Report Title:

International Trade Agreements; State Approval

Description:

Requires legislative consent to bind the State to international trade agreements.  Establishes a join legislative committee to consider international trade agreements when the Legislature is not in session.  (HB30 HD1)

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	30
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to international trade agreements.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  (a)  The governor shall not enter into any international trade agreements without state approval.

     (b)  For purposes of this Act, "state approval" occurs when:

     (1)  The legislature authorizes the international trade agreement by concurrent resolution adopted by a majority vote of the senate and the house of representatives; or

     (2)  The joint legislative committee to consider international trade agreements authorizes the international trade agreement pursuant to subsection (d).

     Upon receiving state approval, the governor may enter into the international trade agreement after issuing an executive order approving the trade agreement.

     (c)  There is established a joint legislative committee to consider and approve or disapprove proposed international trade agreements.  The committee shall be composed of eight members as follows:

(1)  Four members of the house of representatives, consisting of three members from the majority party and one member from the minority party, who shall be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; and

     (2)  Four members of the senate, consisting of three members from the majority party and one member from the minority party, who shall be appointed by the president of the senate.

     The committee shall select a chairperson from its membership.

     (d)  The joint legislative committee to consider international trade agreements shall meet to consider and approve or disapprove proposed international trade agreements at any time when the legislature is not in session.  A majority of all the members shall constitute a quorum to do business.  When a quorum is in attendance, the concurrence of a majority of the members in attendance shall be required to approve a proposed international trade agreement.

     SECTION 2.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.