STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1570

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.R. No. 35

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 Government Operations, to which was referred S.R. No. 35 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE COMPTROLLER TO COOPERATE WITH THE HAWAII STATE PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM TO IDENTIFY RURAL AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES IN THE STATE WITH A NEED FOR BETTER TELECOMMUNICATION ACCESS FOR RESIDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE STATE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Comptroller to cooperate with the Hawaii State Public Library System to identify rural and underserved communities in the State with a need for better telecommunication access for residents to participate in the state legislative process.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi State Public Library System, State Council on Developmental Disabilities, and two individuals.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Accounting and General Services.

Your Committee finds that participating in the state legislative process is a basic right of citizenship which some residents, especially those in rural and underserved communities, struggle to exercise due to limited access to telecommunication services. The Hawaii State Public Library System, however, has the necessary infrastructure and resources to offer these services to the public. Therefore, this measure requests the Comptroller to cooperate with the Hawaii State Public Library system to identify communities in need of assistance as the first step in facilitating improved access to the state legislative process for all.

Your Committee acknowledges the concerns raised in testimony that the Hawaii State Public Library System is already well‑equipped with the infrastructure and resources necessary to assist the public throughout the State in participating in the state legislative process and would benefit most from a public outreach campaign promoting awareness of the availability of these services. Your Committee further notes the concerns raised by the Department of Accounting and General Services that the Department does not have the subject matter expertise to effectuate this measure and the Public Access Room of the Legislative Reference Bureau may be better suited, given its mandate to assist the public in participating in the legislative process. Therefore, this measure needs to be amended to address these matters.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requesting the Legislative Reference Bureau, rather than the Comptroller, to cooperate with the Hawaii State Public Library System to identify rural and underserved communities with a need for better telecommunication access for residents, including those with developmental disabilities, to participate in the state legislative process;

(2) Inserting language requesting the Public Access Room to collaborate with the Hawaii State Public Library System to establish an outreach program to notify the public regarding the availability of library infrastructure to support remote public participation in the state legislative process;

(3) Deleting language that would have requested the Comptroller and State Librarian to submit a report to the Legislature prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2026;

(4) Inserting language requesting the Legislative Reference Bureau to submit a report to the Legislature on the implementation of the outreach program and recommendations to further improve public access to the state legislative process prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2026;

(5) Inserting language clarifying legislative intent in accordance with its amended purpose; and

(6) Amending its title accordingly.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 35, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 35, S.D. 1.

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

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ANGUS L.K. MCKELVEY, Chair