STAND. COM. REP. NO.  289

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2023

 

RE:   H.B. No. 137

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 137 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LOBBYISTS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to require the statement of expenditures filed by lobbyists and other persons who engage in lobbying activities to include certain information on the identity of the legislative or administrative action that was commented on, supported by, or opposed by the person filing the statement during the statement period.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Ethics Commission, Commission to Improve Standards of Conduct, League of Women Voters of Hawaii, and one individual.

 

     Your Committee finds that this measure implements one of the recommendations made by the Commission to Improve Standards of Conduct established by the House of Representatives in House Resolution No. 9, Regular Session of 2022.  This measure would provide greater transparency on lobbying activities by requiring specific information on the legislative or administrative action lobbied on, instead of a broad subject area.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Changing the effective date to January 1, 2025; 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 Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 137, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 137, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair