STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1774

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1296

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1296, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE MAJOR DISASTER FUND,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require timely notice and reports to the Legislature when appropriations are allotted or transferred to, or expended from, the major disaster fund.

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

Your Committee finds that the notice and reporting requirements established by this measure will provide greater accountability, oversight, and transparency for uses of the Major Disaster Fund.

Your Committee notes that the Department of Budget and Finance requests that the measure's reporting requirement be assigned to the Department of Defense, rather than to the Department of Budget and Finance.

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. 1296, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass 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