STAND. COM. REP. NO. 802

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1187

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 S.B. No. 1187 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ETHICS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to increase the post-employment lobbying restriction for former legislators from twelve months to twenty-four months.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawai‘i State Ethics Commission, Animal Rights Hawai‘i, and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that it is in the public interest to keep a distinct wall of separation between lobbyists and the State's elected officials. Creating an element of durational separation between former legislators and their former colleagues prior to any formal representation of private interests before these colleagues would promote good governing. Accordingly, this measure maintains the public's trust in state government by extending current post-employment lobbying restrictions for state legislators.

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 S.B. No. 1187 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

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KARL RHOADS, Chair