Report Title:

Ethics Training

Description:

Provides for mandatory ethics training for legislators, elected members of the board of education, governor, lieutenant governor, executive department heads and deputies, and trustees of the office of Hawaiian affairs. (HB680 CD1)

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

680

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2004

H.D. 2

STATE OF HAWAII

S.D. 1


C.D. 1

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

RELATING TO ETHICS.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. Chapter 84, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new part to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"PART . MANDATORY ETHICS TRAINING

§84-A Applicability of part. This part applies to legislators, elected members of the board of education, trustees of the office of Hawaiian affairs, the governor, the lieutenant governor, and executive department heads and deputies. This part does not apply to any other officer or employee of the State.

§84-B Mandatory ethics training course. All state officers and employees enumerated in section 84-A shall complete an ethics training course administered by the state ethics commission as provided in this part. For the purposes of this part, "ethics training" includes education and training in:

(1) The ethics laws set forth in this chapter; and

(2) The lobbying laws set forth in chapter 97.

§84-C Ethics training course. (a) The state ethics commission shall establish, design, supervise, and conduct ethics training designed specifically for the officers and employees to whom this part applies.

(b) The ethics training course shall include:

(1) Explanations and discussions of the ethics laws, administrative rules, and relevant internal policies;

(2) Specific technical and legal requirements;

(3) The underlying purposes and principles of ethics laws;

(4) Examples of practical application of the laws and principles; and

(5) A question-and-answer participatory segment regarding common problems and situations.

The state ethics commission shall develop the methods and prepare any materials necessary to implement the course.

(c) The state ethics commission shall:

(1) Administer the ethics training course;

(2) Designate those of its legal staff who are to conduct the ethics training course; and

(3) Notify each officer or employee enumerated in section 84-A that their attendance in this course is mandatory.

(d) The ethics training course shall be held in January of each year for those who have not attended the course previously. The course shall last at least two hours in length.

(e) The state ethics commission may repeat the course as necessary to accommodate all persons who are required to attend.

(f) Each state agency shall provide to the state ethics commission the names of those required to take the course in a timely manner and assist the commission by providing adequate meeting facilities for the ethics training course."

SECTION 2. In codifying the new sections added by section 1 of this Act, the revisor of statutes shall substitute appropriate section numbers for the letters used in designating the new sections in this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on January 1, 2005.