Good grief, this isn’t some grand conspiracy and if it was, the great mastermind unequivocally would not have Oshiro introduce the bill.
Mark my words: this bill won’t even get a single hearing.
First, let’s talk about Representative Marcus Oshiro. As chair of the Finance committee in 2012, Rep Oshiro was the second most powerful person in the House of Representatives behind Speaker Calvin Say. But then, in 2013, Joe Souki ousted Say and became Speaker. Down the tubes also went Oshiro. In other words, since 2013, Oshiro has had zero power.
Want evidence of Oshiro’s zero power? Since 2013, Oshiro has not been able to pass a single one of his bills (his bills as in he was the primary introducer).
So let’s get back to this bill, House Bill 1680, which has Oshiro as the primary introducer, has zero chance of going anywhere. If there really was some great conspiracy, those genius masterminds would have the speaker, the finance chair, or at least the health chair introduce the bill--definitely not some representative who has no influence and is only a slight step above a Republican in terms of influence
Next, let’s see the first committee that would hear (or kill) HB 1680. Ahh the House health committee. Recall that last year Rep Belatti busted her hump to get medical marijuana dispensaries to pass. She’s also the current chair of the Health committee. She can decide to have a hearing on the bill or not have a hearing and effectively kill it. Two and half weeks into the session and there is no hearing on this bill. If I’m seeing the deadlines right, I think end of the day tomorrow is the last day to schedule a hearing on this bill. If there was some great conspiracy, you’d think she would have scheduled a hearing to move this bill along, but she has not. And she almost certainly won’t. And very soon, this bill will be dead.
Also, recall that Belatti isn’t the greatest of allies with Rep Say and his followers—like Oshiro. A few years ago, Belatti tried to oust Say and failed. So, I don’t see any reason Belatti would make any effort to advance one of Oshiro’s bills—and that’s part of the reason why Oshiro hasn’t been able to pass a single one of his bills for the past three sessions.
The point here is that anyone who pays attention to the news will clearly see that this bill is just one idea by one legislator, nothing more.