HB2821 SD2 SSCR3305

STAND. COM. REP. NO.3305

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2002

RE: H.B. No. 2821

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. 2821, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO STATE DEPARTMENTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to abolish deputy director positions within state departments.

Additionally, the measure:

(1) Prohibits state departments from employing public relations personnel; and

(2) Converts the deputy for water resource management position to an executive officer position.

Your Committee finds that the deputy directors within the state departments provide invaluable assistance to the respective department's core missions and serve a necessary role as the director's representative or as the acting director of the department in the director's absence. However, because of this important role, your Committee believes that more oversight in their selection process is warranted.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting provisions abolishing deputy positions within state departments;

(2) Deleting the provision prohibiting state departments from employing public relations personnel;

(3) Deleting the provision converting the deputy for water resource management position to an executive officer position; and

(4) Requiring Senate confirmation of all first deputies and first assistants within state departments and of the Executive Director of the Hawaii Tourism Authority.

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. 2821, 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. 2821, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

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

		____________________________ BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair