE OUTLIER IN THE UNITED STATES.

AND I THINK WE HELD TO THIS IDEA THAT WE WERE LABORATORY OF DEMOCRATIC WE NEED TO EMBARK ON DEMOCRACY.

SERIES OF BOLD EXPERIMENTS TO JUST OUTLINE HOW WE WERE GOING TO DIFFERENTIATE OURSELVES FROM THE REST OF THE COUNTRY.

AND IN THIS MOMENT POLITICAL UNCERTAINTY, I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF FOLKS WOULD WANT TO DIFFERENTIATE HAWAII FROM THE REST OF THE UNITED STATES.

WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE THE CAPACITY TO ACTUALLY DIFFERENTIATE OURSELVES, THAT'S UP TO THE PEOPLE OF HAWAII.

WE CAN BE AFRAID.

WE CAN FAIL TO EXERCISE THE RIGHT THAT WE HAVE, CONTROL OUR DESTINY.

OR WE CAN STEP UP TO THIS MOMENT AND NOT LET THIS OPPORTUNITY GO TO WASTE >>Yunji: HEAR FROM DARREL.

WRITES IN, COLIN LIKE YOU TO TAKE THIS ONE, MOST PEOPLE AFRAID OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION ARE PUBLIC EMPLOYEE YOUNGS.

DO YOU EXPECT USE THEIR POWER TO PREVENT ANOTHER ONE?

UNIONS >> INTERESTING POINT.

2018 DIDN'T HAVE A REAL CONVERSATION, ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT TO HAVE ConCon.

THERE WERE SOME VERY POWERFUL INTEREST GROUPS HGEA, WAS AMONG THEM.

BUT IT WAS ALSO ACLU, SIERRA CLUB, CHAMBER CHAMBER OF COMMEE HAWAII DEMO DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

MOST POWERFUL INTERESTS IN THE STATE GOT TOGETHER TO OPPOSE ConCon AND LEGITIMATE REASONS DO THAT.

MAINLY TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS THAT, THIS CASE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES ALREADY HAVE.

POLLING ABOVE THAT VOTE, 70% OF PEOPLE 2018 VOTED AGAINST ConCon.

24% VOTED IN FAVOR OF IT.

POLLING BEFORE THAT VOTE SHOWED ACTUALLY MAJORITY IN FAVOR OF HAVING ConCon.

SO MAYBE THOSE POLLS WERE WRONG.

BUT THERE SEEMS TO BEEN PUBLIC BEEN SHIFT BECAUSE THERE WEREN'T ANY ORGANIZED GROUPS EXPLAINING ConCon, EXP EXPLAINING W WHAT WAS POSSIBLE.

NO ONE REALLY WAS FOR IT HANDFUL OF STRANGE PEOPLE WHO WERE REALLY INTERESTED IN ConCon.

AND SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF IT.

SO THAT I GUESS IS MY HOPE.

I THINK FULLY EXPECT THAT HGEA WILL PROBABLY BE OPPOSED TO ConCon.

I THINK THAT FROM THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEE UNIONS PERSPECTIVE PROBABLY MAKES SENSE.

VERY AFRAID OF WHAT THEY COULD LOSE.

BUT I HOPE THAT MAYBE SOME OF THOSE INTERESTS GROUPS ARE WILLING TO STEP BACK A LITTLE BIT.

POLITICAL SCIENTIST, NOT D DONE CONVINCED THEY WILL.

THAT WOULD BE MY HOPE.

AND ALLOW PEOPLE TO REALLY DECIDE THIS FOR THEMSELVES.

WITHOUT USING THEIR E'O INFLUENCE AND POWER TO REALLY DISCOURAGE ANYONE WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF IT.

OTHER THING WE'LL NEED FOR ANYONE OUT THERE, I'M REALLY AGNOSTIC ON THIS POSITION.

ANYONE IN FAVOR OF ConCon, GOING TO NEED TO ORGANIZE.

GOING TO BE SOME GROUPS THAT WILL NEED TO COME TOGETHER TO REALLY ARTICULATE WHAT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE BECAUSE LAST TIME, IN 2018, THERE REALLY WASN'T ANYONE EXPRESSING THAT SIDE OF THE DEBATE >>Yunji: CURIOUS DO YOU THINK WE SHOULD BE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION AT ALL?

SOMETHING YOU'RE OPEN TO CHANGING YOUR MIND ABOUT?

>> WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT HOPE.

ABOUT ASPIRATIONS.

AND I'M OPTIMIST TOO.

HOPE ADOPT REQUIRE URGENCY.

DOESN'T REQUIRE YOU URGENCY.

TOLD IN WE DON'T ACT NOW, WE'RE GOING TO MISS THIS ONCE IN A GENERATIONAL OPPORTUNITY.

I PERSONALLY REJECT THAT FRAMING.

NATIVE HAWAIIAN ASPIRATIONS ARE NOT BOUND TO TEN YEAR ANNIVERSARY DATE.

SOVEREIGNTY.

NATIVE HAWAIIAN SE SELF-GOVERNANCE.

INDIGENOUS RIGHT IS NOT TIDE TO ELECT ELECTORAL CYCLES.

IF CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION, IS TRULY THE RIGHT PATH, IT WILL BE THE RIGHT PATH ONCE WE DO THE HANA.

ONCE WE PUT IN THE TIME.

AND EFFORT.

AND WE BUILD CONSENSUS AND WE HAVE THE RIGHT PROTECTIONS IN PLACE.

TO PROTECT PROBABLY THE MOST VALUES, BASTED PROGRESSIVE CONSTITUTION IN THE COUNTRY.

VALUES BASED SO THAT IS, A LOT OF WORK THAT WILL NEED TO BE DONE.

I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF IT TODAY.

BUT TO JOSH'S POINT, TWO YEARS BEFORE THE QUESTION WILL BE ON THE BALLOT FOR THE PEOPLE OF HAWAII.

>>Yunji: I WANT TO GO BACK TO YOU.

I THINK ABOUT 1978, THE FOOTAGE THAT I WATCH AND READING ABOUT IT, SOUNDED LIKE SUCH A DYNAMIC AND ENGAGED TIME.

WE ARE YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT HOW THAT WOULD PLAY OUT NOW?

WE TALKED ABOUT THE LACK OF NEWS COVERAGE JUST THE LACK OF REPORTERS ON THE GROUND IN HAWAII TO COVER SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

GIVEN ALL THE EDUCATION THAT WOULD NEED TO HAPPEN FOR THE THIS TO GO FORWARD, WHAT ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT?

>> CONCERNING ABOUT TURNOUT.

IT'S BEEN DECREASING SINCE 1978.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAS BEEN DONE.

IT DOESN'T SEEM TO HAVE BEEN ENOUGH.

BUT IF WE HOLD ANOTHER VOTE ON WHETHER OR NOT TO HAVE A ConCon, YOU THINK REALLY NEED TO EXAMINE JUST WHAT IT TAKES TO BRING UP THAT TUR TURNOUT.

WE HEAR A LOT OF PEOPLE SAYING, PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE A VOICE.

SHOULD SHOW UP AT THE POLLS.

SHOULD SEND IN THEIR MAIL-IN BALLOTS GOT TO BE A LOT MORE EDUCATION, MORE EMBEDDING OF THE VALUE THAT RIGHT TO WROTE IS CRI CRITICAL POINT OF DEMOCRY AND MAINTAIN DEMOCRACY.

GET OUT THERE, VOTE, WHATEVER IT TAKES FOR YOU TO CAST YOUR BALLOT, JUST BELIEVE THAT IT IS YOUR TIME TO HAVE YOUR VOICE BE HEARD.

>>Yunji: WE HEARD A LOT TONIGHT ABOUT HOW THIS CREATED BASIBASICALLY NEW CLASS OF POLITICAL FOLKS.

EN GADGETTED AND WENT ON TO SERVE IN GOVERNMENT INCLUDING GOVERNOR AND YOURSELF.

ENGAGED IN, WHAT ABOUT BEING IN THE ConCon PROPELLED YOU TO THEN PURSUE POLITICS?

AND DO YOU THEN THAT WILL BE EXPERIENCE FOR OTHER PEOPLE WERE WE DO HAVE A ConCon FEW YEARS FROM NOW?

>> I THINK TIME FOR A GENERATIONAL CHANGE.

NEW CROP OF LEGISLATORS ARE IN THE HOUSE ARE VERY YOUNG.

SO I THINK THERE'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO BRING IN NEW BLOOD AT ANY TIME.

AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING THE IDEAS OF A NEW ConCon.

I'M NOT THAT AFRAID OF CHANGE.

AND EVEN THE '78 ConCon, THE LOBBYISTS WERE THERE.

AND I DON'T MEAN I MEAN, PEOPLE WHO LOBBY.

THAT COULD BE UNION MEMBERS OR OHA COULD BE THERE AT THE NEXT CONVENTION.

ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNITY.

EVERYBODY WHO HAS STAKE IN IT, WILL COME TO A ConCon TO TALK ABOUT THE PROPOSALS.

THAT WILL COME UP.

SO THEY WILL EXPRESS THEIR DESIRE FOR CHANGE AND WHAT SHOULD NOT BE CHANGED.

SO I DON'T HAVE THE FEAR OF THE UN UNKNOWN AND I HAVE GREAT FAITH IN THE DEMOCRACY.

I MEAN WE ALL SHOULD AS AMERICANS.

I SAY WE'VE GOT TO GIVE POWER TO THE PEOPLE.

AND THI THIS IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, POWER TO THE PEOPLE OF HAWAII >>Yunji: I WANT TO GO TO YOU.

I SEE YOU WRITE SOME NOTES THERE.

CURIOUS WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE >> GREAT IDEAS.

GREAT DISCUSSION.

I WANT TO MAKE CLEAR THAT I AM OPTIMISTIC.

[LAUGHTER ] >>Yunji: ALL ON MISSES OPTIMISTICSTONIGHT.

DON'T WORK THE IT WORK THAT I DO FIGHTING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, FIGHTING FOR THE ISLAND A FIGHTING FOR THE CLIMATE WITHOUT BEING OPTI OPTIMIST.

BECAUSE WHAT WE SEE OUT THERE, MAKES YOU WANT TO STAY AT HOME WHATEVER NOT SHOW UP TO WORK SOMETIMES.

I AM SUPER-OPTIMISTIC, USERNAME IDEALISTIC, ALSO REALISTIC.

AND I AM NOT AFRAID WHAT DUI WHAT DOTRUST IN THE LAWS THAT WE VETERANS DAY A PROTECTING THEM AND ADVANCING THEM EVERY DAY.

EVERYONE TALKING ABOUT THIS THE SOMETIME >> ARE THESE TIME?

WE HAD 78 AND THOSE CONDITIONS WE TALKED ABOUT THAT.

WHAT ARE THE TIMES NOW >> IF WE OPEN YOU FOR OPEN-HEART SURGERY, WHAT DOES THAT ConCon LOOK IN THE ERA OF TRUMPISM?

IN THE ERA WHERE DARK MONEY.

SUPER PACs.

YEAH.

IT'S NOT FEAR.

IT'S REALITY.

ARE WE GOING TO BE DOING WHAT'S BEST FOR THE PEOPLE LIKE VIEWERS HAVE BEEN ASKING.

WHAT'S BEST FOR THE PLACE OR JUST GOING TO BE WHOEVER HAS THE FATTEST WALLETS BIG AD BUYS.

GOING TO WINMENT SEE THE AD BUYS.

PEOPLE ALREADY RALLYING HAVE THIS ConCon AND BIG IDEAS WHAT THIS IS GOING TO BE.

AND PEOPLE SOME OF THESE PEOPLE PRIVY TO THESE CONVERSATIONS KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.

THIS IS POTENTIALLY SETTING UP TO BE THE BIGGEST LAND GRAB OF PUBLIC LANDS SINCE MAYBE THE OVER THROW REALLY.

SO YEAH.

PEOPLE HAVE AN IDEAS.

A LOT OF ENERGY.

JUST IDEA EYES PA AIU DEALISTICD REALISTIC >>Yunji: YOUR THOUGHTS?

>> WITH ALL DUE RESPECT I THINK NO MATTER WHO IS IN THE WHITE HOUSE, WE FELT THE SAME WAY FOUR YEARS AGO IN WEST OAHU WHEN PRESIDENT BIDEN WAS THERE.

SO THE SENTIMENT SHIFT.

BUT I DO BELIEVE AND I HAVE FAITH IN THE PEOPLE OF HAWAII.

ALWAYS GOING TO BE RISKS.

SPECIAL INTERESTS WILL BE THERE.

LOBBESTS WILL BE THERE.

BIG ADS WILL BE THERE.

COMMERCIAL ADS.

SOCIAL MEDIA ADS I HAVE FAITH THAT'S PEOPLE OF HAWAII IF ConCon WERE TO HAPPEN, WOULD STEP FORWARD.

MY GENERATION OTHERS WOULD STEP FORWARD AND REALLY SHAPE HAWAII IN A POSITIVE WAY FOR THE NEXT FEW DECADES TO COME.

>>Yunji: CURIOUS FROM YOU.

I KNOW THAT THE MO POLITICAL JUNKY NEW JUST LIKE ME VERY SERIOUS ABOUT THIS PROCESS WOULD WELCOME TO.

DO YOU SHARE SOME OF THE CONCERNS ABOUT DARK MONEY, ABOUT OUTSIDE INFLUENCE, ABOUT ALL OF THOSE FACTORS THAT ARE DIFFERENT THAN THEY WERE 50 YEARS AGO?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THAT'S MY PRIMARY CONCERN.

AFTER CITIZENS UNITED, I THINK THERE WOULD BE LOTS OF DARK MONEY.

SUPER PACs WOULD HAVE A LOT OF INFLUENCE AND DELEGATE ELECTION, THAT IS WHAT MAKES ME AFRAID OFTEN DORISING ConCon.

I THINK IF THOSE CONDITIONS ARE DIFFERENT I WOULD FEEL MUCH MORE CONFIDENT.

THAT WE WOULD HAVE A REALLY POSITIVE OUTCOME.

SO I THINK THOSE ARE REALISTIC FEARS.

WHEN WE DID THE, TALKED ABOUTEL U.H., BROUGHT EVERYONE TOGETHER, AND EVERYONE LEARNED ABOUT ConCon, THAT WAS THE NUMBER ONE FEAR OF THE 18 NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD MEMBERS WHO ENGAGED WITH US.

THAT DARK MONEY WOULD TAKE IT OVER.

REALISTIC FEAR.

AT THE SAME TIME, AS JOSH WAS SAYING, THESE ARE ALSO GOING TO BE DELEGATES LIKELY TO BE MEMBERS OF YOUR COMMUNITY.

GOING TO ELECT POTENTIALLY 102 OF THEM.

I THINK THAT THEY ARE LIKELY I WOULD HOPE, LIKE IN 1978, TO OPERATE WITH A BEST INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE, AND I THINK THERE IS ALREADY INSTITUTIONAL PRECEDENT TLT LEGISLATORS WOULDN'T RUN.

THAT WOULD BE VERY STRONG ONE COMING INTO '78 ConCon.

HARD FOR CITY LEGISLATORS TO RUN AND WIN GIVEN WHAT HAPPENED IN A 78.

YES, I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE A AFRAID OF INFLUENCE OF DARK MONEY YOU'RE RIGHT TO BE THAT AFRAID.

>>Yunji: THERE'S A DEAN FROM MOLOKAI SAYS, WE NEED THE ConCon BADLY.

STATE IS IN DIRE STRAITS.

AROUND NEED RESHAPING.

WHAT PROBLEM ARE WE TRYING TO SOLVE OR WHAT COULD WE SOLVE WITH THIS DO YOU THINK?

>> AT THE RISK OF SOUNDING LIKE AWE BROKEN RECORD, A BROKEN RECORD PROBLEM RIGHT NOW MOST INTERESTED IN SOVEREIGNING REBUILDING THAT SENSE OF COMMUNITY.

SOLVING SENSE THAT, PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WE ALSO TALK A LOT ABOUT TRUST, THEY TRUST EACH OTHER.

I THINK IS PART OF IT.

AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION AS WELL ABOUT IS THIS THE RIGHT TIME, NOT.

WE DON'T KNOW YET.

WE'VE GOT TWO YE YEARS TO FIGURE THAT OUT.

AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT COULD BE INTERESTING AS WE HAVE THAT BIG DISCUSSION OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS.

PEOPLE KIND OF GET INOCCULATE LAID TO SPECIAL INTERESTS TO MIGHT COME IN FROM EITHER SIDE.

GOTTEN EDUCATED, GOTTEN TOGETHER IN THEIR COMMUNITIES DISCUSSION THE THEIR ISSUES, THEY'RE MORE ENGAGED.

ENABLES THEM TO TUNE OUT LITTLE BIT MORE.

SPECIAL INTEREST AND THEN SAY WHATEVER WAY IT GOES, NEXT TIME, PASSES OR DOESN'T PASS, IT'S A LITTLE BIT CLOSER THAN IT HAS BEEN THE LAST FEW YE YEARS.

THAN FOR EVERYBODY WHO IS CURRENTLY IN OFFICE.

KIND OF SEE THESE ARE MANY SO THINGS PEOPLE WERE CONCERNED ENOUGH ABOUT.

MUCH CLOSER QUESTION.

THIS TIME.

SO MAYBE WE SHOULD PRIORITIZE SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT C CAME UP PART OF THIS LARGE COMMUNITY CONVERSATION.

I THINK THINK WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO SHOW THAT THE OPTIMISM IS IN EACH OTHER.

THAT WE CAN HAVE THIS CONVERSATION RATIONALLY.

AND IN SOME WAYS DOESN'T EVEN MATTER AS MUCH WHETHER THE VOTE IS YES OR NO.

IF WE CAN ACHIEVE THAT >>Yunji: WHAT ABOUT THIS IDEA YOU GUYS DID SUCH A GOOD JOB?

'78, SHOULD LEAVE WELL ENOUGH LONE.

WHAT WE HAVE IS PRETTY GOOD >> MAKES SENSE TO ME.

[LAUGHTER ] >> I THINK, THAT WITH WHICH WHEN WEWERE IN 1978, PROCESS TOY TO EDUCATE PEOPLE.

WHAT A ConCon OUGHT TO BE.

AND EMPHASIS, IDEAL CONSTITUTION WAS SOMETHING THAT JUST DEALT WITH STRU STRUCTURE.

WHICH IS TYPICAL.

MOST WAS CONSTITUTION ACROSS THE AMERICA DEAL WITH STRUCTURE.

AND FEW LITTLE SELF-INTERESTS THINGS.

WHAT WE, WHAT I'M REALLY PROUD OF ABOUT IS THAT IN 1978, WE DEVELOPED A VALUE BASED CONSTITUTION.

AND IF I WAS GOING TO BE INVOLVED IN EDUCATING PEOPLE ABOUT WHETHER WE HAVE THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION OR NOT, IN THE FUTURE, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS EDUCATIONAL EFFORT THAT REINFORCES THAT IDEA, THAT THIS IS THE STATE THAT HAS SOMETHING SPECIAL.

NOW, SHOULD WE HAVE IT?

WE'RE DEALING WITH, DIASPORA IS REALER.

REAL.PROBABLY DESTROYING OUR POPULATION AS MUCH AS THE EPIDEMICS OF THE 1800'S DID.

NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU JUST PASS UP.

BUT WHAT IS IT THAT WE ARE ACTUALLY TRYING TO PRESERVE >> AND THAT IS WHAT I'M, YOU KNOW, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SPEND MORE TIME DEALING WITH.

>>Yunji: PERRY I WANT TO GO TO YOU.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON TH THAT?

WHAT ARE WE TRYI TRY PRESERVE AD SHOULD WE LEAVE WELL ENOUGH ALONE OR IS THIS WORTH REVISITING >> A LOT WE SHOULD LEAVE ALONE I THINK.

PERSONALLY.

I WORK ON HOUSING.

THAT'S MY DAY JOB.

AND I'M REMINDED OF PROPOSAL FROM 1978.

PROPOSAL THAT ULTIMATELY FAILED BUT IT INSPIRED ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL PROPOSAL WHICH ULTIMATELY MADE IT INTO THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.

IT WAS A PROPOSAL TO GUARANTEE RIGHT TO HOUSING BASICALLY IN A CLEAN AND HEALFUL ENVIRONMENT.

HOUSING PART, IS WHAT WAS REMOVED.

BUT THE RIGHT TO CLEAN AND HEALTHFUL ENVIRONMENT WHAT WE ULTIMATELY GAS EVERYONE TEED.

I THINK THAT IS WHAT I GUARANTEED.

WHAT I THINK ABOUT THIS CONVERSATION.

WE HAVEN'T TOUCHED ON NAINOA TODAY OFTEN THINK OF YOU'LL INALTERNATIVE UNIVERSE ORIGINAL LANGUAGE MADE IN OUR CONSTITUTION.

WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE GUARANTEED RIGHT TO HOUSE AND CLEAN ADD HEALTHFUL ENVIRONMENT.

CLEAN AND HEALTHFUL ENVIRONMENT.

WHAT WOULD THAT HAVE LOOKED LIKE?

I FRANKLY DON'T KNOW.

I LIKE TO THINK IF WE HAD MORE OF THESE CONVERSATIONS MAYBE WE WOULD GET THERE >>Yunji: DO YOU THINK THIS EXPERIMENT IS WORTH DIVING INTO THIS?

?>> I THINK THAT, THE PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES WITH THE MOST TO LOSE, MOST AT STAKE, IN A ConCon, SHOULD BE THE ONES LEADING THE CONVERSATION.

I FEEL A LITTLE TROUBLED BY THE FRAMING THAT IF WE CHOOSE NOT TO HAVE ONE, WE'RE ACTING OUT OF FEAR.

I THINK FROM A POLITICAL PERSPECTIVE, TAKING A DIFFERENT POSTURE TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS THAT YOU HAVE, IN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY ARE UNDER ATTACK FOR WORKERS FOR HAWAIIANS, ENVIRONMENT, IT'S VALID CHOICE.

EMPOWERED CHOICE SOMETIMES.

SO I THINK AS WE HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS, WE NEED TO CENTER THOSE VOICES AND I TRUST THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WILL COME OUT OF THAT.

IF WE REALLY PRIORITIZE THOSE PERSPECTIVES >>Yunji: BARBARA, WHERE DO YOU LAND ON THAT?

IDEA NO IS ALSO A CHOICE?

>> YOU KNOW, KEEP THINKING OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE AND I FEEL SORRY FOR THEN.

GOT CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN AND I'M WONDERING WHETHER THE ONES IN COLLEGE WILL COME BACK AND WORK HERE.

AND WHETHER THEY'LL BE ABLE TO AFFORD HOUSING.

IT'S GOING TO BE A REAL STRUGGLE AND WHY HAVE WE'VE GOTTEN TO THIS POINT?

I SEE HEAR A LOT OF VOICES AGAINST MAJOR INDUSTRIES LIKE TOURISM, AND WHEN I CAME IN, IT WAS STILL AGRICULTURE COMMUNITY.

PINE AND SUGAR WERE KING AND HAWAII SUGAR PLANTERS ASSOCIATION WAS BIGGEST INFLUENCE AROUND.

AND THEN IT CHANGED TOURISM STARTED GROWING LIKE CRAWTIONZ I. AND NOW, MAYBE-LIKE CRAZY SOME OF PLACES TOO BIG.

BUT THERE'S A LOT OF ANTI-TOURISM.

WE'VE GOT TO IN NURTURE, WHATEVR CREATES OUR JOBS.

AND IF WE'RE GOING TO DIVERSIFY, THEN DIVE DIVERSIFY BEFORE YOU ATTACK TOURISM.

WE'VE GOT TO THINK IN TERMS OF SMALL BUSINESS, HELPING SMALL BUSINESS.

AND HELPING OUR JOB ISES.

AND I KNOW SO MANY PEOPLE ARE WORKING, TWO JOBS.

SO WE'VE GOT TO HAVE TO HELP YOUNG PEOPLE AND STOP THE DIADIASPORA >>Yunji: GOOD PLACE FOR TO US LEAVE IT.

FIRST OF MANY CONVERSATIONS.

ON THIS TOPIC.

MAHALO TO ALL OF YOU ARE PANELIST AND TO ALL OF YOU AT HOME FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.

AS WE HAVE HEARD CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION IS POWERFUL TOOL AND COMPLICATED ONE.

CARRIES POTENTIAL FOR CHANGED AND A REAL RISKS THAT VOTERS WILL NEED TO WEIGH CAREFULLY.

ULTIMATELIER DECISION BELONGS TO ALL OF US.

THE VOTERS IN 2028, HAWAII RESIDENTS WILL AGAIN BE ASKED WHETHER THE STATE SHOULD HOLD A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.

RECALL YES OR NO VOTE WILL SHAPE HOW THIS CONVERSATION MOVES FORWARD.

NEXT WEEK WE'RE BACK WITH INSIGHTS DISCUSSING ILLEGAL FIRECFIREWORKS.

NEENEW YEAR'S EVE QUIETER LAST YEARS PAST.

REARSES CON FISCAL RATED PLENTY OF I WILL PALOLO ILLEGAL FIREWORKS.SHOULD MORE B?

UNTIL NEXT TIMER I'M YUNJI DE NIES ALOHA AND GOOD NIGHT.

COLOR ♪