STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1197

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 719

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 719, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide more equitable access to government records by:

(1) Imposing a cap on charges for the reproduction of certain government records;

(2) Waiving the cost of duplication of government records provided to requestors in an electronic format;

(3) Imposing a cap on charges for searching for, reviewing, and segregating records;

(4) Providing for a waiver of fees when the public interest is served by a record's disclosure; and

(5) Appropriating funds for two permanent, full-time positions within the Office of Information Practices.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the League of Women Voters of Hawaii, Society of Professional Journalists Hawaii Chapter, Life of the Land, All Hawaii News, Community Alliance on Prisons, Holomua Collaborative, and four individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Education. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services, Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Department of Accounting and General Services, Department of Budget and Finance, Employees' Retirement System, Office of Information Practices, Hawaii Bulletin, Civil Beat Law Center for the Public Interest, and Grassroot Institute of Hawaii.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 719, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

KYLE T. YAMASHITA, Chair