Senator Slom is opposed to the taxation of "sugary beverages".
By State Senator Sam Slom
From the Kuliouou Neighborhood Report #2 | March 3, 2011.
A very long parade of bad bills that will take away more of your liberty, freedom and money dominate both houses of the State Legislature as the 2011 session heads to the first major bill voting deadline. Senate bills that are still alive are voted on by March 10 and crossover to the House while House bills are also voted and crossover to the Senate. After that the hearing process for these bills begin all over again until the 2nd crossover deadline on April 14.
Needless to say, many bad bills are still alive. I have voted “No” on all of the following bills, either on the floor or in committee. I will be voting “No” on most of these bills when they come to the floor on crossover voting day (March 8 & 10). The list of bad bills are as follows:
SB 1268: Eliminates Medicare Part B reimbursements for state retirees. No!
SB 803: Death with dignity is dead for now. I would have voted No. Watch this bill… could be resurrected.
SB 1363: Adds a new 25¢ tax on plastic and other non-reusable grocery/store bags. SD1 will exempt some classes of people from paying the tax. No!
SB 367: Establishes a $1 to $2 billion underwater power transmission cable that will cost the ratepayers more for electric power and reward our monopoly utility. No!
SB 1289: Originally drafted to impose a new tax on “sugary beverages” re: Coke, Pepsi, Sprite, 7up, others. The latest draft removes the soft drink component but still levies a 50% tax increase on alcoholic beverages. No!
SB 1179 is still another tax bill on soft drinks with the collections going to a new children’s health promotion special fund. No.
SB 749: Bans sales of toy guns to minors. Three of us voted No on this in the Consumer Protection Committee resulting in a 3 to 3 tie. The 3 No votes killed the bill.
SB 1: This is a backdoor type of legislation to establish a Hawaiian government without the support from federal legislation (i.e. “Akaka Bill”). Many Hawaiians oppose this state intervention. I will vote No on this during the crossover voting day.
SB 939: Establishes the position of “fall prevention and early detection coordinator” under the Dept. of Health to study and educate the elderly about fall prevention. No!
SB 1550: A new increased and costly film industry backed tax credit bill that I opposed. Voted No — bill was deferred in Ways & Means. See SB 318 below.
SB 1309: Creation of a special fund for the Lt. Governor’s office. Passed out of the Senate 21—2. No!
SB 1355: The annual so-called “streamlining” internet sales tax for online purchases. No!
SB 232: Civil unions bill became Act 1 after the Governor signed it into law last month. I support traditional marriage and would rather see the state get out of the marriage business. Voted No on SB 232 (earlier HB 444 in 2009-10).
In the Senate Ways & Means Committee this past week, I voted No on the following bills:
SB 1270: Raids Hurricane Relief Fund. I voted No.
SB 1324: Extends $3 per day vehicle rental tax. No!
SB 333: 1% state funding for historic preservation. No.
SB 233: New tax on additional tobacco products. No.
SB 925: Raid on tobacco settlement fund. No.
SB 1458: Establishes classes of medical marijuana and places new tax on marijuana sales. No.
SB 1506: Requires health insurers to fund childhood obesity pilot project. No.
SB 725: New tax on solid waste that goes to landfills. No.
SB 935: Raids “rainy day special fund”. I voted No.
SB 1040: Raises penalties for violation of OSHA. No.
SB 1327: DOT authorization for increased passenger facilities tax without amending administrative rules. No.
SB 1328: Automobile registration tax increase. No.
SB 1329: Vehicle weight tax increase. No.
SB 1186: Daily $10 TAT on complimentary rooms. No.
SB 1088: Unemployment benefits—business mandate. No.
SB 318: Surprise! SB 1550 inserted into this bill. No.
I also voted No on a number of public worker pay increase bills and creation of new special fund bills.
