STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1096

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 306

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 306, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC INFORMATION,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Require the full text of the proposed administrative rules of all state agencies to be posted on the website of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor in a digitally accessible and searchable format;

 

     (2)  Require all state agencies to make the full text of their administrative rules available in a digitally accessible and searchable format on the website of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor;

 

     (3)  Require the Office of the Lieutenant Governor to submit a report on the long-range plans for the expansion, cross-referencing, and centralization of the Hawaii Administrative Rules on its website, along with the implementation of the plans, to the Legislature prior to the Regular Session of 2024; and

 

     (4)  Appropriate an unspecified amount to the Office of the Lieutenant Governor for the establishment of two full-time equivalent positions to implement and maintain the centralization and accessibility of the Hawaii Administrative Rules on the Lieutenant Governor's website.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers and two individuals.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Office of the Lieutenant Governor.

 

     Your Committees find that this measure will make it easier for the public and community stakeholders to view and understand the proposed administrative rule changes that will impact their lives.  Requiring information to be digitally accessible will enable individuals with disabilities to access this information.  Therefore, this measure will increase transparency across all state agencies.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 306, S.D. 1, and recommend that it pass Third Reading.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means,

 

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair

 

________________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair