STAND. COM. REP. NO.  531

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2021

 

RE:   H.B. No. 671

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Government Reform, to which was referred H.B. No. 671 entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to, beginning January 1, 2022, prohibit certain state officials and employees from representing certain interests before the State for twelve months after termination from their respective positions.

 

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

 

Your Committee finds that it is in the public interest to keep a distinct wall of separation between lobbyists and the State's elected officials and certain other government employees.  Your Committee further finds that this measure promotes good government by prohibiting elected officials, employees of the legislature, and certain other high-ranking state officials from representing other interests before the State or before former colleagues with whom they have served, for twelve months after termination from their respective government positions.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2112, to encourage further discussion; and

 

     (2)  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 Government Reform that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 671, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 671, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Government Reform,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

ANGUS L.K. McKELVEY, Chair