SB 747 Hawaii Senate · 2025 Regular Session

RELATING TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Summary

Establishes an Audit Office within the Board of Education to audit operations and expenditures of the Department of Education. Exempts positions within the Audit Office from civil service law. Requires annual reports to the Governor and Director of Finance. Authorizes the Legislature to request a copy of the annual reports. Establishes positions within the Audit Office. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Issues: ✓ Budget & Taxes

Sub-Topics: Audits & Accountability

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

House Passage

Apr 2025

Governor

Introduced Jan 17, 2025 Last action Apr 15, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB747_HD2 → SB747_SD1 · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill establishes a new Audit Office within the Board of Education to independently oversee the Department of Education's finances and operations. It creates six full-time equivalent positions, exempts them from civil service rules, and requires annual reporting to the Governor, Director of Finance, and Legislature. The bill also amends civil service exemptions to include the new audit staff and sets an effective date of July 1, 2050.

Scope change

The bill expands the Board of Education's oversight capabilities by creating a dedicated audit function with independent authority, while simultaneously modifying civil service exemptions to protect audit staff from standard hiring procedures.

SCOPE

Created a new Audit Office within the Board of Education with authority to conduct financial and performance audits, examine records, and provide recommendations.

FISCAL

Appropriated funds for establishing and operating the audit office and for six full-time equivalent positions.

REQUIREMENT

Requires the audit office to submit annual reports to the Governor, Director of Finance, and Legislature within 20 days before each regular session.

ELIGIBILITY

Amended civil service exemptions to include audit office staff, exempting them from standard civil service hiring procedures.

TIMELINE

Set the effective date of the bill to July 1, 2050.

Floor votes · Senate Feb 26, 2025

How they voted

14–0

Passed

Total votes 14

Feb 26, 2025

D Democratic13

13 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican1

1 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Apr 10, 2025

Amended

Senate disagrees with House amendments.

upper

Apr 10, 2025

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 655).

upper

Apr 8, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Iwamoto voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Marten excused (2). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Apr 1, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 14 Ayes: Representative(s) Yamashita, Takenouchi, Grandinetti, Holt, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lamosao, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Templo, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Alcos.

lower

Mar 20, 2025

Committee

Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN with Representative(s) Amato voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Ward excused (2).

lower

Mar 20, 2025

Committee

Reported from LAB (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1386), recommending referral to FIN.

lower

Mar 18, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on LAB recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Sayama, Lee, M., Garrett, Kapela, Kong, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Mar 13, 2025

Committee

Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1191) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to LAB.

lower

Mar 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on EDN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Woodson, La Chica, Amato, Evslin, Garrett, Kapela, Kila, Olds, Sayama, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Muraoka.

lower

Mar 6, 2025

Committee

Referred to EDN, LAB, FIN, referral sheet 19

lower

Mar 4, 2025

Introduced

Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 192) in amended form (SD 1).

lower

Mar 4, 2025

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.

upper

Feb 26, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WAM were as follows: 13 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, Aquino, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Feb 26, 2025

Senate · Passed

Senate Vote: pass (14-0)

senate

Feb 20, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 02-26-25 10:03AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.

upper

Feb 7, 2025

Committee

Reported from EDU (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 99) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Jan 31, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on EDU recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EDU were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Kidani, Kim, Hashimoto, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Kanuha.

upper

Jan 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on EDU has scheduled a public hearing on 01-31-25 3:00PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 23, 2025

Committee

Referred to EDU, WAM.

upper

Jan 17, 2025

Introduced

Introduced.

upper

3 primary · 1 co-sponsor