Legislature Won’t Hold Special Session To Fight Possible Vetoes
Senate and House leaders had considered reconvening to try to enact some of the measures that Gov. David Ige says he’s likely to reject.
The Hawaii Legislature will not convene a special session to override Gov. David Ige’s potential vetoes of bills after the Senate determined it didn’t have enough votes to overturn any of the governor’s decisions and legislative leaders couldn’t agree on which measures to try to save, according to memos circulated among lawmakers.
That means that a number of bills passed this year — including one that would reform Hawaii’s often-criticized civil asset forfeiture program — could meet their demise Tuesday if Ige follows through with his .
Earlier this week, a memo from Senate President Ron Kouchi listed 11 bills on Ige’s list that senators might consider trying to save if a special session was called. In a memo to state senators Friday, Kouchi wrote that his chamber had enough members to open a special session but lacked votes to actually overturn Ige’s vetoes.
The 25-member Senate needs at least 17 votes to override a veto, while the 51-member House needs 34 votes.
House Speaker Scott Saiki circulated a memo to his chamber Friday, saying the House would not convene an override session due to a lack of consensus between the Senate and House. Saiki told representatives earlier this week that he had been discussing the possibility of a special session with Kouchi.
Ige has until Tuesday to decide whether or not he wants to sign or veto bills or allow them to become law without his signature. He unveiled a list of 20 bills he was considering vetoing at a news conference June 24. That includes proposals to establish an industrial hemp licensing program, enforce taxes on short-term vacation rentals and institute a corporate income tax on real estate investment trusts.
Ige could still decide to sign some of those bills.
The Senate considered potential veto override votes on some of the bills on Ige’s list, including the proposals for the hemp licensing program, the tax on REITs, an extension of the cap on tax credits to the film industry and asset forfeiture reform.
Earlier this week, Ige met with advocates of asset forfeiture reform, including the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii, the Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii and Young Progressives Demanding Action.
A nonprofit organization made up of interfaith groups has also been lobbying Ige to sign the proposed tax on REITs.
