CONFERENCE
COMMITTEE REP. NO. 25-22
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2022
RE: H.B. No. 1475
H.D. 1
S.D. 1
C.D. 1
Honorable Scott K. Saiki
Speaker, House of Representatives
Thirty-First State Legislature
State of Hawaii
Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi
President of the Senate
Thirty-First State Legislature
State of Hawaii
Sirs:
Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 1475, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MANDATORY ETHICS TRAINING,"
having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.
The purpose of this measure is to require:
(1) Legislators and certain state employees whose financial disclosure statements are public record to complete a live ethics training course administered by the State Ethics Commission within ninety days of taking office and at least once every four years thereafter;
(2) All other state employees to complete either a live or an online ethics training course administered by the State Ethics Commission within ninety days of the start of employment and at least once every four years thereafter; and
(3) Existing state legislators and employees who have not received ethics training within the immediately preceding three years of the effective date of this measure to complete a live or an online ethics training course within twelve months of this measure's effective date and at least once every four years thereafter.
Your Committee on Conference finds that, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, there should be flexibility given to the State Ethics Commission to do virtual ethics training with a virtual video platform of the Commission's choice. Furthermore, ethics training done in this manner should be considered to fulfill the live ethics training course requirements provided in this measure. Your Committee on Conference notes the concerns of the public that a penalty for state employees who choose not to complete the required ethics training should be included in this measure. However, your Committee on Conference also notes that the State Ethics Commission already has powers to address instances of blatant noncompliance and as such feel there is no need to include any remediation of actions within this measure.
Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:
(1) Allowing the implementation of the online ethics training course to include previously recorded ethics training courses originally conducted either in person or via videoconference and any other prerecorded material authorized by the State Ethics Commission;
(2) Requiring state agencies to assist the State Ethics Commission by providing technical support as needed for the ethics training courses;
(3) Changing the effective date to January 1, 2023; and
(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1475, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1475, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, C.D. 1.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:
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ON THE PART OF THE SENATE |
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ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE |
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____________________________ BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI Chair |
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____________________________ ANGUS L.K. MCKELVEY Co-Chair |
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____________________________ KARL RHOADS Co-Chair |
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____________________________ MARK M. NAKASHIMA Co-Chair |
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