Committee and procedural abbreviations

Table of Contents

House Committees

  • JHA – Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs
  • FIN – Finance
  • EEP – Energy & Environmental Protection
  • HLT – Health & Homelessness
  • LAT – Labor & Tourism
  • ECD – Economic Development
  • HOU – Housing
  • WAL – Water & Land
  • TRN – Transportation
  • AGR – Agriculture
  • CPC – Consumer Protection & Commerce
  • LGO – Local Government

Senate Committees

  • PSM – Public Safety & Military Affairs
  • WAM – Ways and Means
  • JDC – Judiciary & Civil Law
  • HHS – Health & Human Services
  • EET – Energy, Economic Development & Technology
  • AEN – Agriculture & Environment
  • WTL – Water & Land
  • HWN – Hawaiian Affairs
  • TSI – Transportation & International Affairs
  • CPH – Commerce & Consumer Protection
  • LCA – Labor & Culture & the Arts
  • GVO – Government Operations

Bill Version Indicators

  • HD1, HD2, etc. – House Draft 1, 2, etc.
  • SD1, SD2, etc. – Senate Draft 1, 2, etc.
  • CD1, CD2, etc. – Conference Draft 1, 2, etc.

Procedural Terms

  • 1st Reading – Bill is introduced and assigned to committee(s)
  • 2nd Reading – Bill is debated and can be amended
  • 3rd Reading – Final vote in that chamber
  • Passed – Approved by committee or full chamber
  • Passed with amendments – Approved but with changes
  • Referred to [Committee] – Sent to committee for review
  • Deferred – Postponed, may not advance
  • Held – Committee chose not to hear the bill
  • Carried over – Bill continues to next session
  • Conferees appointed – House and Senate negotiators selected to resolve differences
  • Conf. Comm. – Conference Committee (joint House/Senate committee to reconcile different versions)

Bill Status

  • Enacted – Passed both chambers and signed into law
  • Vetoed – Governor rejected the bill
  • Dead – Failed to advance

Other Common Terms

  • SLH – Session Laws of Hawaii (e.g., "Act 245, SLH 2024")
  • Act – A bill that has become law
  • Companion bill – Similar or identical bill in the other chamber
  • Introduced by request – Introduced on behalf of another party (often an executive agency)

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