STAND. COM. REP. NO. 297-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 1810

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 1810 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to define what constitutes a quorum for the Environmental Advisory Council, including specifying the number of votes required to make any action of the Council valid.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development and one individual.

Your Committee finds that although the Environmental Advisory Council is entitled to have up to fifteen members, there are currently only eleven members appointed and confirmed to the Council due to resignations, changes in positions, and term expirations. Because the minimum number of board members required for quorum is eight members, there have been instances where meetings have had to be cancelled due to the inability to meet the quorum requirement. This measure would lower the minimum number of members required to constitute a quorum and allow the Council to conduct business on a more regular basis.

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. 1810 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

NICOLE E. LOWEN, Chair