STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1183-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: S.B. No. 2735

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor & Public Employment, to which was referred S.B. No. 2735, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE OFFICE OF INFORMATION PRACTICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to enhance the independence and stability of the Office of Information Practices.

More specifically, this measure:

(1) Establishes the Director of the Office of Information Practices' term for six years and provides for holdover until a successor is appointed;

(2) Sets the Director's salary to an amount equivalent to the salary of the Director of Health;

(3) Requires that the Director be appointed pursuant to nomination by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate, rather than be appointed directly by the Governor; and

(4) Makes an appropriation to the Office of Information Practices.

The Office of the Ombudsman and Office of Information Practices supported this measure. The Hawaii State Ethics Commission supported the intent of this measure. The Civil Beat Law Center for the Public Interest and Hawaii Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists opposed this measure. Common Cause Hawaii and League of Women Voters of Hawaii offered comments.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the Director's salary from an amount equivalent to the salary of the Director of Health to an amount equivalent to the salary of an unspecified individual; and

(2) Changing the effective date to January 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor & Public Employment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2735, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2735, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor & Public Employment,

____________________________

AARON LING JOHANSON, Chair