REPORT TITLE:
Information Practices


DESCRIPTION:
Makes blank appropriation for the office of information
practices.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        
THE SENATE                              S.B. NO.           794
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO PUBLIC ACCESS.



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

 1      SECTION 1.  The reduction of the office of information
 
 2 practices' budget last fiscal year, which funded only the
 
 3 director and one secretary, gave the office insufficient funds to
 
 4 carry out its responsibilities established under the Uniform
 
 5 Information Practices Act, chapter 92F, Hawaii Revised Statutes,
 
 6 and its new administrative rules that are expected to take effect
 
 7 shortly.  Beginning last year, the office's responsibilities were
 
 8 expanded to include overseeing the state sunshine law, chapter
 
 9 92, Hawaii Revised Statutes, which should be seen not only as
 
10 greater support for public access, but as a vote of confidence
 
11 for the agency.  The legislature believes that restoring and
 
12 providing additional funds to the office of information practices
 
13 is vital to ensuring public access to government documents and
 
14 meetings.  In addition, the funding to the office would balance
 
15 the need to protect privacy rights and to access public records.
 
16      SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
17 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $       , or so much
 
18 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000, for the
 
19 office of information practices.
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           794
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1      SECTION 3.  The sum appropriated shall be expended by the
 
 2 department of the attorney general for the purposes of this Act.
 
 3      SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 1999.
 
 4 
 
 5                           INTRODUCED BY:  _______________________