| 47 | | - | SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the devastating wildfires brought on by winds from hurricane Dora on August 8, 2023, resulted in one of the worst natural disasters in the State's history. The wildfires caused loss of life and the displacement of thousands on the island of Maui. The disaster also destroyed nearly all of Lahaina. The legislature further finds that to support response and recovery efforts and address immediate 2023 Maui wildfire funding needs, the governor, through several emergency proclamations relating to wildfires and other executive powers, has redirected appropriations from selected general fund operating appropriations originally intended for specific purposes and capital improvement projects, to the department of budget and finance. The department of budget and finance subsequently transferred funds to the major disaster fund. With the veto of S.B. No. 3068, C.D. 2 (2024), and in light of the provisions of S.B. No. 582, C.D. 1 (2024), provisions regarding transparency and accountability for the use of appropriations redirected no longer exist in statute. The legislature believes that full transparency and accountability requires a full accounting of all appropriations transferred and deposited into the major disaster fund, and all reimbursements of Federal Emergency Management Agency funds received by the major disaster fund. In addition, assessing the impacts to departments of the transfers made from various appropriations is vital to ensuring that programs from which funding was transferred remain effective. Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to establish timely notice and reporting requirements to the legislature regarding the transfer of appropriations to the major disaster fund. SECTION 2. Section 127A-16, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows: "(b) No later than [sixty] thirty days after any allotment or transfer by the governor or the expenditure of any fund moneys, the administrator shall report to the legislature on the purpose of the allotment, transfer, or expenditure. The report shall: (1) Describe the allotment, subsequent use of the transferred funds, or the expenditure; and (2) Include an accounting for Federal Emergency Management Agency eligible and ineligible expenses that specify: (A) The date of allotment, transfer, or expenditure; (B) The amount of allotment, transfer, or expenditure; (C) The program identification number from which funds were transferred or expended; (D) The program identification number to which funds were transferred; (E) The impact on the program identification number from which funds are transferred or expended; and (F) A detailed explanation of: (i) The uses of the resources transferred or expended; and (ii) The public purposes served by the transfer of the resources." SECTION 3. (a) No later than the department of budget and finance shall submit to the legislature a detailed report containing the information specified in section 2 of this Act for each appropriation, transfer, reimbursement, subsequent use of funds, and interest earned on federal reimbursement moneys from August 8, 2023, through . (b) No later than thirty days prior to the convening of the regular sessions of 2026 and 2027, the governor shall submit to the legislature a summary report containing the information specified in section 2 of this Act for each use of this authority for the previous twelve-month period from December 1, to November 30 of each year. SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on June 30, 3000, and shall be repealed on June 30, 2027. |
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| 47 | + | SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the devastating wildfires brought on by winds from hurricane Dora on August 8, 2023, resulted in one of the worst natural disasters in the State's history. The wildfires caused loss of life and the displacement of thousands on the island of Maui. The disaster also destroyed nearly all of Lahaina. The legislature further finds that to support response and recovery efforts and address immediate 2023 wildfire funding needs, the governor, through several emergency proclamations relating to wildfires and other executive powers, has redirected appropriations from selected general fund operating appropriations originally intended for specific purposes and capital improvement projects, to the department of budget and finance. The department of budget and finance subsequently transferred funds to the major disaster fund. With the veto of Senate Bill No. 3068, C.D. 2 in 2024, and in light of the provisions of Senate Bill No. 582, C.D. 1, provisions regarding transparency and accountability for the use of appropriations redirected no longer exist in statute. The legislature believes that full transparency and accountability requires a full accounting of all appropriations transferred and deposited into the major disaster fund, and all reimbursements of Federal Emergency Management Agency funds received by the major disaster fund. In addition, assessing the impacts to departments of the transfers made from various appropriations is vital to ensuring that programs from which funding was transferred remain effective. Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to establish timely notice and reporting requirements to the legislature regarding the transfer of appropriations to the major disaster fund. SECTION 2. Section 127A-16, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows: "(b) No later than [sixty] twenty-one days after any allotment or transfer by the governor or the expenditure of any fund moneys, the administrator shall report to the legislature on the purpose of the allotment, transfer, or expenditure. The report shall: (1) Describe the allotment, subsequent use of the transferred funds, or the expenditure; and (2) Include an accounting for Federal Emergency Management Agency eligible and ineligible expenses that specify: (A) The date of allotment, transfer, or expenditure; (B) The amount of allotment, transfer, or expenditure; (C) The program identification number from which funds were transferred or expended; (D) The program identification number to which funds were transferred; (E) The impact on the program identification number from which funds are transferred or expended; and (F) A detailed explanation of: (i) The uses of the resources transferred or expended; and (ii) The public purposes served by the transfer of the resources." SECTION 3. (a) No later than the department of budget and finance shall submit to the legislature a detailed report containing the information specified in section 2 of this Act for each appropriation, transfer, reimbursement, subsequent use of funds, and interest earned on federal reimbursement moneys from August 8, 2023, through . (b) No later than thirty days prior to the convening of the regular sessions of 2026 and 2027, the governor shall submit to the legislature a summary report containing the information specified in section 2 of this Act for each use of this authority for the previous twelve-month period from December 1, to November 30 of each year. SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on June 30, 3000, and shall be repealed on June 30, 2027. |
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