STAND. COM. REP. NO.  2136

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   H.R. No. 176

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Legislative Management and Judiciary, to which was referred H.R. No. 176 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE STATE ETHICS COMMISSION TO CONDUCT A STUDY TO ASCERTAIN WHAT MEASURES MAY BE ENACTED TO ADDRESS POSSIBLE CONFLICTS OF INTERESTS OF THE MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this resolution is to strengthen public confidence in state government by requesting the State Ethics Commission to conduct a study to ascertain measures that may be enacted to address possible conflicts of interests of members of the House of Representatives.

     The Speaker of the House of Representatives, the State Representative from the 17^th District, the State Ethics Commission, The League of Women Voters of Hawaii, Hawaii Employers' Mutual Insurance Company, Inc., and several concerned individuals testified in support of this resolution.

     Upon further consideration, your Committees have amended this measure by deleting its substance and inserting provisions similar to H.B. No. 1909, H.D. 1, which passed Third Reading in the House on March 6, 2007.  As amended, this resolution requests the Speaker to establish a bipartisan interim task force to evaluate:

(1)  The rules of other legislative bodies to determine provisions that may be considered for adoption by the House;

(2)  The need to amend the House's Code of Legislative Conduct;

(3)  The feasibility of establishing a Standards of Conduct Committee, including its powers, scope of duties, and composition;

(4)  Whether the Committee should render advisory opinions and recommend disciplinary action; and

(5)  Additional measures that should be enacted to address possible conflict of interests.

     This resolution has been further amended by changing its title to:  "HOUSE RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING AN INTERIM HOUSE TASK FORCE TO EVALUATE THE PROPRIETY, MERITS, AND, IF FOUND, POSSIBLE PROCEDURES FOR A STANDARDS OF CONDUCT COMMITTEE TO HANDLE POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTERESTS AND OTHER BREACHES OF THE STANDARDS OF CONDUCT BY MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES."

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Legislative Management and Judiciary that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 176, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.R. No. 176, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Legislative Management and Judiciary,

____________________________ TOMMY WATERS, Chair

____________________________ MICHAEL Y. MAGAOAY, Chair