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Hawaii Senate approves several bills and confirmations on unanimous consent; gives one-day notice for multiple resolutions
Summary
The Hawaii Senate took final action on multiple bills by unanimous consent, confirmed nominees, adopted house concurrent resolutions and gave one-day notice for several Senate concurrent resolutions, including a desalination planning test force and a working group on nuclear power.
The Hawaii Senate approved multiple bills, adopted house concurrent resolutions and confirmed gubernatorial nominees during its floor session, taking final votes on several measures by unanimous consent and issuing one-day notices for a set of Senate concurrent resolutions.
The actions advance bills touching on state statutes, commercial harbors, Medicaid third-party liability and Hanalei Bay and set the stage for further action on several resolutions — including a desalination planning test force whose reporting year the Senate extended and a working group to study nuclear power — that senators said will return for final adoption after the required notice period.
Final readings and confirmations - The Senate took final reading on several Senate bills on consent and recorded 25 ayes for each: SB 1369, HD1, "relating to Title 24, Hawaii Revised Statutes"; SB 1402, HD2, relating to vessels in state commercial harbors; SB 1411, HD2, relating to Medicaid third-party liability; and SB 1511, HD2, relating to Hanalei Bay. The chair announced each measure "passes final reading." - By unanimous consent the Senate also took advice and consent on governor's messages reported on the floor and confirmed nominees on consent; the chair announced the nominees "have been confirmed" with 25 ayes recorded.
Adoptions and roll call exceptions - The Senate moved to adopt House Concurrent Resolutions HCR 91 and HCR 102 (HD1) on the floor. The motion to adopt was carried; Senator Awa recorded a no vote on HCR 102 while the remainder of the roll was recorded as supporting adoption.
Reconsiderations, agreements to House amendments, and one-day notices - The Senate reconsidered previous actions and agreed to House amendments on multiple Senate concurrent resolutions (SCR 4 HD1, SCR 5 HD1 and SCR 54 HD1). On SCR 54 — a measure requesting the Department of Land and Natural Resources to convene and provide administrative assistance to a desalination planning test force — the Senate agreed to the House amendment extending the year in which the test force is to report and dissolve from 2026 to 2027. - The Senate also reconsidered and agreed to amendments for SCR 53 HD1 and gave one-day notice for final adoption. - The Senate moved and gave one-day notice for final adoption of SCR 136 HD2, described on the floor as creating a working group to study the possibility of adding nuclear power as a tool to meet the state's renewable goals; senators characterized the measure as part of longer-term planning toward the state's renewable targets by 2045. The motion carried and one-day notice was given.
Introductions and recognitions - Senator Wakai introduced visitors Tomo Tomohiko Nishi, who runs a travel agency in Nagoya, and Cindy Nakagawa, his assistant who lives in Hawaii, noting their role in bringing Japanese visitors to the state. - Senator Inouye delivered remarks supporting the nomination of Hannah Springer to the Commission on Water Resource Management; more than 300 individuals and numerous organizations submitted testimony in support of her nomination, senators said. Springer was noted as a cultural practitioner with traditional Hawaiian water resource knowledge. - Senator McKelvey introduced Reid Mahuna, identified on the floor as a member of the Hawaii Police Department since 1998 and currently deputy chief of police; senators recognized his reelection to the 911 board. - Senator Gabbard recognized Jay Stone, confirmed to the Environmental Advisory Council and introduced as an environmental engineer with extensive experience in wastewater and stormwater systems.
Procedure and next steps - Several of the day’s final readings and confirmations were handled on unanimous consent with brief or no floor debate. Measures for which the Senate agreed to House amendments will return for final adoption after the required notice period; the chair announced one-day notice for final adoption of SCR 4 HD1, SCR 5 HD1, SCR 54 HD1, SCR 53 HD1 and SCR 136 HD2. - The Senate adjourned and the chair announced the body will reconvene at 6:30 p.m. the following day.
Ending notes: The session record shows recorded tallies of "25 ayes" for the listed final readings and confirmations where the chair announced votes; where the transcript recorded individual no votes (HCR 102) that is noted above.
