STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1659

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 863

H.D. 2

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 863, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FORESTRY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to authorize the issuance of general obligation bonds for the forest stewardship program to build and expand the facilities of state tree nurseries.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the University of Hawaii, Department of Land and Natural Resources, 350 Hawaii, Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Climate Protectors of Hawaii, and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that the tree nursery improvements supported by this measure will allow the Department of Land and Natural Resources to scale up tree production to help meet the State's sustainability, agriculture, watershed, and carbon neutrality goals.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

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 H.B. No. 863, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 863, H.D. 2, S.D. 2.

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

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair