Bill Text: HI SB646 | 2010 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Public Accountability; Executive Decisions; Transparency

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2009-05-11 - Carried over to 2010 Regular Session. [SB646 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2010-SB646-Amended.html

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STAND. COM. REP. NO. 557

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 646

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 646 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to require the Governor to explain, in writing, to the Legislature all policy decisions that reduce or limit appropriations previously approved by the Legislature.

 

Two private individuals submitted testimony in support of this measure.  The Office of the Governor and one state department submitted testimony opposed to this measure.

 

Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

 

     Your Committee notes that, particularly in these austere financial times, the Governor, on many occasions, has reduced, withheld, or otherwise limited previously approved legislative appropriations.  Your Committee feels that it is critical to the integrity of the budgetary process, that the Governor provide an explanation to the Legislature for the reduction, withholding, or otherwise limiting of any previously approved appropriation by the Legislature.  Furthermore, your Committee finds that an explanation of the Governor's policy decisions that affect appropriations and programs previously approved by the Legislature would encourage cooperative problem solving to help our State move forward.

 

Your Committee has amended this bill to:

 

     (1)  Clarify that an explanation from the Governor is also required when appropriations are withheld or otherwise limited; and

 

     (2)  Make a technical amendment to replace a missing word.

 

     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 S.B. No. 646, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 646, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

		____________________________ DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair