STAND. COM. REP. 3244
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2004
RE: H.B. No. 267
H.D. 2
S.D. 2
Honorable Robert Bunda
President of the Senate
Twenty-Second State Legislature
Regular Session of 2004
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 267, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO GOVERNMENT,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure is to transfer the Office of Elections, the Elections Appointment and Review Panel, and the Campaign Spending Commission from the Department of Accounting and General Services to the Department of the Attorney General for administrative purposes.
Your Committee finds that while the Office of Elections and the Campaign Spending Commission require more autonomy, the proper department for them to be placed in for administrative purposes remains the Department of Accounting and General Services. However, your Committee believes that the Office of Elections and the Campaign Spending Commission require the authority to communicate directly with the Legislature and Governor, and to make personnel decisions and supply, equipment, and furniture acquisitions decisions independent of the Comptroller.
Your Committee further finds that the Elections Appointment and Review Panel should be replaced by an Elections Commission appointed by members of the Legislature.
Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure as follows:
(1) By permitting the Office of Elections and the Campaign Spending Commission to communicate directly with the Governor and the Legislature;
(2) By permitting the Office of Elections and Campaign Spending Commission to make personnel decisions and the purchasing of supplies, equipment, and furniture without the approval of the Comptroller;
(3) By exempting the Office of Elections from collective bargaining under Chapter 89, Hawaii Revised Statutes;
(4) By permitting the Office of Elections to hire its own private attorneys;
(5) By repealing the Election Appointment and Review Panel and replacing it with an Elections Commission, the members of which are appointed by the Legislature;
(6) By enabling the Elections Commission to communicate directly with the Governor and the Legislature;
(7) By adding provisions that provide for the smooth transition between the Election Appointment and Review Panel and the Elections Commission; and
(8) By making technical nonsubstantive changes for clarity and consistency.
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. 267, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 267, H.D. 2, S.D. 2.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,
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____________________________ BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair |
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