Informing the Legislature that on July 3, 2024, the Governor signed the following bill into law: SB2216 SD1 HD1 CD1 (ACT 188).

This bill, known as Act 188, updates the Hawaii State Ethics Commission to clarify and modernize how it provides advice and conducts investigations. The law changes the timeline for issuing advisory opinions on ethics questions from thirty days to ninety days and establishes that if no opinion is given within that period, it is automatically considered that the situation does not violate ethics rules. Additionally, the bill makes written summaries of advice confidential unless the recipient agrees to make them public. These changes directly affect state officials, employees, and lobbyists who seek guidance on ethical conduct and the commission that oversees such matters.