STAND. COM. REP. NO. 673-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 1599

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1599 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE SUNSHINE LAW,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require public meeting notices to inform members of the public of how to provide remote oral testimony in a manner that allows the testifier, upon request, to be visible to board members and other meeting participants; and

(2) Recognize a board's authority to remove or block individuals who willfully disrupt or compromise the conduct of a remote meeting.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund Board of Trustees; Public First Law Center; and three individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Office of Information Practices.

Your Committee finds that providing the public with information on how to properly provide remote oral testimony and ensuring that boards have the authority to limit disruptions of meetings is essential in promoting public participation. This measure would require public meeting notices to inform members of the public on how to properly provide remote oral testimony and recognize a board's authority to remove or block individuals who willfully disrupt remote meetings.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

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. 1599, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1599, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair