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MEDIA RELEASE As the Thursday crossover deadline approaches, the House passed bills: modifying the state’s excise tax surcharge for rail, authorizing the creation of medical marijuana dispensaries in Hawaii, requiring health insurers with greater than 20 percent of the state’s small group insurance market to offer qualified health plans under the Hawaii Health Connector, and […]

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MEDIA RELEASE After reviewing more than 340 measures, Gov. Neil Abercrombie has notified the State Legislature of his intent to veto 19 of those bills. While he has provided this notice of intent as required by the Hawaii State Constitution, the measures are still under consideration. “It is clear that the 2012 Legislative Session was […]

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MEDIA RELEASE The Hawaii House of Representatives took action Thursday on its final bills of the session. One of the major bills discussed and approved was the supplemental state budget, which addresses the state’s most basic needs, particularly in human services, education, and agriculture. “This session, as we come out of the Great Recession, the […]

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Speaker of the House Calvin Say has announced the House of Representatives leadership team and the Committee chairmanships for the 26th Legislature. House Leadership Team Speaker: Calvin K.Y. Say (District 20 – St. Louis Heights, Palolo Valley, Maunalani Heights, Wilhelmina Rise, Kaimuki) Vice Speaker: Joey Manahan (District 29 – Sand Island, Mokauea, Kalihi Kai, Kapalama) […]

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MEDIA RELEASE | BUSINESS WIRE The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) has announced its selection of Hawaii State Reps. Calvin Say (20th District), who serves as the Speaker of the House, and Clift Tsuji (3rd District) as BIO Co-Legislators of the Year in recognition of their leadership and support of the agricultural bioscience industry. “For the […]

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MEDIA RELEASE Senate President Colleen Hanabusa has notified members of the House they will not be convening in a special session for the purpose of overriding Gov. Linda Lingle’s vetoes. The House blog has posted the following reasons as to why Speaker Calvin Say, in concurrence with House Leadership, decided the bills on the governor’s […]

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MEDIA RELEASE | hawaiihouseblog.blogspot.com The Hawaii House of Representatives joined with the State Senate in overriding 11 of Gov. Linda Lingle’s 14 vetoes. The governor vetoed several revenue generating bills, among others, that are part of a financial plan to balance the state budget. “The Great Recession made our jobs very difficult,” said Speaker of […]

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MEDIA RELEASE The Hawaii State Legislature has agreed on a bill to provide funding to restore educational furlough days for the remainder of this school year and through next year, using $67 million from the Hurricane Relief Fund. House and Senate Conferees, meeting into Friday night, agreed to changes to Senate Bill 2124 that will […]

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The House of Representatives passed House Resolution 136, which establishes a committee to investigate the County of Hawaii Department of Water Supply. The purpose of the committee will be to investigate the status and handling of the stalled Ocean View – Kahuku water system construction project on the island of Hawaii.

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Speaker of the House Calvin Say gave this speech to his fellow lawmakers Wednesday, Jan. 20 to open the 2010 Legislature: Last year, the State of Hawaii, the nation, and the world faced an international financial meltdown unprecedented since the Great Depression. To prepare us for the resulting challenges, I paraphrased Martin Luther King Jr. […]

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MEDIA RELEASE The state Senate and House of Representatives have agreed to extend the current legislative session by two days, permitting overrides of Gov. Linda Lingle’s vetoes of fiscal bills before the start of the fiscal year July 1, 2009. The session was scheduled to adjourn Thursday, May 7. The extension would eliminate a planned […]

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MEDIA RELEASE The House Labor Committee has voted to hold the a handful of measures, meaning they are dead for the session.  According to the Hawaii House Blog, the proposals generated heated comments from members of Hawaii’s public unions, including members who are currently working and those who are retired. It was standing room only […]

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Text of the 2009 legislative session opening day speech by Speaker of the House Rep. Calvin Say: “Welcome Gov. Lingle, Chief Justice Moon, Lt. Gov. Aiona, House colleagues, family members, and friends. Welcome to the opening session of the House of Representatives of the Twenty-Fifth Legislature. A wise man once said: ‘Be thankful for each […]

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