House Committee on Judiciary (JUD) - chair: Waters, vice chair: Oshiro

Tuesday, February 5, 2008, 2:00 p.m. Conference Room 325

Testifier: Jean Aoki, League of Women Voters of Hawaii

Click here to view HB2557

The League of Women Voters of Hawaii supports H.B. 2557, which sets limitations on compellable testimony from journalists and newscasters, and includes exceptions to the kinds of information which is protected from compellable testimony. The League of Women Voters at all levels believe that democratic government depends upon informed and active participation at all levels of government and have long worked for the citizens' right to know and for broad citizen participation in government. We support open government and the citizens' right to know. Especially in the environment today where governments at all levels seem to limit openness and access to information, the press is a valuable source of information. Very often, some of the information can only be acquired by promising anonymity, and of course the reporter(s) need to evaluate the credibility of the source and members of the public need to make the same judgment. If the public is to acquire information which government is reluctant to share, we need to give reporters the protection that this bill affords. We urge the passage of H.B. 2557. Thank you for this opportunity to testify.