STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2068

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    GOV. MSG. NO. 605

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred Governor's Message No. 605, submitting for study and consideration the nomination of: 

 

Director of the Department of Human Services

 

G.M. No. 605

PANKAJ BHANOT,

for a term to expire at noon on 12-05-2022,

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     Your Committee reviewed the personal history, resume, and statement submitted by Pankaj Bhanot for service as the Director of Human Services.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination for the reappointment of Mr. Bhanot from the Governor; Lieutenant Governor; Department of Transportation; Department of Public Safety; Department of Hawaiian Home Lands; Department of Human Resources Development; Department of Accounting and General Services; Department of Health; Department of Labor and Industrial Relations; Department of Agriculture; Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Department of Taxation; Department of Budget and Finance; Office of Enterprise Technology Services; Office of Community Services; Hawaii Public Housing Authority; State Procurement Office; Oahu Economic Development Board; Hawaii Disability Rights Center; Parents and Children Together; Healthcare Association of Hawaii; Hawaii Medical Service Association; Goodwill Industries of Hawaii, Inc.; Hawai‘i Public Policy Advocates; SanHi Government Strategies, LLLP; ‘Ohana Health Plan; One Shared Future; and over thirty individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that Mr. Bhanot is currently the Director of Human Services, one of the largest state departments which is responsible for providing timely, efficient, and effective programs, services, and benefits to empower those who are the most vulnerable in the State to expand their capacity for self-sufficiency, self-determination, independence, healthy choices, quality of life, and personal dignity.  Previously, Mr. Bhanot served as Deputy Director of Human Services, where he managed the day-to-day operations of the Department of Human Services and provided supervisory and management support to the divisions, staff offices, and attached agencies.  Prior to that, he served as the Division Administrator for the Benefit, Employment, and Support Services Division of the Department of Human Services, where he provided leadership for the State's self-sufficiency and economic assistance programs.  Mr. Bhanot earned a Master of Laws in International Human Rights Law from Cornell Law School and a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Delhi.

 

     Your Committee believes that Mr. Bhanot, with almost two decades of experience in various leadership positions in the Department of Human Services, possesses the qualifications to continue to serve as Director of Human Services and lead the Department in implementing its mission.  More particularly, his collaborative approach and commitment to serve are indicative of the type of leadership that is needed at the Department of Human Services.  Testifiers commented on Mr. Bhanot's dedication to providing the most vulnerable with the resources that they need to live successful, independent lives.  Testifiers also commented that Mr. Bhanot has already proven to be an effective and dynamic leader and has led the charge in enabling the Department to improve its effectiveness on reducing poverty in Hawaii.

 

     Your Committee notes from Mr. Bhanot's personal statement that his goals for the Department of Human Services are to improve self-sufficiency and well-being of Hawaii's individuals and families, improve services integration and delivery to develop solutions for sustainable outcomes, and improve staff health and development.  Mr. Bhanot believes that the future of delivery of human services will be shaped by trends and forces in the economy, employment, automation and other technology, policies, social attitudes and values, and environmental conditions, as well as the visions of communities and human services providers.  Mr. Bhanot intends to focus on reinventing the Department with agile service delivery by creating a more open and collaborative culture to stimulate innovation, apply cloud and cognitive process automation to improve business agility, and respond rapidly to disruptions and new waves of citizen and customer demands; marrying data with design by using human-centered design thinking to understand data collected to create authentic citizen and customer experiences, bring designers and data analysts together with citizens, businesses, and other ecosystem partners, and focus on the needs of citizens and businesses; and liberate talent by being clear and transparent on expectations, encouraging people to use ingenuity, experiment, and take risks, and looking for staff who can communicate well and are comfortable working in cross-functional teams.  Mr. Bhanot expressed that he is excited for the opportunity to build on the foundation that the Department's team has already established and continue the Department's mission.

 

     Your Committee finds that Mr. Bhanot has the leadership skills, intelligence, knowledge, dedication, and compassion to continue to serve as the Director of Human Services.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the nominee, has found the nominee to be qualified for the position to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nomination.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services,

 

 

 

____________________________

RUSSELL E. RUDERMAN, Chair