THE SENATE

S.R. NO.

147

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003

  

STATE OF HAWAII

  
   

SENATE RESOLUTION

 

REQUESTING THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY AND HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS and two members of senate leadership TO conduct an interim STUDY of the senate rules regarding DECISION-MAKING BY STANDING committees and conference procedures regarding DECISION-MAKING BY conference committees.

 

WHEREAS, Rule 22(1) and (2) of the Rules of the Senate, Twenty-Second Legislature, 2003-2004, provides:

"(1) The chair of a standing committee may commence a decision-making meeting and open discussion on matters referred to the committee without a quorum; provided that the decision-making by the committee on matters that are referred to it shall be conducted with a quorum of the committee present. A quorum shall be a majority of the membership of the committee.

(2) A favorable vote of a majority of the members present at a decision-making meeting duly constituted with a quorum is required to report a matter out of committee. A member voting "with reservations" shall be counted as a favorable vote." (Emphasis added);

and

WHEREAS, Procedure 8-b of the Twenty-Second State Legislature Joint Senate-House 2003 Committees on Conference Procedures (Procedure 8-b), provides a different voting requirement in conference committee as follows: "To report a measure out of Conference Committee in amended form, a majority of the chairs for each respective chamber...must vote in favor of the proposed amendments..."; and

WHEREAS, Senate Rule 86(1) provides that the Rules of the Senate may be amended by a majority vote of the members of the Senate, after one day's notice is provided; and

WHEREAS, the Senate considered a proposal to amend Procedure 8-b, but the proposal was deferred for the 2003 Regular Session; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-Second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2003, that the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, along with two members of Senate Leadership appointed by the Senate President, is requested to study the Senate Rules related to decision-making by standing committees and conference committee procedures related to decision-making by conference committees, to consider whether the Senate Rules and conference procedures need to be amended to ensure that Senators' voting rights are fairly apportioned and considered; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Committee, along with the two members of Senate Leadership appointed by the Senate President, submit to the Senate a report of findings and recommendations, including proposed draft changes to the Senate Rules and the conference committee procedures, if any, no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the 2004 Regular Session.

 

 
 

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Senate Rules; Interim Study on Committee