Subject: HAWAII, NOV. 26
From: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 96 11:01:08 HST

HAWAII AFL-CIO CHALLENGES CON-CON VOTE

	On Nov. 5, Hawaii voters chose to have a Constitutional Convention
(Con-Con) by a margin of about 3000 votes, with about 45,000 ballots blank
on this issue.  The Attorney General of Hawaii recently issued an opinion
that the "yes" votes won; she sided with a ten-year old state law and not
with the notes and minutes of the 1950's convention that created the option
of having a Con-Con (every 10 years).

	On Nov. 25, the Hawaii AFL-CIO filed suit in the Hawaii courts
to challenge the AG's opinion.  Hawaii's Constitution has strong provisions
that protect collective bargaining.  The Hawaii AFL-CIO fears that emotional
issues such as same-gender marriage might produce a conservative Con-Con
that will rewrite many provisions of Hawaii's Constitution.

	If a Con-Con were to be held, the delegates would be elected (number,
time, and place to be decided by the legislature).  Whatever a Con-Con might
propose would have to have final approval of the voters by a true majority
of "yes" votes (with blank and spoiled ballots counted as "no").  Everyone
is agreed that a true majority is needed for constitutional amendments; the
AFL-CIO and the AG disagree on whether a true majority is needed to call a
Con-Con in the first place.

					Best Regards,

					Tom Ramsey

P.S.  To support the legal case Baehr v. Miike (decision due from Circuit
Court in about two weeks), please send donations to
	h.e.r.m.p
	PO Box 11690
	Honolulu, HI 96828
Donations are fully tax-deductible.