SCR 189 – Summary
Overview
- Type: Concurrent Resolution
- Title: Requesting the Auditor to conduct an audit of the moneys appropriated to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands pursuant to Act 279, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022 (and related Act 125, 2024)
- Status: Referred to HWN (Hawaiian Affairs) and WAM (Ways and Means)
- Introduced: March 7, 2025
- Sponsors: Primary – DECORTE, FEVELLA, AWA; Cosponsors – Inouye, San Buenaventura, Kim
- Related: Companion HCR 84 / SR 170
Purpose and intent
- The resolution requests the state Auditor to conduct an audit of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) focusing on the moneys appropriated to DHHL under Act 279, SLH 2022 (as amended by Act 125, SLH 2024) and in relation to the 2020 Beneficiaries Study Applicant Report.
- Objective is to assess how Act 279 funds have been encumbered and expended, progress toward waitlist elimination, and alignment with beneficiary preferences.
Key provisions and scope
- Scope of audit:
- Review moneys appropriated under Act 279, including how funds were encumbered and expended.
- Examine compliance with the requirements of Act 279 to develop a DHHL strategic plan aligned with beneficiaries’ preferences identified in the 2020 Beneficiaries Study Applicant Report.
- Assess progress toward the goal of eliminating the Native Hawaiian Home Lands waitlist.
- Evaluate reporting requirements and transparency, including DHHL’s Annual Activity Reports to the Legislature.
- Audit recipients and reporting:
- The Auditor would report findings to the Legislature and transmit certified copies of the resolution to the Auditor and the Chairperson of the Hawaiian Homes Commission.
Context and background (as embedded in the bill’s recitals)
- Act 279 (2022) allocated $600,000,000 to DHHL to eliminate the waitlist by providing land and housing, including development of lots/housing, land purchases, financial assistance, and other services.
- Act 279, amended by Act 125 (2024), requires a strategic plan aligned to beneficiary preferences (76% favor single-family homes or vacant lots; 16% favor rental or rent-to-own options).
- The DHHL waitlist was over 28,700 by 2022 and remained largely unchanged by late 2024.
- DHHL’s January 17, 2024 Annual Activity Report indicated about $193.7 million encumbered/expended and about 1,489 applicants assisted through the reported period.
- By early 2025, reports suggested the full appropriation was tied to projects targeting more than 7,500 homes and lots over five years; however, as of March 5, 2025, DHHL had not submitted an Annual Activity Report for Act 279 to account for expenditures or the number of applicants assisted.
Potential impact
- Accountability and transparency: The audit could clarify how Act 279 funds have been used and whether expenditures align with statutory goals and beneficiary preferences.
- Strategic planning: Findings may influence future oversight, reporting, and program design within DHHL and inform legislative decisions about Act 279 funding and targets.
- Beneficiary outcomes: Depending on audit results, the Legislature may adjust expectations, timelines, or approaches to address waitlist movement and housing delivery.
Procedural timeline and status
- Introduced: March 7, 2025
- Referred: March 12, 2025 (HWN, WAM)
- Legislative action: Concurrent resolution; directs Auditor rather than creating new appropriations or direct policy changes
Notes
- The bill has a companion measure in the House (HCR 84) and a Senate version (SR 170).
