Current through November, 2024
Section 11-201-3 - Environmental CouncilA. The office of the environmental council shall be located at such place and address as the council shall from time to time designate. All communications to the council shall be addressed to the environmental council, unless otherwise specifically directed.B. The office of the council shall be open from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, unless otherwise provided by statute or executive order.C. The council may meet and exercise its powers in any part of the State of Hawaii. All meetings of the council shall be open to the public, except that the council may meet in executive meetings, from which the public may be excluded, by a recorded vote of not less than two-thirds of the members present. An executive meeting shall be authorized only when, in accordance with law, it is deemed necessary for the protection of the character or reputation of any person or the protection of secret processes or methods of manufacture of any person or when the attorney general determines it is necessary for the preparation of the prosecution or defense of any action or proceeding. No order, ruling, appointment, contract, or decision shall be finally acted upon at an executive meeting. Meetings shall be held at times as the council deems advisable. Meetings may be scheduled by consensus of the council during the course of a meeting or during intervening days, at the call of the council chairperson or the director upon notifying the council chairperson. The public, petitioners, appellants, and respondents shall receive reasonable notice of all meetings. Notice of meetings of the council shall: 1. Be sent to all requesting to be on the mailing list for this purpose and other interested parties;2. Be posted in the office of the environmental council; and3. Be distributed to the news media, if possible.D. A majority of all members to which the council is entitled shall constitute a quorum to transact business, and the concurrence of a majority of all the members to which the council is entitled shall be necessary to make valid any action of the council except those actions that the council authorizes, by concurrence of a majority of all members to which it is entitled, to be performed in its behalf by a limited number of duly designated council members, in which case the concurrence of a majority of all the council members so designated shall be necessary to make an action valid.E. The council shall maintain minutes of its meetings, setting forth an accurate record of votes and actions taken at the meetings. Unless otherwise required by the governor, the minutes need not include a verbatim record of discussions at meetings. The minutes of the council shall be deemed public records, provided that the minutes of any executive meeting from which the public has been excluded may remain confidential, as long as their publication would defeat the lawful purpose as stated in subsection (c), but no longer.F. All decisions, orders, and other actions of the council shall be authenticated or signed by the council members acting in the proceeding or by the chairperson upon delegation by the council members acting in the proceeding. Official copies of decisions, orders, and other council actions may be issued under the signature of the chairperson of the council or the chairperson's delegate.G. All documents required to be filed with the council shall be filed in the office of the council at Honolulu, Hawaii, within time limits as prescribed by law, rules, or by order of the council. Requests for public information, copies of official documents, or opportunity to inspect public records may be made in writing to the council office or in person at the office.[Eff 12/6/85] (Auth: HRS §§ 91-2, 343-6) (Imp: HRS §§ 91-2, 92-4, 92-5, 92-7, 92-9, 343-3, 343-6)