Covering the Legislature is a balancing act.

Reporters have to keep their eyes on the big picture throughout the 60-day session while juggling issues, new developments and even a crisis or two that pop up daily.

And each year, reporters and editors involved in reporting on the legislative session meet to map out approaches to coverage and features in the paper that they think will help tell readers what is transpiring and what it means to them.

One new feature that has been introduced this year in addition to daily and in-depth reporting on bills and issues is the Legislature 2006 Update. It runs each Sunday on the third page of the Hawai'i section.

In the crush of hearings, news conferences, news releases and daily stories, it can be easy to drift away from regular updates on the major issues of the session.

Those kinds of updates on the progress of bills and hearing schedules may not be the most exciting stuff of legislative coverage. But we know that many of our readers are interested in following certain issues and don't want them to fall off our radar screen. In a session that stretches out over more than three months — this year's session is scheduled to end May 4 — that can easily happen.

Issue Watch in each Sunday's Legislature 2006 Update follows four topics: education, affordable housing, tax relief and alternative energy. They were chosen based on input by readers and topics highlighted by legislators.

Those four issues also are a major focus of our daily reporting and analytical stories, but the Issue Watch is also a chance to highlight the week's key events as well as catch up on anything we have not covered during the week.

Each week, Advertiser Capitol Bureau reporters Derrick DePledge and Treena Shapiro are committed to tracking what is happening with those issues and providing fresh reporting about them.

That means following the progress of all bills related to those issues, knowing what hearings are coming up and keeping in touch with key legislators and citizens who are tracking the bills.

Issue Watch also tries to give readers an idea of what is coming up in the next week.

The Legislature Update also includes a story and is an opportunity to highlight an issue that drew a lot of testimony but wasn't covered for a daily story, such as a rally in support of anti-smoking legislation, a possible compromise on emergency contraception, or the minimum-wage tip credit.

As with all our local stories, you also can find these features online.

One overarching goal of coverage this year is to give readers an understanding of the major issues being debated and voted on at the state Capitol so they can make intelligent choices about public policy.

This is especially critical in an election year, when readers also will be making thoughtful decisions at the ballot box.

Reach Anne Harpham at aharpham@honoluluadvertiser.com.