STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2450

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3037

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 3037 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO GIFTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish procedures for the custody, inventory, and care of protocol gifts received by members of either house of the legislature or other state employees.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Accounting and General Services, State Archives, Hawai‘i State Ethics Commission, and Common Cause Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that, from time to time, state officials and employees accept protocol gifts on behalf of the State, or a political body of the State, from foreign officials, federal officers, or state officials from other states. These gifts may symbolize goodwill and strengthen national and international relationships. Your Committee further finds that existing law does not provide adequate guidance or procedures regarding the custody, inventory, and care of protocol gifts. Accordingly, your Committee finds that the rules and guidance provided by this measure will promote government transparency and accountability, while preserving objects of historical significance.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3037, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3037, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Government Operations,

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SHARON MORIWAKI, Chair