Special legislative session still up in air over veto list

It is still not clear whether there will be a special session for the state Legislature to address the 28 measures Gov. David Ige intends to veto, the most he has ever considered since taking office in 2014.

Senate President Ron Kouchi met Tuesday with Senate members to discuss the governor’s intent-to-veto list.

“Given the complexity of the measures and the sheer number of bills that were included on the list, our members will be taking the time to thoroughly consider each measure and attempt to understand the Governor’s rationale,” he said in a statement.

“Over the next week, we will continue to meet with our committee chairs and House counterparts to determine if there is consensus in our respective chambers to override any vetoes by the July 6 deadline.”

Kouchi’s statement follows a similar one from state House Speaker Scott Saiki. The House will also meet this week to discuss the measures that the governor intends to veto.

Ige listed Monday the bills he intends to veto. They included the main budget bill, a bill that would have provided teacher bonuses and another that would have eliminated distribution of the state’s transient accommodations tax to counties but allowed counties to levy an additional local hotel tax.

Ige’s deadline to make his final veto decisions is July 6. Lawmakers can come back on that day to override his veto or adopt amendments to the bills proposed by Ige.

Another option is a special session where lawmakers would reintroduce bills, and the measures would have to go through the legislative process again, including committee hearings and votes in both chambers.

The main reasons Ige gave for wanting to veto so many bills were the improved economic projections for the state and new federal guidance on how the state can spend federal COVID-19 relief money.

About $314.9 million in federal funds was allocated in the state budget in ways that are not allowed by Washington, Ige said Monday, adding that he is still considering what the federal funds should be spent on instead.

“We’re not going to spend any federal funds until we’re certain that it complies with the guidance,” he said.

“I do have the authority with the funds that become available to be expended if we have a need, and we would be pursuing that. But we would inform the Legislature of any appropriation or use of funds that we believe is necessary. And certainly the Legislature when it reconvenes would be able to make additional appropriations as is necessary.”