Ombudsman, Legislative Reference Bureau and State Auditor back bill funding positions; committee passes measure

Officials from the state Ombudsman’s office, the Legislative Reference Bureau and the State Auditor told the joint Senate committees they support a bill to provide funding and positions for their offices, and the committees advanced the measure.

Robin Masanaga, the state ombudsman, said she stood on written testimony in support of the bill. Charlotte Carter Yamauchi, director of the Legislative Reference Bureau, told senators the bureau “stands in strong support” and described specific staffing needs: reestablishing the systems office as a full division and adding an administrator, an information-technology position, and a securities position to support software and IT functions. Yamauchi said the bureau has budget resources to fill other positions but has been unable to hire without the requested structure.

State Auditor Lehi Kondo said his office supports the bill “as it relates to my office and the funding to my office,” and noted the auditor’s office had started two audits — one on the Department of Education’s Farm to School program and one on the Department of Transportation’s leasing of mooring slips at state harbors — and expressed a desire to provide more regular oversight to the legislature.

Robert Harris appeared on behalf of the Hawaii State Ethics Commission and said the commission would submit written testimony and be available for questions.

The chair recorded committee action to pass HB1440 (Ombudsman) unamended. Committee members did not record questions requiring additional direction for the agencies beyond the staffing requests and written testimony included in the record.