STAND. COM. REP. NO. 647

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 823

       S.D. 1

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 823 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PROCUREMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to allow certain county public transit agencies, including the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation, to function as semi-autonomous agencies of their respective counties when procuring goods and services.

     Specifically, this measure:

     (1)  Designates the director of a county semi-autonomous public transit agency, as designated by the charter of that county, as a chief procurement officer for that county; and

     (2)  Provides the semi-autonomous county public transit agency with procurement authority.

     Your Committee finds that the semi-autonomous Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transit is responsible for the planning, construction, operation, maintenance, and expansion of Honolulu's fixed guideway mass transit system.  The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transit needs specific procurement authority to function as a semi-autonomous agency of the county and provide timely and efficient management of the rail transit system.

     Your Committee finds that this measure gives certain semi-autonomous public transit agencies, including the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transit, the same procurement authority as a county board or department of water supply.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

     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 S.B. No. 823, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 823, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair