STAND. COM. REP. NO. 743

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 642

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 642 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ADMINISTRATIVE RULES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require all state agencies proposing, adopting, amending, or repealing a rule to make the full text of the rules of the agency available on the website of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor in a digitally accessible and searchable format.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the League of Women Voters of Hawaii; Grassroot Institute of Hawaii; Public First Law Center; ACLU Hawaii; and two individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Office of the Lieutenant Governor.

Your Committee finds that this measure will promote transparency and make it easier for the public to access government rules and participate in the rulemaking process.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion.

Your Committee notes that the Office of the Lieutenant Governor has requested that the effective date be changed to January 1, 2026, to allow state agencies the opportunity to coordinate with the Office of the Lieutenant Governor.

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. 642, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 642, 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,

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair