Report Title:

Lobbying; No Public Moneys for Private Lobbyists

RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, government agencies expend taxpayers' moneys in service to the public; and

WHEREAS, government agencies are dependent on a budgetary process that requires approval by the Legislature of the agencies' budgets; and

WHEREAS, during this annual budget approval process, representatives of government agencies meet with legislators to communicate information and influence these budget decisions; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii law defines "lobbying", in part, as communicating directly or through an agent, or soliciting others to communicate, with any official in the legislative branch, for the purpose of influencing any legislative action; and

WHEREAS, these communications by representatives of government agencies fall under this definition of "lobbying"; and

WHEREAS, while the Legislature believes that communication, or lobbying, between the Legislature and government agencies is important in making prudent budget decisions, the Legislature does not support lobbying through a private agent or the solicitation of others to communicate for the government agency; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-First Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2001, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Legislature declares that no public moneys be expended by any government agency to contract with a private entity for the purposes of lobbying the Legislature; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor.