STAND. COM. REP. NO. 177

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: H.B. No. 217

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 217 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII REGULATORY LICENSING REFORM ACT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to streamline state regulatory burdens by providing a mechanism for the expeditious removal of unnecessary vocational and professional regulatory boards and commissions that serve the interests of the regulated industry rather than the interests of the consumer. Among other things, this bill will:

(1) Require the Auditor, upon request by concurrent resolution, to evaluate a professional or vocational regulatory board or commission and report findings and recommendations to the Legislature;

(2) Establish criteria the Auditor may consider in determining whether a board or commission should be abolished;

(3) Require the board or commission that is the subject of the study to assist the Auditor, and within a 30-day time period, review and comment on the Auditor's findings;

(4) If the Auditor recommends abolition, provide that board or commission members' terms expire 30 days after adjournment sine die of the Legislature to which the report was submitted, and bar further appointments to the board or commission; and

(5) Provide that a board or commission should not be abolished on the Auditor's recommendation if the recommendation is disapproved by governor's message with the concurrence of the Legislature, or disapproved by concurrent resolution.

Your Committee received oral testimony in support of this measure from a constituent of District 5 – Puna, Kau, South Kona and North Kona.

While your Committee believes this measure will benefit consumers by weeding out commissions and boards whose policies and procedures benefit their own industry's special interests rather than that of the general public, there is concern that no written testimony was received regarding this measure.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this bill by providing an effective date of July 1, 2099, in the interest of promoting further discussion. Technical, nonsubstantive amendments were also made for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 217, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 217, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Legislative Management.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

 

____________________________

KENNETH HIRAKI, Chair