STAND. COM. REP. NO. 711

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 286

       S.D. 2

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 286, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE OFFICE OF THE STATE INSPECTOR GENERAL,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to promote accountability and integrity in government.

Specifically, the measure:

     (1)  Establishes the Office of the State Inspector General, to be headed by the State Inspector General, within the Department of the Attorney General for administrative purposes only; and

     (2)  Requires the Office of the State Inspector General to investigate alleged fraud, waste, abuse, or corruption by any state agency, quasi-public agency, or any officer or employee of a state agency or quasi-public agency.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from one individual.  The Department of the Attorney General provided written comments on the measure.

     Your Committee finds that accountability is essential to maintaining public trust in government.  Your Committee believes that by establishing the Office of the State Inspector General to perform independent investigations and reviews, this measure will promote integrity and accountability, maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of state agencies, and provide objective and useful information to state officials and the general public.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Placing the Office of the State Inspector General within the Judiciary, rather than the Department of the Attorney General, for administrative purposes only; and

     (2)  Making a conforming amendment to change the expending agency for the measure's appropriation from the Department of the Attorney General to the Judiciary.

     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. 286, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 286, S.D. 2.

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

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair