Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2601 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE STATEMENTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

This bill adds to the list of State officials and employees who are required to file with the State Ethics Commission financial disclosure statements that are open to public inspection. Specifically, the bill adds the appointed members of the Boards of Regents at the University of Hawaii, Land and Natural Resources, Agriculture, and the Hawaiian Homes Commission. The bill further provides that these board and commission members need not report the dollar value or range of value of a financial interest when an amount of the interest is required to be reported for others filing financial disclosure statements.

Your Committee received testimony in support of the bill from the State Ethics Commission, Hawaii State Teachers Association, and Common Cause Hawaii. The Hawaiian Homes Commission also testified on this bill.

Your Committee has amended this bill by:

Your Committee believes that because the State Ethics Commission has the duty of determining violations of the State's code of ethics, including conflicts of interests, it is important that the financial disclosure statements of those involved in making decisions of this nature should be made public.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2601, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2601, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.