 Here is our latest Think Tech commentary. Thank goodness, Gut and Replace is largely gone. Kudos to the state Supreme Court for its decision in the case called League of Women Voters vs the State of Hawaii, handed down a few days ago. Congratulations to the civic organizations who succeeded in this litigation. Gut and Replace has been criticized for years, we all wondered why it was still going on. It's been a kind of sacred cow, and sacred cows never help in speaking truth to power. Especially now when transparency in government has become so much more important, and lack of it has become so much more dangerous. The reality is that Gut and Replace was grossly unfair and reflected an abusive procedure, a trick that should have been thrown out long ago. The remarkable thing is that anyone should have opposed doing that now. Really, there was no legitimate justification for it. Of course, the case leaves some vagaries in interpretation, and there may have to be more litigation to deal with them. Perhaps of even greater moment, is the notion arising out of this case, that there may be other abuses and reforms that need to be dealt with in giving the public greater confidence in the legislature and government. Yes, there are other backroom devices still in play and it's clear that we need to take a hard look at them. Dismissing these as mysterious, unknowable, sausage making, is no longer acceptable. Sunshine must always shine in, the public has an absolute right to know. We can accept nothing less. Perhaps the next issue that should come before the court is the quote conference committee procedure, and the backroom meetings at which critical issues are decided. We can do better at governing ourselves. Our citizens should be fully advised about what is going on, and should always have the unencumbered opportunity to weigh in on it. We're closer to that after this case, but we still have our work to do, especially with all the really difficult challenges the state faces in the serious and complex policy and fiscal issues at stake. Personal arguments, power plays, and vendettas are out. We have to work together in harmony to stem the outmigration, and reverse the decline to backwater. That should be the priority. Now, hopefully, in the wake of Covid it is critical that we work rationally to remake our laws and society for the future, with changes that will make us all proud, something which has not always been the case. The price of liberty is eternal vigilance by all of us, with sunshine and aloha, and without sacred cows or secret process. Thanks for your consideration of the views expressed in this commentary.