(a) All hearings of an investigating committee shall be public unless the committee, by two-thirds vote of all of its members, determines that a hearing should not be open to the public in a particular instance.

Terms Used In Hawaii Revised Statutes 21-10

  • Hearing: means any meeting in the course of an investigatory proceeding, other than a preliminary conference or interview at which no testimony is taken under oath, conducted by an investigating committee for the purpose of taking testimony or receiving other evidence. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 21-2
  • Investigating committee: means any of the following which are authorized to compel the attendance and testimony of witnesses or the production of books, records, papers, and documents for the purpose of securing information on a specific subject for the use of the legislature:

    (1) A standing or special or select committee or committee of the whole of either house of the legislature;
    (2) A joint committee of both houses;
    (3) An authorized subcommittee of a legislative committee; and
    (4) Any body created by law, the members of which may include nonlegislators. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 21-2
  • Presiding officer: A majority-party Senator who presides over the Senate and is charged with maintaining order and decorum, recognizing Members to speak, and interpreting the Senate's rules, practices and precedents.
(b) The chairperson of an investigating committee, if present and able to act, shall preside at all hearings of the committee and shall conduct the examination of witnesses alone or supervise examination by other members of the committee, the committee’s counsel, or members of the committee’s staff who are so authorized. In the chairperson’s absence or disability, the vice-chairperson shall serve as presiding officer. The committee shall provide by its rules for the selection of a presiding officer to act in the absence or disability of both the chairperson and the vice-chairperson.
(c) No hearing, or part thereof, shall be televised, filmed, or broadcast except upon approval of the committee, by majority vote of all of its members.

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