THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2116
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to board meetings.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. Section 92-3.7, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsections (a) and (b) to read as follows:

"(a) A board [may] shall hold a remote meeting by interactive conference technology; provided that the interactive conference technology used by the board allows audiovisual interaction among all members of the board participating in the meeting and all members of the public attending the meeting, except as otherwise provided under this section; provided further that there is at least one meeting location that is open to the public and has an audiovisual connection. A board holding a remote meeting pursuant to this section shall not be required to allow members of the public to join board members in person at nonpublic locations where board members are physically present or to identify those locations in the notice required by section 92-7; provided that at the meeting, each board member shall state who, if anyone, is present at the nonpublic location with the member. The notice required by section 92-7 shall:

(1) List at least one meeting location that is open to the public that shall have an audiovisual connection; and

(2) Inform members of the public how to contemporaneously:

(A) Remotely view the video and audio of the meeting through internet streaming or other means; and

(B) Provide remote oral testimony in a manner that allows board members and other meeting participants to hear the testimony, whether through an internet link, a telephone conference, or other means.

The board may provide additional locations open for public participation. The notice required by section 92-7 shall list any additional locations open for public participation and specify, in the event an additional location loses its audiovisual connection to the remote meeting, whether the meeting will continue without that location or will be automatically recessed to restore communication as provided in subsection (c).

(b) For a remote meeting held by interactive conference technology pursuant to this section:

(1) The interactive conference technology used by the board shall allow interaction among all members of the board participating in the meeting and all members of the public attending the meeting;

(2) Except as provided in subsections (c) and (d), a quorum of board members participating in the meeting shall be visible and audible to other members and the public during the meeting; provided that no other meeting participants shall be required to be visible during the meeting;

(3) Any board member participating in a meeting by interactive conference technology shall be considered present at the meeting for the purpose of determining compliance with the quorum and voting requirements of the board;

(4) At the start of the meeting the presiding officer shall announce the names of the participating members;

(5) All votes shall be conducted by roll call unless unanimous; and

(6) Boards shall record meetings open to the public, when practicable, and make the recording of any meeting electronically available to the public as soon as practicable after a meeting and until a time as the minutes required by section 92-9 are electronically posted and archived on the board's website. Boards are encouraged to keep recordings available on their website."

SECTION 2. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

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Report Title:

Interactive Conference Technology; Remote Participation; Live Broadcast; Boards and Commissions

Description:

Requires boards to use interactive conference technology to remotely conduct public meetings in conjunction with in-person meetings that allow for public participation. Requires boards to archive minutes of meetings on their websites.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.