Bill > SB121

This bill proposes a constitutional amendment to extend the time the Hawaii State Senate has to confirm judicial appointments from 30 to 60 days, but only for appointments made between April 1 and December 31 when the Senate is not in regular session or is about to adjourn. The motivation for this change stems from the current requirement that forces the Senate to call special sessions to consider judicial appointments, which can be costly and inefficient. In recent years, Hawaii has had to hold multiple special sessions (up to three in 2022) just to consider judicial appointments, with each special session costing approximately $5,000 in senator travel and per diem expenses. The proposed amendment would allow more flexibility in scheduling and potentially reduce the number of special sessions by giving senators an extended 60-day window to review and consent to judicial appointments during periods when the regular legislative session is not in progress. If approved by voters, this constitutional change would apply to appointments for justices and judges made by both the governor and the chief justice, and would not affect the fundamental process of judicial selection through the judicial selection commission.

Budget and Finance, Justice

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=121&year=2025