STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1545

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 910

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred H.B. No. 910, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to require members of the Board of Agriculture, the Board of Land and Natural Resources, the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii, and the Hawaiian Homes Commission to file public financial disclosure statements, as opposed to confidential disclosure statements seen only by the Hawaii State Ethics Commission.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Ethics Commission and the League of Women Voters of Hawaii.

     The Hawaii State Ethics Commission explained that reporting requirements for members of boards vested with authority to run a department ought to be consistent with requirements for department heads for departments in the executive branch that are headed by a single executive.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Replacing its contents with provisions of a similar measure, S.B. No. 1957, S.D. 1 (2007), Relating to Code of Ethics; and

(2)  Expanding the S.B. No. 1957, S.D. 1 list of boards and commissions whose members must file public financial disclosure statements to include the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 910, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 910, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary and Labor,

____________________________

CLAYTON HEE, Chair