Hawai‘i Senate adopts ‘paperless process initiative’

Senator Coleen Hanabusa, president of the Hawai‘i State Senate, in December announced a new initiative designed to reduce the rivers of paper flowing through the halls of the Capitol. The new strategy includes:

• Eliminating the subscriber boxes in the Senate print shop and thereby reducing the number of hard copies printed
• Limiting the number of hard copies that can be requested at the print shop window
• Switching the administrative communications of Senate leaders and support staff from paper to electronic
• Requesting Senators, staff and constituents recycle paper waste

Hanabusa noted that switching the Senate to electronic from paper documents can reduce the 4.4 million sheets of paper used in the last session, which is “approximately equivalent to 525 mature trees.” 

To help cut back on paper, the Senate will also provide: a daily CD and electronic digest of all bills introduced in the 2008 session; online hearing notices with links to bills, resolutions and committee reports; and postings of written testimony to Senate committees on the Senate web site.

Hanabusa also asked those working with the Senate to take advantage of resources, such as: the staff of the Public Access Room (Room 401) who are trained and offer training in accessing documents online; the staff of the Legislative Reference Bureau in Room 005; and the staff members of Senators.

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