STAND. COM. REP. NO. 543

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 477

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 477 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO GOVERNMENT RETENTION OF ATTORNEYS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to clarify that the Speaker of the House of Representatives or the President of the Senate, separately on behalf of their respective houses as well as jointly, may request the State Attorney General to employ a private attorney paid for by the State to represent a legislative office where the Attorney General has declined to provide representation based on a conflict of interest.

 

     Your Committee finds that the statute needs clarification to ensure that both houses of the Legislature individually and jointly are provided with appropriate legal representation as the Legislature or either house thereof deems necessary.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 477 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

 

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

 

		____________________________ BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair