Public First testimony to the Legislature and other forums is available here.
Public First submitted the following testimony during the 2025 legislative session. The descriptions of each bill were copied from the Capitol website.
Allows agencies to disclose government records to researchers for certain research purposes.
Authorizes 2 or more members of the Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority to meet during its transition period regarding any matter relating to the Authority’s business; provided that no commitment to vote is made or sought and no decision-making action is taken.
Clarifies that the School Facilities Authority is responsible for certain development, planning, and construction projects for prekindergarten, preschool, and child care facilities, as well as workforce housing. Allows the School Facilities Authority to use the Department of Education for certain recruitment and hiring responsibilities. Allows the School Facilities Authority to partner with public and private development agencies to develop prekindergarten facilities. Exclude School Facilities Authority Board workgroups and subcommittees from the Sunshine Law, except as it relates to permitted interactions.
Requires that the courts make a good faith and diligent effort to seal all court records of any eviction proceeding within a reasonable time if certain conditions are met. Authorizes the court to seal certain eviction records upon motion by a tenant who is able to demonstrate that certain conditions apply. Requires the clerk of the court to provide access to sealed eviction records to the tenant. Makes it a discriminatory practice to discriminate against a person based on the knowledge or belief that the person has a sealed eviction record. Prohibits discrimination in real property transactions against a person with a sealed eviction record. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)
Requires all state agencies adopting, amending, or repealing a rule to make the full text of the rules of the agency available on the website of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor in a digitally accessible and searchable format.
Defines community outreach board to mean a board established to serve in a community advisory capacity under a county commission or a county department. Includes community outreach boards in existing provisions of the Sunshine Law relating to neighborhood boards. Authorizes neighborhood board and community outreach board members to organize meetings or presentations related to official board business statewide.
Beginning 1/1/2027, requires all state agencies to make the full text of their rules available on the website of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor in a digitally accessible and searchable format that meets or exceeds certain federal standards. Effective 1/1/2525. (SD1)
Allows surviving immediate family members of deceased persons for whom law enforcement initiated an investigation to receive a copy of the closing report prepared by the investigating police department upon the conclusion of all criminal proceedings related to the incident. (SD1)
Authorizes any member of a board to attend an informational meeting or presentation on matters relating to board business; provided that the meeting or presentation is not specifically and exclusively organized for or directed toward members of the board. Repeals the requirement of a subsequent report of attendance and the matters presented and discussed that related to board business at the informational meeting or presentation.
Establishes the right of a person to record law enforcement activities. Establishes a private right of action for any violation of the right to record law enforcement activities. Effective 7/1/2077. (SD1)
Amends chapter 127A, HRS, to clarify State and local authority. Prohibits the Governor or Mayor from suspending requests for public records or vital specifics during a state of emergency. Adds definition of the term “severe warning”. Allows the Legislature and city councils to terminate a state of emergency, in whole or in part, issued by the Governor or Mayor, respectively. Effective 7/1/2077. (SD1)
Requires appointments and selections of heads of state divisions and agencies that require a board approval to be made through a publicly established process and timeline. Requires the approval of the process and timeline to appoint or select a new head of a state division or agency to be determined in an open meeting. Requires that votes to appoint or select heads of state divisions and agencies be conducted in an open meeting. Provides that any vote to appoint or select a head of a state division or agency cast in violation of the foregoing shall be invalid.
Prohibits the cost of reproducing government records from exceeding 5 cents per page, sheet, or fraction thereof, with exceptions.
Establishes an External Audit Committee within the University of Hawaiʻi to audit the University of Hawaiʻi System and the Board of Regents. Requires annual reports to the Legislature.
Prohibits the Governor or a Mayor from suspending requests for public records or vital statistics during a declared state of emergency. Allows for a reasonable delay in an agency’s response to a request as a result of extenuating circumstances.
Defines community outreach board to mean a board established to serve in a community advisory capacity under a county commission or a county department. Includes community outreach boards in existing provisions of the Sunshine Law relating to neighborhood boards. Authorizes neighborhood board and community outreach board members to attend meetings or presentations related to official board business statewide. Effective 1/1/2491. (SD1)
Establishes the legislative budget office to produce fiscal analyses and reports on bills impacting state or county finances. Repeals the joint legislative budget committee and the office of the legislative analyst. Appropriates funds.
Amends the Uniform Information Practices Act to require each contract to perform a government function to expressly require the contractor to retain records in accordance with the retention schedule of the agency and provide the agency with access to all records subject to the Uniform Information Practices Act; define “government function” and “trade secret”; clarify that “government record” includes information that is created, received, maintained, or used by a private person in performance of a government function contract; and prohibit agencies from denying a request for access to records of a contractor used in the performance of a government function on the basis of trade secret or other proprietary information. Effective 1/1/2491. (SD1)
Enhances sharing of critical infrastructure information between infrastructure owners and operators and the state government. Defines and protects “critical infrastructure information” that is crucial for direct support of the security and resilience of the State. Provides homeland security partners with reassurance that their proprietary information provided to the state government will be protected from disclosure. Effective 7/1/2077. (SD1)
Requires board packets to be posted three no later than 7:45 a.m. on the third business day before a public meeting. Requires boards to provide notice to persons requesting notification of meetings at the time the board packet is made available for public inspection. Effective 1/1/2491. (SD1)
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