STAND. COM. REP. NO.  713

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   H.B. No. 696

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 696 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE OFFICE OF THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide support to neighbor island residents who hold the position of Lieutenant Governor by providing an allowance, separate from the Lieutenant Governor's salary, to cover personal expenses incurred in the performance of official duties that require overnight stays on Oahu.

The Office of the Governor testified in support of this measure.  The Department of the Attorney General provided comments on this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Specifying that the authorized allowance for the Lieutenant Governor should be set at a daily rate by agreement of the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives;

     (2)  Removing references to transportation expenses and the federal employee per diem schedule from the calculation of the allowance; 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. 696, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 696, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair