Bill > SB1514

This bill establishes a temporary working group to study the potential transition of Hawaii's legislature from its current 3.5-month annual session to a year-round legislative session. The working group will be composed of diverse members, including legislators, a representative from the governor's office, the attorney general, chief clerks of both legislative chambers, and representatives from civic organizations like the League of Women Voters and Common Cause Hawaii. The group's primary responsibilities include analyzing the financial implications of a year-round session, examining staffing and operational requirements, recommending necessary constitutional and statutory changes, studying how other states with year-round legislatures have implemented such systems, and producing a comprehensive report on the advantages and disadvantages of continuous legislative sessions. The Legislative Reference Bureau will provide administrative support, potentially hire consultants, and help prepare the required report, which must be submitted no later than twenty days before the 2026 regular legislative session. The working group will be funded through a state appropriation and will cease to exist forty days before the 2027 regular session, with the ultimate goal of exploring whether a year-round legislature could improve policy-making, emergency response, and community engagement in Hawaii.

Budget and Finance, Justice

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=1514&year=2026