The following testimony was submitted by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii for consideration by the House Committee on Judiciary on Feb. 21, 2025.
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Feb. 21, 2025 10:20 a.m.
Hawaii State Capitol
Conference Room 016 and Videoconference
To: Senate Committee on Judiciary
Sen. Karl Rhoads, Chair
Sen. Mike Gabbard, Vice-Chair
From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns
RE: TESTIMONY IN SUPPORT OF SB1255 SD1 — RELATING TO GOVERNMENT RECORDS
Aloha Chair Rhoads, Vice-Chair Gabbard and other Committee members,
The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii would like to offer its support for SB1255 SD1, which would amend the state Uniform Information Practices Act in order to ensure public access to records used, created, maintained or received by contractors performing government functions. .
We applaud this effort to eliminate the possibility of evading transparency requirements for records that are related to work carried out by private entities under a government contract.
The intent of sunshine laws is to provide public access to government decision-making and actions, especially when those actions involve the use of public funds. Allowing agencies to avoid disclosure or records related to contract work would frustrate this intent.
Furthermore, transparency laws help discourage government corruption and self-dealing — concerns that are often heightened in the case of government contracting.
We urge you to pass SB1255 SD1.
Ted Kefalas
Director of Strategic Campaigns
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
