REPORT TITLE:
Legislative Subpoena Power


DESCRIPTION:
Clarifies the scope of the subpoena powers of legislative bodies
by removing statutory references to repealed Chapter 85 of the
Hawaii Revised Statutes.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                H.B. NO.162        
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO PUBLIC SERVICE. 


BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  The purpose of this Act is to delete outdated
 
 2 references in sections 78-8 and 78-9 of the Hawaii Revised
 
 3 Statutes to repealed chapter 85, Hawaii Revised Statutes, as well
 
 4 as a phrase from section 78-9, Hawaii Revised Statutes, both of
 
 5 which have been interpreted as limiting the subpoena power of
 
 6 legislative bodies.
 
 7      SECTION 2.  Section 78-8, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 
 8 amended to read as follows:
 
 9      "§78-8 Persons subject to sections 78-8 to 78-11.  The
 
10 persons subject to sections 78-8 to 78-11 are those elected to or
 
11 appointed to or employed in the government of the State or any
 
12 county, or in any political subdivision thereof, or appointed to
 
13 or employed in any office or employment any part of the
 
14 compensation of which is paid out of public funds[, and who are
 
15 required to take and subscribe a loyalty oath or affirmation
 
16 pursuant to chapter 85.  All persons exempted from the
 
17 requirements of chapter 85 are and shall be exempted from
 
18 sections 78-8 to 78-11]."
 

 
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 1      SECTION 3.  Section 78-9, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 
 2 amended to read as follows:
 
 3      "§78-9 Failure to appear or testify, termination of
 
 4 employment.  If any person subject to sections 78-8 to 78-11,
 
 5 after lawful notice or process, wilfully refuses or fails to
 
 6 appear before any court or judge, any legislative committee, or
 
 7 any officer, board, or commission, [or other body authorized to
 
 8 conduct any hearing or inquiry,] or having appeared refuses to
 
 9 testify or to answer any question regarding:
 
10      (1)  [the] The government, property, or affairs of the State
 
11           or of any political subdivision thereof[, or];
 
12      (2)  [the] The person's qualifications for public office or
 
13           employment [(including matters pertaining to loyalty or
 
14           disloyalty),]; or
 
15      (3)  [the] The qualifications of any officer or employee of
 
16           the State or any political subdivision thereof,
 
17 on the ground that the person's answer would tend to incriminate
 
18 the person, or refuses to testify or to answer any such question
 
19 without right, the person's term or tenure of office or
 
20 employment shall terminate and the office or employment shall be
 
21 vacant, and the person shall not be eligible [to] for election or
 
22 appointment to any office or employment under the State or any
 
23 political subdivision thereof.  To the extent that the State is
 

 
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 1 without authority to require, under the constitution or laws of
 
 2 the United States, compliance by any public officer or public
 
 3 employee herewith, sections 78-8 to 78-11 shall not apply to the
 
 4 officer or employee, but the sections shall apply to the extent
 
 5 that they or any part thereof can lawfully be made applicable."
 
 6      SECTION 4.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed.
 
 7 New statutory material is underscored.
 
 8      SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
 
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