STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1960

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.C.R. No. 11

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.C.R. No. 11 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE COUNTIES TO DEVOTE SUFFICIENT FUNDING TO THEIR RESPECTIVE COUNTY ETHICS BOARDS OR COMMISSIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to urge the counties to devote sufficient funding to their respective county ethics boards or commissions.

Your Committee received testimony in support from the Commission to Improve Standards of Conduct, the Hawaii State Ethics Commission, and Holomua Collaborative.

Your Committee finds that many of the county ethics boards or commissions lack the necessary resources to adequately meet their constitutionally mandated obligations and that limited or no staffing prevents these county ethics boards or commissions from sufficiently investigating complaints, providing advice to current county employees, or offering trainings on how to follow the pertinent code of ethics.

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 concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 11 and recommends its adoption.

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

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair