55
THE SENATE                           S.C.R. NO.            S.D. 1
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________


                    SENATE  CONCURRENT
                        RESOLUTION
  REQUESTING THE AUDITOR TO CONDUCT A MANAGEMENT AUDIT OF THE
    DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES.


 1        WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii is a unique place, home to
 2   countless species of endemic and indigenous plant, animal, and
 3   insect species; and
 4   
 5        WHEREAS, vital to the protection and preservation of these
 6   species is the role of the appointed guardian of the lands upon
 7   which they live; and
 8   
 9        WHEREAS, as the state-appointed guardian of public lands,
10   the Department of Land and Natural Resources is charged with
11   the wide-ranging responsibility to protect, manage, and
12   preserve all lands and activities under its jurisdiction; and
13   
14        WHEREAS, more specifically, under state law, the
15   Department of Land and Natural Resources is charged with the
16   responsibility to "manage, administer, and exercise control
17   over public lands, the water resources, ocean waters, navigable
18   streams, coastal areas (excluding commercial harbor areas), and
19   minerals and all other interests therein and exercise such
20   powers of disposition thereof as may be authorized by law"; and
21   
22        WHEREAS, the Department is also charged with the
23   responsibility to "manage and administer the state parks,
24   historical sites, forests, forest reserves, aquatic life and
25   aquaculture programs, aquatic life sanctuaries, public fishing
26   areas, boating, ocean recreation, and coastal programs,
27   wildlife, wildlife sanctuaries, game management areas, public
28   hunting areas, natural area reserves, and other functions
29   assigned by law"; and
30   
31        WHEREAS, reports by the Auditor over the last seven years
32   regarding the Department of Land and Natural Resources have
33   indicated that the department has not been fully accomplishing
34   its mandated responsibilities; and
35   
36        WHEREAS, the Land and Historic Preservation Divisions and
37   the Bureau of Conveyances have been the topic of recent
38   criticism with regard to their inefficient handling and

 
Page 2                                                     55
                                  S.C.R. NO.            S.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1   processing of work; and
 2   
 3        WHEREAS, other divisions and operations under the
 4   jurisdiction of the department, such as the Aquatic Resources
 5   Division, the Forestry and Wildlife Division, and the Boating
 6   and Ocean Recreation Division, have also been subject to
 7   scrutiny as well; now, therefore,
 8   
 9        BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twentieth Legislature
10   of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 1999, the House of
11   Representatives concurring, that the Auditor is requested to
12   conduct a management audit of the Department of Land and
13   Natural Resources; and
14   
15        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Auditor determine the
16   degree to which the Department of Land and Natural Resources
17   has been fulfilling its responsibilities as stipulated under
18   Title 12, Hawaii Revised Statutes, other legislative mandates,
19   and any directive or order by the Governor to the department;
20   and
21   
22        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that as part of its review, the
23   Auditor examine the Department of Land and Natural Resources'
24   organizational structure, personnel management practices
25   regarding both excluded and civil service employees, and
26   performance benchmarking techniques; and
27   
28        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Land and
29   Natural Resources cooperate with the Auditor in the performance
30   of the audit; and
31   
32        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Auditor submit the
33   findings and recommendations to the Legislature no later than
34   twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of
35   2001; and
36   
37        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
38   Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the
39   Board of Land and Natural Resources and to the Auditor.