STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3862

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: GOV. MSG. NO. 685

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred Governor's Message No. 685, submitting for study and consideration the nomination of:

Commission to Promote Uniform Legislation

G.M. No. 685

BLAKE OSHIRO, for a term to expire 06-30-2027. (Board name amended to Commission to Promote Uniform Legislation by GM690),

begs leave to report as follows:

Your Committee reviewed the personal history, resume, and statement submitted by Blake Oshiro for service on the Commission to Promote Uniform Legislation.

Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination for the appointment of Blake Oshiro from the Department of the Attorney General, Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Hawaii Public Housing Authority, Commission to Promote Uniform Legislation, and five individuals.

Upon review of the testimony, your Committee finds that Mr. Oshiro's background and extensive experience qualify him to be nominated for appointment to the Commission to Promote Uniform Legislation (Commission). Your Committee notes that Mr. Oshiro has served on the Commission for five years, and during that time the Commission effectively supported and adopted or amended approximately a dozen acts. Your Committee also notes that Mr. Oshiro is a lawyer licensed to practice law in the State, having received his Juris Doctor from the William S. Richardson School of Law in 1996 and a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from the University of Southern California in 1992. In addition to his service on the Commission, Mr. Oshiro has extensive experience with state government and government relations. Mr. Oshiro currently works as the Senior Advisor to Governor Green and was previously Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Abercrombie until 2014, when he returned to the private practice of law. He then spent two years as the Executive Vice President of a consulting firm that specializes in government relations, including political advertising and lobbying. Additionally, testimony submitted on behalf of the nominee notes that since his initial appointment in 2019, Mr. Oshiro has attended and actively participated in the meetings of the Commission, assisting the Commission in advocating for the passage of uniform laws with lobbying efforts at the Legislature on bills that have been identified as priorities by the Commission. Your Committee therefore recommends that Blake Oshiro be appointed to the Commission to Promote Uniform Legislation based on his background, knowledge, and dedication to public service.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the nominee, has found the nominee to be qualified for the position to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nomination.

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

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KARL RHOADS, Chair