State House committee taking up 7 ethics reform bills, including public records

The Hawaiʻi State House Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs will take up seven measures pertaining to ethics reform during a hearing on Feb. 8 at the state Capitol in Honolulu.

The meeting begins at 2 p.m. and is being live-streamed via YouTube. To watch, click here.

Speaker Scott K. Saiki of Oʻahu, who represents House District 25 (Ala Moana, Kakaʻako, Downtown Honolulu), introduced six of the bills on behalf of recommendations outlined in the Commission to Improve Standards of Conduct Final Report.

“As we review our existing laws and discuss measures that have been introduced this session, the House reaffirms that ethics reform legislation sets the tone in ensuring the highest standards of integrity among our elected officials,” said the committee’s chair, Rep. David A. Tarnas of the Big Island. “It reinforces our commitment to transparency, accountability and improving public trust.”

The bills:

• HB 716 – Relating to Elections 
• HB 719 – Relating to Public Records 
• HB 720 – Relating to Partial Public Financing of Elections 
• HB 463 – Lowers the Threshold for Disclosure of Campaign Expenditures for Noncandidate Committees to $100
• HB 725 – Establishes the Office of the Public Advocate 
• HB 728 – Provides Grants in Aid to Several Counties’ Boards of Ethics 
• HB 796 – Relating to Term Limits 

Additional measures up for the hearing:

• HB 384 – Relating to Parentage
• HB 349, HD1 – Relating to Emancipation of Minors
• HB 445, HD1 – Relating to Child Support
• HB 317, HD1 – Relating to Youth Fees and Fines
• HB 567, HD1 – Relating to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands
• HB 1145 – Relating to Universal Changing Accommodations in State Buildings

Click here to review the hearing notice.