STAND. COM. REP. NO. 866

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: H.B. No. 608

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 608, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the Board of Education to:

(1) Hold no less than six community forums annually, with at least one forum to be held in each county;

(2) Include an open forum for public comments on non-agenda items;

(3) Authorize permitted interactions at the community forums under certain circumstances; and

(4) Report to the Legislature on the implementation of the open forums.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the League of Women Voters Hawaii and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Board of Education and Office of Information Practices.

Your Committee finds that community meetings held by the Board of Education improve the public's access to the Board and provide more information to help the Board with decision-making and priority setting. This measure will increase communication between the community—at—large and the Board of Education, thereby improving transparency and access to information.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

Your Committee notes that large geographical islands, such as Hawaii Island, may need two community forums to be held, with one community forum occurring on the east side of the island and another community forum occurring on the west side of the island.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 608, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 608, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair