Bill Text: HI HB728 | 2024 | Regular Session | Introduced

Hawaii House Bill 728

Introduced

Bill Title: Making An Appropriation For County Ethics.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2023-12-11 - Carried over to 2024 Regular Session. [HB728 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2024-HB728-Introduced.html

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	728
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2023
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

Making an appropriation for county ethics.

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

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the house of representatives adopted House Resolution No. 9, Regular Session of 2022, to establish the commission to improve standards of conduct. The resolution requests the commission ensure state laws and rules relating to standards of conduct of public officers and employees contain clear standards, enforcement, and penalties and provide recommendations to increase awareness of, compliance with, and deterrent effects of the code of ethics, lobbying laws, campaign finance laws, and other relevant laws and rules.

Pursuant to House Resolution No. 9, the commission to improve standards of conduct convened regularly throughout 2022 to diligently review, discuss, and consider the issues presented, submitted an interim report to the house of representatives outlining areas of immediate and long-term focus, then continued its work with input from the public and invited individuals and agencies to issue a final report with various recommendations and accompanying proposed legislation.

The legislature also finds that the strength and stability of our democratic government rely upon the public's trust in government institutions, including the expectation that officers act ethically with prudence, integrity, and sound judgement. Therefore, an essential goal of the commission was to provide recommendations that would help restore public trust in state government and increase the level of transparency in its operations and accountability of individuals.

The legislature additionally finds that many of the county ethics boards or commissions lack the necessary resources to adequately meet their constitutionally mandated obligations. Limited or no staffing prevents these entities from sufficiently investigating complaints, providing advice to current county employees, or offering trainings on how to follow the pertinent code of ethics.

Providing a one-time grant-in-aid would allow the county entities to develop the infrastructure and capacity to better meet the constitutional mandate of holding public officers and employees to "the highest standards of ethical conduct". It would also allow the counties to appropriately establish greater and more reliable funding over time.

Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to implement recommendations of the commission to improve standards of conduct relating to adequate funding for county ethics boards.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2023-2024 as a grant-in-aid to the board of ethics of the county of Kauai.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the county of Kauai for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2023-2024 as a grant-in-aid to the board of ethics of the county of Maui.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the county of Maui for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2023-2024 as a grant-in-aid to the board of ethics of the county of Hawaii.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the county of Hawaii for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 5. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2023-2024 as a grant-in-aid to the ethics commission of the city and county of Honolulu.

The sums appropriated shall be expended by the city and county of Honolulu for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2023.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Commission to Improve Standards of Conduct; Counties; Ethics Boards; Grant-in-aid; Appropriation

Description:

Provides grants in aid to several counties' boards of ethics.

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