STAND. COM. REP. NO. 208-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 1577

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 1577 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE KAHO‘OLAWE ISLAND RESERVE COMMISSION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Land and Natural Resources for the Kaho‘olawe Island Reserve Commission to effectively meet the unique challenges of restoring, preserving, and determining the appropriate uses of the Kaho‘olawe Island Reserve for the people of Hawaii.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Kaho‘olawe Island Reserve Commission, one Kaho‘olawe Island Reserve Commission Commissioner, one member of the Maui County Council, Conservation Council for Hawaii, Pacific American Foundation, Pulama Mau Environmental Consulting, Kauahea Inc., and numerous individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that the Kaho‘olawe Island Reserve Commission has made great strides in recent years in the restoration of Kaho‘olawe's natural and cultural resources; however, to protect existing achievements and to accomplish even more, additional funding is needed to support the important work of the Kaho‘olawe Island Reserve Commission.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting the amounts of the appropriations;

(2) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

Your Committee respectfully requests that should your Committee on Finance choose to hear this measure, it consider appropriating:

(1) $500,000 for the Kaho‘olawe Island Reserve Commission; and

(2) $72,000 for two full-time equivalent (2.00 FTE) permanent positions for the Kaho‘olawe Island Reserve Commission.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1577, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1577, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water & Land,

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair