All of their work this legislative session came down to today.
Some lawmakers watched as their bills were shelved, put off for another year, others saw them die.
Bills that passed conference today means it's only missing the governor's signature from becoming law.
One of the big bills throughout the entire session has been how to help the homeless. Lawmakers agreed to put millions of dollars towards the issue just a few hours ago.
Should the state help pay for public schools through property taxes? That's a question voters will be able to answer in November's General Election.
That question will be much more detailed on the topic when voters see it in November.
Lawmakers want to help fund our public schools through a specific area of property taxes. They're targeting investment properties.
KALIHI (HawaiiNewsNow) -
There was some star power at the state Legislature on Thursday.
Hawaii's own Maggie Q, who stars in "Designated Survivor," was at the state Capitol to meet with lawmakers on two bills — one that would ban all animal-tested makeup products in the state and the other that would ban animal tested household products.
Both bills haven't advanced this legislative session, but Maggie Q hopes that by talking to legislators there will be enough support to get them to a vote.
Public schools in Hawaii are still plagued by a shortage of teachers.
Lawmakers want people who live here and will stay here. They want teachers who'll be able to bond with students.
Lawmakers are also willing to pay for qualified Hawaii residents to get their teaching degrees.
They're pitching an initiative called the Hawaii Teacher Stipend Program and it's already passed through both the House and Senate.
"It is this chronic problem that's just getting worse," said Corey Rosenlee, HSTA President.
It's a measure known under names - assisted suicide, aid in dying, the right to die, death with dignity and now “Our Care, Our Choice”, the measure in 2018 that's gone beyond all of those before.
“People are suffering. We have seen our family members, we have been caregivers, we have seen colleagues, it’s not an easy decision, it’s a personal one,” Sen. Donna Mercado Kim said.
The bill would allow Hawaii residents with a medically confirmed terminal disease and less than six months to live, to get help with dying via a prescription for medication.
It's never come this far before.
Now a measure that would legalize medical aid in dying heads to the governor.
The Senate passed the measure in a 23-2 vote Thursday.
Hawaii is close to becoming the seventh state to allow terminally ill adults with only six months to live the option to make their own end-of-life decisions.
Lawmakers have closely examined this issue a number of times over the past two decades.
Sen. Breene Harimoto was one of the votes against the measure and shared some emotional news. His cancer is back, this time in his lung.
