A new law will make it easier for remote testifiers to be seen and heard at public meetings. Act 12 requires state boards to provide an audio and video option for people to provide testimony virtually.
The Hawaiʻi Sunshine Law governs how boards conduct their meetings. Since late 2020, boards have held hybrid meetings, which means the public can comment on bills or other matters in person and remotely.
However, some testifiers tuning in by phone don't always feel seen compared to people testifying on Zoom. The new law requires testifiers to be visible to board members, if the testifier requests it.
Jennifer Brooks, a staff attorney at the state Office of Information Practices, said there are pros to this clarification of the open meetings law.
“They (a board) may be calling on people that they can see through the video connection who can raise their virtual hands,” she told HPR. “But the telephone people have to get connected to be able to speak, and it's not obvious that they're trying to.”
The new law also underscores that boards can remove disruptive testifiers and "Zoom bombers" who purposely interrupt meetings. The law takes effect Wednesday.
The 2025 legislative session starts on Jan. 15.
