Seeming confusion leads to deferral of emotional item at Council’s PIA Committee

MPD and Prosecutors Office appeared to be on different pages regarding laws.  

11/22/16 : This morning’s Policy and Intergovernmental Affairs (PIA) Committee may have been earmarked for problems when the hot button and controversial item (PIA-61) titled Homeless was declared by Mayor Arakawa, who instigated the issue with five proposed laws at the end of 2015, to not be about the homeless population! After hearing testimony from about ten concerned individuals, most opposed to the item, the real trouble began with Arakawa’s declaration, followed by input from County Prosecutor J D Kim and Deputy Police Chief Victor Ramos.

They seemed ok with item one, labeled by Committee Chair Mike Victorino as the “bathroom one” which was “A bill for an ordinance amending title 8, Maui County Code, by adding a prohibition making it unlawful to defecate or urinate in public places.” Our understanding was they agreed they was no need for this, as such a violation was already covered by the existing disorderly conduct law.

But when they moved onto with the second one concerning public intoxication, the problems arose deciding if there was an existing public intoxication law on the books. The meeting stalled when committee member Crevello asked Ramos a specific question about it. His reaction indicated he apparently was unaware, and had to stop and read a segment he seemingly have never seen. Crevello suggested they should allow him time to do so and move on, but Victorino would not do so, and Ramos was pressed to respond.

Moving on to #3 , “lying down on public sidewalks,” seemed to indicate more confusion, so rather than discuss the remaining two, Victorino declared he would let the 2017 Council take in on, and adjourned the meeting.

We expect there will be a comprehensive report in the Maui News, perhaps tomorrow.