SB2343 • 2026

RELATING TO THE LEGISLATURE.

Budget Elections

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: CHANG
Last action: 2026-02-19
Official status: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

RELATING TO THE LEGISLATURE.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO THE LEGISLATURE.
LRB; Legislature; Regular Sessions; Length; Working Group; Appropriations ($) Establishes a Regular Session Review Working Group to determine the essential timing and effective framework for a lengthened legislative session calendar for election and non-election years.
Requires the Working Group to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature before the convening of the Regular Session of 2028.
Requires the Legislative Reference Bureau to assist the Working Group in finalizing its report and drafting any proposed legislation.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: SB2343 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2343 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2343 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE LEGISLATURE .

Bill History

2026-02-19 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
2026-02-19 S
Reported from GVO (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2411) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
2026-02-12 S
The committee(s) on GVO recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in GVO were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) McKelvey, Gabbard, Hashimoto, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Moriwaki.
2026-02-05 S
The committee(s) on GVO deferred the measure until 02-12-26 3:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.
2026-02-03 S
The committee(s) on GVO deferred the measure until 02-05-26 3:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.
2026-01-30 S
The committee(s) on GVO has scheduled a public hearing on 02-03-26 3:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.
2026-01-26 S
Referred to GVO, WAM.
2026-01-21 S
Introduced and passed First Reading.
2026-01-15 S
Pending Introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO THE LEGISLATURE.
LRB; Legislature; Regular Sessions; Length; Working Group; Appropriations ($)
Establishes a Regular Session Review Working Group to determine the essential timing and effective framework for a lengthened legislative session calendar for election and non-election years. Requires the Working Group to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature before the convening of the Regular Session of 2028. Requires the Legislative Reference Bureau to assist the Working Group in finalizing its report and drafting any proposed legislation. Appropriates fund. Effective 7/1/2525. (SD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB2343

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2343

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to the legislature
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
(a)
�
The legislative reference bureau, in
collaboration with the department of budget and finance, shall conduct a study
on the costs, savings, and potential productivity changes of transitioning to a
continuous legislative calendar
.
�

The study shall include:

����
(1)
�
An
estimate of the fiscal impact of transitioning to a continuous legislative
calendar compared to the existing legislative calendar, including:

���������
(A)
�
Any
additional costs or savings; and

���������
(B)
�
How
much it would cost to fund a continuous legislature each month;

����
(2)
�
The
cost to fund each regular session from the regular session of 2015 through the
regular session of 2025; and

����
(3)
�
A
comparison of the productivity of other continuous legislatures compared to the
State, including the number of bills introduced and passed in those
legislatures.

����
(b)
�

The legislative reference bureau shall submit a report of its findings
and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no
later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of
2027.

����
SECTION 2.
�

There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii
the sum of $ or so
much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the legislative
reference bureau, in collaboration with the department of budget and finance,
to conduct a study on the costs, savings, and potential productivity changes of
transitioning to a continuous legislative calendar.

����
The sum appropriated shall be expended by
the legislative reference bureau for the purposes of this Act.

����
SECTION 3.
�

This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

LRB; BNF;
Continuous Legislature; Study; Report; Appropriation

Description:

Requires
the
Legislative Reference Bureau, in collaboration with the Department of Budget
and Finance, to conduct a study on the costs, savings, and potential
productivity changes of transitioning to a continuous legislative calendar.
�
Requires a report to the Legislature.
�
Appropriates funds.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.