Office of Information Practices

As the Office of Information Practices (OIP) anticipated, H.B. 2026, H.D. 2, S.D. 1 was signed by Governor David Ige today and thus has gone into effect as Act 264.  Therefore, boards must implement the changes to the Sunshine Law’s oral testimony requirement and board packet deadlines.

As previously described in OIP’s May 5 and June 29, 2022 What’s New articles, this bill prohibits boards from taking oral testimony only at the beginning of a board’s agenda or meeting.  If board packets are prepared, then there is a new deadline for the public version of the board packet to be made available for public inspection in the board’s office no later than 48 hours before the meeting time.  The bill also creates a new permitted interaction that allows a board to submit legislative testimony based on a statement regarding a position previously adopted by the board, with several restrictions requiring the online posting of the position, testimony, and written drafts and communications among board members about the statement.

For unbiased open government news, please check for archived copies of What’s New articles that are posted on OIP’s website at oip.hawaii.gov, or upon request, can be emailed to you.  To update your address or begin receiving these articles directly, please provide your email address to [email protected].  Also, if you would like to receive What’s New articles or attachments in a Word format, please contact OIP at (808) 586-1400 or [email protected].