Hawaii Bill Tracking And State Guide

1. Introduction of a Bill: A bill is introduced in either the House or Senate. 2. Passing Through Chambers: If the bill passes the non-originating chamber without changes, it goes back to its chamber of origin and is then transmitted to the Governor. 3. Amendments: If the bill is amended by the non-originating chamber, it returns to the originating chamber. They can either:

• Approve the amendments and send it to the Governor.
• Disagree with the changes, which is the usual path.

4. Conference Committees: If there is disagreement, conference committees are formed to reconcile differences. The leadership of both chambers selects members to resolve the conflicts. 5. Conference Process:

• Rules for the conference process are established and published.
• The committees must reach an agreement by the Final Decking deadlines.

6. Final Agreement: If an agreement is reached, a Conference Draft of the bill is published and sent for a final vote in both the House and Senate. 7. Final Vote: The final vote must occur before the end of the session (adjournment sine die). Note: Bills proposing changes to the Constitution are not sent to the Governor but are placed on the ballot for voter approval.

A member of the public can get involved in the legislative process in Hawaii by actively participating in the following ways: 1. Follow Legislation: Stay informed about the bills being discussed in the state legislature by using a bill tracking tool or through the legislature's website. This provides information on current bills, their status, and upcoming hearings. 2. Participate in Hearings: Attend public hearings where bills are discussed. Members of the public often have the opportunity to provide testimony either in support or opposition to the proposed legislation. 3. Contact Representatives: Reach out to your elected representatives to express your views on specific bills or legislative issues. You can contact them through phone calls, emails, or letters. 4. Submit Testimony: If you cannot attend a hearing in person, consider submitting written testimony regarding your stance on a bill. This can be done through the legislature's website. 5. Engage with Community Organizations: Join local advocacy groups or organizations that align with your interests. They often provide information and mobilization efforts regarding legislation and can help amplify public voices. 6. Stay Informed on Constitutional Amendments: Be aware of proposed amendments to the State Constitution, as these will be put on the ballot for voter consideration. Engaging in discussions and educating others about these amendments is another way to participate.

Tracking bills is hard, especially if you rely on state legislature websites, which are often hard to navigate. Thousands of bills get filed in Hawaii every year (and about 180,000 bills nationwide). If you want to be an effective advocate, you need to know where legislation of interest stands, and act quickly.

FastDemocracy's free version allows you to track an unlimited number of bills - no strings attached. We'll send you a daily or weekly email on your priority bills and give you tools to research bills and legislators.

FastDemocracy Professional is for anyone who tracks bills in a professional capacity. It features

• real-time bill, amendment and hearing alerts
• automated reporting
• team collaboration
• bill tagging for clients and stakeholders
• bill similarity detection
• ...and much more

1. Sign up here for a free FastDemocracy account.

2. Head to Tracked Topics to select issue areas you care about.

3. Use the search bar on top if you're looking for something specific.

4. Click "Track Bill" for any legislation you'd like to monitor a bit closer. That's how you add it to your Tracked Bills. You can also click on a bill to learn more, see the bill summary, most recent actions, votes, news and tweets. You can also contact legislators or share your bills on social media.

5. You can track an unlimited number of bills for free and we'll send you a daily or weekly email if your tracked legislation moves.

6. Do you need real-time alerts, outreach tools, bill lists, and professional functions? Then FastDemocracy Professional is the right fit for you.

7. Track bills on your smartphone using our free mobile app.

You can use the Find Your Legislators tool to find them, see their voting records, and contact them.