Report Title:

Public Agency Meetings; Legislative Oversight

Description:

Requires boards that hold executive meeting to allow a legislator of the relevant subject matter committee to attend the meeting.

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

626

TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2005

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

RELATING TO PUBLIC AGENCY MEETINGS.

 

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

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the social policies underlying the sunshine law dictate that absolutely no agency meetings should be closed to the public, even executive meetings. When a board chooses to hold an executive meeting, it is because privacy issues are often at stake. Accordingly, the legislature finds that a proper balance between protecting both those privacy issues and the public's right-to-know may be struck by limiting public attendance at an executive meeting to responsible and discreet representatives of the public. The purpose of this Act is to allow a legislator who is a member of a legislative committee with subject matter oversight over the affairs of a board to attend executive meetings of the board.

SECTION 2. Section 92-4, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§92-4 Executive meetings. A board may hold an executive meeting closed to the public upon an affirmative vote, taken at an open meeting, of two-thirds of the members present; provided the affirmative vote constitutes a majority of the members to which the board is entitled[.]; and provided further that the board shall allow a legislator who is a member of a legislative committee that has subject matter oversight over legislation relating to the board to attend the executive meeting. A meeting closed to the public shall be limited to matters exempted by section 92-5. The reason for holding such a meeting shall be publicly announced and the vote of each member on the question of holding a meeting closed to the public shall be recorded, and entered into the minutes of the meeting."

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 Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.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:

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