HomeMy WebLinkAboutComm No 0037 - Transmit CA-20Douglass Shipman Adams
Chairperson
Jennifer Leilani Zelko-Schlueter
Vice Chairperson
2018-2020
HAWAII COUNTY
CHARTER COMMISSION
Date: February 25, 2019
To: Members of the Hawai`i County Charter Commission
From: Douglass Shipman Adams, Chair
Hawai`i County Charter Commission
William Carthage Bergin
Michelle Galimba
Paul K. Hamano
Kevin D. Hopkins
Bobby Jean Akane Leithead Todd
Sarah H. Rice
Christopher John Imiloa Roehrig
Marcia A.K. Saquing
Donna Mae Springer
RE: Transmitting CA -20; Proposed Amendment to Section 15-3 — Relating to General
Procedures and Protocols for the Charter Commission; Submitted by
Commissioner Adams
Please find attached CA -20, which proposes to amend Section 15-3 of the Hawai`i
County Charter (2018 Edition), to add protocol and procedures for the Charter
Commission, including the date by which the Charter Commission must be empaneled,
based on the provisions of Chapter 50 of the Hawai`i Revised Statutes.
CA -20 will be placed on the next available meeting agenda for its initial consideration
and approval prior to first reading.
Should you have any questions, please contact our Commission Analyst, Jon Henricks.
DSA/jdh
Hawai`i County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer
Comm. No. 37
PROPOSAL NO.
CA -20
(For Commission Use Only)
2018-2020 HAWAII COUNTY CHARTER COMMISSION
CHARTER AMENDMENT PROPOSAL FORM
1. GENERAL INFORMATION
Name of Commission Member: ADAMS
2. If applicable, list the charter provision(s) to be deleted or amended:
Amend Section 15-3.
3. Provide a brief description of the purpose of the proposed charter amendment; include
a description of the issue the proposal would address:
The amendment adds the procedures to the County Charter that were largely followed by
the 2009-2010 and 2018 Charter Commissions, but which are only found in Hawaii
Revised Statutes (HRS) Chapter 50 and which are open to interpretation as to their
applicability to the Commission's work. In addition, the amendment proposes to change
the starting timeline for the Commission. The previous attempt to provide more time for
the Commission to do its work was hindered by HRS requirements that the Commission
provide a report to the County Council within a year of member appointments. This
timeline is consistent with previous Commissions.
4. If the proposal is based on a provision(s) in the charter or law of another jurisdiction,
name the jurisdiction and, if possible, attach a copy of the relevant provision(s).
Chapter 50, HRS
5. If the proposal is based on any written materials you have, please attach a copy with a
citation to its source.
Form CA -1
Revised 8/29/18
1 of 2
6. Attach the text of the proposed charter amendment in Ramseyer format (see below).
Ramseyer Format, if proposing:
Amendments to Existing Charter Provisions
Any language being proposed to be added to the Charter shall be underscored.
Any language being proposed to be deleted from the Charter shall be [bracketed and
stricken] .
Replacing Existing Charter Provisions in their Entirety
Clearly indicate the article(s), chapter(s), and/or section(s) of the Charter to be proposed
to be deleted, and provide the text of any provisions proposed to replace the deleted
material.
New Charter Provisions
Provide the text of the new provision(s) and, if possible, indicate where in the Charter the
new material should be inserted.
Form CA -1
Revised 8/29/18
2 of 2
Hawaii County Charter Proposal --text
Section 15-3. Mandatory Charter Reviews.
The charter shall be reviewed in 1989 and every tenth year thereafter. Not later than the
[first] fifteenth day of [July prior to] January of the charter review year, the mayor with the
confirmation of the council, shall appoint a charter commission composed of eleven members to
study and review the operation of the government of the county under this charter. Commission
members[, - .. ' ,] shall be
representative of the various geographical areas of Puna, Ka`u, Kona, Kohala, Hamakua, and
Hilo. The council shall appropriate funds to enable the commission to carry out its duties,
including the hiring of necessary staff.
No later than fifteen days after its members have been appointed and confirmed, the
charter commission shall hold its first meeting. The commission shall hold at least one public
hearing in each of the geographical areas. The commission may propose amendments to the
existing charter or a draft of a new charter [ . •- - - .. - ]. Within
a year of its appointment, the commission shall submit a written report of its activities, findings
and recommendations along with proposed amendments or a draft of a proposed charter to the
council. Within thirty days after receipt of the commission's report and proposed amendments or
draft of proposed charter, the council shall return the proposed amendments or proposed charter
with any proposed alternatives. If no alternative is proposed by the council, the commission shall
submit the proposed amendments or proposed charter to the county clerk within thirty days of
receipt from the council. If any alternatives are proposed by the council, the commission shall
accept or reject proposed alternatives and shall report any rejections to the council within thirty
days of receipt of the alternatives from the council. The council may recall any alternative within
ten days of rejection. When the time of recall for alternatives has lapsed, the commission shall
submit to the clerk the draft of proposed amendments or of a proposed charter together with any
proposed alternatives from the council which the commission did not incorporate into its draft.
Upon receipt of the amendments or charter in the form as proposed by the commission, the
county clerk shall provide for the submission of such amendments or charter, with any council
alternatives, to the electors of the county at either a special election as determined by the
commission or at the first general election following the charter review year. The commission
shall prepare the language of the question to be submitted to the voters for each of the
amendments it proposes.
The commission shall publish not less than forty-five days before any election, at least
once in at least two daily newspapers of general circulation within the county, as well as via an
electronic medium, such as the Internet, a brief digest of the proposed amendments or charter
with any council alternatives, and the purpose thereof and a notice to the electorate that copies of
the proposed amendments or charter are available at the office of the county clerk.
Members of the commission shall hold office until the day after the election at which the
amendments or charter is ratified or rejected.
If the majority of the voters voting upon a charter amendment votes in favor of it or a
new charter, if a new charter is proposed, the amendment or new charter shall become effective
at the time fixed in the amendment or charter.