Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Science, Arts, and Technology and Transportation, Military Affairs, and Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 1608 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a public access and education program within the Legislative Reference Bureau (LRB).

Testimony in support of this measure was received from the Maui Community TV, Hawaii Pro Democracy Initiative, The League of Women Voters of Hawaii, and Hawaii's Thousand Friends. Comments were received from the LRB.

The intent of this measure is to open up the legislative process to the public by enhancing public access and providing public information and education about the Legislature and legislative process. The LRB currently maintains the legislative broadcast program as part of the Legislature's permanent public access program. This measure would further improve the delivery of these and related programs by integrating the public access room, legislative information and education program, and legislative broadcast program.

Your Committees have amended this measure by deleting Section 5, which requires the transfer of unexpended funds appropriated for the legislative broadcast program in the 2003 Regular Session to the Legislative Reference Bureau.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Science, Arts, 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. 1608, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1608, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.