STAND. COM. REP. NO. 941

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 

 

RE:     S.B. No. 576

        S.D. 3

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 576, S.D. 2, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO GOVERNMENT,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to promote openness and transparency in state government.

 

     More specifically, the measure:

 

     (1)  Requires reports of official travel by employees, officers, or other representatives of state departments or agencies to be made available for public review on the Comptroller's website, except for personally identifiable information; and

 

     (2)  Appropriates funds to the Department of Accounting and General Services to implement and manage public access to the travel reports.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Accounting and General Services.

 

     Your Committee finds that the reporting required by this measure will enhance open government, transparency, and accountability by improving public access to this information.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Specifying that the Judiciary and University of Hawaii are included among the state departments and agencies whose employees or other representatives are required to report official travel;

 

     (2)  Changing the appropriation from $100,000 to an unspecified amount; and

 

     (3)  Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     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. 576, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 576, S.D. 3.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair