STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3219

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2500

H.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 2500, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING APPROPRIATIONS TO PROVIDE FOR THE EXPENSES OF THE LEGISLATURE, THE AUDITOR, THE LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE BUREAU, THE OMBUDSMAN, AND THE ETHICS COMMISSION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate moneys for the legislative branch of the State of Hawaii.

Specifically, this measure appropriates moneys for:

(1) The Senate and the House of Representatives for the period up to and including June 30, 2023; and

(2) The Office of the Auditor, Legislative Reference Bureau, Office of the Ombudsman, and State Ethics Commission for fiscal year 2022-2023.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Legislative Reference Bureau, Office of the Auditor, Office of the Ombudsman, Hawaii State Ethics Commission, League of Women Voters Hawaii, and one individual.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that this measure appropriates sufficient funds to defray necessary expenses of the Senate and House of Representatives, including expenses for a legislative information system and legislative broadcasting system, along with funds necessary to support the operations of the Office of the Auditor, Legislative Reference Bureau, Office of the Ombudsman, and State Ethics Commission.

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. 2500, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair