4 on ethics staff positions and salaries would take effect on January 1, 2021. Click here to access. HONOLULU The Judicial Council is seeking applicants to fill an upcoming vacancy on the Hawaii State Ethics Commission. Click, Publications and Guidelines by Subject Matter. Foley also encourages lawmakers to take up those two bills and other commission recommendations in 2024. Sen. Les Ihara Jr., majority policy leader in the Senate and a longtime advocate for ethics reform that has not been popular in the past, also credited outside pressure on the Legislature to pass so many good- government bills. Question 3 would give the Commission budget flexibility and independence after the Council approves and appropriates funds annually. 2023 Hawaii State Judiciary. Questions 3 and 4 propose City Charter changes relating to the Honolulu Ethics Commission. >> Act 123 (HB 141, HD 1, SD 1): Requires state legislators to disclose names of certain lobbyists with whom the legislator has a relationship starting Jan. 1, 2025. PDF Hawai'I State Ethics Commission Further, City Officer gave preferential treatment to City Officers non-city employer when City Officer approved reimbursement with city funds for monies spent to affect events in which non-city employer was a primary participant.. The Honolulu Ethics Commission issued a formal opinion Wednesday that City Council member Andria Tupola improperly used city funds to buy materials for COVID-19 community events put on by her former private employer. NEW2023 Lobbyist Registration form available. Q10. >> Act 130 (HB 986): Enhances criminal penalties for offenses involving public corruption. The goal of the Commission is to preserve the publics confidence in state government and promote high ethical standards among the public servants of the state of Hawaii. Measures to set term limits for legislators and to fund county ethics boards and commissions, the merits of which are open to debate, did not get very far. The perfect should not become the enemy of the good, as the saying goes, and the set of new laws aimed at improving government is definitely a good step, advancing the public interest. We are interested in your comments, suggestions and concerns regarding ethics or this website. Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency. State ethics commission opens formal investigations into - oregonlive HONOLULU - The Judicial Council is seeking applicants to fill an upcoming vacancy on the Hawaii State Ethics Commission. Oahu voters are being asked to make changes to the Honolulu Ethics Commission. addyf64efebd088de093e44d87261b14e16d = addyf64efebd088de093e44d87261b14e16d + 'honolulu' + '.' + 'gov'; A State Agency ("Agency") requested an advisory opinion regarding the application of the State Ethics Code, Hawaii Revised Statutes ("HRS") chapter 84, to City law requires that citizens vote to change the Charter. Read more here. And then some of it was for professionalism on the website, as far as shots of the photo of the staff members here at the Honolulu Hale, Tupola said. Daniel R. Foley, a retired state appellate judge who chaired the commission, expressed appreciation of the action by the Legislature and Green after nine months of work by the seven- member commission, which researched issues, held 13 public hearings and produced a 396-page report. Some bills signed Friday were proposed by the state Campaign Spending Commission and the State Ethics Commission. The Ethics Commission: Advises and makes recommendations to city employees and officials as well as the public regarding conflicts of interest, acceptance of gifts, misuse of city resources, misuse of official position, representation of clients before city agencies, political activities, and post-employment restrictions. The context for this movement was public concern about ethics scandals in the Legislature itself, principally the 2022 federal bribery prosecution of two veteran lawmakers, J. Kalani English and Ty Cullen, over how a businessman influenced key decisions on legislation affecting his industry. Honolulu Ethics Commission Ballot Questions 3 and 4 > Hawaii Free Press Educates city officers and employees to perform their duties in an ethical manner. By Nick Grube / July 9, 2021. NEWHonolulu Ethics Commission Meeting to be held on June 21, 2023 at 11:30 a.m. Click here to view the meeting agenda. Still, there was encouraging progress in the measures that did emerge. This email address is being protected from spambots. Q11. The term will run from July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2027. Since taking office in January 2020, Tupola spent $8,185 on photo and video shoots and other marketing services, including design of a website that is separate from her honolulu.gov landing page. $929 a month for social Copyright 2023 StarAdvertiser.com. 2023 Lobbyist Registration form available. var addy_texteefa3ea7881a452052e500b3a9c57c5e = 'ethics' + '@' + 'honolulu' + '.' + 'gov';document.getElementById('cloakeefa3ea7881a452052e500b3a9c57c5e').innerHTML += ''+addy_texteefa3ea7881a452052e500b3a9c57c5e+'<\/a>'; This panel met last year to recommend reforms that would strengthen how fraud is investigated and prosecuted, make government more transparent, expand awareness of ethics and oversight in government, and scale back how much power money has in politics. Updated 6:58 p.m. If you are employed by one of these state departments and are not required to take the LIVE session, please log in to your LMS account to access the training. PDF MINUTES OF THE HAWAI'I STATE ETHICS COMMISSION STATE OF HAWAI'I Date All state legislators, state employees, and members of state boards and commissions are to take an ethics training course and to repeat the course every four years. Enjoy this free story! Hawaii has a bunch of new laws designed to make state government, political campaigns and elections more transparent or accountable. That is something that should be taken up, he said, noting that a reasonable limit is needed because experience is valuable. But this years final score of 18 bills can be taken as a signal that the Legislature was conscious of the voters sentiment. If you have any questions, please leave a message at (808) 768-9242 or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. >> Act 124 (HB 983, SD 2): Redefines applicability for prosecuting misconduct in office within time limitations from a public officer or employee to a public servant.. Another such bill Green cited is one that proposed to increase public financing of elections. Every year, OWDB members are required to fill out the form to report on the previous calendar year. The governor also noted that the 18 bills, plus several more that he signed earlier this year dealing with fundraising, ethics, elections and lobbying, represent roughly 10% of all bills passed by the Legislature this year. These consequences need to be steep, if they are to be taken seriously. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. The Commission ensures that all of Honolulus approximately 10,000 elected leaders, appointed officials, and employees understand and follow the highest ethical standards of conduct governing their work for the public. Annual Financial Disclosures DEADLINE: January 31st. City Board & Commission Members - Honolulu Zoo Already a subscriber? expense reports. . This money should really be made to outreach to people to find out what their constituents need, what could improve their lives and not to make themselves look good for reelection, or to get elected to higher office.. You're reading a premium story. The ethics commission's website shows data going back to 2019, and this year's total is the highest since then. Read this story for free: Watch an ad or complete a survey, Native Hawaiians rally as University of Hawaii updates Mauna Kea plans, Beachboy artist Barry Napoleon, drew on Hawaiian traditions, dies at 92, By Ashley Mizuo amizuo@staradvertiser.com. Honolulu 'Ethics' Commission: Kealoha Investigations Closed, Lets go Members of the Commission serve on a voluntary basis. LEGAL DISCLAIMER: This webpage is provided by the Honolulu Ethics Commission for general information and educational purposes only. Another one, HB 710, broadens the definition of a felony obstruction of justice offense. This email address is being protected from spambots. HAWAI'I STATE ETHICS COMMISSION State of Hawai'i Bishop Square, 1001 Bishop Street, ASB Tower 970 Honolulu, Hawai'i ADVISORY OPINION NO. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. the events. Whats the difference between the Honolulu Ethics Commission and the Hawaii State Ethics Commission? Administers and enforces the financial disclosure requirements for city officials, employees, board and commission members, council members, and candidates for city elective office. Q2. Q8. Print subscriber but without online access? Ethics Commission - Honolulu Zoo >> Act 121 (House Bill 92), increasing the fine for certain campaign spending law violations by a noncandidate committee. And there is hope that some will. >> Act 129 (SB 182): Amends a filing deadline for financial interest disclosures by certain candidates along with the penalty for unauthorized release of confidential financial disclosure information. What percentage of votes is needed for this to pass? All rights reserved. 500 Ala Moana Blvd. I waited to get a formal ruling on it as soon as they have their rulings, and they said, OK, these ones Honolulu, Hawai'i 96813 Present: State Ethics Commission Members Wesley F. Fong, Chair (present in conference room) . >> Act 118 (SB 203, SD 1, HD 1, CD 1): Allows the Campaign Spending Commission to treat an alleged campaign spending law violation as a rebuttable presumed violation if it receives no response to a mailed complaint after 30 days. Its going to be easier to go after corruption.. Yes. All state legislators, state employees, and members of state boards and commissions are to take an ethics training course and to repeat the course every four years. The Washington Post via Getty Images By Noelle Crombie | The Oregonian/OregonLive The Oregon Government Ethics Commission gave the go-ahead for formal ethics investigations into six Oregon. >> Act 115 (SB 1076), requiring the state Office of Elections to produce an online voter information guide. Cincinnati ethics counsel refers Seth Walsh to Ohio Ethics Commission HAWAI'I STATE ETHICS COMMISSION State of Hawai'i Bishop Square, 1001 Bishop Street, ASB Tower 970 Honolulu, Hawai'i 96813 NOTICE OF MEETING OF THE HAWAI'I STATE ETHICS COMMISSION G E N D A CALL TO ORDER I. Due to the rapidly changing nature of the law, information may become outdated. Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency. This email address is being protected from spambots. Common Cause Hawaii would really like these discretionary funds to be used to reach out for their constituents, to let the constituents know what is going on within their neighborhoods, within their communities, to improve the lives of their constituents, and not to make flattering montages of themselves, you know, have these glamour shots, Ma said. There were also efforts thereafter on the part of Council member Tupola to try and have (Council Services) reimburse these expenses, which we were able to decline by pointing to the ongoing Ethics investigation, wrote a staff member in a December email to var path = 'hr' + 'ef' + '='; The Honolulu Ethics Commission issued a formal opinion Wednesday that City Council member Andria Tupola improperly used city funds to buy materials for COVID-19 community events put on by her. Read more here. 3 on the Commissions budget would take effect on July 1, 2021. #7-500 You need JavaScript enabled to view it. February 16, 2022 . The purpose of these laws and the Commission's work is to improve and maintain public confidence in government officials and employees. 500 Ala Moana Blvd. While Tupola and Tsuneyoshi use their funds to make bigger purchases related to marketing, Council members such as Brandon Elefante and Esther Kiaaina have used their allowances to attend legislative policy conferences on the mainland or neighbor islands. >> Act 120 (HB 91, HD 1, SD 1): Makes Campaign Spending Commission preliminary determinations not subject to a contested case hearing if such a hearing isnt requested within 30 days after receipt of the determination. to let us know what you think. As a board or commission member, you are a City officer. III. Administration and Enforcement Duties of commission; complaint, hearing, determination 84-31.3 Filing of false charges Procedure Disciplinary action for violation No compensation Staff 84-35.5 Prohibition from political activity 84-1 84-2 84-3 . Failure to file by January 31st or filing false or misleading information may result in a civil fine. For more information on the Honolulu Ethics Commission, go to the Honolulu Ethics Commission website: http://www.honolulu.gov/ethics To look up Resolutions 19-331 (on Commission budget flexibility) and 20-83, FD1 (on ethics staff positions and salaries), go to the Honolulu City Council website: http://www.honolulu.gov/council, Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care, Hawaii Free Press - All Rights Reserved, Honolulu Ethics Commission Ballot Questions 3 and 4. State of Hawaii, Ethics Commission v. Rowena Akana, Civil No. These bills, passed by the Legislature earlier this year, include one requiring Hawaii legislators to disclose relationships with lobbyists, one prohibiting campaign donations by lobbyists to elected officials during or close to legislative sessions, and one enhancing criminal penalties for public corruption offenses. In addition to these and other good-government improvements, it is also commendable that lawmakers have restored the shield law that helps journalists protect key sources, a protection that was allowed to lapse. ETHICS COMMISSION CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU 925 DILLINGHAM BOULEVARD, SUITE 190 HONOLULU, HAWAII 96817 PHONE: (808) 768-9242 FAX: (808) 768-7768 EMAIL: ethics@honolulu.gov INTERNET: www.honolulu.gov/ethics RICK BLANGIARDI MAYOR JAN K. YAMANE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND LEGAL COUNSEL LAURIE A. WONG-NOWINSKI Commission resolves investigation of a former employee of the Department of the Attorney General for use and disclosure of confidential information. Lawmakers should reconsider that approach next session: A state law, uniformly enforced in both legislative chambers, would be the stronger safeguard. Print subscriber but without online access? Two questions on the upcoming general election ballot relate to the Honolulu Ethics Commission's budget and staffing. Telephone: 