SCR 197

THE SENATE
S.C.R. NO.
197
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026
S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII
H.D. 1
SENATE CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION
REQUESTING THE OFFICE
OF THE AUDITOR TO CONDUCT A COMPREHENSIVE PERFORMANCE AUDIT OF THE DEPARTMENT
OF EDUCATION'S CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
���� WHEREAS, the
Department of Education manages the largest public infrastructure portfolio in
the State, including hundreds of public school campuses and facilities that
require ongoing maintenance, renovation, and construction; and
���� WHEREAS, capital
improvement projects are critical to ensuring that public school facilities are
safe, functional, modern, and capable of supporting student learning and
educational outcomes; and
���� WHEREAS, the
State has appropriated significant funding over time for school facility
planning, design, construction, and deferred maintenance projects; and
���� WHEREAS, concerns
have been raised regarding the size and duration of the Department of Education's
capital improvement project backlog and the pace at which projects are
implemented and completed; and
���� WHEREAS, policymakers
and the public would benefit from a comprehensive and transparent audit of the
Department of Education's capital improvement program; and
���� WHEREAS, the
Office of the Auditor is authorized to conduct performance audits of state
agencies and programs to improve accountability, transparency, and
effectiveness in the use of public funds; now, therefore,
���� BE IT
RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii,
Regular Session of 2026, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Office
of the Auditor is requested to conduct a comprehensive performance audit of the
Department of Education's capital improvement program; and
���� BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED that the audit is requested to include but not be limited to:
���� (1)� Any policies and procedures the Department of
Education has adopted to achieve the goals of the program, including how
capital improvement projects are prioritized and the internal controls to
eliminate or reduce risks that may delay capital improvement projects;
���� (2)� An assessment of the Department of Education's
performance relative to those policies and procedures;
���� (3)� A comprehensive audit of any annual funds for
any capital improvement projects that have lapsed since 2021;
���� (4)� An assessment of how capital improvement
projects are initiated and managed; and
���� (5)� An assessment of any prior state or Department-initiated
or contracted studies, reports, or assessments related to school facilities,
capital improvement planning, or repair and maintenance backlogs, including the
extent to which the Department of Education has implemented or failed to implement
the findings and recommendations of such studies, and the reasons for any lack
of implementation;
provided that for the purposes of the audit,
"capital improvement project" is requested to mean any project for
which the Legislature has appropriated funds to the Department of Education as
a capital improvement project; and
���� BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED that the Office of the Auditor is requested to submit a report of its findings
and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no
later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2027;
and
���� BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent
Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Chairperson of the Board of
Education, Superintendent of Education, and State Auditor.
Report Title:�
DOE;
Auditor; CIP; Audits; Report