SB296 HD1

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that state agencies are required to submit hundreds of reports to the legislature each year. Specifically, four hundred seventy-three recurring reports are required pursuant to the Hawaii Revised Statutes, and an additional thirty recurring reports are either required by various session laws or requested by concurrent resolution. However, the legislature notes that there is currently no uniform deadline by which agencies must submit these reports. There is no deadline specified in statute at all for certain reports. The legislature believes that requesting the administration to recommend a uniform submission deadline for these reports will simplify the submission process and create a consistent timeline for the preparation of reports by agencies and facilitate the timely and thoughtful review of those reports by the legislature.

The legislature further finds that the State, like many employers, is facing an unprecedented worker shortage. As of November 2022, the department of human resources development reported nearly four thousand vacant civil service positions throughout the state executive branch agencies within its purview. Because the preparation of reports requires a significant investment of time and resources by agencies, the legislature believes that it is an ideal time to review the necessity of statutorily required annual reports with a view to streamline reporting requirements to allow for the more efficient and effective use of state resources. The resources saved through this process may be redirected to focus on core agency functions, especially services that directly benefit citizens of the State.

Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to provide for increased government effectiveness and efficiency by requiring the governor to review recommendations from each principal department of the State regarding the required reports for each department and submit a report to the legislature that:

(1) Recommends a uniform date by which statutorily required reports shall be submitted to the legislature;

(2) Identifies any reports that should not be subject to this uniform submission deadline, and the reasons therefor;

(3) Identifies any duplicative, obsolete, or extraneous reporting requirements that should be repealed; and

(4) Includes proposed legislation to implement the proposed uniform submission deadline and streamline existing reporting requirements.

SECTION 2. (a) Each principal department of the State, in consultation with its attached agencies, shall examine the current statutory reporting requirements of the department and its attached agencies and recommend:

(1) A uniform submission deadline by which the agency's required reports shall be submitted to the legislature;

(2) Any reports that the department determines should not be subject to the uniform submission deadline pursuant to paragraph (1), and the reasons therefor; and

(3) Proposed legislation to:

(A) Implement the proposed uniform submission deadline;

(B) Implement alternate deadlines, if any, for reports identified under paragraph (2);

(D) Streamline reporting requirements to provide for the efficient and effective use of state resources through the consolidation of any extraneous or duplicative reports.

(b) Each principal department shall submit its recommendations to the governor no later than October 1, 2023.

(1) A recommended uniform submission deadline by which required agency reports shall be submitted to the legislature;

(2) Identification of any reports that the governor determines should not be subject to the uniform submission deadline pursuant to paragraph (1), and the reasons therefor; and

(3) Proposed legislation, for which a separate bill shall be submitted for each principal department and its attached agencies, to:

(A) Implement the proposed uniform submission deadline;

(B) Implement alternate deadlines, if any, for reports identified under paragraph (2);

(D) Streamline reporting requirements to provide for the efficient and effective use of state resources through the consolidation of any extraneous or duplicative reports;

provided that the governor shall include the proposed legislation required under this subsection as part of the governor's legislative package that is to be submitted to the presiding officers of each chamber of the legislature for the regular session of 2024.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on June 30, 3000.

Report Title:

Reports to Legislature; Governor; Principal Departments; Deadline; Streamlining; Consolidation

Description:

Requires the Governor and state agencies to recommend a date by which statutorily required reports must be submitted to the Legislature, and to identify any reports that should not be subject to that uniform date and the reasons therefor. Requires the Governor to propose legislation to implement the proposed deadline and streamline existing reporting requirements by repealing or consolidating any duplicative, obsolete, or extraneous reports. Effective 6/30/3000. (HD1)

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

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	296
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2023		S.D. 2
STATE OF HAWAII		H.D. 1