State Legislature Scheduled to Start January 19

The 26th Session of the Hawaii State Legislature is scheduled to start this coming Wednesday, January 19 starting at 10:00 a.m. in both the House and Senate Chambers. The Hawaii State Senate is set to go despite it not having an official session calendar due to the continued organizational delay that has been going on in the House. Despite that the Senate is ready to go, even as it tackles a controversial issue of the opening prayer at the start of the session.

State Senator Sam Slom‘s invited guests are encouraged to arrive at the Senator’s new office location in Room 214 at the Hawaii State Capitol by 9:00 a.m. om opening day. They will be escorted to their respective seating area on either the Senate floor or up in the Senate gallery. Session will start at 10 am and continue to about 12 noon. Senator Slom and his guests as well as the general public are free to return to Room 214 for light refreshments and drink and a chance to meet Sam and his Senate staff.

For those who cannot attend, the Senate Opening Day Session will be shown live on Olelo TV Channel 53 starting at 10:00 a.m. The House session will also air live on Olelo TV starting at 10:00 a.m. on Channel 49.

It is expected that other Senate and House offices will be open for meet and greet, light refreshments after sessions conclude on opening day.

By then the first wave of bill introductions will formally begin as the Senate and House Clerk offices are expected to start processing up to 1600 bills (or more) per house from opening day on to the bill introduction deadline, which may occur a week from now. The Senate Minority of which Senator Slom is the only member, is expected to introduce at least 60 bills this session tackling many issues including first and second amendment rights, tax reduction, term limits, initiative, referendum and recall, capitol punishment, right to life issues, workers comp and unemployment insurance reforms, and more. Senator Slom will introduce about a dozen core bills that will make up the minority package.

The State Legislative session is scheduled to last at least official 60 session days lasting to either the end of April or the first week of May. The 60 day session include a number of non-session recess days, weekends and holidays.

SENATOR SLOM’S WEEKLY CALENDAR

Jan. 18
9:00 am	WAM	211	DLNR / Human Resources Dev.
11:45 am	AGL	329	Joint Senate-House AG committees
1:30 pm	WAM	211	Dept of Health; HHSC
2:00 pm	General Wong	214	appointee
Jan. 19
10:00 am	Opening Day Session		State Capitol: Slom guests meet at Room 214 by 9:00 a.m.
1:30 pm	Kaiser / Olelo	214	Taping: Capitol TV
Jan. 20
10:00 am	Picture Taking	Foyer	near Minority caucus room
11:30 am	SESSION		State Capitol
7:00 pm	Waialae – Kahala #3		NHB Meeting
Jan. 21
10:00 am	Junior Achievment	@ Chamber of Commerce	Nominating Mtg.
11:30 am	SESSION		State Capitol
12:00 – 1:30p	Dealer Day @ Capitol	325

Legislative Briefings on TV Today

The Hawaii State Senate Ways & Means Committee will be broadcasting live today on Olelo Channel 49 for Oahu cable TV viewers. You are also invited to attend these hearings live in the State Capitol in the conference rooms listed below. Senator Slom is a member of the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

Today, January 6, 2011

9:00 a.m.  Joint Senate/House WAM/FIN informational briefing re OHA and Department of Hawaiian Homelands.
O’ahu channel 49. | State Capitol Auditorium
http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2011/hearingnotices/HEARING_WAM-FIN_01-06-11_AM_INFO_.HTM

1:30 p.m., Senate WAM re B&F (DLIR overview, on the same agenda, will be televised via House FIN on 1/7/11).
O’ahu channel 49. | State Capitol Room 211
http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2011/hearingnotices/HEARING_WAM_01-06-11_PM_INFO_.HTM

Informational Briefings on Capitol TV

Two informational briefings are currently scheduled for coverage by Capitol TV on Monday, January 3 and Tuesday, January 4, 2011. They are as follows:

January 3, 2011
• Joint Senate WAM/House FIN informational briefing, 9:00 a.m., O’ahu channel 52 (see ‘additional information’ below for Neighbor Island channel information). – Council on Revenues

January 4, 2011
• Joint Senate WAM/House FIN informational briefing, 9:00 a.m., O’ahu channel 49 (see ‘additional information’ below for Neighbor Island channel information).

- State Financial Plan and Biennium Budget
- The Judiciary

Senator Slom is a member of the Senate Ways & Means committee. He is scheduled to be in attendance at these briefings.

More information about Capitol TV can be found at www.capitoltv.org

Senator Slom’s Legislative Calendar

Starting this month, a weekly legislative calendar will be posted to this site.

Happy New Year. Senator Slom will be busy at the State Capitol this week with various committee hearings and meetings on tap. The following is a list of hearings and meetings Senator Slom will be attending:

Date & Time	Committee	Room	Note
Jan 3, 2011
9:00 am	WAM / FIN (House)	Auditorium	info briefing – Council on Revenues
9:00 am	Staff Meeting	214	today
10:30 am	Hawaii Sec. Student	229	student conference
Jan. 4, 2011
9:00 am	WAM	Auditorium	State Financial Plan
1:30 pm	WAM	211	DAGS
3:30 pm	SLARS	211	Invest. Status/Draft Report
Jan. 5, 2011
9:00 am	WAM	211	DBEDT, Tax Dept.
1:30 pm	WAM	211	continuation
2:45 pm	HTH / ENE	229
Jan. 6, 2011
9:00 am	WAM	Auditorium	OHA, DHHL
1:30 pm	WAM	211	Budget & Fin.; DLIR
Jan. 7, 2011
11:30 am	Office Blessing	214
12:00 pm	Staff Meeting	Caucus Room	Minority Senate & House
1:30 pm	WAM	211	DHS

Calendar items subject to change without notice.
For Legislative hearing calendar visit this link:
http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2011/hearing2.asp?button1=current