STAND. COM. REP. NO.  644-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   H.B. No. 2139

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 2139 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC AGENCY MEETINGS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is allow members of a county council to jointly attend and speak at any community, educational, or informational meetings or presentations without violating the transparency provisions of the Hawaii sunshine law if the meeting or presentation is open to the public.

The Maui County Council Vice Chair, Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, and one concerned individual testified in support of this measure.  The Maui County Council Chair testified in support of this measure and requested amendments.  The Office of Information Practices; Common Cause Hawaii; League of Women Voters; Media Council Hawaii; Society of Professional Journalists, Hawaii Chapter; Big Island Press Club; and one concerned individual testified in opposition to this measure.   

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Expanding the conditions under which two or more members of a public agency board may jointly attend informational meetings or presentations by requiring that the meeting or presentation be held in the State and be free to the public;

     (2)  Clarifying that an unlimited number of members of a county council may only attend informational meetings and presentations and requiring that they individually report their attendance and the matters presented and discussed; and

     (3)  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. 2139, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2139, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

____________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair