Bill Text: HI HCR196 | 2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

Hawaii House Concurrent Resolution 196 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: LRB Study; DOT; Divisional Consolidation of Common Functions

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-03-17 - (H) The committee(s) recommends that the measure be deferred. [HCR196 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2010-HCR196-Introduced.html

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	196
TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2010
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

REQUESTING A STUDY TO DETERMINE IF SAVINGS MAY BE ACHIEVED BY HAVING THE highways, harbors, and airports DIVISIONS SHARE CERTAIN COMMON FUNCTIONS.

WHEREAS, House Concurrent Resolution No. 76, S.D. 1, 2009, established a Task Force on Reinventing Government to examine the current operations and organization of state government and make recommendations on making state government more efficient; and

WHEREAS, the Task Force on Reinventing Government organized a Department of Transportation/Transportation Subcommittee (Subcommittee) to examine issues germane to transportation in the State; and

WHEREAS, among the recommendations of the Subcommittee was to realize efficiency and savings through shared functions, rationalization of positions, and increased accountability within the Department of Transportation (DOT); and

WHEREAS, the finding of the Subcommittee, as included in the Report of the Task Force on Reinventing Government, stated:

"The Subcommittee finds that Hawaii's DOT is the only state transportation department in the United States that oversees all three modes of transportation: airports, harbors, and highways. In other states, these three modes are usually administered separately and are often supported by dedicated, independent authorities. On the other hand, Hawaii DOT's consolidated structure could allow for shared functions and economies of scale; however, that has not happened to date.

The Subcommittee further finds that some savings may be achieved by having the three divisions share functions such as planning, administration, and personnel, rather than replicating those functions within each division. It has also been observed that there may be an excess number of staff, particularly in the lower-ranking, clerical levels. Similarly, it has been mentioned that the organizational structure of the DOT has not changed significantly for decades. Some positions are obsolete, while newer disciplines, such as environmental studies and economic analysis, are not staffed."; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature believes that the DOT may be needlessly duplicating administrative functions common to each of the three divisions and consolidation of those functions may be in order, in accordance with the recommendation of the Subcommittee; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fifth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2010, the Senate concurring, that the Legislative Reverence Bureau is requested to conduct a study, with the assistance of the Department of Transportation, to determine if savings may be achieved by having the Highways, Harbors, and Airports Divisions of the Department of Transportation share certain functions common to all three divisions; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study include a determination of whether functions such as planning, administration, and personnel might be consolidated rather than replicating those functions within each division; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study include, but not be limited to:

(1) An assessment of whether there may be an excess number of staff, particularly at lower-ranking, clerical levels; and

(2) A determination of whether positions are obsolete, in view of the fact that newer disciplines such as environmental studies and economic analysis, are not currently adequately staffed; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislative Reference Bureau report its findings and recommendations, including proposed legislation, if any, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2011; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of the Legislative Reference Bureau, the Director of Transportation, and the Chair of the Task Force on Reinventing Government.