STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1087

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

RE:   S.B. No. 652

      S.D. 1

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 652, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to promote transparency by requiring a public board to report to the public any final action taken during an executive meeting, provided that such disclosure is not inconsistent with the purpose of convening the executive meeting and confidentiality is maintained.

The Office of Information Practices provided testimony that supported the intent of the measure and offered amendments.  The Civil Beat Law Center for the Public Interest provided testimony that supported the intent of the measure and offered comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Allowing, rather than requiring, boards to maintain confidentiality if disclosure would defeat the purpose of convening an executive meeting; and

     (2)  Changing the effective date of the measure to make it effective upon its approval.

     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. 652, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 652, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair