STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3144

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2898

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2898, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC NOTICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to allow government agencies to give public notice or to publish notice through electronic means.

More specifically, the measure provides that government agencies may publish notices on their official websites in lieu of, or in addition to, doing so in a daily or weekly publication.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Taxation, Department of Health, Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture, Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, and City and County of Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting.

Written comments in opposition were received from the Hawaii County Mayor's Office and two individuals.

The Office of Information Practices and one individual submitted written comments on the measure.

Your Committee finds that providing government agencies with the option to electronically post required public notices will allow those agencies to inform members of the public more expediently and cost-effectively, particularly in time-sensitive or urgent situations, such as updating the public on clean water environmental hazards and disaster-related response and recovery activities.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2898, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair