Report Title:

Legislative Responsibilities; CIP; Appropriation Phases

Description:

Requires the legislature to appropriate moneys for each capital improvement project as an appropriation for plans, design, and land acquisition; and upon completion of plans, design, and land acquisition, an appropriation for construction and equipment.

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2771
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to the responsibilities of the legislature.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the current procedure of authorizing multi-year, multi-function appropriations for capital improvement projects is inefficient and costly to the taxpayers of the State.  In today's economy, the constantly changing nature of construction costs leads to cost estimates and actual expenditure that are often, if not always, very different.

     This is particularly true when a capital improvement project appropriation includes planning, design, construction, land acquisition, and equipment.  Each of these can be a lengthy process and proposed construction funding that was adequate at the beginning of the planning process is rarely consistent with the needs by the time ground is actually broken.

     The purpose of this Act is to ensure more efficient, timely, and accurate capital improvement project appropriations by splitting the appropriation procedures for the different phases of the project.

     SECTION 2.  Section 37-66, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"[[]§37-66[]]  Responsibilities of the legislature.  The legislature shall:

     (1)  Consider the long-range plans, including the proposed objectives and policies, the six-year state program and financial plan, and the budget and revenue proposals recommended by the governor and any alternatives thereto[.];

     (2)  Adopt programs and the state budget, and appropriate moneys to implement the programs it deems appropriate[.]; provided that for each capital improvement project the legislature shall appropriate moneys as follows:

(A) An appropriation for plans, design, and land acquisition, as necessary; and

(B) Upon completion of plans, design, and land acquisition, an appropriation for construction and equipment, as necessary;

     (3)  Adopt such other legislation as necessary to implement state programs[.]; and

     (4)  Review the implementation of the state budget and program accomplishments and execution of legislative policy direction.  Implementation of the state budget and program management, execution, and performance shall be subject to post-audits by the auditor who shall report the auditor's findings and recommendations to the legislature as provided in chapter 23."

     SECTION 3.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2008.

INTRODUCED BY:

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