Low-key opening planned for today

State lawmakers will open a new session of the state Legislature this morning with brief speeches and little other fanfare, as they take a no-frills approach given the state’s uncertain economic recovery.

The state House and Senate will hold floor sessions starting at 10 a.m. at the state Capitol.

House Speaker Calvin Say (D, St. Louis Heights-Wilhelmina Rise-Palolo Valley) and House Minority Leader Gene Ward (R, Kalama Valley-Hawaii Kai) will give opening remarks. State Rep. Tom Okamura (D, Halawa-Aiea), appointed by Gov. Neil Abercrombie this month to fill a House vacancy, will be sworn into office.

In the Senate, Senate President Shan Tsutsui (D, Wailuku-Kahului) and Senate Minority Leader Sam Slom (R, Diamond Head-Hawaii) will speak.

House and Senate leaders opted to cancel the traditional entertainment that usually marks opening day, as they did two years ago in the depths of the recession. Individual lawmakers may have low-key receptions for guests in their offices.

The 60-day session spans 31/2 months. Lawmakers are scheduled to adjourn on May 3.

The state is in the second year of a two-year budget cycle. Lawmakers will review Abercrombie’s request for $188 million in new state spending, a 1.7 percent increase, which would expand the budget to $11.1 billion.

Senate Democrats on Tuesday released the themes the majority will focus on during the session, including sustainability and renewable energy, retooling government, and investments to improve the social-service safety net for seniors and public education for children.

Other Senate and House leaders are expected to outline their priorities today.