STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1241-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   S.B. No. 2425

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 2425, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ETHICS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to permit state government employees to engage in extracurricular service and receive detached remuneration for the performance of the extracurricular service if certain conditions are met.

The Department of Education and IMUAlliance testified in support of this measure.  The Hawaii State Teachers Association testified in support of this measure and provided amendments.  The Hawaii State Ethics Commission, League of Women Voters, Common Cause Hawaii, and two individuals testified in opposition to this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Removing provisions permitting state government employees to engage in extracurricular service and receive detached remuneration under certain conditions; and

     (2)  Establishing a framework for the exemption of certain Department of Education and Public Charter School employees from the State Ethics Code relating to gifts, gift reporting, and conflicts of interest, when the employee meets certain organizational requirements and participates in a non-publicly funded student education trip;

     (3)  Requiring the Department of Education and State Public Charter School Commission to review any existing policy, procedure, or rule previously adopted for consistency and compliance with the proposed exemption framework within 90 days of this measure's effective date; and

     (4)  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 S.B. No. 2425, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2425, S.D. 2, H.D. 1.

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

____________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair