REPORT TITLE:
Board Meetings; Notice


DESCRIPTION:
Requiring that board meeting notices specify that the public may
attend videoconferenced board meetings at any of the specified
meeting locations.  (HB2583 HD1)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        2583
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO OPEN MEETINGS.



BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the "slice waste and
 
 2 tape" or "SWAT" regulatory reform initiative within the
 
 3 lieutenant governor's office is designed to improve state
 
 4 government by eliminating null and void, unnecessary,
 
 5 ineffective, and overly complex administrative rules that deter
 
 6 economic development and hamper government efficiency.  The
 
 7 intent of this initiative is to reduce the burden of government
 
 8 regulation and minimize its negative effects on Hawaii's
 
 9 residents, businesses, the economy, and government operations.
 
10 Strategies to achieve these objectives include such measures as
 
11 improving public access to rules, eliminating unnecessary rules,
 
12 and reviewing and overhauling the rulemaking process.
 
13      In 1994, the legislature recognized that allowing boards and
 
14 commissions to hold meetings by videoconference would help
 
15 increase public access to such meetings, reduce costs, and help
 
16 government to operate more efficiently and effectively.  Act 121,
 
17 Session Laws of Hawaii 1994, codified as section 92-3.5, Hawaii
 
18 Revised Statutes, permits boards to meet by videoconference and
 
19 provides specific requirements for holding such meetings.
 
20 However, section 92-3.5(d) Hawaii Revised Statutes, mandates that
 

 
Page 2                                                     2583
                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 any board planning to hold meetings by videoconference first
 
 2 adopt unspecified additional rules pursuant to chapter 91, Hawaii
 
 3 Revised Statutes, the Hawaii Administrative Procedure Act.  To
 
 4 date, no board has gone through the rulemaking process to adopt
 
 5 additional rules for holding meetings by videoconference, and
 
 6 because of this, no board has been able to take advantage of the
 
 7 efficiencies and economies of section 92-3.5, Hawaii Revised
 
 8 Statutes.
 
 9      The purpose of this Act is to implement one of the
 
10 lieutenant governor's initiatives to eliminate unnecessary rules
 
11 and requirements.  The legislature finds that this Act will help
 
12 increase public access to meetings of boards and commissions,
 
13 reduce costs, and help government to operate more efficiently and
 
14 effectively.
 
15      SECTION 2.  Section 92-3.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 
16 amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:
 
17      "(a)  A board may hold a meeting by videoconference;
 
18 provided that the videoconference system used by the board shall
 
19 allow both audio and visual interaction between all members of
 
20 the board participating in the meeting and the public attending
 
21 the meeting, at any videoconference location.  The notice
 
22 required by section 92-7 shall specify all locations at which
 
23 board members will be physically present during a videoconference
 

 
Page 3                                                     2583
                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 meeting[, and the public shall be allowed to attend the meeting
 
 2 at any such location].  The notice shall also specify that the
 
 3 public may attend the meeting at any of the specified locations."
 
 4      SECTION 3.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed.
 
 5 New statutory material is underscored.
 
 6      SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.