STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2628

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2929

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 2929 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC NOTICE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to update the requirements for the publication of public notices by allowing electronic posting on official government websites, while preserving publication options when necessary.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Mayor of the County of Maui and Office of the County Clerk of the County of Maui.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the State Procurement Office and Office of Information Practices.

Your Committee finds that existing law requiring the publication of public notices in newspapers of general circulation is outdated and no longer reflects the most efficient or accessible means of informing the public. This measure will modernize state communications and ensure timely and consistent public access to government information.

Your Committee acknowledges the support for this measure in testimony by the offices of the Mayor and the County Clerk of the County of Maui, stating that the mandatory newspaper publication of public notices can delay government action due to limited publication schedules, limited public awareness of government activity due to declining readership and distribution, and cost the government far more than digital publication. Your Committee finds that the situation is unique to the County of Maui due to the above factors. As such, the solution should be narrowly tailored to that region.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language that would have amended the existing law governing public notice to allow the electronic posting of required public notices on official government websites;

(2) Inserting language that establishes the Electronic Posting Pilot Project for the counties with a population between 100,000 and 175,000;

(3) Inserting language that requires the Office of the County Clerk of counties participating in the Pilot Project to submit a report to the Legislature no later than one calendar year after the effective date of the measure;

(4) Amending section 1 to reflect its amended purpose;

(5) Inserting an effective date of January 1, 2525, to encourage further discussion; and

(6) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2929, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2929, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

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ANGUS L.K. MCKELVEY, Chair