Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation, Military Affairs, and Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 2498, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to allow the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), Executive Office on Aging, and Policy Board for Elder Affairs to communicate directly with the Governor and the legislature and to purchase supplies, equipment, and furniture, without prior approval of the department head.

Testimony in support of this measure was received from the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization. Testimony in opposition was received from the Department of Health, Department of Budget and Finance, and Executive Office on Aging.

Your Committee finds that the MPO is in a unique position in state government in that it is almost an autonomous advisory body. Therefore, the MPO should have a degree of administrative autonomy that is not normally accorded to other agencies.

Your Committee has amended this measure by deleting references to the Executive Office on Aging and Policy Board of Elder Affairs, and giving the MPO autonomy to rent or occupy office space and other needed space.

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. 2498, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2498, S.D. 2.