STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3868

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.C.R. No. 138

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Government Operations, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 138, H.D. 1, entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE BUREAU TO STUDY THE YEAR-ROUND LEGISLATURE MODELS OF CALIFORNIA, NEW YORK, PENNSYLVANIA, AND WISCONSIN TO CLARIFY THE SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES IN OPERATIONS WITH RESPECT TO LEGISLATIVE SCHEDULES, OPERATIONAL COSTS, LEGISLATIVE AND STAFF SALARIES, AND POLICIES REGARDING OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Legislative Reference Bureau to:

(1) Study the year-round legislature models of California, New York, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin to clarify the similarities and differences in operations with respect to legislative schedules, operational costs, legislative and staff salaries, and policies regarding outside employment; and

(2) Submit a report of its study, including findings, recommendations, and any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than forty-five days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2025.

Your Committee did not receive any testimony on this measure.

Your Committee finds that a regular session of the State's legislature is limited to sixty days per year. Your Committee further finds that a year-round legislative session could provide lawmakers with increased opportunities to interact with their constituents and stakeholders, enabling them to obtain a more precise understanding of public opinion on various issues. However, the costs associated with a year-long legislature, including any financial burden to taxpayers, have not been studied in depth. The study requested by this measure will provide valuable information regarding the implementation of a year-round legislature in the State.

Your Committee notes that S.C.R. No. 51, S.D. 1, Regular Session of 2024 (S.C.R. No. 51, S.D. 1), which was previously passed by the Senate, is a substantially similar measure that also requests that the Legislative Reference Bureau conduct a study of a continuous legislative session. Your Committee finds that the language in S.C.R. No. 51, S.D. 1, is preferable because it broadens the scope of the requested study to include the options of extending the legislative session and adding additional recess days.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by deleting its contents and inserting the contents of S.C.R. No. 51, S.D. 1, a substantially similar measure, which requests the Legislative Reference Bureau to conduct a study of a continuous legislative session, extending the legislative session, and adding additional recess days.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 138, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 138, H.D. 1, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Government Operations,

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ANGUS L.K. MCKELVEY, Chair