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t+ or �- <br />w^ ,4 <br />BOARD OF ETHICS, County of Hawaii <br />101 Aupuni Street, Suite 325, Hilo, Hawaii 96720 <br />Tel. No. (808) 961-8251 <br />�� O►NI.M <br />April 23, 2025 <br />Dr. Holeka Goro Inaba. Council Chair and <br />Members of the Hawaii County Council <br />Hawai'i County Council <br />25 Aupuni Street <br />Hilo, Hawai'i 96720 <br />Re: Bill 21 - An Ordinance Amending Chapter 2, Article 15 of the Hawaii County <br />Code, Relating to Nepotism <br />Dear County Council: <br />On January 21, 2025. the Board received a referral of Bill 21 (2025) to Amend Chapter 2, <br />Article 15 of the Hawaii County Code, Relating to Nepotism from the Council Committee on <br />Governmental Operations and External Affairs Committee to provide comments. The Board <br />heard this request pursuant to Section 14-5(b) of the Hawaii County Charter. <br />At its duly noticed meeting on January 28, 2025, in an open hearing, the Board reviewed <br />and considered Bill 21. Upon its review, the Board decided it needed additional information to <br />provide considered input to the Council. The Board requested its staff to 1) invite Council <br />Member Heather Kimball. the introducer of the bill. to answer questions relating to the intent, <br />creation, and status of the Bill 21, and 2) to receive additional information through its counsel <br />relating to the legal definition of "immediate family" as it appears elsewhere within the State and <br />neighboring counties. <br />At its next duly noticed meeting on February 13, 2025, in an open hearing, the Board <br />received testimony from Council Member Heather Kimball, County Auditor Tyler J. Benner, and <br />Department of Human Resources Director Sommer J. Tokihiro. The Board also reviewed Bill 21 <br />and the Section 84-13.2 (2023), Hawaii Revised Statutes, as amended. Deputy Corporation <br />Counsel Sylvia Wan, as counsel to the Board, provided a summary of the State"s definition of <br />"immediate family member" as it appears through the Hawaii Revised Statutes. DCC Wan <br />provided an example that per HRS 454F-1, the state defines "immediate family member" to <br />mean a "spouse, child, sibling, parent, grandparent, grandchild, step-parent, step -child, and <br />equivalent adoptive relationships." DCC Wan noted some extensions of "immediate family <br />member" included: reciprocal beneficiary relationship, legal guardians, and any related <br />individual who resides in the same household. DCC Wan identified that the common theme <br />among the definitions of an "immediate family member" is to include those relationships that <br />