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THE SENATE |
S.R. NO. |
88 |
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TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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REQUESTING A STUDY ON POLICIES, PROCEDURES, AND FEES FOR PROVIDING THE PUBLIC WITH COPIES OF LEGISLATIVE DOCUMENTS OR SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE.
WHEREAS, access to bills, resolutions, committee reports, hearing notices, and other legislative documents is essential if citizens are to fully participate in the legislative process; and
WHEREAS, these documents have become increasingly more available to the public through Internet access at public libraries and through computers at home and at work; and
WHEREAS, the Legislature continues to provide at no cost to the public, printed copies of legislative documents such as bills, resolutions, and committee reports; and
WHEREAS, private entities such as businesses, community organizations, and advocacy groups may automatically request copies of every legislative document, whether or not the measure is of interest to them, but they have a right to do so; and
WHEREAS, it is not uncommon for organizations to request and receive up to ten sets of every document printed by the Legislature during an entire session--all at taxpayer expense; and
WHEREAS, the practice of providing printed copies is becoming increasingly obsolete in the modern era of digital technology; and
WHEREAS, the Legislature needs to explore other means of providing copies of legislative documents to the public without the massive paper and copy machine effort that presently exists; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-Second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2003, that the Legislative Reference Bureau is requested to conduct a study to determine:
(1) The feasibility and practicality of providing "copies" to the public of bills, resolutions, committee reports, hearing notices, orders of the day, referral sheets, and other printed documents and records of the Legislature through (a) the digital media, such as CD-ROM and floppy discs, including the means of distribution to the public, or (2) any other method than print or Internet;
(2) The appropriate amount to charge for a "subscription service", if the Legislature should charge such a fee; and
(3) If any improvements or modifications to Internet access need to be made for the public to access the legislative system from their homes or offices and to print legislative documents; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study include an estimate of:
(1) The current costs of printing legislative documents each session of the Legislature, including but not limited to costs for paper and other printing supplies, copy machine costs (including repair and maintenance), and personnel costs for the print shop of each house of the Legislature; and
(2) The savings that could be realized by implementing alternate means of providing legislative documents to the public; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislative Reference Bureau report findings and recommendations to the Legislature no later than twenty days before the convening of the Regular Session of 2004; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the Director of the Legislative Reference Bureau.
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OFFERED BY: |
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Report Title:
Legislative Subscription Service Study