STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1257

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 792

       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 Government Operations, to which was referred H.B. No. 792, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO GOVERNMENT SERVICES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to clarify the Office of the Legislative Analyst.  

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Hawaiʻi Children's Action Network Speaks!.

 

     Your Committee finds that Hawaii is the only state in the nation without an independent office or process for creating fiscal notes, informed estimates of the potential fiscal impact of a bill.  While the Office of the Legislative Analyst was established in 1990 to serve this critical function, it was never funded or staffed.  This measure clarifies the Office of the Legislative Analyst to facilitate its future implementation.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by inserting an effective date of January 1, 2491, to encourage further discussion.

 

     Your Committee notes that the Office of the Legislative Analyst has not been functional in the thirty-five years since it was established.  Your Committee finds that this issue raises concerns that merit further consideration and respectfully requests that future Committees to which this measure is referred examine whether the Office of the Legislative Analyst is still necessary.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 792, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 792, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Government Operations,

 

 

 

________________________________

ANGUS L.K. MCKELVEY, Chair