Relating To The Office Of The Legislative Analyst.
Impact
The legislation mandates that fiscal notes should accompany all fiscal bills, which will detail the estimated financial effects, including projected revenue changes and expenditures. By enforcing this requirement, the bill aims to curb the historical practice of legislating without adequate financial foresight. The fiscal notes must be comprehensive, citing dollar amounts, statutory provisions affected, and any assumptions underlying financial estimations. Importantly, this legislation prohibits any committee from proceeding with decisions on fiscal bills without first receiving and reviewing the relevant fiscal notes.
Summary
House Bill 2183 aims to enhance legislative transparency in Hawaii by establishing the requirement for the office of the legislative analyst to produce fiscal notes for all fiscal bills. This move is intended to ensure that lawmakers have access to vital financial information regarding potential impacts on state and local budgets before making decisions. The bill's introduction comes in light of a belief that many states, unlike Hawaii, provide fiscal notes that quantify the financial implications of proposed legislation, thus allowing for informed decision-making by the legislature.
Contention
While proponents of HB 2183 advocate for increased transparency and fiscal responsibility, the bill may face opposition on several grounds. Critics might argue that the requirement for fiscal notes could slow down the legislative process or become burdensome for legislators lacking adequate resources or time. Additionally, there may be concerns within government agencies regarding the demands of providing comprehensive financial data requested by the legislative analyst’s office, which could stretch existing capabilities or resources.
Further_provisions
The bill also prescribes that all state departments, agencies, and educational institutions must cooperate with the legislative analyst's office by supplying necessary data for crafting fiscal notes. Furthermore, it allows the hiring of personnel and allocation of funds for the operations of the legislative analyst, ensuring the office is adequately equipped to fulfill its new responsibilities. The law is expected to take effect on July 1, 2026, and will effectively modify several sections of the Hawaii Revised Statutes regarding the legislative process.
Requesting The Legislative Reference Bureau To Conduct A Study To Understand The Implementation Process And Projected Financial Impact Of Adopting Fiscal Notes Into The State's Legislative Procedure.
Requesting The Legislative Reference Bureau To Conduct A Study To Understand The Implementation Process And Projected Financial Impact Of Adopting Fiscal Notes Into The State's Legislative Procedure.
A resolution to direct the Clerk of the House of Representatives to only present to the Governor enrolled House bills finally passed by both houses of the One Hundred Third Legislature.
Relating to nonsubstantive additions to, revisions of, and corrections in enacted codes, to the nonsubstantive codification or disposition of various laws omitted from enacted codes, and to conforming codifications enacted by the 88th Legislature to other Acts of that legislature.