STAND. COM. REP. 922

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: S.B. No. 41

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Tourism and Culture, to which was referred S.B. No. 41 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC CONTRACTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to promote public accountability in state government and increase public access to state documents by:

(1) Specifying that government records relating to procurement, including all subcontracts and partnership agreements entered into by a contractor using public funds, shall be available to the public as provided under the Uniform Information Practices Act (UIPA); and

(2) Requiring the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) to comply with the disclosure requirements described in (1).

HTA supported this bill. The Building Industry Association

of Hawaii opposed this bill.

Your Committee recognizes the importance of increasing transparency with respect to state procurement contracts and ensuring that the public, which ultimately provides the funding for these contracts, has access to these documents. However, your Committee notes that concerns were raised during the public hearing for this measure regarding the extent and scope of the disclosure requirements included in this bill, and whether such requirements were too intrusive. Your Committee supports future legislative efforts to address these concerns.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Tourism and Culture that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 41 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Tourism and Culture,

 

____________________________

JERRY L. CHANG, Chair