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Chamber Survey
The Legislature is considering a bill that will increase the minimum wage from $7.25 to $8.00 starting on 7/1/2009. Tell us what you think. Take the survey by clicking on the above button.
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Chamber's Legislative Events
Walk Around at the State Capitol
Friday, February 29
10 a.m. - noon
"Bagels and Bills" Legislative Update Session
Coming soon...
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Upcoming Chamber Committee Meetings
Health Issues
February 28 at noon
Environmental Affairs
February 29 at noon
Human Resources
March 19 at noon
For more details on the meetings, please call (808) 545-4300, x394.
If you are not a committee member yet, join one of the Chamber's committees today. Here is your opportunity to help set the organization's agenda and work with other business leaders to address critical issues, represent members' interests, and improve the state's overall business climate.
For a complete listing of Chamber committees & additional information, click here.
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Business Advocacy & Government Affairs Staff
Sherry Menor-McNamara, Vice President
Ian Robertson, Policy Analyst
Courtney Menard, Intern
Liliya Paraketsova, Intern
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February 22, 2008
Volume I, Issue I
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Dear Chamber Member:
The 2008 Legislative Session is moving fast and furious. It's been a little over a month since the session has started and already your Chamber has been actively testifying on and tracking more than 80 bills and monitoring over 200.
Most of the bills are in the final committees of the originating house. In order for the bills to remain alive, these committees will need to file the bills by Thursday, February 28. On Tuesday, March 1, the House and Senate will be voting on these bills. Those that pass will crossover to the other house for consideration. The same process applies: bills are referred to committee(s) and must be passed by the respective deadlines in order to remain alive.
Starting next week, we will be sending Action Alerts on key bills that need your participation. The Action Alert system was initiated last year. This year, we have enhanced the system to make it easier for you to submit testimony and/or write your legislators. Also, the Legislative Action Center e-Newsletters will be sent on a regular basis, updating you on what's going on at the Legislature.
Your participation is critical to the legislative process. As a business leader, you have all the facts on your business to provide knowledgeable and powerful testimony and information. Participate and take this opportunity to make your voice heard. Change can only happen when there is participation. It only takes a few minutes to voice your concerns and to help make a difference.
Participate: Enhance Your Stance!
If you have any questions, feel free to contact your Business Advocacy Department at (808) 545-4300. We look forward to hearing your voice at the Capitol.
Legislative Deadlines
February 28: Deadline to File Second Reading Bills
February 29: First Decking
March 4: Floor Vote
March 6: First Crossover
March 20: Second Lateral
April 4: Second Decking
April 10: Second Crossover and Disagree
April 24 & 25: Final Decking (non-fiscal and fiscal bills, respectively)
April 29: Floor Vote on Most Bills
May 1: Last Day of Session
* for definitions on the above terms, visit, "Information on the Legislative Process" listed below.
Legislative Information
General Information on the State Legislature
House of Representatives Contact List
Senate Contact List
Information on the Legislative Process
Sign-up for Hearing Notices
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The following is a list of some of the key bills that The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii has identified as those that relate to the Chamber's priority issues and that impact the membership. To view the latest version of the bill, click on the bill number. We will be sending Action Alerts on some of these bills:
 SB 2699
Public Repair & Maintenance
DESCRIPTION: Appropriates funds for the Hawaii 3R's to expedite repair and maintenance in the public schools. (EDU, WAM)
STATUS: Sits in Senate Ways and Means Committee.
CHAMBER POSITION: Support.
 HB1969 HD1
Workers' Compensation
DESCRIPTION: Excludes services for a limited liability company or limited liability partnership from the definition of "employment" if the person performing serivces has a fifty percent or higher transferable interest in the limited liability company or limited liability partnership. (LAB, CPC, FIN)
STATUS: Sits in the House Finance Committee.
CHAMBER POSITION: Support.
 HB2386
Workers' Compensation
DESCRIPTION: Requires an employer to pay temporary total disability benefits regardless of whether the employer controverts the right to benefits. Specifies that the employee's ability to return to work is to be decided by the employee's treating physician. (LAB, FIN)
STATUS: Sits in the House Finance Committee.
