77 senate bills amended, approved by Hawai‘i State House

The Hawai‘i State House of Representatives today passed an additional 77 senate bills, with two days left before the second crossover deadline.

These bills now head back to the state senate for their consideration. If the senate disagrees to amendments made by the house, the bills will be negotiated in conference committees. To date, 213 senate bills have been amended by the house, and crossed over to the senate after passing third reading.

Measures passed by the house today include bills relating to electronic smoking devices, child welfare services, a state telework pilot monitoring system, firearms and destination management in Hawaiʻi.

Below are some highlights from today’s session:

• Electronic Smoking Devices
  • This measure establishes the offense of unlawful shipment of tobacco products. Include electronic smoking devices and e-liquids under the definition of “tobacco products” for purposes of the cigarette tax and tobacco tax law. Imposes an excise tax on e-cigs by a wholesaler or dealer.
    
• Child Welfare Services
  • This measure establishes within the Office of Wellness and Resilience, the Mālama ʻOhana Working Group to provide improvements to the State’s existing child welfare system.
    
• Telework Pilot Study
  • This measure appropriates funds for the Department of Human Resources Development to submit an annual report to the Legislature on the telework policies of the executive branch, and establishes requirements for a pilot telework monitoring system.
    
• Firearms
  • This measure establishes sensitive places for firearms and prohibitions on the carrying of firearms in certain circumstances.
    
• Office of Destination Management
  • This measure aims to repeal the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority and establish an Office of Destination Management within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and tourism. It establishes and appropriates funds for a tourism liaison officer within the Office of the Governor.

The House will recess until the second crossover deadline on Thursday, April 13 at 12 noon. To date, 213 Senate measures have been amended and passed third reading in the house. An additional 13 senate measures have passed third reading in the house unamended.