STAND. COM. REP. NO.  624

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

 

RE:   H.B. No. 468

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 468 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COUNTY ETHICS COMMISSIONS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to ensure the impartiality and independence of county ethics commissioners by requiring the counties to adopt a charter amendment for the creation of an independent body to select members of the county ethics commission.

 

     The League of Women Voters of Hawaii, Americans for Democratic Action-Hawaii, and several concerned individuals supported this bill.  The Ethics Commission of the City and County of Honolulu and the Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu provided comments.

 

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

 

     (1)  Removing provisions requiring that the counties adopt a charter amendment for the creation of an independent body to select members of the county ethics commission;

 

     (2)  Requiring the counties to adopt a charter amendment for a selection process for the county ethics commission that provides that the judicial council select three nominees for each vacant seat from which the mayor of each county will appoint new members without confirmation by the county council;

 

     (3)  Changing its effective date to January 7, 2059, to encourage further discussion; and

 

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 468, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 468, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

GILBERT KEITH-AGARAN, Chair