STAND.
COM. REP. NO. 562
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2021
RE: H.B. No. 972
H.D. 1
Honorable Scott K. Saiki
Speaker, House of Representatives
Thirty-First State Legislature
Regular Session of 2021
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 972 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CONTESTED CASES,"
begs leave to report as follows:
Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawai‘i Civil Rights Commission, University of Hawai‘i System, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, and Maunakea Observatories. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaiian Affairs Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Land Use Commission.
Your Committee finds that interactive conference technology is already being utilized for public meetings under Hawaii's Sunshine Law. Your Committee believes that allowing contested case hearings to be conducted by interactive conference technology will improve efficiency without compromising effectiveness.
Your Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Deleting the requirement that the contested case hearing notice identify all locations where the agency, party, and counsel can be physically present; and
(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 972, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 972, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,
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____________________________ MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair |
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