The state Ethics Commission hopes to wrap up by August a more than year-long review of the University of Hawai'i's Sugar Bowl travel practices, officials said yesterday.

The announcement came on the same day that UH said it delivered a 48-page response to the commission's questions growing out of the travel to the Jan. 1, 2008, game against Georgia in New Orleans.

The commission is checking to see whether state employees, guests, and others who received tickets, hotel rooms or flights served a legitimate purpose by being in New Orleans and if state ethics laws were violated.

Although some questions were initially raised about children who accompanied staff on the trip, Dan Mollway, executive director of the commission, has said "everyone who went is a matter of potential review."

UH previously disclosed the names of nearly 600 people who formed the travel party for the game. The school said it paid nearly $2 million for the group that included football players, band members, officials, family members and some guests. The commission sent UH an extensive list of follow-up questions in February.

Mollway said the commission's review has been slowed by more pressing cases and a "grossly understaffed" office.