HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
2252 |
THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2022 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
BE IT
ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. Section 302A-1106.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
"§302A-1106.5 Board of education; community [meetings.]
forums. [The board
shall hold not less than one community meeting annually in each county in] In
addition to [their] its regular meetings, the board shall hold
not less than six community forums annually to discuss and receive input
from the community on public education and public library issues[.];
provided that the board shall hold at least one community forum in each county. The
board chairperson shall designate less than a quorum of board members to
attend [the] each community [meetings.] forum. These community [meetings] forums
shall not be held for the purpose of formulating educational policy. The community [meetings] forums
shall be [exempt from sections 92‑2.5, 92-7, 92-9, and 92-41; provided
that the board shall give written public notice of each community meeting. The meeting notice shall indicate the date,
time, and place of the meeting, and shall be filed in the office of the lieutenant
governor and in the board's office for public inspection six calendar days
before the meeting. The notice shall
also be posted at the site of the meeting.] a permitted interaction
under section 92-2.5; provided that:
(1) The board shall
give a written public notice that indicates the date, time, and place of each community
forum; provided further that the notice shall be subject to the same posting and
filing requirements of board meeting notices, pursuant to section 92-7(b);
(2) Community forums
shall be open to the public and all persons shall be permitted to attend; provided
further that the removal of any person or persons who wilfully disrupt a community
forum to prevent and compromise the conduct of the community forum shall not be
prohibited;
(3) The board shall
afford all interested persons an opportunity to submit data, views, or arguments,
in writing or in person, on any public education or public library issues at each
community forum;
(4) No commitment
relating to a vote on a matter is made or sought at any community forum; and
(5) At the next
duly noticed meeting of the board, the board members shall report their
attendance and the matters presented and discussed at the community forum."
SECTION 2.
At any public meeting properly noticed pursuant to chapter 92, Hawaii
Revised Statutes, the board of education shall include an open forum at the end
of its meeting agenda to afford all interested persons an opportunity to
present oral testimony on any matter not on the agenda; provided that the
testimony is related to matters over which the board of education has
supervision, control, jurisdiction, or advisory power.
SECTION 3. The board of education shall report to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2023 on its efforts to amend its policies to include an open forum at the end of its meeting agenda to afford all interested persons an opportunity to present oral testimony on any matter not on the agenda.
SECTION 4. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2022.
INTRODUCED BY: |
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Report Title:
Board of Education; Community Forums; Public Meetings; Oral Testimony
Description:
Requires the Board of Education to hold no less than six community forums annually, with at least one forum in each county. Requires the Board to include an open forum for public comments on non-agenda items. Requires a report to the Legislature on implementing open forums.
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.