STAND. COM. REP. NO. 841

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: H.B. No. 1153

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1153, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO REMOTE TESTIMONY IN LEGISLATIVE HEARINGS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require each house of the Legislature, by rule, to establish procedures for the public to present oral testimony at legislative committee hearings through remote testimony and to appropriate funds for this purpose.

The Mayor of the County of Hawai‘i; Chair of the Maui County Council; Democratic Party of Hawai‘i; We Are One, Inc.; Patients Without Time; Animal Rights Hawai‘i; Lanai Community Health Center; Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO; Hawai‘i Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations; Common Cause Hawaii; Young Progressives Demanding Action; and many individuals submitted testimony in support of the measure. The Disability and Communication Access Board submitted testimony providing comments.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1153, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair