Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation and Government Operations, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 151 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the University of Hawaii to sponsor a series of public policy dialogs on open government.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Information Practices, College of Social Sciences Public Policy Center at the University of Hawaii, and The League of Women Voters of Hawaii.

Hawaii's open meetings law under chapter 92, part I, Hawaii Revised Statutes, more commonly known as the Sunshine Law, governs the manner in which state and county boards must conduct their business. The intent of the Sunshine Law statute is to open up the government process as much as possible for public scrutiny and participation. Several board members have complained about some of the Sunshine Law requirements being too stringent, and have suggested that certain types of board business be exempt from the Sunshine Law provisions.

Your Committee finds that a subject of this magnitude of public interest - possibly revising the Sunshine Law - should be open to participation by as many pertinent government entities, community groups, and public interest advocates as possible. Your Committee believes that each session of the public policy dialogues should be duly noticed and follow procedures under the Sunshine Law, in order to set an example of open government in action.

Your Committee has amended this measure by requesting the Public Policy Center of the College of Social Sciences, as the proper entity within the University of Hawaii, to sponsor the dialogs.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation and Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 151, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 151, S.D. 1.