STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1532

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 Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 839, H.D. 1, S.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 provide accountability and transparency with respect to certain funds and expenditures of the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

     Specifically, the measure:

(1)  Requires the Auditor to:

(A)  Conduct a performance audit of the Department of Land and Natural Resources' special land and development fund and land conservation fund, and review contracts, grants, and memoranda of understanding involving those funds; and

(B)  Conduct an accounting of the funds received and expenditures made by the Department of Land and Natural Resources for the purposes of hosting the 2016 International Union for Conservation of Nature World Conservation Congress, including expenditures of funds appropriated to the Department pursuant to Act 62, Session Laws of Hawaii 2016; and

     (2)  Appropriates funds to the Auditor for these purposes.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii and two individuals.

     The Department of Land and Natural Resources, Office of the Auditor, Maunalua Fishpond Heritage Center, and The Trust for Public Land submitted written comments on the measure.

     Your Committee finds that periodic audits of governmental funds are in the public interest.  Your Committee anticipates that the information and recommendations gained from the audits and accounting will help legislative and executive branch decision makers to address concerns raised about efficient and effective use of departmental resources.

     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 H.B. No. 839, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair