STAND. COM. REP. NO.  992-20

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2020

 

RE:   H.B. No. 2125

      H.D. 2

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 2125, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE STATE ETHICS CODE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Make changes to the financial disclosure statute so that the statutory language tracks the capabilities of the Hawaii State Ethics Commission's (Ethics Commission) electronic filing system, including:

 

          (A)  Changing the Ethics Commission's reporting requirements to require filers to report any clients assisted before state agencies; and

 

          (B)  Deleting the requirement that disclosures be in long form and short form and instead allowing financial disclosure statements to be filed electronically;

 

     (2)  Repeal the provision that exempts members of the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission from the requirements of the financial disclosure statute; and

 

     (3)  Allow the Ethics Commission, in its discretion, to make changes it deems necessary to its internal procedures or forms to aid in implementing this measure.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Ethics Commission, Common Cause Hawaii, and three individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that making the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission members subject to the financial disclosure statute will hold these members to the same accountability standard and requirements as other public officials who have significant discretionary or fiscal powers.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2125, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2125, H.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair