Legislative Update – February 28

The Senate heads toward the first major deadline – crossover. This deadline happens on Thursday, March 10. There is much work to be done between now and then. This included digesting all of the senate bills that pass out of their final committees for third reading, meeting in caucus and actually voting on the bills. Senator Slom’s staff as well as the staff from the Senate Minority Research office are busy working on processing the bills and getting ready for the long voting day set to occur on Tuesday, March 8 starting at 9:00 a.m. in the Senate chamber.

The legislative session is more than 1/3 the way done and is now in the middle of a mandatory 5-day recess period that started on February 24 and ends on March 2.

Here is Senator Slom’s brief upcoming calendar of legislative events:

Feb. 28, 2011 – Monday – RECESS DAY – Various Committee Hearings – No Session
March 1, 2011 – Tuesday – RECESS DAY – Various Committee Hearings – No Session
March 2, 2011 – Wednesday – RECESS DAY – Various Committee Hearings – No Session

March 3, 2011 – Thursday – Session Day #24 – Session 11:30 am
March 4, 2011 – Friday – Session Day #25 – Session 11:30 am
March 5, 2011 – Saturday – Bill Digesting & Processing

March 7, 2011 – Monday – RECESS DAY – 9:00 am Minority Caucus meeting – bill discussion & prioritization
March 8, 2011 – Tuesday – Session Day #26 – 9:00 am – Session Voting on 300+ Third Reading bills

March 9, 2011 – Wednesday – RECESS DAY – no session

March 10, 2011 – Thursday – Session Day #27 – 11:30 am – Session remaining bill voting, crossover.
Bills from the Senate crossover to the House, Bills from the House crossover to the Senate.

March 11, 2011 – Friday – Session Day #28 – 11:30 am – JA Hawaii floor presentation @ session.

The public is encouraged to attend Senate Floor sessions during the 2 crossover bill voting days. There will also be live TV coverage on Olelo cable for the Tuesday sessions (Senate & House) on March 8.

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State Legislature Set to Open January 19

The 26th Session of the Hawaii State Legislature is scheduled to start this coming Wednesday, January 19 starting at 10:00 a.m. in both the House and Senate Chambers. The Hawaii State Senate is set to go despite it not having an official session calendar due to the continued organizational delay that has been going on in the House. Despite that the Senate is ready to go, even as it tackles a controversial issue of the opening prayer at the start of the session.

State Senator Sam Slom‘s invited guests are encouraged to arrive at the Senator’s new office location in Room 214 at the Hawaii State Capitol by 9:00 a.m. om opening day. They will be escorted to their respective seating area on either the Senate floor or up in the Senate gallery. Session will start at 10 am and continue to about 12 noon. Senator Slom and his guests as well as the general public are free to return to Room 214 for light refreshments and drink and a chance to meet Sam and his Senate staff.

For those who cannot attend, the Senate Opening Day Session will be shown live on Olelo TV Channel 53 starting at 10:00 a.m. The House session will also air live on Olelo TV starting at 10:00 a.m. on Channel 49.

It is expected that other Senate and House offices will be open for meet and greet, light refreshments after sessions conclude on opening day.

By then the first wave of bill introductions will formally begin as the Senate and House Clerk offices are expected to start processing up to 1600 bills (or more) per house from opening day on to the bill introduction deadline, which may occur a week from now. The Senate Minority of which Senator Slom is the only member, is expected to introduce at least 60 bills this session tackling many issues including first and second amendment rights, tax reduction, term limits, initiative, referendum and recall, capitol punishment, right to life issues, workers comp and unemployment insurance reforms, and more. Senator Slom will introduce about a dozen core bills that will make up the minority package.

The State Legislative session is scheduled to last at least official 60 session days lasting to either the end of April or the first week of May. The 60 day session include a number of non-session recess days, weekends and holidays.

SENATOR SLOM’S WEEKLY CALENDAR

Monday Update – January 10, 2011

Senator Slom attended various hearings and meetings last week at the State Capitol. He was interviewed by University of Hawaii Ka Leo reporter Sam King (photo above) for an upcoming news article. On January 7, Senator Slom held a blessing at his new Senate office in Capitol Room #214. Phil Grunenberg, of Phil’s Tux Shop did the honors of blessing the new office location. Video below.

This week Senator Slom will be meeting with a number of cabinet appointees (the Senate does cabinet appointee confirmations) and attend more Senate Ways & Means committee hearings. On January 12, Senator Slom will be hosting the Smart Business Hawaii conference at the Ala Moana Hotel Hibsicus Ballroom.

Senator Slom’s Weekly Calender

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Senator Slom’s Legislative Calendar

Happy New Year. Senator Slom will be busy at the State Capitol this week with various committee hearings and meetings on tap. The following is a list of hearings and meetings Senator Slom will be attending:

Calendar items subject to change without notice.
For Legislative hearing calendar visit this link:
http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2011/hearing2.asp?button1=current