That was fast! We're already coming up on the deadline for bills to be out of their originating chamber's committees. February 28 is the First Decking deadline. By this date, a bill needs to: pass through all of the committees it was referred to in its chamber of origin; and be submitted to the House or Senate clerk so that... Read More Quickly Approaching First Decking Deadline...
Update: The 2014 Session Calendar is here: https://lrbhawaii.org/par/fyi/2014cal.pdf . It's that time of year! Folks are starting to call the Public Access Room looking for the 2014 Legislative Calendar. We'd provide it if we could, but it hasn't been issued yet. The Calendar will be jointly issued by the Senate President and House Speaker sometime before Session starts on January 15, 2014. On... Read More Where’s the 2014 Calendar?...
It's official -- the deadlines have all passed. There are 288 new laws as the result of the 2013 Regular Session. That's 10% of all of the bills introduced (2,872), which is a bit higher than the usual percentage. Visit the Reports and Lists page on the Legislature's website to access: Acts Bills signed by the Governor Bills that became... Read More 2013 Session Laws...
Monday, June 24, is the deadline for the Governor to provide the Legislature with his "intent to veto" list. Is there a bill that you think should be on it? Or, one you think should be signed into law? Let him know! Email: Visit the Governor's website at hawaii.gov/gov and go to the "Contact Us" page. Scroll down, and you'll find... Read More Should the Governor Sign the Bill? Veto It? Let him know...
Some dates to keep in mind... April 25th: Last day to file Non-Fiscal Bills to deck for Final ReadingApril 26th: Last day to file Fiscal Bills to deck for Final ReadingMay 2nd: Adjournment sine die (Session pau! Come to 401 for our End-of-Session Potluck 12 noon -2 p.m.) Governor's Deadlines: June 24th: Notice of intent to veto deadline (35th day... Read More We’re in the homestretch...
Second Decking Friday, April 5th is the Second Decking deadline. That's the date by which a bill must be filed with the non-originating chamber's Clerk for 3rd reading. The Hawaii Constitution, Article III, Section 15 states in part, "No bill shall become law unless it shall pass three readings in each house on separate days. No bill shall pass third or final... Read More “Second verse, Same as the first!”...
Last Friday, February 15th, was the First Lateral deadline -- now all bills must be in the last committee to which they've been referred in their originating chamber. Otherwise, barring extraordinary measures, they're dead. (Or, more accurately, "zombified" until next year's session.) You can take a look at which've survived -- and how they've morphed -- by going to the... Read More First Lateral — 58% Survive...