SUBJECT: ADMINISTRATION, Powers of Special Enforcement Section
BILL NUMBER: SB 2379 HD 1
INTRODUCED BY: House Committee on Economic Development
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Authorizes the Special Enforcement Section of the Department of Taxation to examine any sector of Hawaii’s economy, initiate civil investigations, and refer and recommend cases or examinations of segments of the economy to the auditors within the Department for auditing.
We see no need for this bill because the Department can already do these things and the Special Enforcement Section is part of the Department. The bill, rather, appears to be an artifice to pad the Department’s budget through the Tax Administration Special Fund. Although other departments do that as well, this move lessens the transparency of the budgeting process and should be approached with great caution. Continue reading SB 2379 HD 1