STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1195

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.R. No. 45

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred S.R. No. 45 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE AUDITOR TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES AND CONCERNS RAISED BY THE SENATE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON ACCOUNTABILITY RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Legislative Auditor to address the issues and concerns raised by the Senate Special Committee on Accountability relating to oversight and transparency of University of Hawaii's fiscal and operational administration.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from one individual.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the University of Hawai‘i System.

     Your Committee finds that the Senate Special Committee on Accountability raised a number of issues and concerns relating to, among other things, the oversight and transparency of the University of Hawaii's fiscal and operational administration, including the role of the Board of Regents, as well as the guidelines and procurement exemptions used by the University for outside legal, consulting, and public relations services.

     While your Committee acknowledges that the University of Hawaii System is attempting to address these concerns through its own task group, your Committee believes that these issues are of statewide concern and that an audit of the University of Hawaii System by the Legislative Auditor is necessary.  Your Committee notes that the audit is just one of eighteen recommendations made by the Senate Special Committee on Accountability.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 45, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 45, S.D. 1.

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

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair