STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3610

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.R. No. 39

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 S.R. No. 39 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE BUREAU TO CONDUCT A STUDY TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS FOR A CONTINUOUS LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND ITS RELATIVE IMPACTS ON THE STATE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Legislative Reference Bureau to conduct a study to understand the implementation process for a continuous legislative session and its relative impacts on the State.

Your Committee did not receive any testimony on this measure.

Your Committee finds that a regular session of Hawaii's legislature is limited to a period of sixty days per year. Your Committee further finds that the efficiency, productivity, orderliness, and transparency of the state legislature could be improved with the implementation of a continuous legislative session. The study requested by this measure will provide valuable information to promote government efficiency and productivity.

Your Committee notes that due to certain holidays surrounded by deadline dates, the Legislature's standing committees lose hearing days, which limits the time for the members to review and deliberate on the legislative measures, and more importantly, for the public to deliberate and provide their input. Therefore, this measure needs to be amended to facilitate further meaningful conversation and increased scrutiny of legislative measures.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting language that expands the scope of the requested study to include studies on extending the legislative session and adding additional recess days, in addition to a study on a continuous legislature;

(2) Amending its title to reflect its amended purpose; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

Your Committee notes that the study requested in this measure should include the impact a continuous legislative session would have on Senate special sessions that are convened to consider appointments for certain state positions and the effect a continuous legislative session would have on legislators who are appointed to serve on working groups.

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 S.R. No. 39, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 39, S.D. 1.

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

________________________________

ANGUS L.K. MCKELVEY, Chair