STAND. COM. REP. NO.  257

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

RE:   H.B. No. 949

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 H.B. No. 949 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 make an emergency appropriation of $1,050,000 to the Environmental Response Revolving Fund, which has a dangerously low balance because of reduced deposits from the tax on petroleum products and increased demand for public health and environmental hazard evaluation and emergency response.  The measure also appropriates the same amount from the Environmental Response Revolving 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. 168 to the Legislature, requested immediate consideration and passage of this bill by the Legislature.

The Department of Health and a concerned individual testified in support of the measure.  Life of the Land provided comments.

     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 H.B. No. 949 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