CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 2

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2016

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2121

       S.D. 1

       H.D. 1

       C.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

 

Sirs:

 

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 2121, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC AGENCY MEETINGS AND RECORDS,"

 

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

 

     The purpose of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Make permanent Act 221, Session Laws of Hawaii 2014, which enables county council members to attend public meetings of a different board or community group while remaining in compliance with the State's Sunshine Law requirements for open public meetings and records; and

 

     (2)  Require each county council to submit an annual report, including any recommendations or proposed legislation, to the Legislature prior to the convening of each regular session on the effectiveness and application of procedural requirements for compliance with Act 221, Session Laws of Hawaii 2014.

 

     Your Committee on Conference finds that county council members must sometimes attend public board and community group meetings to fulfill their duty to the public to stay informed on developing policy issues throughout their respective counties.  Act 221, Session Laws of Hawaii 2014 (Act 221), provides county council members with the ability to attend such meetings that are open to the public by holding a limited meeting that may have less than a quorum of the council members.  Your Committee on Conference further finds that Act 221 will be repealed on June 30, 2016.  This measure will make Act 221 permanent and preserve the ability of county council members to attend public board and community meetings and hear issues of importance to the community.  This measure also requires each county council to submit an annual report to the Legislature that details the council's use of this limited meeting provision.

 

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by changing the effective date to June 29, 2016.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2121, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2121, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

 

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

 

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

 

____________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair

 

___________________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair

 

 

___________________________________

GILBERT S.C. KEITH-AGARAN, Co-Chair