Report Title:

University of Hawaii; Financial Administration

 

Description:

Grants authority to the University of Hawaii to adopt administrative rules to help manage and regulate public activity on lands it leases and controls on Mauna Kea, including the Mauna Kea Science Reserve, Hale Pohaku, and the connecting roadway corridor.  Allows the University to assess and collect administrative fines and to deposit such fines into a newly established Mauna Kea Management Special Fund.

 


HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1174

TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII.

 

 

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

 


     SECTION 1.  Pursuant to the Constitution and statutes of the State of Hawaii, the University of Hawaii is vested with autonomous authority to control and manage its educational and proprietary affairs.  This authority extends to the use and oversight of lands and real property owned by the university or leased, demised, or transferred to the university from various owners, including state, federal, or private entities, for the furtherance of the university's educational, research, and agricultural activities.

     Such autonomous authority presumably carries with it the necessary legal means to supervise, oversee, and permit public activities on lands it leases and controls on Mauna Kea, including the Mauna Kea Science Reserve, Hale Pohaku, and the connecting roadway corridor between Hale Pohaku and the Mauna Kea Science Reserve (collectively the Mauna Kea lands), and may be implied from the autonomous character of the university.  Nevertheless, the purpose of this measure is to clarify and add certainty to the law relating to the university's authority to manage and control public activities on the Mauna Kea lands by granting express authority to the university to adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91, Hawaii Revised Statutes, relating to public activities permitted or occurring on the Mauna Kea lands.  In adopting such rules, the university shall address and reconcile any conflicts with other statutes or rules that are applicable to the Mauna Kea lands.

     Administrative rules governing public and commercial activities on the Mauna Kea lands are necessary to provide effective protection of cultural and natural resources from certain public activities, and to help ensure public health and safety.  Administrative rules currently in effect for the surrounding forest reserve and natural area reserve lands managed by the department of land and natural resources do not apply to the Mauna Kea lands.  Examples of public and commercial activities that could be covered by administrative rules include:

     (1)  General access to sensitive resource areas, such as specific cultural features and identified natural resource habitat areas;

     (2)  Traffic and off-road vehicle management and control;

     (3)  Alcohol consumption;

     (4)  Snow play activities; and

     (5)  Commercial tour activities.

Access for traditional and customary native Hawaiian cultural and religious purposes will be accommodated.

     Assuming that the university is authorized to adopt administrative rules with respect to the Mauna Kea lands, the university would also require the ability to enforce such rules, including the authority to assess fines for rule violations.  Thus, another purpose of this bill is to grant the university the authority to:

     (1)  Create and establish a system for assessing and collecting fines for rule violations; and

     (2)  Provide an appeal process, in a manner consistent with the Hawaii Administrative Procedure Act, for those accused of committing one or more violations to contest the allegation or allegations.

     Additionally, the university shall encourage and foster a process of collaboration and involvement between its Mauna Kea lands advisory bodies and community interests to ensure that the process of developing any administrative rules for the Mauna Kea lands is accomplished with community participation and input.

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

     "§304A-     Mauna Kea management special fund.  (a)  There is established a University of Hawaii Mauna Kea management special fund into which shall be deposited all revenues, rent, fees, charges, assessments, fines, and other moneys collected by the university in connection with overseeing and managing the Mauna Kea lands, including any fees and charges for the use of land and facilities within the Mauna Kea lands, all moneys collected for violations of administrative rules adopted pursuant to this chapter relating to the Mauna Kea lands, and all revenues, rents, fees, charges, and other moneys collected from entities conducting or receiving moneys attributable to commercial activities within the Mauna Kea lands.  The board of regents of the university may establish rents, fees, and charges, including those for the lease or use of university real property and facilities within the Mauna Kea lands; provided that the university shall comply with all statutory requirements in the disposition of ceded lands.  In establishing and amending the rents, fees, and charges payable in connection with the lease or use of the university real property and facilities, and the oversight and management of the Mauna Kea lands, the board of regents shall be exempt from the public notice, public hearing, and gubernatorial approval requirements of chapter 91.  The rents, fees, and charges payable in connection with the lease or use of the university real property and facilities, and the oversight and management of the Mauna Kea lands, shall be established at an open public meeting subject to the requirements of chapter 92; provided that a copy of the schedule of the rents, fees, and charges is filed in the office of the lieutenant governor prior to taking effect.  The university may establish separate accounts within the special fund for major program activities.  The board of regents, or its designated representative or representatives, may expend the moneys deposited in the Mauna Kea management special fund for:

