There is now a powerful new tool for anyone interested in tracking the Hawaii state Legislature. Who serves in your district and how did they vote about a particular issue? How did the entire Hawaii House of Representatives or Senate vote on a specific bill? What does a bill really do rather than what it intends to do? Who has missed the most votes? All the answers are now at your fingertips when you visit www.HawaiiVotes.org. 'HawaiiVotes' is a free public service from the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii (GRIH), an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit research, and educational institution. The purpose of the new site is to inform citizens, media, and public officials about legislation affecting their families, schools, jobs and communities.

"The new Web site empowers voters to hold their elected representatives accountable by being able to quickly and easily identify how their legislator voted on any bill or issue—from tax hikes, to gun rights, to teacher pay," said Grassroot Institute President Jamie Story. "We hope HawaiiVotes.org will demystify the democratic process for Hawaii’s citizens. This is a tool whose time has come, and we are proud to present this gift to the people of this great state."

Foremost among the site's tools is its search engine, which facilitates searching by legislator, keyword, and 50 subject categories. Users also have instant access to concise, plain language, and objective descriptions of every single bill, amendment, and vote that takes place in the Hawaii state legislature. Visitors can track all the votes of a particular legislator, or see how all legislators voted on a particular bill. Upon registration, users can also participate in the public forum and participate in surveys on current issues or bills before the Legislature.

"It's very exciting. HawaiiVotes is really the tool Hawaii voters have been asking for," said GRIH Communications Director Tom McAuliffe. "It's free, easy to use, fast and informative. Think of it as a giant spyglass on the Hawaii State Legislature. The forums also let you participate in community discussions on the issues."

Please visit the new site at www.hawaiivotes.org and let us know what you think.

-GIR-