STAND. COM. REP. NO. 504

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1174

       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 Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1174 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING EMERGENCY APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE OPERATIONS OF THE OFFICE OF THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to make emergency appropriations for costs associated with the operations of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor for fiscal year 2012-2013.

     More specifically, this measure appropriates:

(1)  $131,759 to be used by the Office of the Lieutenant Governor for personnel expenses;

(2)  $85,653 for the purpose of providing protective services to the Lieutenant Governor; and

(3)  $105,000 for the planning, design, and construction for costs related to the operations of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Office of the Governor, Office of the Lieutenant Governor, and Department of Accounting and General Services.

     Your Committee finds that the recent appointment of Senator Brian Schatz to the United States Senate and the subsequent succession of former Senate President Shan S. Tsutsui to the Office of the Lieutenant Governor resulted in unanticipated costs.  Upon Lieutenant Governor Tsutsui's acceptance of office, Governor Abercrombie authorized the establishment of an additional Lieutenant Governor's Office on the island of Maui to allow the Lieutenant Governor to conduct official business on his island of residence and support the Governor's vision of a non-Oahu centric administration.

Your Committee finds that the current budget for fiscal year 2012-2013 for the Office of the Lieutenant Governor does not provide sufficient funds to establish and staff an additional Lieutenant Governor's office, train and provide protection on Maui for the Lieutenant Governor, or fund other operational costs relating to the Office of the Lieutenant Governor.  Your Committee therefore finds that additional funding for the unanticipated costs of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor is necessary to enable Lieutenant Governor Tsutsui to perform his obligations and duties.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Changing the appropriation amount to be used by the Office of the Lieutenant Governor from $131,759 to $126,690; and

(2)  Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     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. 1174, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1174, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair