STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1231-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: S.B. No. 2697

S.D. 1

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 Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred S.B. No. 2697, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to revoke the license of an architect who has been, or caused a government employee to be, convicted of a criminal offense involving the acceptance of a bribe.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Board of Professional Engineers, Architects, Surveyors, and Landscape Architects.

Your Committee finds that public corruption by government officials who use their public office to obtain personal gain is the ultimate betrayal of the public's trust. To restore public trust, there must be adequate accountability for all parties involved. Your Committee further finds that when public corruption involves a person licensed as an architect, the architect's professional license is not revoked upon a judgment of conviction. Instead, the architect's professional license remains in good standing until there is a formal petition and hearing. This measure promotes accountability by requiring the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to revoke the license of an architect who has been, or caused a government employee to be, convicted of a criminal offense involving the acceptance of a bribe.

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 Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2697, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2697, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair