S.B. 1427 Summary

• Expands Hawaii's sunshine law (open meeting requirements) to apply to legislatively appointed bodies including task forces, working groups, special committees, and select committees composed entirely of state legislators.

• Allows legislatively appointed bodies to be exempted from sunshine law requirements only through specific findings or declarations in the bill or resolution establishing the body that articulate the rationale for exemption.

• Requires the Senate and House of Representatives to jointly or separately hold public hearings or briefings on a biennial basis to gather professional and public feedback on how chamber rules can better implement the sunshine law's intent.

• Maintains existing precedence of Senate and House rules over the sunshine law for the legislature itself and its direct operations, while establishing sunshine law precedence over chamber rules for legislatively appointed bodies.

• Effective date: July 1, 2023.