HB1717 HD1

Report Title:

Ethics Training; Legislators and Appointed State Employees

Description:

Provides for mandatory ethics training for legislators and appointed state employees. (HB1717 HD1(A))

 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	1717
TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2002		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

relating to ethics.

 

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

SECTION 1. Chapter 84, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new part to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"Part . Ethics training for legislators

and appointed state employees

§84-A Mandatory ethics training program for legislators and appointed state employees. (a) All legislators and appointed state employees who are required to file public financial disclosure statements, including the amounts of their financial interests, under section 84-17 shall take ethics training courses administered by the commission as provided in this part. For the purposes of this part, "ethics training" includes education and training in ethics laws as provided in this chapter and lobbying laws as provided in chapter 97.

(b) The commission shall establish, design, supervise, and conduct a program of ethics training designed specifically for legislators and appointed state employees.

§84-B Ethics orientation courses for legislators and appointed state employees; continuing education ethics course. (a) The commission shall design the general curriculum of ethics orientation courses, which shall include explanations and discussions of the ethics laws, administrative rules, relevant internal policies, specific technical and legal requirements, the underlying purposes and principles of ethics laws, examples of practical application of the laws and principles, and a question-and-answer participatory segment regarding common problems and situations. The commission shall prepare the methods and materials necessary to implement the curriculum.

(b) The commission shall design the general curriculum of a continuing education ethics course, which shall include a brief discussion of the subject matters covered in the orientation course as well as changes in the ethics laws and administrative rules, new advisory opinions, and current ethical issues.

(c) The commission shall:

(1) Administer the orientation and continuing education courses for legislators and appointed state employees;

(2) Designate its legal staff to conduct the orientation and continuing education courses; and

(3) Notify legislators and appointed state employees regarding mandatory attendance in these courses.

(d) Every legislator and appointed state employee required to attend training under section 84-A shall attend the ethics orientation course. The ethics orientation course shall be held in January of each year for legislators and appointed state employees who have not attended the course previously. Other newly appointed state employees shall attend an ethics orientation course within one year from the date of appointment. Each course shall last at least three hours in length.

(e) Each legislator and appointed state employee required to attend training under section 84-A shall attend a continuing education ethics program two years after attending the ethics orientation course and two years after attending a previous continuing education ethics course, if applicable. The continuing education ethics course shall be held in January of each year and at other times as the commission finds necessary.

(f) The commission may grant permission for a legislator or appointed state employee to attend a later course for good cause shown.

(g) Each state agency shall cooperate fully with the state ethics commission in providing the names of new legislators and newly appointed state employees in a timely manner and fully assist the state ethics commission in providing adequate meeting facilities for the ethics orientation courses."

SECTION 2. In codifying the new sections added by section 1 of this Act, the revisor of statutes shall substitute appropriate section numbers for the letters used in designating the new sections in this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.