2020 LEGISLATIVE SESSION UPDATE 4

From Honolulu Republican Party, March 1, 2020

FIRST CROSSOVER

Thursday March 5th is the 2020 Legislative session first crossover. This is the deadline for all House and Senate Bills to successfully pass through all of the committees that they were referred to and pass third reading in the respective chamber.

What’s next? The bills crossover to the other chamber (House bills go to the Senate, Senate bills go to the House), where they’ll pass their first readings on the floor and wait to receive their committee referrals. That’s when advocates again get in gear, asking the chair of the first committee for a hearing so the bill they favor can move forward and meet the quickly approaching deadlines.

However, we need to remain vigilant and keep one eye on those bills that don’t make the first crossover. While technically these bills are considered dead, we must beware of the “gut and replace” tactic. This is when one chamber of the Legislature takes a bill that has already passed through the other chamber and replaces its wording with language that bears little or no relation to the original content. See Grassroot Institute of Hawaii Articles.

As we move into the second quarter of the session. The Second Crossover comes quickly, April 9th, this provides less time for bills to get through the second chamber, so things move quickly.  However, there are also far fewer bills for the committees to consider and the public to keep an eye on.  It’s likely that by Thursday, the First Crossover Deadline, we’ll be down to only 25% of the bills introduced at the start of session.

In the News

HAWAII LEGISLATOR'S WANT TO CHANGE MINIMUM VOTING AGE TO 16 - HB-2128 not only makes housekeeping amendments to Hawaii's elections laws to "clarify and improve the administration of elections by mail." It will establish a process, beginning on January 1, 2021, for preregistering or registering public school - and charter school - enrolled students (age 16 and older) to vote. The bill also establishes ranked choice voting for special federal elections, special elections for vacant state senate or state house of representatives seats, and special elections for vacant county council seats. Amends filing deadlines for candidates attempting to fill vacant state senate seats. The House Finance committee recommended passage on Third Reading.

HOUSE PASSES MORE THAN 150 MEASURES ON THIRD READING - In advance of First Crossover next week, the House of Representatives on Friday passed more than 150 measures on third reading including bills on government ethics, highway safety, and public health. These bills now move to the Senate for their consideration. March 5 is the First Crossover deadline for bills to pass third reading in order to move (or “crossover”) to the other chamber. If successful, House bills are sent to the Senate and Senate bills are sent to the House for further consideration. (Hawai’i Free Press)

HAWAII ANTI-GUN BILLS CONTINUE TO MOVE THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE - On February 27th, the House on Third Reading passed five anti-gun bills HB-1902, HB-2736, and HB-2744 to the Senate for further consideration. On the Senate side, the Judiciary Committee passed SB-2519 and SB-2635, with the recommendation of passage on Third Reading. (Hawai’i Free Press)

Candidate filing opened on Monday February 3, 2020 and the Office of Elections first report was posted Friday.  The deadline to file nomination papers is June 2, 2020 at 4:30 p.m. An updated list of candidates will be available every Friday after 4:30pm HERE.

Other News

Hawaii Family Forum Legislative Week In Review

Grassroot Institute of Hawaii - Event Alert - Should Hawaii Increase its Minimum Wage

Tax Foundation Hawaii - Hawai’i Public Radio: Proposal Could Hand New Property Tax Authority To School Board For Teacher Salaries

Hawaii Votes by Mail - UPDATE

Election Officials Announce Voting by Mail - Find out more HERE.

ALERT - If you haven't received the postcard, you should check your voter registration by visiting www.olvr.hawaii.gov or by calling the County Elections Division.

• Full Honolulu County Republican Party Legislation Tracking Report - LINK
• NEW  Passed Third Reading Report - LINK
• Second Amendment Legislation Report - LINK (Mahalo to our friends at the Hawaii Firearms Coalition)
• Voting Legislation Report - LINK

GREEN = Support

RED = Oppose

BLUE = Undecided

Your voice and opinions are powerful. Your legislators were elected to represent your concerns. It is up to you to voice concerns and to make your voice heard. If you take the time to convey your thoughts to your elected officials and follow up with them, your message will have great impact, but everyone must get involved.

Make sure you don’t miss a chance to offer testimony on bills that interest you. List of present and future hearings can be found at -- LINK.

MAR 5 – FIRST CROSSOVER (BILLS) – Deadline for bills to pass third reading in order to move (or “crossover”) to the other chamber. If successful, House bills are sent to the Senate and Senate bills are sent to the House for further consideration.

MAR 6 – LAST DAY TO INTRODUCE SUBSTANTIVE RESOLUTIONS – Resolutions are legislative measures which may request action of a government entity or state the legislature’s position on an issue. They don’t have the force and effect of law, require only one reading in chamber, and don't enroll to the Governor.

MAR 9 – BUDGET DECKING – Deadline for submitting the budget bill for third reading.

MAR 11 – BUDGET CROSSOVER – Last day for third reading of the budget bill in order to move to the other chamber.

MAR 12 – TRIPLE REFERRAL FILING (BILLS) – All bills referred to three or more committees must be filed so that they can be in their second-to-last committee in the non-originating chamber the following day. (Note: A referral to a joint committee counts as one committee referral.) This deadline allows ample time for successful bills to make their way to their last committee by the Second Lateral deadline.

MAR 16 – TRIPLE REFERRAL FILING (HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTIONS) – All House Concurrent Resolutions (HCRs) referred to three or more committees must be filed so that they can be in their second-to-last committee by the following day. (Note: A referral to a joint committee counts as one committee referral.)

MAR 20 – SECOND LATERAL (BILLS) – All bills with multiple referrals must move to their final referral committee in the non-originating chamber by this date.

MAR 24 AND MAR 25 FIRST LATERAL FOR CONCURRENT RESOLUTIONS – Concurrent resolutions require adoption in each chamber and are used to state the official position of the Legislature on an issue, or to request action formally without having to mandate it by law. All concurrent resolutions with multiple referrals must move to their final committee in the originating chamber by these dates: SCRs on March 24; HCRs on March 25.

Full Calendar is available HERE.