STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1711

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.R. No. 27

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.R. No. 27 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE AUDITOR TO CONDUCT A PERFORMANCE AUDIT OF THE OPERATIONS AND MANAGEMENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES' DIVISION OF BOATING AND OCEAN RECREATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Auditor to conduct a performance audit of the operations and management of the Department of Land and Natural Resources' Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Wailoa River and Reeds Bay Boating and Users Association and twelve individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committee finds that community members have expressed numerous concerns about the Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation, particularly its lack of effective communication with the boating community, an inconsistent approach to interpreting and enforcing administrative rules, and issues of employee misconduct complaints and ethics violations. The Office of the Auditor previously conducted a management audit of state boating facilities operations from July 1, 1998, to June 30, 2000, and in April 2001 issued a report finding that mismanagement of state boating facilities has been a recurring problem. Given these long-standing, persistent concerns, your Committee further finds it is in the public interest for the Auditor to conduct a performance audit of the current operations and management of the Division.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 27 and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water & Land,

____________________________

LINDA ICHIYAMA, Chair