STAND. COM. REP. NO.  537-12

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

 

RE:   H.B. No. 2404

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 2404 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC INFORMATION,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to require any board as defined under Chapter 92, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to post its minutes on its board website, or if it does not have a website, on the state Internet portal or the website of the appropriate county.

 

     The City and County of Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting, Office of Information Practices, Common Cause Hawaii, and Associated Builders and Contractors, Hawaii Chapter testified in support of this measure.  The High Technology Development Corporation testified in support of the intent of this measure.  An individual testified in opposition to this measure.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

(1)  Highlighting in the purpose section that "authorities" are included among the covered entities in the measure, since they are included in the definition of "board" under Chapter 92, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

 

(2)  Specifying that board minutes must be available in hard copy form;

 

(3)  Clarifying that board minutes must be available by electronic posting on the board website, or if the board does not have a website, then the minutes shall be posted on the official website of the State of Hawaii or the official website of the appropriate county;

 

(4)  Changing its effective date to January 7, 2059, to facilitate further discussion; and

 

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

 

     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. 2404, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2404, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

GILBERT KEITH-AGARAN, Chair