Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Economic Development and Technology and Transportation, Military Affairs and Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 944 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to enable public agencies to use any type of interactive multimedia method at public meetings.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Board of Education. Also, your Committee received comments on this measure from Common Cause Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that the greater flexibility of interactive multimedia at public hearings, as provided by this measure, will be useful should circumstances require that an agency hold a meeting from various remote locations.

Your Committee adopted the recommendation of Common Cause Hawaii to delete the provision referring to board selection of a single site and only posting agendas and accepting testimony at that site. Increased public input leads to more information being developed as well as better decision-making. Continuing to post agendas and accept public testimony at all sites is therefore preferred.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Economic Development and Technology and Transportation, Military Affairs and Government Operations that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 944, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 944, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.