STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2180

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2252

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Tourism and Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 2252 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to prohibit an ex officio member or an interim appointee of a board or commission from serving as chair of that board or commission.

     Your Committee received testimony in opposition of this measure from the Department of Accounting and General Services and the Office of the Governor.

     Your Committee finds that a potential conflict of interest exists when an ex officio member of a board or commission, who is usually a department director, is also the chair of that board or commission.  A board or commission should act independently of any department.

     Your Committee further finds that interim appointees to boards and commissions should not serve as a chair, since doing so may disrupt the continuity and efficient operation of the board or commission.

     The intent of this measure is to ensure public confidence in the operations and decision making of a board or commission.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Tourism and Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2252 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Tourism and Government Operations,

____________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair