Hawaii 2025 Regular Session

Hawaii House Bill HB154 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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1	1	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B. NO. 154 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT relating to the employment of attorneys by public charter schools. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
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3	3	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B. NO. 154
4	4	THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
5	5	STATE OF HAWAII
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7	7	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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9	9	H.B. NO.
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11	11	154
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13	13	THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
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17	17	STATE OF HAWAII
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31	31	A BILL FOR AN ACT
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37	37	relating to the employment of attorneys by public charter schools.
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43	43	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
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47	47	SECTION 1. The purpose of this Act is to empower public charter schools and their governing boards to address certain legal matters effectively and equitably by allowing the public charter schools and their governing boards to retain independent legal counsel for certain actions involving their charter. SECTION 2. Section 28-8.3, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows: "(a) No department of the State other than the attorney general may employ or retain any attorney, by contract or otherwise, for the purpose of representing the State or the department in any litigation, rendering legal counsel to the department, or drafting legal documents for the department; provided that the foregoing provision shall not apply to the employment or retention of attorneys: (1) By the public utilities commission, the labor and industrial relations appeals board, and the Hawaii labor relations board; (2) By any court or judicial or legislative office of the State; provided that if the attorney general is requested to provide representation to a court or judicial office by the chief justice or the chief justice's designee, or to a legislative office by the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate jointly, and the attorney general declines to provide such representation on the grounds of conflict of interest, the attorney general shall retain an attorney for the court, judicial, or legislative office, subject to approval by the court, judicial, or legislative office; (3) By the legislative reference bureau; (4) By any compilation commission that may be constituted from time to time; (5) By the real estate commission for any action involving the real estate recovery fund; (6) By the contractors license board for any action involving the contractors recovery fund; (7) By the office of Hawaiian affairs; (8) By the department of commerce and consumer affairs for the enforcement of violations of chapters 480 and 485A; (9) As grand jury counsel; (10) By the Hawaii health systems corporation, or its regional system boards, or any of their facilities; (11) By the auditor; (12) By the office of ombudsman; (13) By the insurance division; (14) By the University of Hawaii; (15) By the Kahoolawe island reserve commission; (16) By the division of consumer advocacy; (17) By the office of elections; (18) By the campaign spending commission; (19) By the Hawaii tourism authority, as provided in section 201B-2.5; (20) By the division of financial institutions; (21) By the office of information practices; (22) By the school facilities authority; (23) By the Mauna Kea stewardship and oversight authority; [or] (24) By public charter schools, as defined in section 302D‑1; or [(24)] (25) By a department, if the attorney general, for reasons deemed by the attorney general to be good and sufficient, declines to employ or retain an attorney for a department; provided that the governor waives the provision of this section." SECTION 3. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored. SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval. INTRODUCED BY: _____________________________
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49	49	SECTION 1. The purpose of this Act is to empower public charter schools and their governing boards to address certain legal matters effectively and equitably by allowing the public charter schools and their governing boards to retain independent legal counsel for certain actions involving their charter.
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51	51	SECTION 2. Section 28-8.3, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:
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53	53	"(a) No department of the State other than the attorney general may employ or retain any attorney, by contract or otherwise, for the purpose of representing the State or the department in any litigation, rendering legal counsel to the department, or drafting legal documents for the department; provided that the foregoing provision shall not apply to the employment or retention of attorneys:
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55	55	(1) By the public utilities commission, the labor and industrial relations appeals board, and the Hawaii labor relations board;
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57	57	(2) By any court or judicial or legislative office of the State; provided that if the attorney general is requested to provide representation to a court or judicial office by the chief justice or the chief justice's designee, or to a legislative office by the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate jointly, and the attorney general declines to provide such representation on the grounds of conflict of interest, the attorney general shall retain an attorney for the court, judicial, or legislative office, subject to approval by the court, judicial, or legislative office;
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59	59	(3) By the legislative reference bureau;
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61	61	(4) By any compilation commission that may be constituted from time to time;
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63	63	(5) By the real estate commission for any action involving the real estate recovery fund;
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65	65	(6) By the contractors license board for any action involving the contractors recovery fund;
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67	67	(7) By the office of Hawaiian affairs;
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69	69	(8) By the department of commerce and consumer affairs for the enforcement of violations of chapters 480 and 485A;
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71	71	(9) As grand jury counsel;
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73	73	(10) By the Hawaii health systems corporation, or its regional system boards, or any of their facilities;
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75	75	(11) By the auditor;
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77	77	(12) By the office of ombudsman;
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79	79	(13) By the insurance division;
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81	81	(14) By the University of Hawaii;
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83	83	(15) By the Kahoolawe island reserve commission;
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85	85	(16) By the division of consumer advocacy;
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87	87	(17) By the office of elections;
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89	89	(18) By the campaign spending commission;
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91	91	(19) By the Hawaii tourism authority, as provided in section 201B-2.5;
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93	93	(20) By the division of financial institutions;
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95	95	(21) By the office of information practices;
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97	97	(22) By the school facilities authority;
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99	99	(23) By the Mauna Kea stewardship and oversight authority; [or]
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101	101	(24) By public charter schools, as defined in section 302D‑1; or
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103	103	[(24)] (25) By a department, if the attorney general, for reasons deemed by the attorney general to be good and sufficient, declines to employ or retain an attorney for a department; provided that the governor waives the provision of this section."
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105	105	SECTION 3. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.
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107	107	SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
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111	111	INTRODUCED BY: _____________________________
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113	113	INTRODUCED BY:
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115	115	_____________________________
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121	121	Report Title: Public Charter Schools; Employment of Attorneys Description: Provides an exemption for public charter schools and their respective governing boards from the statutory prohibition on retaining independent legal counsel. The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
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127	127	Report Title:
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129	129	Public Charter Schools; Employment of Attorneys
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133	133	Description:
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135	135	Provides an exemption for public charter schools and their respective governing boards from the statutory prohibition on retaining independent legal counsel.
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143	143	The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.