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THE SENATE |
S.C.R. NO. |
197 |
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THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 |
S.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
H.D. 1 |
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SENATE CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION
REQUESTING THE OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR TO CONDUCT A COMPREHENSIVE PERFORMANCE AUDIT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION'S CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
WHEREAS, the Department of Education manages the largest public infrastructure portfolio in the State, including hundreds of public school campuses and facilities that require ongoing maintenance, renovation, and construction; and
WHEREAS, capital improvement projects are critical to ensuring that public school facilities are safe, functional, modern, and capable of supporting student learning and educational outcomes; and
WHEREAS, the State has appropriated significant funding over time for school facility planning, design, construction, and deferred maintenance projects; and
WHEREAS, concerns have been raised regarding the size and duration of the Department of Education's capital improvement project backlog and the pace at which projects are implemented and completed; and
WHEREAS, policymakers and the public would benefit from a comprehensive and transparent audit of the Department of Education's capital improvement program; and
WHEREAS, the Office of the Auditor is authorized to conduct performance audits of state agencies and programs to improve accountability, transparency, and effectiveness in the use of public funds; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2026, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Office of the Auditor is requested to conduct a comprehensive performance audit of the Department of Education's capital improvement program; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the audit is requested to include but not be limited to:
(1) Any policies and procedures the Department of Education has adopted to achieve the goals of the program, including how capital improvement projects are prioritized and the internal controls to eliminate or reduce risks that may delay capital improvement projects;
(2) An assessment of the Department of Education's performance relative to those policies and procedures;
(3) A comprehensive audit of any annual funds for any capital improvement projects that have lapsed since 2021;
(4) An assessment of how capital improvement projects are initiated and managed; and
(5) An assessment of any prior state or Department-initiated or contracted studies, reports, or assessments related to school facilities, capital improvement planning, or repair and maintenance backlogs, including the extent to which the Department of Education has implemented or failed to implement the findings and recommendations of such studies, and the reasons for any lack of implementation;
provided that for the purposes of the audit, "capital improvement project" is requested to mean any project for which the Legislature has appropriated funds to the Department of Education as a capital improvement project; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Office of the Auditor is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2027; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Chairperson of the Board of Education, Superintendent of Education, and State Auditor.
DOE; Auditor; CIP; Audits; Report