Bill Text: HI HB1448 | 2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Legislature

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-05-11 - Carried over to 2010 Regular Session. [HB1448 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2010-HB1448-Introduced.html

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Report Title:

Legislature

 

Description:

Proposes a constitutional amendment to change the Opening Day of the regular session of the Legislature from the third Wednesday in January to the first Wednesday in February and extend the limit on the length of the regular session from sixty to ninety days, beginning with the regular session of 2012.

 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	1448
TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

proposing an amendment to the hawaii constitution relating to the legislature.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the legislature's current opening day on the third Wednesday in January is too close to the beginning of the new year and does not give legislators sufficient time to discuss ideas for legislation with constituents and the appropriate department officials.  Beginning the regular legislative session a few weeks later would provide legislators with a better opportunity to draft more meaningful bills after giving the departments' reports and studies a thorough review and speaking with constituents at length.

     The legislature also finds that the current legislative session is limited by the Hawaii Constitution to sixty days and does not provide the public with sufficient time to thoroughly consider and provide their comments to bills.  A longer legislative session would allow more time for both legislators and the public to more carefully consider the provisions and merits of proposed legislation. 

     The purpose of this Act is to propose an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Hawaii to, beginning with the regular session of 2012:

(1)  Change the convening of the legislature from the third Wednesday in January to the first Wednesday in February; and

(2)  Extend the length of the regular legislative session from sixty to ninety days.

     SECTION 2.  Article XVIII of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"EFFECTIVE DATE FOR LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS

     Section   .  The amendments to Section 10 of Article III shall take effect on January 1, 2012, following the ratification of such amendments, and be applicable to regular legislative sessions beginning with the regular session of 2012."

     SECTION 3.  Article III, section 10, of the Hawaii Constitution is amended to read as follows:

"SESSIONS

    Section 10.  The legislature shall convene annually in regular session at 10:00 o'clock a.m. on the [third Wednesday in January.] first Wednesday in February.

    At the written request of two-thirds of the members to which each house is entitled, the presiding officers of both houses shall convene the legislature in special session.  At the written request of two-thirds of the members of the senate, the president of the senate shall convene the senate in special session for the purpose of carrying out its responsibility established by Section 3 of Article VI.  The governor may convene both houses or the senate alone in special session.

    Regular sessions shall be limited to a period of [sixty] ninety days, and special sessions shall be limited to a period of thirty days.  Any session may be extended by a total of not more than fifteen days.  Such extension shall be granted by the presiding officers of both houses at the written request of two-thirds of the members to which each house is entitled or may be granted by the governor.

    Each regular session shall be recessed for not less than five days at some period between the twentieth and fortieth days of the regular session.  The legislature shall determine the dates of the mandatory recess by concurrent resolution.  Any session may be recessed by concurrent resolution adopted by a majority of the members to which each house is entitled.  Saturdays, Sundays, holidays, the days in mandatory recess and any days in recess pursuant to a concurrent resolution shall be excluded in computing the number of days of any session.

    All sessions shall be held in the capital of the State.  In case the capital shall be unsafe, the governor may direct that any session be held at some other place."

    SECTION 4.  The question to be printed on the ballot shall be as follows:

    "Shall the length of the regular legislative session be extended from sixty to ninety days, and opening day of the regular session of the legislature be changed from the third Wednesday in January to the first Wednesday in February, beginning with the regular session of 2012?" 

     SECTION 5.  Constitutional material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New constitutional material is underscored.

     SECTION 6.  This amendment shall take effect upon compliance with article XVII, section 3, of the Hawaii Constitution.

 

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________