STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1804

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  S.R. No. 78
                                        




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Government Operations and Housing, to
which was referred S.R. No. 78 entitled:

     "SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING STATE AGENCIES TO SUBMIT AN
     ELECTRONIC COPY OF DOCUMENTS PRODUCED PURSUANT TO
     LEGISLATIVE REQUEST,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to request State agencies to
submit an electronic copy of documents produced for the
Legislature.

     Common Cause Hawaii and an individual testified in support
of the measure. 

     Each session the Legislature requests various reports or
studies from state agencies to assist it in its consideration of
legislative issues.  Copies of the reports are distributed to
legislators, but are generally only available to the public upon
payment of a photocopying fee.  Since State agencies are required
to charge fifty cents per page for photocopying, obtaining agency
reports can create a financial hardship for members of the
public. 

     Your Committee finds that having State agencies' legislative
reports available in electronic form on the Internet would allow
for greater and less costly public access to information, thereby
facilitating public participation in the legislative process and
promoting openness in government.  Submitting a report in

 
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electronic form should not be burdensome for State agencies or
cause them to incur additional costs since they currently
generate and maintain these types of reports in an electronic
format. 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Government Operations and Housing that is attached
to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and
purpose of S.R. No. 78, and recommends that it be referred to the
Committee on Ways and Means.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   ROD TAM, Chair

 
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