Traffic safety bills will become law today

Gov. Neil Abercrombie will sign two significant traffic safety bills into law today, one requiring all front- and back-seat occupants of a vehicle to buckle up, his office announced.

The other will establishes consistent statewide requirements for the use of mobile electronic devices while driving.

The signing ceremony for Senate Bill 4 and House Bill 980 will be held at 11:30 a.m. in the Executive Office. State Health Director Loretta Fuddy, Transportation Deputy Director Jadine Urasaki, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Region 9 Administrator David Manning, Honolulu police Capt. Darren Izumo, representatives of the other county police departments and traffic safety advocates will attend.

Until the signing, back-seat passengers were not required to use seat belts.

House Bill 980 prohibits the use of cellphones and other mobile electronic devices while operating a vehicle statewide, with certain exceptions, and specifically prohibits activities such as texting, instant-messaging, gaming and emailing, which take a driver’s eyes and mind off the road and hands off the wheel.

Mobile electronic devices do not include audio or navigational equipment, emergency assistance systems or video entertainment for the rear-seat passengers.

Philippine college presidents visiting UH

College presidents from the Philippines are visiting the University of Hawaii this week.

Presidents of 15 Philippine state colleges will visit campuses of the UH system today through Friday. They will also take part in an executive course in education management and leadership.

The leaders will visit the Manoa and West Oahu campuses, along with Kapiolani Community College and Windward Community College. They also requested visits to a marine biology research center, the East-West Center and the Philippine Consulate General.

School staff to receive Lifesaver Awards

Mayor Kirk Caldwell will honor the staff at Kaimuki High School today with the city’s Civilian Lifesaver Awards.

The ceremony takes place at 1:30 p.m. at the mayor’s office in Honolulu Hale.

The presentation coincides with Caldwell’s proclamation of National EMS Week.

The Kaimuki High staff helped to save the life of a person who suffered a cardiac arrest earlier this year, said Emergency Services spokesperson Shayne Enright.

Enright said the patient will be there to thank his lifesavers.

Feral goat hunts will begin in July

The feral goat archery-hunting season on Kauai will be held on weekends from July 20 to Oct. 26, the state announced.

Archers must present their hunting license to obtain permits starting June 24 at the Division of Forestry and Wildlife office, 3060 Eiwa St., Room 306, Lihue. A proxy can pick up the permit as long as he or she has the license.

Neighbor island archers may pick up a permit application at their forestry and wildlife offices.

Bow hunters at Unit K must sign in and out at the Waimea Heights or the Kokee hunter check-in station. Hunters at Unit G must obtain a free three-day pass from the forestry and wildlife office.

Applications are also available for the feral goat rifle-hunting season in units B, E and H. The season will be open on weekends from July 13 to Sept. 1. Up to eight hunters may apply together as a hunting group.

Hunters will be assigned two weekends: one in hunting unit H on the Na Pali Coast and another in hunting units B and E of Waimea Canyon.

The deadline to submit applications is 4 p.m. June 7. A public drawing for hunting dates will be held at 4 p.m. June 12 at the Lihue state office building conference room.

Vehicle access limited at park

Haleakala National Park begins construction today on projects to increase accessibility for handicapped visitors.

The construction, through June 6, will reduce daytime parking at the visitor center by half, the park said in a statement. Cars still in the construction zone at 6:45 a.m. weekdays will be ticketed and towed, the park said.

For information on the construction and parking, visit www.nps.gov/hale.