STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3526

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 82

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 82 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE AUDITOR TO CONDUCT A PERFORMANCE AUDIT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, HAWAII STATE HOSPITAL, AND HAWAII INFORMATION PORTAL,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Auditor to conduct a performance audit of the Hawaii Information Portal which includes an assessment of the procedures used by the Department of Health and Hawaii State Hospital relating to the Hawaii Information Portal.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO; and seventeen individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health and Office of the Auditor.

Your Committee finds that in October 2016, the State initiated a state payroll system modernization project known as the Hawaii Information Portal which was completed in January 2019. However, the Legislature has received numerous reports of complications related to the State's transition to this new system, including incorrectly calculated work hours, overtime hours, and leave time. Your Committee finds that the Office of the Ombudsman has investigated and substantiated at least one formal complaint against the Hawaii State Hospital and Department of Health relating to the Hawaii Information Portal. Therefore, this measure requires the Auditor to conduct a performance audit of the Hawaii Information Portal, particularly as it relates to the Department of Health and Hawaii State Hospital, to ensure that state workers receive their earned pay and benefits.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 82 and recommends its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

________________________________

JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE, Chair