STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3736

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.R. No. 24

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Water and Land and Government Operations, to which was referred S.R. No. 24 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE AUDITOR TO CONDUCT AN AUDIT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES' STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION DIVISION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Auditor to conduct an audit of the Department of Land and Natural Resources' State Historic Preservation Division.

Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committees find that the Department of Land and Natural Resources State Historic Preservation Division serves to protect and preserve historic properties significant to Hawaii's history through several program areas. The State Historic Preservation Division is tasked with many responsibilities such as protection and preservation of historic properties, burial regulation, Hawaii and National Registers, and compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act. The Division has also faced challenges with insufficient staffing and funding. Despite the lack of resources, the Division has digitized approximately forty percent of its reports and project review documents, and the Division also developed and launched the Hawaii Cultural Resources Information System (HICRIS) to initially automate project submittals. With full implementation of HICRIS, the Division will have the ability to process, track, and respond more efficiently to both project reviews and information requests, which will improve decision-making in project planning and review. However, without the resources necessary to carry out its mission, the Division has experienced significant delays in its ability to meet those mission objectives. As the State Historic Preservation Division has a responsibility to protect and preserve Hawaii's historic identity, findings from a report by the Auditor may provide further guidance on internal challenges faced by the State Historic Preservation Division.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water and Land and Government Operations that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 24 and recommend its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water and Land and Government Operations,

________________________________ SHARON MORIWAKI, Chair

________________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair