STAND. COM. REP. NO. 159

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 306

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 306 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC INFORMATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require all Hawaii Administrative Rules to be made available on the Office of the Lieutenant Governor's internet website.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers, League of Women Voters of Hawaii, and one individual.

Your Committee finds that an attempt to locate Hawaii Administrative Rules can be cumbersome. Your Committee further finds that a centralized location with digitally accessible files will provide ease of access for stakeholders and make the files compatible with the assistive technology required to access the documents for individuals with impairments.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting language requiring that the text of rules and written statements be in a digitally accessible and searchable format;

(2) Requiring that proposed rules be made available in a digitally accessible and searchable format;

(3) Inserting language requiring all state agencies to provide full text of rules;

(4) Requiring that the Office of the Lieutenant Governor submit a report on implementation and long-range plans for expansion and cross-referencing of the centralization of the full text of the Hawaii Administrative Rules on its website;

(5) Appropriating an unspecified amount for two full-time equivalent positions within the Office of the Lieutenant Governor;

(6) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2112, to encourage further discussion; and

(7) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

Your Committee has heard the testimony of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor expressing concerns that the new website components would require funding for positions to build and oversee the multitude of updates. Your Committee finds that this issue raises concerns that merit further consideration and requests that your Committee on Ways and Means further examine those issues and concerns raised by the testifiers should it choose to deliberate on this measure.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 306, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 306, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Government Operations,

________________________________

ANGUS L.K. MCKELVEY, Chair