STAND. COM. REP. NO. 744

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 686

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. 686 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COMMUNITY OUTREACH BOARDS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Define "community outreach board" to mean a board established to serve in a community advisory capacity under a county commission or a county department;

(2) Include community outreach boards in existing provisions of the Sunshine Law that relate to neighborhood boards; and

(3) Authorize neighborhood board and community outreach board members to organize meetings or presentations related to official board business statewide.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Kona Community Development Plan Action Committee; South Kohala Community Development Plan Action Committee; Kaʻū Community Development Plan Action Committee; and five individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Office of Information Practices and Public First Law Center.

Your Committee finds that boards created for community outreach, like the Hawaii County Community Development Plan Action Committees, act as intermediaries between residents and government leaders to address local concerns, share information, and collaborate on solutions. However, these boards are not specific to one neighborhood, making it unclear whether they qualify as "neighborhood boards" under the special provisions of Hawaii's Sunshine Law. Ensuring open access to these community outreach boards is crucial for fostering thriving communities across the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Amending the preamble;

(2) Amending the definition of "community outreach board" to delete any reference to county commissions;

(3) Deleting language that would have allowed neighborhood boards and community outreach boards to organize meetings or presentations related to official board business statewide;

(4) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(5) 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. 686, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 686, 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