808-529-4747. Nothing on this webpage may be considered or deemed to constitute legal advice. Gov. Josh Green signs batch of government reform bills | Honolulu Star It really was a wave that we rode in order to pass these measures out.. Already a subscriber? What Does the Honolulu Ethics Commission Do? Who introduced Resolution 19-331, the basis for Question 3, and why? Honolulu Needs An Ethics Commission That Is Ethical If Question 3 is passed, the Commission will have greater budget flexibility and independence to use funds approved by Council to carry out its ethics duties. Gov. Q14. Josh Green on Friday signed 18 bills aimed at improving trust in local government in the wake of a 2022 corruption scandal involving two state lawmakers. Lawmakers should further sharpen their ethics standards in 2024, which is, after all, another election year. var addy_textf64efebd088de093e44d87261b14e16d = 'contact us';document.getElementById('cloakf64efebd088de093e44d87261b14e16d').innerHTML += ''+addy_textf64efebd088de093e44d87261b14e16d+'<\/a>'; The Commission would use the funds to carry out its city ethics duties and fulfill its strategic plan of increasing ethics staff. Aloha and welcome to the Hawaii State Ethics Commission! No, Commission staff are not currently civil service employees. PDF State of Hawaii Bishop Square, 1001 Bishop Street, ASB Tower 970 The initial response in the lawmaking session that year was disappointing, but the commission at least was appointed, and to admirable effect: There were 28 bills and three resolutions in the package sent to the Legislature, and many of them passed. Educates city officers and employees to perform their duties in an ethical manner. The High Road (December 2022): Mandatory Ethics Training Is Here! The Honolulu Ethics Commission is the City and County of Honolulus ethics watchdog agency for city officers and employees. Read more. HAWAI'I STATE ETHICS COMMISSION State of Hawai'i Bishop Square, 1001 Bishop Street, ASB Tower 970 Honolulu, Hawai'i 96813 ADVISORY OPINION NO. Tupola is not the only Council member to have her allowance usage questioned. >> Act 113 (SB 19, HD 1, CD 1): Guarantees the vote of eligible voters who cast their ballot and then subsequently die or otherwise become ineligible before Election Day. The Judicial Council nominates two individuals for each vacancy on the Commission. Meet the Commission & Its Staff - Honolulu Zoo Activate your Digital Account now. Judiciary | Applicants Wanted for State Ethics Commission Honolulu Needs An Ethics Commission That Is Ethical The commission mishandled its role in the Kealoha corruption case, demonstrating the need for a higher level of integrity and accountability. Editorial: Good progress for good government. All rights reserved. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, residents of the State of Hawaii, and may not hold any other public office. Ma said she wants to see more detailed expenditure reporting, noting that Tupolas expenses were listed as, banner patch stickers for Kapolei &Waianae Mall COVID-19 testing &vaccination event, with no indication of who was running You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Copyright 2023, State of Hawaii. This included a follow-up inquiry with Ethics regarding Tupolas claim that the Executive Director for the Ethics Commission gave approval verbally (of which we subsequently learned that was not the case).. Enforces the ethics laws by imposing civil fines or recommending discipline for violations. . It was for the transparency and for the benefit of the public to see all of the things the initiatives that were working on in the community.. If these questions pass, when would the changes take effect? Lobbyist registration forms and annual reports DEADLINE:January 10th. purchases. >> Act 114 (SB 141, SD 1, HD 1, CD 1): Updates rules for certifying or replacing presidential electors. var prefix = 'ma' + 'il' + 'to'; Editorial: Good progress for good government - Honolulu Star-Advertiser 190, Honolulu, HI 96817. Print subscriber but without online access? By Chad Blair / October 11, 2020 Reading time: 6 minutes. Note: As of March 1, 2023, the self-directed, online training course is available on certain state departmental learning management systems (LMS) including: Department of Human Resources Developments Adobe Learning Manager (for Executive Branch agencies), Judiciarys eLearning Center, University of Hawaii, and Hawaii Health Systems Corporation. The information presented should not be used by lawyers as a substitute for independent research or by non-lawyers as a substitute for legal or other advice. Elected and cabinet officials' financial disclosures are available at the Office of the City Clerk. Councilmember Tommy Waters introduced the resolution out of a desire to support the City Ethics Commission and to promote and reinforce the idea that ethics should be a priority for the City and County of Honolulu. 2020 BALLOT QUESTIONS 3 AND 4 HONOLULU ETHICS COMMISSION, From Honolulu Ethics Commission, September, 2020. Consideration and Approval of the Minutes of the May 17, 2023 Meeting II. This email address is being protected from spambots. The purpose of these laws and the Commission's work is to improve and maintain public confidence in government officials and employees. >> Act 117 (HB 1294, HD 1, SD 1, CD 1): Requires inclusion of the legal name of candidates for elected office on state Office of Elections and Campaign Spending Commission websites and voter information materials while still allowing a candidates preferred name on ballots. Who must take a state ethics training? She asked Waters for a communications budget for Council members so that they do not need to use their allowance for those types of expenses. State Ethics Commission State ethics commission established; composition Part IV. Subscribe to the Hawai'i State Judiciary mailing list for email notification of press releases and other announcements. Honolulu, Hawaii 96813 ADVISORY OPINION NO. A majority of votes is needed for each question to pass. We listened to the voters, Tarnas (D, Hawi- Waimea-Waikoloa) said at the ceremony. Blank votes are not counted as either yes or no. Hawaii Ethics and Audit Function at their Lowest Level in Years, but the Honolulu Ethics Commission is suddenly a beehive of activity.. Two reports this week sum up the Honolulu 'ethics' function--covering up for the big sharks while spearfishing manini to make it look like they are . 2022-2 . Gov. The Commission educates, advises, and enforces city ethics laws and lobbyist regulations. Effective news coverage is part of what keeps the government accountable. Q1. One commission-backed bill prohibiting nepotism by state employees, House Bill 717, is still subject to action by Green. In a recent session of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser's Spotlight Hawaii . Applicants Wanted for State Ethics Commission. PDF Hawai'I State Ethics Commission Click here to access. Honolulu, HI 96813 Lobbyist registration forms and annual reports DEADLINE:January 10th. paper and stamps. Vendors who shot photos and videos and created marketing materials included Valen Ahlo, a local filmmaker and actor; Ijfke Ridgley, a fashion and travel photographer; and Shane Perry Marketing, which also worked on Tupolas gubernatorial campaign in 2018. Read the full story with our Print & Digital Subscription. addy383b4b7836bd77bcc5cc26d1a0aa0e25 = addy383b4b7836bd77bcc5cc26d1a0aa0e25 + 'honolulu' + '.' + 'gov'; var addy383b4b7836bd77bcc5cc26d1a0aa0e25 = 'ethics' + '@'; Elected and cabinet officials' financial disclosures are available at the Office of the City Clerk. TheHonolulu Ethics Commission advances the standards of ethical conduct in government as expressed in the Revised Charter and the Revised Ordinances of Honolulu. Mahalo for supporting Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Guide for State Board and Commission Members, Lobbying Registration/Expenditure Reports, Register for a Live Videoconference Training, Advisory Opinions and Informal Advisory Opinions, Lobbying registration & expenditure reports, Order Regarding Mandatory Lobbyist Training Law, Order Regarding Applications for Good Cause Exceptions to the Nepotism Law, Ethics Commission resolves Charge against former Executive Director of the Hawaii State Public Charter School Commission, Ethics Commission resolves Charge against former Director of Halau Lokahi, Public Charter School. The Council passed two Commission-related resolutions to change the CharterReso 19-331 (on Commission budget flexibility) and Reso 20-83, FD1 (on ethics staff positions and salaries). relations firm raised eyebrows in 2019. Question 3 asks: Shall the Revised City Charter be amended to allow the Honolulu Ethics Commission to control its own budget after it has been enacted? Question 4 asks: Shall the Revised Charter be amended to require ethics commission staff to be appointed based on merit principles, but exempt them from the civil service position classification plan, and to have the salaries of all ethics commission staff set by the ethics commission, subject to specified limitations?. Some of the bills Green signed Friday were recommended by the Commission to Improve Standards of Conduct, which the House of Representatives established in 2022 in connection with convictions in 2022 of former Senate Majority Leader J. Kalani English and the former vice chair of the House Finance Committee, former Rep. Ty J.K. Cullen, on charges they accepted bribes from a local businessman in exchange for action on legislation. Copyright 2023, State of Hawaii. The purpose of these laws and the Commission's work is to improve and maintain public confidence in government officials and employees.
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