STAND. COM. REP. NO.  706-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.B. No. 2730

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 2730 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LEGAL REQUIREMENTS FOR NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD MEETINGS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to establish legal requirements for neighborhood board meetings (meetings).  Specifically, this bill provides requirements relating to:

(1)  The agenda and public notice of meetings;

(2)  Receiving information or testimony at a meeting without a quorum;

(3)  Participation or attendance of board members at informational meetings or presentations, and discussions; and

(4)  Discussion and deliberation of unanticipated events at meetings.

     The Chair of the Neighborhood Commission and several concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.  The Society of Professional Journalists, Hawaii Chapter, opposed this measure.  The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii did not support this bill.  The Office of Information Practices (OIP), League of Women Voters of Hawaii, and several concerned individuals provided comments.  

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1)  Clarifying the definition of neighborhood board to include neighborhood boards overseen by county-based commissions in counties other than the City and County of Honolulu, if established in the future;

(2)  Deleting the term "deliberation" to further emphasize that the provisions are to allow discussions only and not to allow agreement on how to vote, pursuant to the testimony of the OIP; and

(3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for style, clarity, and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2730, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2730, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

____________________________

TOMMY WATERS, Chair