Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.R. No. 96 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request a management and financial audit of the Department of the Attorney General.

Your Committee finds that the timely processing of Department of Education facility projects is a more pressing public need than a management and financial audit of the Department of the Attorney General.

Your Committee has amended the measure by deleting its contents and inserting language that supports the implementation of Act 316, Session Laws of Hawaii, 2001, which created a comprehensive new system to manage the public school repair and maintenance process, including a key component of the system, the development of a comprehensive six year plan to repair and maintain public school facilities through the coordinated joint efforts of the Legislature, Department of Education, and Department of Accounting and General Services.

Your Committee has also noted the different areas of responsibility these agencies have in such a coordinated effort. For example, the Legislature is responsible for appropriating the necessary funding, the Department of Education is responsible for identifying educational needs, and the Department of Accounting and General Services is responsible for ensuring that the work gets done.

The measure, as amended, further includes language that calls for an innovative public-private construction financing mechanism for a new elementary school in a particularly fast-growing area, Leeward Oahu, as well as the prerequisite support of the Department of Education, Department of Budget and Finance, and Department of Accounting and General Services in this effort.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 96, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Judiciary, in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 96, S.D. 1.