STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3331

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2777

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2777 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to create a special fund to support the work of the Environmental Council.

More specifically, this measure:

(1) Establishes the environmental council special fund;

(2) Dedicates a portion of the environmental response, energy, and food security tax revenue to the environmental council special fund;

(3) Appropriates funds to the environmental council special fund from the environmental response revolving fund; and

(4) Appropriates funds from the environmental council special fund to support the environmental council functions pursuant to section 341-6, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from Hawaii's Thousand Friends and one individual.

The Department of Health, Department of Budget and Finance, and Tax Foundation of Hawaii submitted written comments on this measure.

Your Committee finds that the environmental council special fund established by this measure will enhance the Environmental Council's effectiveness as the liaison between the Director of Environmental Quality Control and the general public and as the agency tasked with overseeing state, county, and federal progress toward fulfilling the State's environmental goals and policies.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriation amounts from $50,000 to unspecified amounts;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

(3) Making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2777, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2777, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair