Report Title:

Government Reorganization

Description:

Establishes a temporary bipartisan state and local government reorganization commission to eliminate duplication and overlapping of state and county services, activities, and functions.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

578

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

relating to state and local government.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. State and local government reorganization advisory commission, established; appointment of commissioners, terms of service. (a) There is established within the office of the governor for administrative purposes a temporary state and local government reorganization advisory commission.

(b) The commission shall be bipartisan and shall consist of thirteen members who shall be appointed as follows:

(1) Two members shall be appointed by the governor as provided in section 26-34, except as otherwise provided by law; provided that these members shall not be members of the same political party;

(2) Two members shall be appointed by the governor from a list of nominees submitted by the speaker of the house of representatives and two shall be appointed from a list of nominees submitted by the president of the senate; provided that not more than two of these members shall be members of the same political party;

(3) Four members shall be representatives of county government and shall be appointed by the governor from a list of nominees submitted by the Hawaii State Association of Counties; provided that not more than two of these members shall be members of the same political party;

(4) One member shall be a representative of the public and shall be appointed by the chairperson of the commission; and

(5) Two members shall be representatives of efficiency consultants and shall be appointed by the chairperson of the commission.

(c) The terms of the members of the commission shall end on June 30, 2005.

(d) Any vacancy occurring on the commission shall be filled in the manner specified for original appointments. A vacancy exists on the commission when a member ceases to serve in the official position from which the member was originally appointed. A vacancy shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term.

SECTION 2. Powers and duties. (a) The commission shall:

(1) Study the relationships between state and county governments, the services provided by the various units and levels of government within the State and the counties, the division of responsibility in providing and financing governmental services, possibilities for improving the organizational structure and operational efficiency of the governmental units of the State, the state and county tax structure, and the revenue requirements and fiscal policies of the State and the counties;

(2) Give critical attention to the conditions and controls involved in the administration of federal and state grant programs and the effects and impact of proposed and existing federal and state grant programs on the counties;

(3) Submit a report of the commission's findings to the legislature twenty days prior to the convening of each regular session, including results of its studies and other activities during the preceding year, and recommend legislation to eliminate duplication and overlapping state and county services, activities, and functions.

(b) The commission may apply for, contract for, receive, and expend for the purposes described in this section, appropriations, gifts, or grants from the State, the counties, the federal government or any other public or private source.

SECTION 3. Cooperation. Each office, board, commission, bureau, or department of the State or any county, unless proscribed from doing so by chapter 92F or other laws relating to the confidentiality of information, shall make available to the commission all facts, records, information, and data requested by the commission and in all ways cooperate with the commission in carrying out its duties.

SECTION 4. Compensation of members. The members of the commission shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for expenses, including travel expenses, necessary for the performance of their duties.

SECTION 5. Staff. The commission may employ staff, including an administrative assistant, research specialists, and other secretarial and clerical staff, and may hire consultants as the commission finds necessary for the performance of the commission's duties.

SECTION 6. Organization; quorum; meetings. The commission shall elect from its own membership a vice-chairperson. A majority of all members to which the commission is entitled shall constitute a quorum to do business and the concurrence of a majority of all members to which the commission is entitled shall be necessary to make any action of the commission valid; provided that due notice shall have been given to all members of the commission or a bona fide attempt shall have been made to give notice to all members to whom it was reasonably practical to give notice. Meetings shall be called and held, at the call of the chairperson or by a quorum, as often as may be necessary for the performance of the commission's duties.

SECTION 7. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2003-2004, and the same sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2004-2005, to carry out the purposes of this Act, including the hiring of necessary staff.

The sums appropriated shall be expended by the office of the governor for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 8. This Act shall take effect upon approval; provided that section 7 shall take effect on July 1, 2003. This Act shall be repealed on June 30, 2005.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________