STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1614

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1909

       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. 1909, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO STANDARDS OF CONDUCT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to establish legislative standards of conduct committees to enforce the Legislature's standards of conduct.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the intent of this measure from the League of Women Voters of Hawaii.  The Hawaii State Ethics Commission commented on this measure.

     Your Committee finds that public officials are rightfully held to high standards of conduct, and that it is important to impose stringent requirements to enhance public trust. 

     Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by deleting its contents and:

(1)  Adding a new section within chapter 78, HRS, Public Service, to require all elected officials to submit to testing for illegal drugs;

(2)  Adding a new section in chapter 84, HRS, entitled "employment of spouses; restrictions" with language derived from federal law governing executive branch employees' dealings with relatives pursuant to 5 U.S.C. section 3110;

(3)  Adding a new section to chapter 97, HRS, entitled "spouses of legislators; lobbying restricted" patterned after section 113 of United States Senate Bill 1, the proposed Legislative Transparency and Accountability Act of 2007, regarding prohibition against official contact with the spouse or immediate family member of a member of the United States Senate who is a registered lobbyist; and

(4)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2007.

     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. 1909, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1909, HD1, SD1, 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