STAND. COM. REP. NO.
Honolulu, Hawaii
APR 0 2 2025
RE: S.R. No. 35
S.D. 1
Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi
President of the Senate
Thirty-Third State Legislature
Regular Session of 2025
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Government Operations, to which was
referred S.R. No. 35 entitled:
"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE COMPTROLLER TO COOPERATE
WITH THE HAWAII STATE PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM TO IDENTIFY RURAL
AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES IN THE STATE WITH A NEED FOR
BETTER TELECOMMUNICATION ACCESS FOR RESIDENTS TO PARTICIPATE
IN THE STATE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the
Comptroller to cooperate with the Hawaii State Public Library
System to identify rural and underserved communities in the State
with a need for better telecommunication access for residents to
participate in the state legislative process.
Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure
from the Hawai‘i State Public Library System, State Council on
Developmental Disabilities, and two individuals.
Your Committee received comments on this measure from the
Department of Accounting and General Services.
Your Committee finds that participating in the state
legislative process is a basic right of citizenship which some
residents, especially those in rural and underserved communities,
struggle to exercise due to limited access to telecommunication
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 STAND. COM. REP. NO. I Q
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services. The Hawaii State Public Library System, however, has
the necessary infrastructure and resources to offer these services
to the public. Therefore, this measure requests the Comptroller
to cooperate with the Hawaii State Public Library system to
identify communities in need of assistance as the first step in
facilitating improved access to the state legislative process for
all.
Your Committee acknowledges the concerns raised in testimony
that the Hawaii State Public Library System is already
well-equipped with the infrastructure and resources necessary to
assist the public throughout the State in participating in the
state legislative process and would benefit most from a public
outreach campaign promoting awareness of the availability of these
services. Your Committee further notes the concerns raised by the
Department of Accounting and General Services that the Department
does not have the subject matter expertise to effectuate this
measure and the Public Access Room of the Legislative Reference
Bureau may be better suited, given its mandate to assist the
public in participating in the legislative process. Therefore,
this measure needs to be amended to address these matters.
Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Requesting the Legislative Reference Bureau, rather than
the Comptroller, to cooperate with the Hawaii State
Public Library System to identify rural and underserved
communities with a need for better telecommunication
access for residents, including those with developmental
disabilities, to participate in the state legislative
process;
(2) Inserting language requesting the Public Access Room to
collaborate with the Hawaii State Public Library System
to establish an outreach program to notify the public
regarding the availability of library infrastructure to
support remote public participation in the state
legislative process;
(3) Deleting language that would have requested the
Comptroller and State Librarian to submit a report to
the Legislature prior to the convening of the Regular
Session of 2026;
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 STAND. COM. REP. NO.
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(4) Inserting language requesting the Legislative Reference
Bureau to submit a report to the Legislature on the
implementation of the outreach program and
recommendations to further improve public access to the
state legislative process prior to the convening of the
Regular Session of 2026;
(5) Inserting language clarifying legislative intent in
accordance with its amended purpose; and
(6) Amending its title accordingly.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Government Operations that is attached to this
report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R.
No. 35, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form
attached hereto as S.R. No. 35, S.D. 1.
Respectfully submitted on
behalf of the members of the
Committee on Government
Operations,
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 The Senate
Thirty-Third Legislature
State of Hawai‘i
Record of Votes
Committee on Government Operations
GVO
Bill / Resolution No.:* Committee Referral: Date:
GVO 3/a7/35
The Committee is reconsidering its previous decision on this measure.
If so, then the previous decision was to: ___________________________________
The Recommendation is:
__ Pass, unamended Pass, vyith amendments Hold __ Recommit
2312 / 2311 2310 2313
Members Aye Aye (WR) Nay Excused
MCKELVEY, Angus L.K. (C) y
GABBARD, Mike (VC)
MORIWAKI, Sharon Y.
SAN BUENAVENTURA, Joy A.
FEVELLA, Kurt
TOTAL
4 1
Recommendation: ,
Adopted __ Not Adopted
Chair’s ______
Distribution: Original Yellow Pink Goldenrod
File with Committee Report Clerk's Office Drafting Agency Committee File Copy
*Only one measure per Record of Votes
Revised: 12/09/24
 THE SENATE 35
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
STATE OF HAWAII
S.R. NO. S.D. 1
SENATE RESOLUTION
REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE BUREAU TO COOPERATE WITH
THE HAWAII STATE PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM TO IDENTIFY RURAL
AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES IN THE STATE WITH A NEED FOR
BETTER TELECOMMUNICATION ACCESS FOR RESIDENTS TO
PARTICIPATE IN THE STATE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS.
1 WHEREAS, providing access for residents to participate in
2 the state legislative process is a basic right of citizenship in
3 the State and should continue to be a priority; and
4
5 WHEREAS, ensuring equitable access to the state legislative
6 process for nearly four hundred fifty thousand residents on the
7 neighbor islands, as well as those in rural O‘ahu, is essential
8 to strengthening civic engagement, enhancing the effectiveness
9 of the legislative process, and ensuring fair and accurate
10 representation on issues impacting the entire State; and
11
12 WHEREAS, with the rising costs of airfare, gas, and
13 lodging, providing designated locations or state offices on
14 neighbor islands and in rural O‘ahu where citizens can
15 participate remotely in the state legislative process will help
16 reduce the financial burden of participation and further boost
17 civic engagement; and
18
19 WHEREAS, the Hawaii State Public Library System has long
20 provided free public access to broadband Internet and computer
21 equipment and is therefore well-prepared to serve as a conduit
22 for facilitating remote legislative participation; and
23
24 WHEREAS, with a network of fifty-one libraries across the
25 State, all of which have broadband capabilities and various
26 electronic devices, including Chromebooks, the Hawaii State
27 Public Library System has the infrastructure and resources to
28 support public access to the Internet and videoconferencing,
29 making it uniquely well-suited to assist individuals in
30 participating in the state legislative process; and
31
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S.R. NO. S.D. 1
1 WHEREAS, the Legislative Reference Bureau has been tasked
2 with publicizing and educating the community and public at large
3 about the state legislative process, including ways in which
4 residents may testify on measures; and
5
6 WHEREAS, given its mandate and the existing infrastructure
7 in public libraries, it may be productive for the Public Access
8 Room of the Legislative Reference Bureau to publicize the
9 availability of tools within the Hawaii State Public Library
10 System to participate in the state legislative process; now,
11 therefore,
12
13 BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third
14 Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025,
15 that the Legislative Reference Bureau is requested to cooperate
16 with the Hawaii State Public Library System to identify rural
17 and underserved communities with a need for better
18 telecommunication access for residents, including those with
19 developmental disabilities, to participate in the state
20 legislative process; and
21
22 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Public Access Room of the
23 Legislative Reference Bureau is requested to collaborate with
24 the Hawaii State Public Library System to establish an outreach
25 program to notify the public regarding the availability of
26 library infrastructure to support remote public participation in
27 the state legislative process; and
28
29 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislative Reference
30 Bureau is requested to submit to the Legislature a report on the
31 implementation of the outreach program, including its findings
32 and recommendations to further improve public access to the
33 state legislative process, including any proposed legislation,
34 no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular
35 Session of 2026; and
36
37 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
38 Resolution be transmitted to the Director of the Legislative
39 Reference Bureau, State Librarian, and Executive Director of the
40 Disability and Communication Access Board.
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