Relating To The Small Business Regulatory Review Board.
Summary
HB1024 amends the quorum rule for the Small Business Regulatory Review Board (SBRRB). Under current law, a majority of the members currently serving on the board constitutes a quorum and is needed to validate board action. The bill keeps that general majority rule but adds a specific floor: at least five members must be present to constitute a quorum and to make any board action valid.
The measure is a narrow procedural change focused on how the SBRRB conducts business rather than on the substance of small-business regulation. It would affect the board’s internal operations by ensuring that decisions are made only when a minimum number of members are present, which may help prevent action by too small a group if vacancies or absences reduce the board’s size.
Impact
HB1024 would amend section 201M-5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, governing the Small Business Regulatory Review Board’s quorum and voting requirements. The practical effect is to impose a minimum quorum of five members, regardless of how many seats are currently filled, and to require that same minimum for valid board action. This change affects the board’s ability to meet and act, but does not alter the board’s jurisdiction, powers, or the underlying regulatory review process.
Sentiment
There is no recorded committee testimony or vote history in the provided materials, so the bill’s sentiment cannot be measured from discussion. Based on the text alone, the proposal appears administrative and likely noncontroversial, aimed at clarifying and strengthening board procedure rather than changing policy outcomes.
Contention
No specific points of contention are documented in the available record. The only likely issue is whether a fixed minimum quorum of five could make the board harder to convene if vacancies, recusals, or absences reduce attendance, versus the benefit of ensuring broader participation before official action is taken. Any disagreement would likely center on board functionality and governance rather than on small-business policy itself.