In a show of support for neighbor island home rule, the House mustered 27 votes to defeat House Bill 468, which would have authorized the Judicial Council — located on Oahu — to nominate appointees to county ethics commissions.

Lawmakers from the neighbor islands expressed their strong opposition. Kauai’s Jimmy Tokioka and Maui’s Angus McKelvey were particular upset, saying the bill suggested there was something suspect about county mayors and councils appointing their own ethics commissions.

In another matter, the House has moved to the end of its calendar one of the most controversial bills before the Legislature — Senate Bill 2927, Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz‘s measure on transient-oriented development and planning districts.

It’s an indication that the bill may receive quite a lot of comments from members before the vote.