Report Title:

Sunshine Law; Videoconferencing; Notice; Teleconferencing

Description:

Requires that notices of meetings by videoconference shall specify that testimony by videoconference format will be available and the arrangements required. Allows meetings to continue if all remote sites can establish teleconferencing in the event videoconference transmission is interrupted. (SD1)

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

1449

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003

S.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

relating to public meetings.

 

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

SECTION 1. Section 92-3.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§92-3.5 Meeting by videoconference; notice; quorum. (a) A board may hold a meeting by videoconference; provided that the videoconference system used by the board shall allow both audio and visual interaction between all members of the board participating in the meeting and the public attending the meeting, at any videoconference location. The notice required by section 92-7 shall specify [all]:

(1) All locations at which board members will be physically present during a videoconference meeting[. The notice shall also specify that];

(2) That the public may attend the meeting at any of the specified locations[.];

(3) That videoconference format will be available to members of the public wishing to present testimony at the meeting, and the arrangements necessary to so participate.

(b) Any board member participating in a meeting by videoconference shall be considered present at the meeting for the purpose of determining compliance with the quorum and voting requirements of the board.

(c) If the video conference transmission is interrupted during the course of the meeting, participants at the remote sites may rejoin and participate in the meeting by telephone. Neither the meeting nor participation by the remote sites shall be deemed terminated if teleconferencing is established. [A] If video communication is interrupted, a meeting held by video conference shall be terminated if [both] audio [and video] communication cannot be maintained with all [locations where the meeting is being held,] remote sites, even if a quorum of the board is physically present in one location."

SECTION 2. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.