Chapter 21 — [Old]

§21-1 Purpose. The purpose of this chapter is to establish procedures governing legislative investigating committees to provide for the creation and operation of legislative investigating committees in a manner which will enable them to perform properly the powers and duties vest…

§21-10 Conduct of hearings. (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. (b) The chairperson of an investigating …

§21-11 Right to counsel and submission of questions. (a) Every witness at a hearing of an investigating committee may be accompanied by counsel of the witness' own choosing, who may advise the witness as to the witness' rights, subject to reasonable limitations which the committe…

§21-12 Testimony. (a) An investigating committee shall cause a record to be made of all proceedings in which testimony or other evidence is demanded or adduced, which record shall include rulings of the chair, questions of the committee and its staff, the testimony or responses o…

§21-13 Interested persons. (a) Any person whose name is mentioned or who is otherwise identified during a hearing of an investigating committee and who, in the opinion of the committee, may be adversely affected thereby, may, upon the person's request or upon the request of any m…

§21-14 Contempt. (a) A person shall be in contempt if the person: (b) An investigating committee may, by majority vote of all its members, report to the legislature or the house thereof by which it was established, any instance of alleged contempt. The president or speaker shall …

§21-15 Penalties. (a) A person guilty of contempt under this chapter shall be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned not more than one year or both. (b) If any investigating committee fails in any material respect to comply with the requirements of this chapter, any person subj…

§21-16 Government officer and employees to cooperate. The officers and employees of the State and of each county shall cooperate with any investigating committee or committees or with their representatives and furnish to them or to their representatives such information as may be…

§21-17 Sergeants-at-arms; powers and duties. The sergeant-at-arms of each house of the legislature, and each of the sergeant-at-arms' deputies appointed by authority of such house, shall:

§21-18 Same; badge. The symbol of the office of the sergeant-at-arms of each house of the legislature shall be a metal badge in such form as such house shall adopt, bearing the words, among others, "Sergeant-at-Arms of the Senate, State of Hawaii", or "Sergeant-at-Arms of the Hou…

§21-19 Limitations. Nothing contained in this chapter shall be construed to limit or prohibit the acquisition of evidence or information by an investigating committee by any lawful means not provided for herein. [L 1969, c 211, pt of §1]

§21-2 Definitions. As used in this chapter: "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 test…

§21-3 Establishment of investigating committees by legislature. (a) An investigating committee may exercise its powers during sessions of the legislature, and also in the interim between sessions when so provided by law or by the concurrent or single house resolution or statute b…

§21-4 Adoption of rules. Each investigating committee shall adopt rules, not inconsistent with law or any applicable rules of the legislature, governing its procedures, including the conduct of hearings. [L 1969, c 211, pt of §1]

§21-5 Finances and staff. Each investigating committee may employ such professional, technical, clerical, or other personnel as necessary for the proper performance of its duties, to the extent of funds made available to it for such purpose and subject to such restrictions and pr…

§21-6 Membership, quorum, voting. (a) An investigating committee shall consist of not less than five members. (b) A quorum shall consist of a majority of the total authorized membership of the committee. (c) No action shall be taken by a committee at any meeting unless a quorum i…

§21-7 Hearings. (a) An investigating committee may hold hearings appropriate for the performance of its duties, at such times and places as the committee determines. (b) The committee shall provide by its rules that each member of the committee be given at least three days writte…

§21-8 Issuance of subpoenas. (a) The president or speaker or other presiding officer of either house of the legislature may issue subpoenas requiring the attendance of witnesses and subpoenas duces tecum requiring the production of books, documents, or other evidence, in any matt…

§21-9 Notice to witnesses. (a) Service of a subpoena requiring the attendance of a person at a hearing of an investigating committee shall be made at least five days prior to the date of the hearing unless a shorter period of time is authorized by majority vote of all the members…