Audits of Hawaii tourism authority contracts

(a) The auditor shall conduct at least every five years a management and financial audit of all contracts or agreements awarded by the Hawaii tourism authority to a major contractor to determine if the authority and its major contractors are in compliance with all relevant programmatic and financial requirements. The first audit shall be conducted within one year of July 1, 2002. These audits shall include but not be limited to a review of the following: (1) The responsibilities, services, and activities of all major contractors; (2) The propriety of expenditures; (3) Compliance by all major contractors with any laws and rules that may be in effect; (4) The management and oversight of all major contractors by the authority; and (5) Any additional audit issues that the auditor deems appropriate. (b) The authority and any private companies or agencies receiving state funds shall fully cooperate with and provide assistance to the auditor as needed with respect to its audit, and shall respond promptly to the auditor's requests in conducting this audit, including providing for records and other information requested in the course of the audit. (c) The authority shall compensate the auditor for expenditures incurred by the auditor in conducting the management and financial audit. (d) The auditor shall submit its findings and recommendations to the legislature no later than twenty days before the convening of the regular session following the year in which the audit is conducted. (e) For purposes of this section, "major contractor" means any contractor to whom a contract or agreement has been awarded that is valued in excess of $15,000,000.