STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3020

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 3352

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Human Services and Public Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 3352, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AN AUDIT OF THE HAWAII DISABILITY RIGHTS CENTER,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to require the Auditor to perform a financial and management audit of the Hawaii Disability Rights Center.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by five private citizens.  Testimony in opposition to this measure was submitted by the Hawaii Disability Rights Center.  Comments on the measure were submitted by the State Council on Developmental Disabilities. 

     Your Committee finds that it is important that agencies expending state funds be subject to review by the State, and that an audit of the Hawaii Disability Rights Center would ensure that the Protection and Advocacy System's use of public funds is appropriate, efficient, and in conformance with the expectations of the Legislature. 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by replacing its contents with that of S.B. No. 2758, S.D. 1.  Where the current measure called for a financial and management audit of the Hawaii Disability Rights Center within the Hawaii session laws, the measure as amended by your Committee made would amend section 23‑5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to establish in statute the power of the Auditor to examine and inspect all accounts, books, records, files, papers, documents, and all financial affairs of the Hawaii Disability Rights Center, and to require the Auditor to conduct a management audit of the Hawaii Disability Rights Center at least every seven years.

     Your Committee also changed the effective date of the measure to July 1, 2008.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services and Public Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 3352, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 3352, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services and Public Housing,

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair