Hawaii-2024-SB2655-Introduced

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that Congress, through the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, 1920, as amended, set aside lands to be used for the benefit of native Hawaiians. As required by the Admission Act, and as a compact with the United States, the State of Hawaii and the people of Hawaii adopted the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act as a provision of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii and agreed to faithfully carry out the spirit of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act for the rehabilitation of the Hawaiian race. These trust responsibilities remain to this day.

Given this unique and significant history, the Hawaiian homes commission should be allowed to retain independent legal counsel. At the same time, the option of utilizing the services of the attorney general as needed should remain available.

Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to allow the Hawaiian homes commission to retain independent counsel.

SECTION 2. Section 28-8.3, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended as follows:

1. By amending subsection (a) to read:

"(a) No department of the State other than the attorney general may employ or retain any attorney, by contract or otherwise, for the purpose of representing the State or the department in any litigation, rendering legal counsel to the department, or drafting legal documents for the department; provided that the foregoing provision shall not apply to the employment or retention of attorneys:

(1) By the public utilities commission, the labor and industrial relations appeals board, and the Hawaii labor relations board;

(2) By any court or judicial or legislative office of the State; provided that if the attorney general is requested to provide representation to a court or judicial office by the chief justice or the chief justice's designee, or to a legislative office by the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate jointly, and the attorney general declines to provide such representation on the grounds of conflict of interest, the attorney general shall retain an attorney for the court, judicial, or legislative office, subject to approval by the court, judicial, or legislative office;

(3) By the legislative reference bureau;

(4) By any compilation commission that may be constituted from time to time;

(5) By the real estate commission for any action involving the real estate recovery fund;

(6) By the contractors license board for any action involving the contractors recovery fund;

(7) By the office of Hawaiian affairs;

(8) By the department of commerce and consumer affairs for the enforcement of violations of chapters 480 and 485A;

(9) As grand jury counsel;

(10) By the Hawaii health systems corporation, or its regional system boards, or any of their facilities;

(11) By the auditor;

(12) By the office of ombudsman;

(13) By the insurance division;

(14) By the University of Hawaii;

(15) By the Kahoolawe island reserve commission;

(16) By the division of consumer advocacy;

(17) By the office of elections;

(18) By the campaign spending commission;

(19) By the Hawaii tourism authority, as provided in section 201B-2.5;

(20) By the division of financial institutions;

(21) By the office of information practices;

(22) By the school facilities authority;

(23) By the Mauna Kea stewardship and oversight authority; [or]

(24) By the Hawaiian homes commission; provided that:

(A) The Hawaiian homes commission may use the services of the attorney general as needed; and

(B) Legal fees owed to the independent legal counsel shall be paid by the Hawaiian homes commission with general funds appropriated by the legislature; or

[~~(24)~~] (25) By a department, if the attorney general, for reasons deemed by the attorney general to be good and sufficient, declines to employ or retain an attorney for a department; provided that the governor waives the provision of this section."

2. By amending subsection (c) to read:

"(c) Every attorney employed by any department on a full‑time basis, except an attorney employed by the public utilities commission, the labor and industrial relations appeals board, the Hawaii labor relations board, the office of Hawaiian affairs, the Hawaii health systems corporation or its regional system boards, the department of commerce and consumer affairs in prosecution of consumer complaints, insurance division, the division of consumer advocacy, the University of Hawaii, the Hawaii tourism authority as provided in section 201B-2.5, the Mauna Kea stewardship and oversight authority, the office of information practices, the Hawaiian homes commission, or as grand jury counsel, shall be a deputy attorney general."

SECTION 3. In accordance with section 9 of article VII, of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii and sections 37-91 and 37-93, Hawaii Revised Statutes, the legislature has determined that the appropriation contained in this Act will cause the state general fund expenditure ceiling for fiscal year 2024-2025 to be exceeded by $ , or per cent. The reasons for exceeding the general fund expenditure ceiling are that the appropriation made in this Act is necessary to serve the public interest and to meet the need provided for by 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 2024-2025 for the retention of independent legal counsel by the Hawaiian homes commission.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the Hawaiian homes commission for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 5. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2024.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2655
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024
STATE OF HAWAII