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REPORT OF THE <br /> COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS <br /> AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT <br /> DATE: October 3, 2017 Re: Comm. 453/Res. No. 295-17 <br /> PLACE: Council Chambers <br /> Hilo, Hawai`i <br /> TIME: 9:05 a.m. <br /> Council Chair and Members <br /> Hawai`i County Council <br /> Hilo, Hawai`i 96720 <br /> Your Committee on Governmental Relations and Economic Development, to which was referred <br /> Resolution No. 295-17 reports as follows: <br /> Resolution No. 295-17, transmitted by Council Member Valerie T. Poindexter, dated October 3, <br /> 2017, requests that the State Legislature be subject to the Sunshine Law. <br /> Committee Member Poindexter gave reference to an Oklahoma court decision that mandated the <br /> State of Oklahoma to be open and transparent. The recent Special Legislative Session was a clear <br /> statement by itself, with no advance warning or any public hearings, and decisions were <br /> pre-made. As a constituent herself, she believes that she has a right to know what discussions and <br /> decisions are being made by our State representatives as these decisions affect everyone. <br /> Committee Member Lee Loy noticed that Hawai`i Island Senate members were not included in <br /> the resolution for notification of the resolution. She requested that the resolution be amended to <br /> include Senate members. Committee Member Poindexter assured that by the time the resolution <br /> is in front of the Council, the amendment will be made. <br /> Committee Member Aaron Chung made statements that he would support as a gesture of <br /> solidarity with his colleagues but he had some concerns. In the past, he has supported relaxation <br /> of the Sunshine Law because there were times the law hindered the work that it tried to <br /> accomplish on behalf of constituents. Mr. Chung also was not interested in upsetting or <br /> provoking the State Legislature with this type of legislation. There are over 3,000 pieces of <br /> legislation that are submitted to the State body and it would be impossible to address it all within <br /> the Sunshine Law. Even though Mr. Chung had some concerns, he agreed and supported <br /> Resolution No. 295-17. <br /> Committee Members as a whole were in support of Resolution No. 295-17. <br /> GREDC Report No. 6 <br />