STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3811

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.R. No. 25

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Government Operations and Education, to which was referred S.R. No. 25 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION URGING STATE AGENCIES AND THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII WILLIAM S. RICHARDSON SCHOOL OF LAW TO COLLABORATE TO DEVELOP EXTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR LAW STUDENTS TO ASSIST IN THE COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE HAWAII ADMINISTRATIVE RULES,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge state agencies and the University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law to collaborate to develop externship opportunities for law students to assist in the comprehensive review and update of the Hawaii Administrative Rules.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women.

Your Committees find that the Hawaii Administrative Rules contained 108,741 restrictive regulations as of 2023, placing the State in twenty-eighth place in a national comparative ranking of regulatory volume by state. Your Committees recognize that, while administrative rules facilitate and guide the operations of state agencies, the accumulation of potentially outdated and irrelevant rules may impede economic growth and place undue burdens on residents. Your Committees further find that the University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law allows students to fulfill experiential learning credits, required by the American Bar Association, through placement in externships. As state agencies require assistance with the labor-intensive comprehensive review and update of their administrative rules and the University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law seeks new externship opportunities for its students, these entities are uniquely positioned to form a mutually beneficial partnership. This measure will improve government efficiency while providing valuable training and experience for the next generation of lawyers in the State.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Government Operations and Education that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 25 and recommend its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Government Operations and Education,

________________________________ DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair

________________________________ ANGUS L.K. MCKELVEY, Chair