STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1974-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: S.B. No. 2397

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2397, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO NEIGHBORHOOD BOARDS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish that when a neighborhood board of the City and County of Honolulu has a vacancy, a majority of the filled seats shall constitute quorum for conducting business and a majority vote of the members present at the board's meeting shall validate an act of the board as part of its official business.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from two individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Office of Information Practices.

Your Committee finds that neighborhood boards play an important role in facilitating community participation and providing input to county government. Your Committee further finds that vacancies on neighborhood boards can make it difficult to achieve a quorum under existing law, resulting in delays in conducting official business and addressing community concerns. This measure is intended to improve the functionality of neighborhood boards by allowing boards with vacancies to conduct business when a majority of filled seats are present, while maintaining transparency and public accountability.

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 S.B. No. 2397, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2397, S.D. 1, 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