With about three weeks left in the session, state lawmakers are still holding to the priorities outlined by majority leaders at the beginning of the session: fixing schools, making more affordable homes available and reducing the state's dependency on fossil fuels.

While a handful of bills died unexpectedly — particularly one that would have provided a $50 million racetrack tax credit — all of the almost 400 measures considered yesterday will survive tomorrow's "second crossover" when both chambers again exchange bills.

In the next few weeks, lawmakers will attempt to hammer out compromises on bills that they hope will survive the session, as well as come to some decision about whether to use some of the state's $600 million budget surplus to provide tax relief.

One of the more controversial issues is likely to be the fate of the gasoline price cap. The House still stands behind a proposal to suspend and ultimately repeal the law that limits wholesale gas prices. Meanwhile, in the Senate, a more moderate proposal would also suspend the cap, but only as long as oil companies keep prices below a "fair price" level.

While several House members — and a couple of Senate Republicans — yesterday urged the Senate to accept an outright suspension, Sen. Ron Menor, architect of the price cap and the "fair price" amendment, accused price-cap critics of spreading misinformation. "The pricing regulation is needed to keep them in check for the protection of consumers," he said in defense of his bill.

Menor also spoke on the Senate floor in favor of a bill that would allow the state's public housing authority to undertake negotiations with the owners of Kukui Gardens, initiate condemnation proceedings if the negotiations fail and appropriate money so the state can purchase the public housing project.

In the House, two bills aimed at smokers passed with few objections: a secondhand smoke bill that would prohibit smoking in public places and work places, and another that would raise the tax per cigarette.

Rep. Cindy Evans, D-7th (N. Kona, S. Kohala), one of two members to vote against the secondhand-smoke bill, said the bill goes too far and turns smokers into criminals. "It's as if smokers are these really bad people, and we're going to punish them," she said.

But Rep. Dennis Arakaki, D-30th (Moanalua, Kalihi Valley, 'Alewa), said the bill did not go far enough and that an outright ban would be better. In the meantime, however, he said, "This is probably the most progressive, most sweeping health measure that we have."

Arakaki called the cigarette tax increase "the second silver bullet in a double-barreled approach," and noted that it would have the biggest impact on young smokers, who are the most sensitive to price increases.

But to some House members, it was just another way to raise money. "A tax increase is a tax increase is a tax increase," said Rep. Bev Harbin, D-28th (Iwilei, Downtown, Makiki).

On the Senate side, one of the heated debates was over a bill that would clarify the state's abortion law, protecting a woman's right to terminate a pregnancy in the event Roe v. Wade is overturned.

The bill would amend the 1970 state abortion law by removing a residency requirement and allowing abortions to be performed in doctors' offices and clinics. While proponents say these are merely technical changes that bring the law up to date with current practice, opponents argue that the bill would expand abortion rights. The bill passed 18-7.

Reach Treena Shapiro at tshapiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.