STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1614

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   S.B. No. 1957

      S.D. 1

      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 Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 1957, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CODE OF ETHICS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to require public disclosure of the financial interests of members of certain boards and commissions to promote greater public transparency and accountability.

     Your Committee received testimony in favor of this bill from the Hawaii State Ethics Commission and The League of Women Voters of Hawaii.  The Board of Trustees of the Employees' Retirement System and the Hawaii Community Development Authority submitted testimony in opposition to this measure. 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Adding the members of the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii to the list of board and commission members who will be required to publicly disclose financial interests;

     (2)  Changing its effective date to January 1, 2112, to promote further discussion; 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 S.B. No. 1957, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1957, S.D. 1, 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