Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation, Military Affairs, and Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 966 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish the Office of Resource Maximization within the Lieutenant Governor's office to coordinate grant seeking efforts statewide and to maximize the amount of federal funding available to the State.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Legal Aid Society of Hawaii, Hawaii Youth Services Network, the Alliance for Health and Human Services, the National Association of Social Workers, Mental Health Kokua, and the League of Women Voters of Hawaii. Testimony in opposition to this measure was submitted by a concerned citizen.

Your Committee finds that many state agencies and other entities in the State miss out on the opportunity to receive federal money for various projects, especially federal grant money. Often the problem is that the agency is unaware of the availability of a grant, or lacks the necessary expertise to write the grant application.

Your Committee supports this measure, which will provide a central office to act as a clearinghouse for federal grants, and assist entities within the State that are seeking federal funds.

Your Committee amended this measure to include, as an additional function of the Office of Resource Maximization, providing ombudsman services to encourage partnerships between state agencies and nonprofit organizations to maximize federal aid. Your Committee finds that nonprofit organizations are an important resource for persons who need financial assistance in the State, and therefore the office should seek partnerships with such organizations.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation, Military Affairs, and Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 966, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 966, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.