STAND. COM. REP. NO. 121

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 955

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 955 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE STATEMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require financial disclosure statements of state agency executive directors to be public records available for inspection and duplication.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Ethics Commission, League of Women Voters of Hawaii, O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, and one individual.

Your Committee finds that under existing law, directors of state departments are required to publicly disclose their financial disclosure statements although departmental executive directors are not. This measure will require executive directors of every state agency and department to also publicly disclose their financial disclosure statements, which will increase government transparency and openness and foster public trust in state officials.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 955 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

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

________________________________

LAURA H. THIELEN, Chair