STAND. COM. REP. NO.  461

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   H.B. No. 114

      H.D. 2

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 114, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HIGHER EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to assist the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii in discharging its constitutional powers and duties to ensure the responsible use of fiscal resources by the University by establishing an Independent Audit Committee within the Board of Regents.

The University of Hawaii and Office of Information Practices provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying that the Independent Audit Committee is exempt from Hawaii's Sunshine Law, rather than the entirety of chapter 92, Hawaii Revised Statues;

     (2)  Clarifying that Sunshine Law and Administrative Procedures Act exemptions apply only when the Committee is engaging in discussions or proceedings arising from a Committee investigation relating to potentially actionable civil or criminal conduct; 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 Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 114, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 114, H.D. 2, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Higher Education,

____________________________

ISAAC W. CHOY, Chair