STAND. COM. REP. NO. 158

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 250

       S.D. 1

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 250 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE COMMISSION ON SALARIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to require the Commission on Salaries to conduct a public hearing on the island of Oahu prior to submitting its recommendations to the Legislature.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Jean Aoki, League of Women Voters of Hawaii.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from Cathy L. Takase, Acting Director, Office of Information Practices.

     Your Committee finds that requiring the Commission on Salaries to conduct a public hearing will help address public concerns regarding the process for determining the salaries of certain public officials.

Your Committee notes, however, that the Commission on Salaries should have the flexibility to determine where to conduct the public hearing.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying that the Commission on Salaries shall post its report online for public viewing; and

     (2)  Deleting the requirement that the public hearing be conducted on the island of Oahu.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 250, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 250, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair