FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 2, 2001
Contact: Rep. Guy Ontai
Tel.: 586-6150




Republicans Get Hearing on Fiscal Note Bill


House Republicans were pleased to receive word today a hearing would be held for a bill that would require each piece of introduced legislation have a fiscal note stating cost, revenue gain, or revenue loss that would occur as a result of the proposed legislation passing.


Legislative Management Chair Rep. Nathan Suzuki's (D-Aliamanu, Moanalua Gardens, Moanalua Valley, Salt Lake) notification came minutes after a Republican news conference announcing the GOP's intention to pull the bill from committee if no hearing was scheduled.


"We are pleased Rep. Suzuki will hear this important bill," said Rep. Guy Ontai (R-Wheeler Air Force Base, Mililani) the bill's author. "HB 1347 requires information on the fiscal impact of the proposed legislation. "


"As Republicans we have pushed hard to open up government and the budget process," Ontai added. "Knowing the estimated costs up front gives the public a chance to see what the financial impact will be of each proposed legislation."


Hawaii is the only state in the nation that does not have some kind of fiscal information requirement on proposed legislation.


At present, virtually no one, except perhaps the Chairman of the House Finance Committee and his staff, know exactly how much total money is being requested in the hundreds of appropriations bills submitted for consideration. Most frequently, the actual appropriation amount is left blank or is represented by a token one dollar so that the Finance Committee before third reading can insert the actual amount.


The fiscal note legislation will help the public better understand and evaluate our government, the legislative process, and the budget process Ontai said.




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