HB1235 HD1 HSCR810

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 810

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: H.B. No. 1235

H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1235 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRAVEL ALLOWANCES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to enable the legislators to carry out their constitutional mandate and statutory duties, providing a key linkage between their diverse constituencies and state policy, representing both their own constituents and all the people of the state. It is the legislators who develop state policies strategies, oversee state agencies, provide services to the citizens of the state, and establish a forum for representation. To support the legislators in these actions, this bill will provide travel allowances more in tune with the current economy by increasing the allowances of:

(1) Neighbor island legislators during the legislative session;

(2) Oahu members traveling to a neighbor island during the legislative session; and

(3) All legislators travelling out-of-state on official legislative business.

The Representative of the 11^th Representative District and the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives testified in support of this measure.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the maximum allowances payable are equivalent to that available to any public officer or employee of the federal government or the State of Hawaii;

(2) Specifying that the amount of the increases in allowance also applies to the allowance for expenses while on official legislative business during periods of recess and interim official legislative business; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1235, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1235, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

		____________________________ DWIGHT TAKAMINE, Chair