STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2037

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2500

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2500 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to require that the state Auditor conduct a financial and management audit of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and to issue a report of the findings prior to the convening of the 2011 legislative session.

 

     Testimony in support of the measure was submitted by one organization and ten individuals.  Testimony in opposition was submitted by one state agency.  Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

 

     Your Committee recognizes that the Office of Hawaiian Affairs is statutorily required to submit an audit every four years, and is subject to federal audits for the use of federal funds.  However, despite these efforts, there remain significant questions regarding the Office of Hawaiian Affairs' use of funds and management decisions.  Your Committee finds that these questions should be answered fully to the satisfaction of the community.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050 for the purposes of further discussion; and

 

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2500, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2500, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs,

 

 

 

____________________________

CLAYTON HEE, Chair