S.B. 1351 Summary

• Establishes the Office of Public Accountability administratively attached to the legislature, with an executive director appointed by majority vote of both houses in joint session for a six-year term and removable by two-thirds vote for neglect of duty, misconduct, or disability.

• Consolidates five oversight agencies under the Office of Public Accountability: the Office of the Auditor (audit division), Office of the Ombudsman and Office of Information Practices (complaints division), Hawaii State Ethics Commission (ethics division), and Campaign Spending Commission (campaign spending division).

• Transfers administrative responsibility and funding for the auditor, ombudsman, office of information practices, ethics commission, and campaign spending commission from their current departmental homes to the Office of Public Accountability.

• Authorizes the executive director to hire necessary staff, determine employee salaries in consultation with the Department of Human Resources Development, and provide state employee benefits to the executive director and full-time staff.

• Appropriates unspecified general revenue funds for fiscal years 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 for the Office of Public Accountability's operating expenses, effective July 1, 2021.