Bill Text: HI SB610 | 2022 | Regular Session | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Relating To Boards And Commissions.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2021-12-10 - Carried over to 2022 Regular Session. [SB610 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2022-SB610-Introduced.html

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

610

THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2021

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

Relating to BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.

 

 

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

 


     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that public members of boards and commissions more adequately represent the public interest when those members have no association with the profession or any relationship with a member of the profession that the board or commission regulates.  Public members are not expected or required to be experienced or an expert in the regulated profession.  This unique and important role of the public member mitigates the anticompetitive effects of a board or commission's actions, which may occur when the board or commission is dominated by active market participants.

     The legislature further finds that well-informed and engaged public members bring several advantages to regulation including:

     (1)  Reducing the potential for board decisions which favor the industry over the public;

     (2)  Reducing the potential for decisions that illegitimately favor one fraction of an industry over another;

     (3)  Encouraging public participation in government decision-making;

     (4)  Enhancing public confidence and trust in government;

     (5)  Expanding the range of skills, talent, training, and perspectives available for higher quality and creative board action;

     (6)  Raising the level of board discussions towards closer scrutiny of an industry; and

     (7)  Strengthening the board's credibility in its decision-making and advocacy.

     Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to:

     (1)  Prohibit a public member of any board or commission under department of commerce and consumer affair's purview from being engaged in the occupation that the board or commission regulates or having other direct legal or financial interests in the regulated occupation; and

     (2)  Specify that public members represent the public interest.

     SECTION 2.  Section 26-9, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (d) to read as follows:

     "(d)  Except as otherwise provided by this chapter, the functions, duties, and powers, subject to the administrative control of the director of commerce and consumer affairs, and the composition of each board and commission shall be as provided by law.  A public member of any board or commission listed in subsection (c) shall not:

     (1)  Be engaged in the occupation that the board regulates;

     (2)  Be associated by legal contract with a member of the occupation that the board regulates, except as a consumer of the services provided by the practitioner of the occupation; or

     (3)  Have a direct financial interest in the occupation that the board regulates.

The purpose of a public member is to represent the public interest."

     SECTION 3.  New statutory material is underscored.


     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

 

 


 


 

Report Title:

Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs; Boards; Commission; Public Member

 

Description:

Prohibits a public member of any board or commission under DCCA's purview from being engaged in the occupation that the board or commission regulates or having other direct legal or financial interests in the regulated occupation.  Specifies that public members represent the public interest.

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.

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