(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 member of the committee, appear personally before the committee and testify in the person’s own behalf, or, with the committee’s consent, file a sworn written statement of facts or other documentary evidence for incorporation into the record of the hearing.

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Terms Used In Hawaii Revised Statutes 21-13

  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • 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 testimony or receiving other evidence. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 21-2
  • Investigating committee: means any of the following which are authorized to compel the attendance and testimony of witnesses or the production of books, records, papers, and documents for the purpose of securing information on a specific subject for the use of the legislature:

    (1) A standing or special or select committee or committee of the whole of either house of the legislature;
    (2) A joint committee of both houses;
    (3) An authorized subcommittee of a legislative committee; and
    (4) Any body created by law, the members of which may include nonlegislators. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 21-2
  • Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
  • Testify: Answer questions in court.
(b) Upon the consent of a majority of its members, an investigating committee may permit any other person to appear and testify at a hearing or submit a sworn written statement of facts or other documentary evidence for incorporation into the record thereof. No request to appear, appearance, or submission of evidence shall limit in any way the investigating committee’s power of subpoena.
(c) Any person who appears before an investigating committee pursuant to this section shall have all the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of a witness provided by this chapter.