Gifts Bill preserves public trust in government

A proposal to encourage ethical behavior in government by prohibiting Honolulu City and County employees from being influenced by gifts will be reintroduced at the next Full Council meeting scheduled for Wednesday, April 17.

“As City employees, we must earn the public’s trust every day by demonstrating the highest standards of ethical conduct, said City Council Chair Tommy Waters. “The main point of this measure is to ensure that employees who are in the position of making decisions can’t be swayed by gifts or influence of any kind.”

As defined in Bill 23 (formerly Bill 26) a gift means any gift, whether in the form of money, goods, service, loan, travel, entertainment, hospitality or a thing “of value, favor, gratuity, commission, or promise in any other form” received by a City employee from anyone doing business with the City. 

The bill, which was first introduced in 2022 by Waters at the request of the City Ethics Commission, has been amended several times to ensure its main focus was on gifts with the intent to influence City decision-makers. While recommitting the bill to committee was fully supported by both the Council and the Ethics Commission in March, Vice Chair Esther Kia‘āina committed to getting something done by the end of the fiscal year. With the newly reintroduced bill’s first reading in April, it is on track to meet that goal. 

“I am glad that we have decided to devote more time into making sure updates to the City’s code of conduct ensure these laws do what is intended – maintain the integrity of City government, namely by prohibiting vendors, clients or others doing business with City from influencing the decisions of City officers and employees with gifts,” said Kia‘āina. “I have co-introduced this version because I believe that as officers and employees of the City nothing is more important than our integrity. It is critical we remain above reproach with regard to the decisions that we make in executing our duties.”