Requesting The Auditor To Perform A Comprehensive Performance, Management, And Financial Audit Of The Department Of Corrections And Rehabilitation And Department Of Accounting And General Services Regarding Spending Related To The Planning, Design, Financing, Construction, And Maintenance Of A New Jail To Replace The Oahu Community Correctional Center.
HCR154 is a House Concurrent Resolution requesting the State Auditor to conduct a comprehensive performance, management, and financial audit of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DCR) and the Department of Accounting and General Services (DAGS) concerning spending tied to the planning, design, financing, construction, and maintenance of a proposed new jail to replace the Oahu Community Correctional Center (OCCC). The resolution frames the request around concerns about the scale and cost of the project, the use of consultants and public relations contractors, the lack of a current system-wide master plan, and the absence of a full accounting of prior expenditures.
The audit is directed to examine accountability measures, whether spending aligns with the original purpose of appropriated funds, compliance with procurement laws, and the identities and work performed by contractors and subcontractors. It also allows the Auditor to review any other matters deemed relevant and requires a report, including recommendations and any proposed legislation, to the Legislature before the 2026 session. The resolution urges DCR and DAGS to cooperate fully with the audit and provide records and other requested information.
Because HCR154 is a concurrent resolution, it does not change statutory law or appropriate funds directly. Its practical effect is to initiate legislative oversight of DCR and DAGS spending and procurement related to the proposed OCCC replacement project, potentially exposing waste, mismanagement, or legal compliance issues and informing future legislation. The resolution could also influence how the state evaluates jail replacement planning, public-private partnership arrangements, and correctional capital spending.
The overall sentiment reflected in the resolution is skeptical and critical of the proposed jail replacement project and the agencies managing it. The bill text emphasizes the high projected cost, prior consultant spending, lack of visible progress on existing facilities, and the need for alternatives such as diversion, treatment, and reduced pretrial detention. No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so the available record shows the resolution’s own framing rather than broader legislative debate.
The main points of contention are the proposed $1 billion replacement jail, the use of a public-private partnership, and whether the state should prioritize new construction over repairing existing facilities and expanding diversion and treatment services. The resolution also raises concerns about the adequacy of DCR’s planning, the absence of a current master plan, and whether spending has been properly accounted for and procured. Supporters of the resolution appear focused on transparency and oversight, while the underlying project it scrutinizes is portrayed as costly, premature, and insufficiently justified.