Bill Text: HI SR16 | 2023 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Urging The Counties To Devote Sufficient Funding To Their Respective County Ethics Boards Or Commissions.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-01-30 - Referred to PSM/JDC. [SR16 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2023-SR16-Introduced.html

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THE SENATE	S.R. NO.	16
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2023
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE RESOLUTION

 

 

urging the counties to devote sufficient funding to their respective county ethics Boards or Commissions.

 

 

 

     WHEREAS, the House of Representatives adopted House Resolution No. 9, Regular Session of 2022, to establish the Commission to Improve Standards of Conduct (Commission); and

 

     WHEREAS, the Commission was tasked to ensure state laws and rules relating to standards of conduct of public officers and employees contain clear standards, enforcement, and penalties and provide recommendations to increase awareness of, compliance with, and deterrent effects of the Code of Ethics, lobbying laws, campaign finance laws, and other relevant laws and rules; and

 

     WHEREAS, the strength and stability of our democratic government rely upon the public's trust in government institutions, including the expectation that officers act ethically with prudence, integrity, and sound judgment; and

 

     WHEREAS, an essential goal of the Commission was to provide recommendations that would help restore public trust in state government and increase the level of transparency in its operations and accountability of individuals; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Commission convened regularly throughout 2022 to diligently review, discuss, and consider the issues presented, submitted an interim report to the House of Representatives outlining areas of immediate and long-term focus, then continued its work with input from the public and certain individuals and agencies to issue a final report with various recommendations and accompanying proposed legislation; and

 

     WHEREAS, many of the county ethics boards or commissions lack the necessary resources to adequately meet their constitutionally mandated obligations; and

 

     WHEREAS, limited or no staffing prevents these county ethics boards or commissions from sufficiently investigating complaints, providing advice to current county employees, or offering trainings on how to follow the pertinent code of ethics; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2023, that the counties are urged to devote sufficient funding to their respective county ethics boards or commissions; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Executive Director and General Counsel of the Hawaii State Ethics Commission, Chair of the Hawaii State Ethics Commission, City and County of Honolulu Mayor, County of Maui Mayor, County of Kauai Mayor, County of Hawaii Mayor, Chair of the Honolulu City Council, Executive Director and Legal Counsel of the City and County of Honolulu Ethics Commission, Chair of the Maui County Council, Chair of the County of Maui Board of Ethics, Chair of the Kauai County Council, Chair of the County of Kauai Board of Ethics, Chair of the County of Hawaii Board of Ethics, and Chair of the County of Hawaii County Council.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title: 

Counties; Funding; County Ethics Boards or Commissions