STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1433

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: S.B. No. 576

S.D. 3

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor & Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 576, S.D. 3, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO GOVERNMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require public access to travel reports for individual representatives of state departments and agencies, including the Judiciary and University of Hawaii, acting in an official capacity on behalf of the State.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Accounting and General Services. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Civil Beat Law Center for the Public Interest and League of Women Voters of Hawaii. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the University of Hawai‘i System.

Your Committee finds that the reporting requirements in this measure seek to promote open government, transparency, and accountability by improving access to travel data. Your Committee further finds that the intention of the exception to disclosure was that sensitive personal information be capable of being withheld.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the exception to public disclosure shall be for "sensitive personal information" rather than "personally identifiable information" and defining the term "sensitive personal information";

(2) Authorizing limited disclosure of portions of certain sensitive personal information by the state department or agency when required;

(3) Placing the burden on the state department or agency to make a good faith effort to redact sensitive personal information; and

(4) 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 Labor & Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 576, S.D. 3, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 576, S.D. 3, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

SCOT Z. MATAYOSHI, Chair