Bill Text: HI HB1132 | 2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating To Public Meetings.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-01-28 - Referred to LMG, JUD, FIN, referral sheet 6 [HB1132 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2019-HB1132-Introduced.html
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
1132 |
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THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2019 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO PUBLIC meetings.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. Section 92-7, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
"§92-7 Notice. (a) The board shall give written public notice of any regular, special, emergency, or rescheduled meeting, or any executive meeting when anticipated in advance. The notice shall include an agenda that lists all of the items to be considered at the forthcoming meeting, the date, time, and place of the meeting, and in the case of an executive meeting, the purpose shall be stated. If an item to be considered is the proposed adoption, amendment, or repeal of administrative rules, an agenda meets the requirements for public notice pursuant to this section if it contains a statement on the topic of the proposed rules or a general description of the subjects involved, as described in section 91-3(a)(1)(A), and a statement of when and where the proposed rules may be viewed in person and on the Internet as provided in section 91-2.6. If an item to be considered represents the exercise of a legislative function by the board, the agenda shall include a statement on the topic of the item and a general description of the subjects involved and reasonably foreseeable effects of the item. The means specified by this section shall be the only means required for giving notice under this part notwithstanding any law to the contrary.
(b) No less than six calendar days prior to the meeting, and no less than forty-eight hours prior to the meeting as provided in subsection (d), the board shall post the notice on an electronic calendar on a website maintained by the State or the appropriate county and in the board's office for public inspection. The notice shall also be posted at the site of the meeting whenever feasible. The board shall provide a copy of the notice to the office of the lieutenant governor or the appropriate county clerk's office at the time the notice is posted, and the office of the lieutenant governor or the appropriate clerk's office shall post paper or electronic copies of all meeting notices in a central location in a public building; provided that a failure to do so by the board, the office of the lieutenant governor, or the appropriate county clerk's office shall not require cancellation of the meeting. The copy of the notice to be provided to the office of the lieutenant governor or the appropriate county clerk's office may be provided via electronic mail to an electronic mail address designated by the office of the lieutenant governor or the appropriate county clerk's office, as applicable.
(c) If the written public notice is electronically posted on an electronic calendar less than six calendar days before the meeting, or less than forty-eight hours before the meeting as provided in subsection (d), the meeting shall be canceled as a matter of law and shall not be held. The chairperson or the director shall ensure that a notice canceling the meeting is posted at the place of the meeting. If there is a dispute as to whether a notice was timely posted on an electronic calendar maintained by the State or appropriate county, a printout of the electronic time-stamped agenda shall be conclusive evidence of the electronic posting date. The board shall provide a copy of the time-stamped record upon request.
(d) No board shall change the agenda, less than six calendar days prior to the meeting, by adding items thereto without a two-thirds recorded vote of all members to which the board is entitled; provided that no item shall be added to the agenda if it is of reasonably major importance and action thereon by the board will affect a significant number of persons. Items of reasonably major importance not decided at a scheduled meeting shall be considered only at a meeting continued to a reasonable day and time. No board, when exercising a legislative function, shall change the substantive content of any item to be considered at a meeting without providing public notice of the substantive changes made to the item at least forty-eight hours prior to the scheduled meeting. Notice of any substantively changed item shall be posted at least forty-eight hours prior to the meeting in the same manner and same form as provided in subsection (b).
(e) The board shall maintain a list of names and postal or electronic mail addresses of persons who request notification of meetings and shall mail or electronically mail a copy of the notice to the persons by the means chosen by the persons at their last recorded postal or electronic mail address no later than the time the agenda is required to be electronically posted under subsection (b)."
SECTION 2. Section 92-11, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
"§92-11
Voidability. Any final action
taken in violation of sections 92-3 and 92-7 may be voidable upon proof of
violation. A suit to void any final
action shall be commenced within [ninety] one hundred eighty days
of the action."
SECTION 3. This Act does not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun before its effective date.
SECTION 4. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2019.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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Report Title:
Public Meetings; Voidability; Time to File Suit; Notice
Description:
Requires legislative bodies subject to sunshine laws to publish notice of the substantive content of any measure being heard or decided on. Changes the time to file a suit to void a final action taken in violation of sunshine laws from within ninety days to within one hundred eighty days of the action.
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