     (1)  Enforcement of the administrative rules adopted pursuant to this chapter relating to the Mauna Kea lands; and

     (2)  Oversight and management of the Mauna Kea lands, including maintenance, administrative expenses, salaries, wages, and benefits of employees, contractor services, supplies, security, furnishings, equipment, janitorial services, insurance, utilities, and other operational expenses.

All expenditures from this special fund shall be subject to legislative appropriation.

     (b)  Moneys deposited into the Mauna Kea management special fund shall not be used as a basis for reducing any current or future budget request or allotment to the university unless the university requests such a reduction.

     (c)  For purposes of this section, "maintenance" includes repairs, replacement, renewals, operation, and administration.

     (d)  For purposes of this section and section 304A-105, "Mauna Kea lands" means the lands that the university is leasing from the board of land and natural resources, including the Mauna Kea Science Reserve, Hale Pohaku, the connecting roadway corridor between Hale Pohaku and the Mauna Kea Science Reserve, and any other lands on Mauna Kea that the university leases or over which the university acquires control or jurisdiction."

     SECTION 3.  Section 304A-105, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

     "(a)  The board of regents shall have management and control of the general affairs, and exclusive jurisdiction over the internal structure, management, and operation of the university.  The board may:

     (1)  Appoint a treasurer and other officers as it deems necessary;

     (2)  Authorize any officer, elected or appointed by it, to approve and sign on its behalf any voucher or other document that the board may approve and sign;

     (3)  Delegate to the president or the president's designee the authority to render the final decision in contested case proceedings subject to chapter 91, as it deems appropriate;

     (4)  Purchase or otherwise acquire lands, buildings, appliances, and other property for the purposes of the university; and

     (5)  Expend any sums of money as, from time to time, may be placed at the disposal of the university from whatever source; provided that notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, all documents regarding expenditures and changes thereto, made by the board shall be disclosed in open meetings for the purpose of public comment; provided further that all expenditure requests, proposals, and any other budgetary documents used by the board at an open meeting shall be made available to the public at least six calendar days before the meeting.

     All lands, buildings, appliances, and other property so purchased or acquired shall be and remain the property of the university to be used in perpetuity for the benefit of the university.  The board, in accordance with this section and other law, shall manage the inventory, equipment, surplus property, and expenditures of the university and, subject to chapter 91, may adopt rules, further controlling and regulating the same.  The board of regents may also adopt rules, subject to chapter 91, to regulate activities at and within the Mauna Kea lands.  Through rulemaking consistent with chapter 91, the board may set and provide for the assessment and collection of administrative fines for violations of any administrative rule adopted pursuant to chapter 91 relating to the Mauna Kea lands.  The board shall provide for procedures for the purpose of enforcing its rules relating to the Mauna Kea lands.  Fines for violation of rules relating to the Mauna Kea lands shall be established as follows:

     (1)  For the first violation, an administrative fine of not more than $2,500;

     (2)  For the second violation within five years of a previous violation, an administrative fine of not more than $5,000; and

     (3)  For the third and any subsequent violation within five years of the last violation, an administrative fine of not more than $10,000.

     Each day of violation shall constitute a separate violation.

     The board may also assess against a party found to have violated an administrative rule adopted pursuant to this chapter relating to the Mauna Kea lands the costs of any enforcement proceeding, including costs of holding any contested case proceedings.

     The board may institute court action to collect any administrative fines and any costs that are or can be attributable to violations of administrative rules relating to the Mauna Kea lands."

     SECTION 4.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

 

 

BY REQUEST