THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2121

TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2016

S.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

H.D. 1

 

C.D. 1

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO PUBLIC AGENCY MEETINGS AND RECORDS.

 

 

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

 


     SECTION 1.  Act 221, Session Laws of Hawaii 2014, is amended by amending section 4 to read as follows:

     "SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval[; provided that on June 30, 2016, section 2 of this Act shall be repealed and section 92-3.1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, shall be reenacted in the form in which it read on the day before the effective date of this Act]."

     SECTION 2.  Section 92-3.1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§92-3.1  Limited meetings.  (a)  If a board determines that it is necessary to meet at a location that is dangerous to health or safety, or if a board determines that it is necessary to conduct an on-site inspection of a location that is related to the board's business at which public attendance is not practicable, and the director of the office of information practices concurs, the board may hold a limited meeting at that location that shall not be open to the public; provided that at a regular meeting of the board prior to the limited meeting:

     (1)  The board determines, after sufficient public deliberation, that it is necessary to hold the limited meeting and specifies that the location is dangerous to health or safety or that the on-site inspection is necessary and public attendance is impracticable;

     (2)  Two-thirds of all members to which the board is entitled vote to adopt the determinations required by paragraph (1); and

     (3)  Notice of the limited meeting is provided in accordance with section 92-7.

     (b)  A county council may hold a limited meeting that is open to the public, as the guest of a board or community group holding its own meeting, and the council shall not be required to have a quorum of members in attendance or accept oral testimony; provided that:

     (1)  Notice of the limited meeting shall be provided in accordance with section 92-7, shall indicate the board or community group whose meeting the council is attending, and shall not be required to include an agenda;

     (2)  If the board or community group whose meeting the council is attending is subject to part I, chapter 92, then that board or community group shall comply with the notice, agenda, testimony, minutes, and other requirements of part I, chapter 92;

     (3)  No more than one limited meeting per month shall be held by a county council for any one board or community group;

     (4)  No limited meetings shall be held outside the State; and

     (5)  Limited meetings shall not be used to circumvent the purpose of part I, chapter 92.

     (c)  At all limited meetings, the board shall:

     (1)  Videotape the meeting, unless the requirement is waived by the director of the office of information practices, and comply with all requirements of section 92-9;

     (2)  Make the videotape available at the next regular meeting; and

     (3)  Make no decisions at the meeting.

     (d)  Each county council shall submit an annual report to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of each regular session on the effectiveness and application of limited meeting procedures provided in subsection (b), including any recommendations or proposed legislation."

     SECTION 3.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on June 29, 2016.



Report Title:

Public Meetings; Sunshine Law; County Council Members

 

Description:

Repeals the June 30, 2016, sunset date of limited statutory exemptions from open meeting requirements which permit county council members to attend public meetings of other boards or community groups.  Requires the county councils to submit annual reports to the Legislature on the effectiveness of procedural requirements to effectuate the exemption.  (CD1)

 

 

 

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