Crossover Bill Status

At cross over any bill that doesn't move to the other legislative body is dead. That doesn't necessarily mean that the issue is dead, because it may be alive in a bill that did crossover. All bills which are still alive will face a new round of hearings and bills that survive hearings will then have to be refined by a committee of both bodies into a finaly form that will go for votes on the House and Senate floor. A final hurdle is the Governor's Office where a bill may be vetoed or funding may be held up.

If you have a bill you are particularly concerned with, now is the time to intensify your efforts.

The governor's controversial proposal to buy the Turtle Bay
Resort is still afloat. It crossed over, although many lawmakers are skeptical of
its feasibility, simply because legislators wanted to keep the discussion alive. If you believe Malaikahana should be preserved from development, this is a particularly important bill to track.

Bills that are crossing over include:

Energy initiatives included a proposal to reduce the state's
greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, as well as a
measure that would require all Hawai'i residents to begin
phasing out the use of incandescent lights, replacing them with
compact fluorescent or light-emitting diodes.

Proposals to better prevent the spread of invasive species arose
following the controversial launch of the Hawaii Superferry,
which faced criticism that it would facilitate the spread of
foreign plants and animals from one island to another.

Measures to require takebacks at the big box stores, some good
energy bills, such as the lighting standard and increasing
funding for the greenhouse gas task force are still alive.

Some bills have failed to pass out of one body but are still alive in the other:

House version of a bill that would have required big box
retailers to redeem deposit beverage containers won't be sent to
the Senate, but the Senate's version could get a new hearing in
the House.

The demise in the House of a bill that would have removed limits
on corporate campaign contributions now shifts attention to the
Senate's version, which remains alive.

While major legislation remains alive, this week's crossover
deadline is more likely to sound the death knell for more
controversial issues, such as a ban on smoking in parks and
beaches.

Bills that where held in committee but still have a live version are particularly important to testify on because if a committee chair blocked a bill they are likely to block the crossover version as well.