STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1159

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 839

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Water and Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 839, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Require the Auditor to conduct a performance audit of the Management and Administration Division and Division of Forestry and Wildlife of the Department of Land and Natural Resources and the Department of Land and Natural Resources' Special Land and Development Fund; and

     (2)  Appropriate funds to conduct the audit of the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Waialua Boat Club and six individuals.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Office of the Auditor, and one individual.

     Your Committee finds that audits yield significant information concerning the efficiency of government funding and operations, and are a useful tool for making sound policy decisions in the public interest.  Your Committee notes that this measure is a starting point for the State to exercise its oversight responsibilities and that audits of additional divisions may be conducted in the future.  Finally, your Committee recommends a $300,000 appropriation to conduct the audits.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Deleting the audits of the Management and Administration Division and Division of Forestry and Wildlife of the Department of Land and Natural Resources;

     (2)  Requiring a performance audit of the Land Conservation Fund;

     (3)  Requiring an accounting of the funds received and expenditures made by the Department of Land and Natural Resources for hosting the 2016 International Union for Conservation of Nature World Conservation Congress; and

     (4)  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 Water and Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 839, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 839, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water and Land,

________________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair