HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	2510
THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2020
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

PART I

SECTION 1. Section 302A-1106.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§302A-1106.5 Board of education; community [meetings.] forums. [The board shall hold not less than one community meeting annually in each county in] In addition to their regular meetings, the board shall hold no less than six community forums annually to discuss and receive input from the community on public education and public library issues[.]; provided that the board shall hold at least one community forum in each county. The board chairperson shall designate less than a quorum of board members to attend [the] each community [meetings.] forum. These community [meetings] forums shall not be held for the purpose of formulating educational policy. The community [meetings] forums shall be [exempt from sections 92-2.5, 92-7, 92-9, and 92-41; provided that the board shall give written public notice of each community meeting. The meeting notice shall indicate the date, time, and place of the meeting, and shall be filed in the office of the lieutenant governor and in the board's office for public inspection six calendar days before the meeting. The notice shall also be posted at the site of the meeting.] a permitted interaction under section 92-2.5; provided that no commitment relating to a vote on a matter is made or sought. At the next duly noticed meeting of the board, the board members shall report their attendance and the matters presented and discussed at the community forum."

PART II

SECTION 2. At any public meeting properly noticed pursuant to chapter 92, Hawaii Revised Statutes, the board of education shall include an open forum at the end of its meeting agenda to afford all interested persons an opportunity to present oral testimony on any matter not on the agenda; provided that the testimony is related to matters over which the board of education has supervision, control, jurisdiction, or advisory power.

SECTION 3. The board of education shall report to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2021 on its efforts to amend its polices to include an open forum at the end of its meeting agenda to afford all interested persons an opportunity to present oral testimony on any matter not on the agenda.

PART III

SECTION 4. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2020; provided that section 2 shall be repealed on June 30, 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:

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Report Title:

Board of Education; Public Meetings; Oral Testimony; Community Forums

Description:

Requires the Board of Education to hold no less than six community forums annually, with at least one forum in each county. Requires the Board to include an open forum for public comments on non-agenda items at the end of each public meeting through June 30, 2025. Requires a report to the Legislature on implementing open forums.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.