Senate BIll 2240 — which would exempt members of task forces appointed by legislators or the gov — passed out of Senate Judiciary and Labor Friday (Jan. 27). The vote was 5-0, with Les Ihara voting with reservations. 

SB 2240 was introduced by Clayton Hee, who chairs Judiciary. Because the bill, which has been amended, has no other referral, it heads to the full Senate for consideration.

The Attorney General supports the bill, as does attorney Marvin Dang, a member of the Mortgage Foreclosure Task Force — the same task force that prompted Ethics Commission Executive Director Les Kondo to rule that members are state employees subject to the Ethics Code.

The League of Women Voters of Hawaii oppose SB 2240. The Ethics Commission offered suggestion as to how the bill could be revised to accomplish the bill’s intent.