STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1851

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   S.B. No. 188

      S.D. 2

      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 Consumer Protection & Commerce and Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 188, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE SMALL BUSINESS REGULATORY FLEXIBILITY ACT,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to improve the procedures by which rules that impact small businesses are reviewed under the Small Business Regulatory Flexibility Act by requiring:

     (1)  Agencies to submit the small business impact statement when proposed rules are essentially complete and before they are submitted to the Governor for approval for public hearing;

     (2)  The Small Business Regulatory Review Board (Board) to review not only rules as requested by small businesses, but any new or proposed rule; and

     (3)  The Board to inform small businesses whose complaints that have not been upheld, that the business may submit a complaint to the Ombudsman.

     The Board, Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, and Hawaii Business League testified in support of this bill.  The Office of the Ombudsman provided comments.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Consumer Protection & Commerce and Judiciary that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 188, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and recommend that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Consumer Protection & Commerce and Judiciary,

____________________________ TOMMY WATERS, Chair

____________________________ ROBERT N. HERKES, Chair