STAND. COM. REP. NO.3241

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2002

RE: H.B. No. 2751

H.D. 1

S.D. 2

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 2751, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for additional auditors, support staff, and initial one-time equipment startup costs at the Department of Education.

Your Committee finds that the Department of Education, with one of the largest budgets in state government, needs more staff to adequately meet its fiscal monitoring requirements. Internal financial audits of the Department of Education statewide require coordination with all schools not only to meet federal audit requirements, but also state statutory requirements of the Comptroller. An internal audit is also needed when there are financial investigations of theft or other violations. With only one auditor currently on the staff, these duties are nearly impossible to perform adequately, if at all. This bill is designed to help correct this problem.

Your Committee has amended this bill by changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, in order to assure continued discussion of this issue.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2751, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2751, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair