STAND. COM. REP. NO. 120

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 135

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 135 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DISCLOSURES OF FINANCIAL INTERESTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to amend:

(1) The filing deadline for disclosures of financial interest by candidates for state elective office or the constitutional convention;

(2) The penalty for the unauthorized release of confidential financial disclosure information; and

(3) The fines imposed and administrative procedures relating to disclosures of financial interests.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawai‘i State Ethics Commission and one individual.

Your Committee finds that the current collection process for assessing ethics fines is unnecessarily complex and expensive. This measure would modernize the administrative process by allowing the fine to be assessed through a notice and order.

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. 135 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair