Bill > HB2519

This bill aims to modernize the University of Hawaii's (UH) financial management by granting it greater autonomy through block appropriations, which means instead of receiving funds for specific line items, UH will receive larger, consolidated funding amounts for broad categories like campus operations or system-wide support programs, allowing the university to allocate funds internally without needing further legislative approval, except for certain restrictions like salary increases for top officials or initiating new programs over a certain cost. The bill also establishes a University of Hawaii Budget Stabilization Fund to safeguard against financial challenges such as economic downturns or enrollment drops, and introduces performance-based funding, where a portion of UH's general fund appropriation will be tied to achieving specific statewide goals in areas like student success, workforce development, and research, with the university required to report annually to the Legislature on its fiscal performance and progress on these metrics. Additionally, UH will be exempt from certain procurement rules for smaller purchases and will be allowed to carry forward a percentage of unexpended general funds, all while retaining the auditor's authority to conduct audits.