For those with questions about the legislative process, the Hawaiʻi Public Access Room probably has your answers. The 35-year-old office is tucked away on the fourth floor of the Capitol and is funded by the state to get people involved in the legislative process.
It’s one of only two of its kind in the nation.
Virginia Beck has been the head coordinator at the Public Access Room for nearly 10 years, and has worked there for almost 20. She will retire at the end of the week.
Under her supervision, the Public Access Room has expanded its reach to people. Zoom webinars about nearly every aspect of the legislative process are one of the office's most successful projects.
The topics range from understanding how lawmakers create the budget to how to use the Legislature's website and submit testimony.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Public Access Room would do in-person workshops on Oʻahu and neighboring islands.
However, that was not possible during the pandemic.
“We also set up our YouTube page and posted a lot of workshops there as well as putting them on our website,” Beck said. “So a lot more videos are available for people who learn that way because one of the things we're realizing is that I love videos, but not everyone does. And some people like looking at infographics and other people like watching videos. So we're trying to offer variety for people.”
The PAR website also has in-depth explanations of key legislative deadlines and how bills become law.
In recent years, the office has often heard skepticism from residents about their ability to participate in the legislative process.
Beck views talking with those people, and seeing them return to the Capitol, as one of the most rewarding aspects of her job.
“If you're lucky enough to see them come back and get a bill introduced, and then they ask for a hearing and they're testifying and they get others on board, it's such a good thing to see,” she said. “It just restores my faith and I really do think that this whole system works really so much better with people involved.”
Andrea "Andy" Langhurst, who has worked in the office since 2023, will be taking over the Public Access Room.
She said she will be absorbing as much information as she can before the legislative session starts again in January 2025.
“I really just like talking to all the people that come in. So whether they come in in-person or call us on the phone, most of the people we talk to are grateful to have somebody to ask these questions to,” she said. “I think we all just really like answering those questions, or hearing what their questions are.”
