House Committee on Finance (FIN) - chair: Sylvia Luke, vice chair: Scott Y. Nishimoto

Thursday, April 2, 2015, 2:00 P.M. Conference Room 308

Testifier: Wynnie Hee, Legislative Committee Member, LWV of Hawaii

Click here to view SB996

Chair Luke, Vice Chair Nishimoto, and Committee Members: The League of Women Voters of Hawaii supports SB 996, SD2, HD1, to provide the State Ethics Commission the funds it needs to develop an effective electronic filing system. Our understanding is there are more than 1,800 people currently filing reports and disclosures, including several hundred volunteers who generously provide service to our state Boards and Commissions. Under Act 230, passed by the legislature last year, many Board and Commission members will be filing financial disclosure statements for the first time this June. We shouldn’t be making it difficult for any of these people to complete the required financial disclosure. We support an effective date of “upon approval” or the beginning of the 2015-2016 fiscal year, as suggested by Rep. Karl Rhoads. We absolutely agree, “that it is in the best interests of the filer and the public for the state ethics commission to design and develop a system that allows filers to electronically file the required statements and reports with the state ethics commission.” The League of Women Voters of Hawaii urges you to pass SB 996, SD2, HD1. Thank you for the opportunity to testify..