STAND. COM. REP. NO. 965

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 869

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 869, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent 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 relating to neighborhood boards; and

(3) Authorize neighborhood board and community outreach board members to attend 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, Kaʻū Community Development Plan Action Committee, South Kohala Community Development Plan Action Committee, and five individuals.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Office of Information Practices and Public First Law Center.

Your Committee finds that community outreach boards encourage public participation in local government matters. While neighborhood boards provide a consistent forum for community matters, community outreach boards can be utilized to assist with a specific issue or fulfill a specialized role to increase participation in local affairs. Therefore, this measure offers clarity to the purpose of community outreach boards to promote greater community engagement statewide.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 869, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

________________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair