STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1163

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 138

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 138 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MANDATORY LOBBYIST TRAINING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Hawai‘i State Ethics Commission to establish and administer a lobbyist training course and make the lobbyist training course mandatory for all lobbyists.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawai‘i State Ethics Commission, Commission to Improve Standards of Conduct, League of Women Voters of Hawaii, and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that education is one of the core functions of the Hawai‘i State Ethics Commission. In addition to providing ethics training for state elected officials, employees, and members of state boards and commissions, the Hawai‘i State Ethics Commission staff conducts annual trainings for registered lobbyists and organizations engaged in lobbying activities at the state level. Requiring lobbyists to take a lobbyist training course will help educate organizations and lobbyists about the state lobbyists law and rules, and ensure greater compliance with the lobbyist registration laws.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 138, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,

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KARL RHOADS, Chair