Bill Text: HI HB1849 | 2022 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating To State Boards And Commissions.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-02-04 - The committee(s) on GVR recommend(s) that the measure be deferred. [HB1849 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2022-HB1849-Introduced.html

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	1849
THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2022
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to state boards and commissions.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that all state board and commission members are required to submit financial disclosures to the state ethics commission.  Act 230, Session Laws of Hawaii 2014, required the financial disclosure statements of certain state board and commission members to be made public.  As a direct result, the state currently has many vacancies to fill and the pool of qualified individuals that are willing to serve on state boards and commissions has reduced and continues to experience reductions.

     The legislature further finds that community members who are most qualified to serve are often not willing to pursue a seat on state boards or commissions because of the requirement that financial disclosures be made public.  Those individuals and their businesses often value privacy concerning compensation.  The State is at a critical stage across many issues and it is imperative that it attract and retain strong leaders to help it move forward.  Removing the requirement that financial disclosures be made public should increase the size and quality of the pool of candidates for seats on state boards and commissions, which would benefit the people of Hawaii.

     The purpose of this Act is to require certain information on the financial disclosure statements deemed to be public records for non-paid volunteer members of state boards and commissions to be redacted.

     SECTION 2.  Section 84-17, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (d) to read as follows:

     "(d)  The financial disclosure statements of the following persons shall be public records and available for inspection and duplication[:]; provided that all amounts reported pursuant to subsection (f) by non-paid volunteer members of state boards, commissions, and agencies listed under paragraph (8) shall be redacted:

     (1)  The governor, the lieutenant governor, the members of the legislature, candidates for and delegates to the constitutional convention, the trustees of the office of Hawaiian affairs, and candidates for state elective offices;

     (2)  The directors of the state departments and their deputies, regardless of the titles by which the foregoing persons are designated; provided that with respect to the department of the attorney general, the foregoing shall apply only to the attorney general and the first deputy attorney general;

     (3)  The administrative director of the State;

     (4)  The president, the vice presidents, the assistant vice presidents, the chancellors, [members of the board of regents,] and the provosts of the University of Hawaii;

     (5)  The [members of the board of education and the] superintendent, the deputy superintendent, the state librarian, and the deputy state librarian of the department of education;

     (6)  The administrative director and the deputy director of the courts;

     (7)  The administrator and the assistant administrator of the office of Hawaiian affairs; and

     (8)  The members of the following state boards, commissions, and agencies:

          (A)  The board of directors of the agribusiness development corporation established under section 163D-3;

          (B)  The board of agriculture established under section 26-16;

          (C)  The state ethics commission established under section 84-21;

          (D)  The Hawaii community development authority established under section 206E-3;

          (E)  The Hawaiian homes commission established under the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1920, as amended, and section 26-17;

          (F)  The board of directors of the Hawaii housing finance and development corporation established under section 201H-3;

          (G)  The board of land and natural resources established under section 171-4;

          (H)  The state land use commission established under section 205-1;

          (I)  The legacy land conservation commission established under section 173A-2.4;

          (J)  The natural area reserves system commission established under section 195-6;

          (K)  The board of directors of the natural energy laboratory of Hawaii authority established under section 227D-2;

          (L)  The board of directors of the Hawaii public housing authority established under section 356D‑3;

          (M)  The public utilities commission established under section 269-2;

          (N)  The commission on water resource management established under section 174C-7; [and]

          (O)  The stadium authority established under section 109-1[.];

          (P)  The members of the board of regents of the University of Hawaii; and

          (Q)  The members of the board of education."

     SECTION 3.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

 

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

 

 

Report Title:

Financial Disclosure Statements; Public Records; Inspection and Duplication; Redaction

 

Description:

Requires certain information on the financial disclosure statements deemed to be public records for non-paid volunteer members of state boards and commissions to be redacted.

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.