STAND. COM. REP. NO. 539-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: H.B. No. 2510

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 2510, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Board of Education to hold no less than six community forums annually, rather than committee meetings, with at least one community forum to be held in each county; and

(2) Require the Board of Education to include an open forum for public comment on non-agenda items at the end of each public Board meeting through June 30, 2025, and report to the 2021 Legislature on the implementation of the open forums.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Democratic Party of Hawaii Education Caucus and one individual. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Professional Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Office of Information Practices, Board of Education, and Civil Beat Law Center for the Public Interest.

Your Committee finds that community meetings held by the Board of Education improve the public's access to the Board and allow the public to provide the Board with more information to help with decision-making and priority setting. Your Committee further finds that providing greater access to the Board of Education will improve transparency and access to information thereby encouraging an informed and engaged community of citizens.

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 H.B. No. 2510, H.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair