Requesting The Office Of The Auditor To Conduct A Comprehensive Performance Audit Of The Department Of Education's Capital Improvement Program.
Summary
SCR197 is a Senate Concurrent Resolution requesting that the Office of the Auditor conduct a comprehensive performance audit of the Department of Education’s capital improvement program. The resolution explains that the DOE oversees a large statewide portfolio of school facilities and that capital improvement projects are essential to keeping campuses safe, functional, and able to support student learning. It also notes concerns about the size of the project backlog, the length of time projects take to complete, and the need for greater transparency in how public funds are used.
The requested audit is broad and would examine DOE policies and procedures for prioritizing projects, internal controls intended to reduce delays, the department’s performance against those procedures, and how projects are initiated and managed. It would also review annual capital improvement funds that have lapsed since 2021 and assess prior studies or reports on school facilities, maintenance backlogs, and capital planning, including whether DOE implemented prior recommendations and why any recommendations were not carried out. The Auditor would be asked to report findings, recommendations, and any proposed legislation to the Legislature before the 2027 Regular Session.
Impact
Because SCR197 is a concurrent resolution rather than a statute, it does not directly change state law or create new legal duties for the Department of Education. Instead, it directs a request to the State Auditor to review DOE’s capital improvement program and report back to the Legislature. Its practical impact would be to increase oversight of school facilities spending, potentially identify inefficiencies or unspent funds, and inform future legislation or administrative changes affecting DOE capital projects and deferred maintenance.
Sentiment
The available record shows generally favorable sentiment toward the resolution. It passed the Senate Education Committee 5-0 with amendments, indicating unanimous support among those voting in committee. The bill’s findings frame the audit as a tool for accountability, transparency, and better use of public funds, and there is no recorded opposition in the provided materials.
Contention
The main issues raised by the resolution are not ideological but operational: the backlog of school capital projects, delays in implementation, and whether existing DOE planning and controls are effective. The resolution implicitly questions how projects are prioritized, why funds have lapsed since 2021, and whether prior studies have been acted upon. Any contention would likely center on DOE performance, project management, and the extent to which the department has followed earlier recommendations, rather than on the concept of an audit itself.
Same As
Requesting The Office Of The Auditor To Conduct A Comprehensive Performance Audit Of The Department Of Education's Capital Improvement Program.
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