CHAMBER POSITION: Oppose.
HB2388
Workers' Compensation
DESCRIPTION: requires the employer to continue medical services to an injured employee despite disputes over whether treatment should be continued, until the director of labor and industrial relations decides whether treatment should be continued. (LAB, FIN)
STATUS: Sits in the House Finance Committee.
CHAMBER POSITION: Oppose.
 HB2520 HD2
Caregivers
DESCRIPTION: Amends the temporary disability insurance law to permit an eligible employee to collect up to two weeks of temporary disability insurance benefit payments to care for a family member with a qualifying disability. Effective 07/01/2059. (HLT/HSH, LAB, FIN)
STATUS: Passed House Finance Committee (HD3 version not available yet).
CHAMBER POSITION: Oppose.
HB2929 HD1
Workers' Compensation
DESCRIPTION: Requires independent medical examinations and Permanent Impairment Rating Examinations to be performed by mutually agreed upon physicians. (LAB, FIN)
STATUS: Sits in the House Finance Committee.
CHAMBER POSITION: Oppose.
HB2930 HD1
Minimum Wage Increase
DESCRIPTION: Increase the state minimum wage to $8.00 beginning 7/1/2009; to $8.50 beginning 7/1/2010; and to $9.00 beginning 7/1/2011. Effective 7/01/2059. (LAB, FIN)
STATUS: Sits in the House Finance Committee.
CHAMBER POSITION: Oppose.
 HB2974 HD1
Labor
DESCRIPTION: Certifies entities as exclusive representatives absent an election where no other representatives are certified as the exclusive representatives. Requires immediate collective bargaining between parties once entities are certified as exclusive representatives. Effective 07/01/2059. (LAB, FIN)
STATUS: Sits in the House Finance Committee.
CHAMBER POSITION: Oppose.
SB2044 SD1
Caregivers
DESCRIPTION: Creates a working group to address issues concerning support of family caregivers. (HSP/JDL, WAM)
STATUS: Sits in the Senate Ways and Means Committee.
CHAMBER POSITION: Support SD1 version.
 SB2808 SD1
EIS
DESCRIPTION: Exempts from environmental assessments, state or county lands that include the use of existing streets roads highways, or trails or bikeways for limited purposes, or a modification or disposal of highway access rights or use, occupancy, or work within a public highway right-of-way to serve private development outside the highway right-of-way, under certain conditions. (ENE/TIA, JDL)
STATUS: Passed Senate Energy and Environment Committee and Senate Transportation and International Affairs Committee with amendments.
CHAMBER POSITION: Support.
 SB2404 SD1
Invasive Species
DESCRIPTION: Requires that that 50% of the inspection, quarantine, and eradication service fees and charges collected be allocated to DLNR for the invasive species committees and requires that the fees be used to support facilities or services provided by the state at or related to the applicable port of entry; raises the fee for inspection, quarantine, and eradication of invasive species contained in any marine or air commercial container or non-containerized shipment to $10 per 20-foot equivalent unit per container or other appropriate unit per container or non-containerized shipment. (ENE, WAM)
STATUS: Sits in the Senate Ways and Means Committee.
CHAMBER POSITION: Oppose.
* Chamber's position statements on the above bills will be provided in upcoming e-newsletters.
For a complete list of bills that The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii is actively testifying on and tracking, please click here.
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Join fellow Chamber members at a WALK AROUND AT THE STATE CAPITOL on Friday, February 29
The Chamber is holding its second "Walk Around at the State Capitol" of the 2008 Legislature. As representatives of the business community, we will go door-to-door to ask for the legislators' support of the Chamber's positions on key bills.
DATE: Friday, February 29
TIME: 10 a.m. - noon
PLACE: Meet at the Capitol Rotunda
RSVP: Liliya@cochawaii.org by Thursday, February 28
Each moment counts. Feel free to join us even if it's for 15, 30, or 45 minutes. Your voice is critical in the legislative process. The more voices at the Capitol, the more attention we bring to the issues that are affecting business.
Participate: Enhance Your Stance!
If you have any questions, please feel free to call 545-4300, x394. Thank you and we hope to see you.
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