Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Media, Arts, Science, and Technology and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 978 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish that the criteria for selecting proceedings to be broadcast by the legislative broadcast program shall be related to matters of public interest.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the League of Women Voters of Hawaii, Citizen Voice, the Employers' Chamber of Commerce, and one individual.

Your Committees find that the legislative broadcast program generally has been effective in allowing citizens access to legislative proceedings broadcast on cable public access channels. This measure expands existing provisions by requiring standards for broadcast selection to be based upon the public interest. Your Committees find that this criteria will ensure citizens better access to information about wide-ranging issues of public interest, such as bills having the greatest impact on the general population, those involving large expenditures, those of greatest concern and interest to the largest number of residents, and those on controversial topics.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Media, Arts, Science, and Technology and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Housing that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 978 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.