Hawaii House Bill HB2635

Hawaii 2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/24/24
• Refer: 1/26/24

Caption

Proposing Amendments To Article Iii Of The Hawaii State Constitution To Establish A Continuous Legislative Session.

Impact

If passed, HB2635 would remove existing constitutional rules regarding special sessions and recesses. It would introduce a two-year deadline for bills to be submitted for gubernatorial consideration and standardizes the time frame for the governor to approve or veto such bills to ninety calendar days. The legislative budget would also be required to pass at least forty-five days before the end of each fiscal year, potentially affecting how budgetary decisions are made in relation to the legislative timeline.

Summary

House Bill 2635 proposes significant amendments to Article III of the Hawaii State Constitution aimed at establishing a continuous legislative session. The bill seeks to mandate that the legislature convenes at least once a month, which represents a shift from the current structure of limited session days. Currently, the state legislature has only sixty session days per year, typically running from mid-January to early May. This amendment aims to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of legislative processes by transitioning lawmakers into full-time positions and promoting increased consistency in governance throughout the year.

Contention

The proposal includes provisions to make members of the legislature subject to the sunshine law, ensuring transparency in meetings and legislative functions. Additionally, the bill seeks to prohibit members from holding any other public office or employment outside their legislative duties. This aspect is likely to be contentious as it significantly alters the employment dynamics of state lawmakers, suggesting that they should entirely focus on legislative responsibilities without outside distractions or conflicts of interest.