STAND. COM. REP. NO. 94

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: S.B. No. 453

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation and Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 453 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE OFFICE OF THE OMBUDSMAN,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the Ombudsman or an authorized representative to obtain state tax returns and return information in connection with the official duties of the Ombudsman.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Ombudsman. Comments were received from the Department of Taxation.

The legislature created the Office of the Ombudsman to provide citizens a readily accessible, effective, and knowledgeable "watchdog" of government. In order for the Ombudsman to perform its duties, the law provides that the Ombudsman may make inquiries and obtain relevant information as the Ombudsman deems fit. This measure is in furtherance of those powers.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation and Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 453, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 453, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation and Government Operations,

____________________________

LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair