STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1543

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.R. No. 106

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.R. No. 106 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE AUDITOR TO CONDUCT AN AUDIT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION'S CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT FINANCES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request that the Auditor conduct an audit of the Department of Education's capital improvement projects.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from four individuals.

Your Committee finds that the Department of Education is responsible for the repair and maintenance of 4,425 buildings statewide. Your Committee further finds that the Department of Education received nearly $1,000,000,000 in the 2021–2023 fiscal biennium for capital improvement project appropriations. As of January 2024, the Department of Education had over $2,000,000,000 in unspent capital improvement program funds at school facilities. Your Committee believes that an audit of the Department of Education will help identify any shortcomings in the current distribution of funds and determine any necessary changes to increase the efficiency of the Department of Education's capital improvement repair and maintenance projects.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 106 and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair