The state is suing a member of a state licensing board to recover $1,940 in fines after the board member failed to file two years of financial disclosure statements.

In November the Hawaii State Ethics Commission found Kenneth Hovanian failed to file his financial statements for 2011 and 2012 as required by law, according to a lawsuit filed in Circuit Court on Wednesday. Hovanian, who was not at the commission hearing where he was found in violation, was ordered him to pay a fine within 60 days, but never paid, the suit said.

Hovanian is a member of the Elevator Mechanics Licensing Board. He is currently serving his second four-year term, which ends at the end of July.

Hovanian, owner of Island Steel Erectors, said: “Kind of hard to be fined for a non-paid position. I don’t see how they can get off assessing a fine for something that you’re doing out of the goodness of your heart.”