STAND. COM. REP. NO.  858

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

RE:   H.B. No. 1325

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1325 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO STORMWATER MANAGEMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to encourage the protection of water resources by authorizing the counties to establish and charge user fees to create and maintain stormwater management systems or infrastructure.

The Department of Health, Conservation Council for Hawaii, Hawaii Community Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, Hawaii Green Growth, Surfrider Foundation, and several individuals supported this measure.  An individual opposed this measure.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources, County of Maui Department of Public Works, Tax Foundation of Hawaii, and Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation commented on this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2030, to facilitate further discussion; and

(2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1325, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1325, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair