THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2604
TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2018
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that every year laws are enacted that require government departments, agencies, and offices to conduct new studies and audits and to report the findings and recommendations of those studies and audits to the legislature. The volume of reports required each year and the number of reporting entities involved in creating those reports makes it difficult for the legislature to effectively track and review the required reports for purposes of accountability. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a streamlined system in which the legislature can be accurately informed about which departments, agencies, and offices are and are not meeting their reporting requirements.

The legislature also finds that the legislative reference bureau is already tasked with creating a report outlining which bills require the submission of a report to the legislature. The legislative reference bureau is therefore the appropriate entity to collect and manage more detailed information relating to required reports and the submission of those reports to the legislature each session.

Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to require the legislative reference bureau to:

(1) Develop a spreadsheet informing members of the legislature on the status and content of all reports to be submitted to the legislature as required by law or requested by legislative resolution; and

(2) Inform the legislature of all annual and other reports required by law to be submitted to the legislature or requested by legislative resolution that were not timely submitted.

SECTION 2. Section 23G-5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"[[]§23G-5[]] Annual and other reports to be submitted to legislature; tracking, monitoring, reporting, coordination. (a) The legislative reference bureau shall develop a system to track and monitor the submission of reports to the legislature by executive agencies and the judiciary. The system shall encompass all annual and other reports required by law to be submitted to the legislature, or requested by legislative resolution.

(b) For all annual and other reports required by law to be submitted to the legislature, or requested by legislative resolution, the legislative reference bureau shall create a spreadsheet detailing the following:

(1) The number of the Act or resolution requiring the report;

(2) A description of the required contents of the report;

(3) The amount of money appropriated for the study that was the basis for the report and for the compilation of the report; and

(4) The date upon which the legislature received the required report.

The legislative reference bureau shall make available a copy of the spreadsheet to all members of the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of each regular session.

(c) The legislative reference bureau shall inform the legislature of all annual and other reports required by law to be submitted to the legislature, or requested by legislative resolution, that were not timely submitted no later than ten days after the convening of each regular session."

SECTION 3. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

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Report Title:

Government Accountability; Legislative Reference Bureau; Studies and Reports

Description:

Requires the Legislative Reference Bureau to develop a spreadsheet informing members of the legislature on the status and content of all reports to be submitted to the legislature as required by law or requested by legislative resolution. Requires the legislative reference bureau to inform the legislature of all annual and other reports required by law to be submitted to the legislature or requested by legislative resolution that were not timely submitted.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.