There are only two ways to get a constitutional amendment before voters. One is through the state legislature. The other is through a constitutional convention. For those that are frustrated with politics, the con con is looking better all the time.

The last Hawaii constitutional convention was in 1978 when collars were wide and hair was big. A lot has changed over the past 30 years and the question is does the state constitution need to change as well?

"I firmly believe this will be one of the most important political decision we'll have on the ballot this election," said Lt. Gov. James “Duke” Aiona.

In November, voters will decide if the state should have another con con to amend the constitution. Some ideas already tossed around are the ability to recall elected officials or changing the Department of Education to form local school boards. Already there's disagreement.

"I for one have some concerns that the loudest voices promoting a constitutional convention seem to be voices that want to take away and weaken the public education system, weaken the rights of labor, weaken environmental protections, weaken the rights of native Hawaiians," said Gary Hooser, State Senate Majority Leader, at a press conference where he was named as one of the 11 members of a task force to determine cost of the con con.

"I have to disagree with Senator Hooser. What I’ve heard people asking about is not taking away rights from anyone or weakening the Department of Education. What I’ve heard people talking about is restoring balance to the criminal justice system," said Mark Bennett, State Attorney General, who is also a member of the task force.

"People who are entrenched in power don't want it,” said Ira Rohter.

Rohter teaches Hawaii politics at the University of Hawaii. He says the con con is different from the way the legislature works because its citizens that decide what issues get attention.

"It's intense. It's actually a year long political discussion, wow, we don't have that down here," said Rohter. "The legislature introduces their amendments and they're usually trivial or self interested. This is a chance to reexamine how we're doing in government."

Some of the changes that came out of the last con con in 1978 established the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and set up term limits for the Governor and Lt. Governor.

Before voters decide if another con con is necessary the 11 member task force will find out how much money it will cost the state to help you decide if the con con should stay in our past or help design the future.

The con con task force will hold a series of public meetings to talk about the costs. It will release its results in August. There is a lot to learn on the con con and Lt. Gov. Aiona urges people to study the issue because if voters leave the question blank on the ballot it will count as a no vote.

Hawaii ConCon is an organization in favor of holding a Constitutional Convention. Click here to see its explanation of how the process works.

Related Story:

Lt. Governor Names Con Con Cost Task Force (for a list of the 11 members)

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