HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

910

TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2011

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to hawaii grant office.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that competing for federal grant moneys is critical to the funding of numerous programs and that having shared expertise available for state employees will help identify and successfully apply for grants.  The legislature further finds that a Hawaii grant office is necessary to serve as a central source of expertise for all of the procedures involved in the grant application process, including education, training, identifying available grants, and grant writing.  State applications for grants are decentralized, yet consist of many common elements and processes.  In-house agency grant expertise can be improved upon, using the state procurement office as a model.

     This Act provides a structure within the University of Hawaii for a Hawaii grant office that supports state agencies in the pursuit of grant and subsidy funding.

     SECTION 2.  Chapter 304A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new subpart to part IV to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"    .  Hawaii Grant Office

     §304A-A  Hawaii grant office; established.  (a)  There shall be a Hawaii grant office, within the University of Hawaii.  The Hawaii grant office shall be administered by a chief grant officer to be appointed by the governor.

     (b)  The mission of the Hawaii grant office is to support state agencies in the pursuit of grant and subsidy funding.

     (c)  Nothing in this subpart or rules adopted hereunder shall prevent or hinder any agency from applying for, receiving, or using federal funds; complying with the terms or conditions of any grant, bequest, or subsidy; or from satisfying any requirement of a federal statute or regulation to avoid the loss or reduction of federal assistance.

     §304A-B  Definitions.  As used in this subpart, unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

     "Agency" means any department, authority, commission, council, board, committee, institution, legislative body, agency, or other establishment or office of the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of the State, including the office of Hawaiian affairs.

     "Grant" means the furnishing of assistance, whether financial or otherwise, to any recipient to support a program authorized by law.  The term does not include an award for which the primary purpose is to procure an end product, whether in the form of goods, services, or construction; a contract resulting from such an award is not a grant but a procurement contract.

     "Recipient" means any organization or person receiving a grant or subsidy.

     "Subsidy" means an award of funds, by an appropriation to a recipient specified in the appropriation, to reduce the costs incurred by the organization or individual in providing a service available to some or all members of the public.

     §304A-C  Chief grant officer; authority; duties.  (a)  The chief grant officer shall:

     (1)  Establish and maintain programs for the organization and coordination of grant activities;

     (2)  Perform periodic reviews of grant and subsidy practices of all governmental agencies and recipients;

     (3)  Assist, advise, and guide agencies in matters relating to grants and subsidies;

     (4)  Coordinate, arrange for, and provide technical assistance, including proposal editing and other suggestions, to agencies to improve their grant writing and programs;

     (5)  Develop and administer a comprehensive statewide grant and subsidy orientation, education, and training program;

     (6)  Conduct grant and subsidy education, training, and activities for agency employees and grant partners;

     (7)  Coordinate or conduct instructional programs, including classes, courses, workshops, seminars, and research studies or projects;

     (8)  Develop, distribute, and maintain a grant and subsidy manual for agency officials;

     (9)  Review and assess applicable innovations in grant methods or processes in other governmental jurisdictions or as described in national or regional publications;

    (10)  Conduct and promote research, conferences, and studies to improve the grant and subsidy process, laws, policies, methods, rules, procedures, and forms;

    (11)  Report on and make recommendations regarding goals, guidelines, innovations, and evaluation of state and local government grant and subsidy initiatives;

    (12)  Establish and maintain a grant and subsidy library;

    (13)  Work with state agencies and partners as necessary to assist in developing plans for their grant and subsidy needs;

    (14)  Seek funding from private and public sources, including state and federal government, to support agency planning;

    (15)  Identify external grant opportunities, develop grant proposals in response to these opportunities, coordinate the grant proposal approval process, and track grant activity;

    (16)  Serve as the centralized location for support and coordination of all external grant activity; and

    (17)  Submit a summary report to the legislature no later than twenty days before the convening of each regular legislative session describing the activities, efforts, lessons learned, and recommendations by the grant office.

     §304A-D  Grant policy board; established; membership.  (a)  There is created an autonomous state grant policy board.

     (b)  The policy board shall consist of nine members.  Notwithstanding the limitations of section 78-4, the members of the board shall include:

     (1)  The comptroller;

     (2)  Two county employees with significant high-level grant experience; and

     (3)  Six persons, including a grant professional, two members with significant high-level federal grant experience, and two members with significant experience in the fields of education, health, or human services.

     (c)  Each appointed member of the policy board shall have demonstrated sufficient business or professional experience to discharge the functions of the policy board.  Other than the comptroller, the members of the policy board shall be appointed by the governor from a list of three individuals for each vacant position, to be submitted by a nominating committee.  The nominating committee shall be composed of the following four individuals:

     (1)  Two members appointed by the governor;

     (2)  One member appointed by the president of the senate; and

     (3)  One member appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

Except as provided in this section, the selection and terms of the policy board members shall be subject to the requirements of section 26-34.  The members of the policy board shall devote sufficient time to their duties as may be necessary for the proper discharge thereof.

     (d)  The policy board shall be assisted by employees of the department of accounting and general services, which shall provide at least one full-time support staff and funding necessary to support the policy board.

     (e)  Members of the policy board shall be reimbursed for any expenses, including travel expenses, reasonably incurred in the performance of their duties.

     (f)  The chairperson of the policy board shall be elected annually by a majority of its members from among all of its members.

     §304A-E  Authority and duties of the grant policy board.  Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the policy board shall have the authority and responsibility to adopt rules, consistent with this chapter, governing the facilitation of grants and subsidies.  All rules shall be adopted in accordance with chapter 91; provided that the policy board may issue interim rules by procurement directives, which shall be exempt from the public notice, public hearing, and gubernatorial approval requirements of chapter 91.  The interim rules shall be effective for not more than eighteen months.  The policy board shall consider and decide matters of policy within the scope of this subpart including those referred to it by the chief grant officer.  The policy board shall have the power to audit and monitor the implementation of its rules and the requirements of this subpart, but shall not exercise authority over the award or administration of any particular grant or subsidy, or over any dispute, claim, or litigation pertaining thereto.

     §304A-F  Grant advisory groups.  (a)  The chief grant officer may appoint grant advisory groups to assist in specific areas and any other matter that the chief grant officer deems necessary.

     (b)  Members of grant advisory groups may be reimbursed for expenses incurred in the performance of their duties, subject to such expenditure limitations prescribed by the policy board and applicable law.

     §304A-G  Interagency collaboration.  Agency participation in grant office efforts to plan, coordinate, advise, train, and assist in the grant process, including the sharing of information on community needs, best practices, and available resources, shall be encouraged.  Agency officers and employees shall cooperate with the grant office and furnish to them appropriate resources and information related to grant and subsidy activities as may be called for in connection with the duties of the grant office.  The information shall be provided in a timely manner and shall be free of charge."

     SECTION 3.  In codifying the new sections added by section 2 of this Act, the revisor of statutes shall substitute appropriate section numbers for the letters used in designating the new sections in this Act.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

 

 


 


 

Report Title:

University of Hawaii; Hawaii Grant Office; Establishment

 

Description:

Establishes the Hawaii grant office within the University of Hawaii system to support state agencies in the pursuit of grant and subsidy funding.

 

 

 

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