Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Access And Civic Engagement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Senate committee advances library-based outreach for remote public participation
Summary
The Senate Committee on Government Operations voted to move SCR 53/SR 35 with a Senate Draft 1 directing the Legislative Reference Bureau to use state libraries as sites for remote public participation in the legislative process.
The Senate Committee on Government Operations voted Thursday to advance SCR 53, SR 35, Senate Draft 1, directing the Legislative Reference Bureau to work with the Hawaii State Public Library System to create an outreach program that uses state libraries as locations where the public can participate remotely in the legislative process.
The measure replaces references to the Department of Accounting and General Services with the Legislative Reference Bureau and tasks the LRB’s public access room to collaborate with the State Library System on the outreach program, the committee chair said during the final hearing of the session.
The change is intended to increase public access to hearings and legislative work by using the existing library infrastructure as remote participation sites. "We're going to replace references to DAGS, Department of Accounting and General Services, with a legislative reference bureau," the chair said while describing the Senate draft. The chair thanked Senator Moriwaki for taking the vote; Senator Moriwaki then said, "I vote yes." Senator San Buenaventura and Senator Fevella were recorded as voting "aye." Senator Gabbard was excused.
The committee did not specify a timeline for the Legislative Reference Bureau to begin outreach or a deadline for the bureau’s report to the Legislature in the hearing record. The motion was moved forward as Senate Draft 1; no amendments or alternative language were recorded in the transcript.
The measure will require follow-up from the Legislative Reference Bureau and the State Library System to define implementation details such as staffing at public access rooms, hours of operation, and technical support for remote participation. Those operational specifics were not detailed during the hearing.
