STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1120

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

RE:   S.B. No. 1118

      S.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 Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred S.B. No. 1118, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH FOR HAZARD EVALUATION AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE PREPAREDNESS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to preserve public health and address the dangerously low balance in the Environmental Response Revolving Fund due to reduced deposits from the tax on petroleum products and increased demand for hazard evaluation and emergency response.  Specifically, this measure provides an emergency appropriation of $800,000 to the Fund and appropriates the same amount from the Fund for hazard evaluation and emergency response preparedness.

     Pursuant to requirements set forth in Article VII, Section 9, of the Hawaii State Constitution, the Governor, in Governor's Message No. 227 to the Legislature, requested immediate consideration and passage of this measure by the Legislature.

The Department of Health, Surfrider Foundation, and an individual supported this measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1118, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection,

____________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair