STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1653

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  S.C.R. No. 172
                                        




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred
S.C.R. No. 172 entitled:

     "SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING STATE AGENCIES TO
     SUBMIT AN ELECTRONIC COPY OF DOCUMENTS PRODUCED PURSUANT TO
     LEGISLATIVE REQUEST,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this Concurrent Resolution is to request all
state agencies to submit their studies and reports to the
Legislature in electronic form in addition to a paper copy.

     The Legislature often requests state agencies to submit
reports, studies, and other documents to it for consideration
during the legislative session.  The public often has a difficult
time obtaining copies of these documents.  First, it is hard to
determine when the document has been produced and where to go to
get a copy.  Second, even if the source of the document is known,
copying costs are currently set at fifty cents per page, which
can be unduly burdensome on the public.  Requiring these
documents to be made available electronically will increase
public access to these documents, as each public library offers
free internet access.  

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your

 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1653
                                   Page 2


Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 172,
and recommends its adoption.

                                 Respectfully submitted on behalf
                                 of the members of the Committee
                                 on Ways and Means,



                                 ________________________________
                                 CAROL FUKUNAGA, Co-Chair



                                 ________________________________
                                 ANDREW LEVIN, Co-Chair

 
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