STAND. COM. REP. NO. 856-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 1954

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1954, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION TO FUND A GRANT TO THE BOARD OF WATER SUPPLY FOR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS, FUTURE PLANNING, AND GROUND WATER REMEDIATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Appropriate funds as a grant-in-aid to the Board of Water Supply of the City and County of Honolulu for emergency operations, future planning, and remediation resulting from the contamination of the Southern Oahu Basal Aquifer; and

(2) Require the Board of Water Supply of the City and County of Honolulu to submit reports to the Legislature on the expenditure of the funds, remediation efforts, and testing quality prior to the convening of the Regular Sessions of 2023, 2024, and 2025.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Board of Water Supply of the City and County of Honolulu; one member of the Hawai‘i County Council; Livable Hawaii Kai Hui; Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i; Veterans for Peace, Hawai‘i Ch. 113; 350Hawaii.org; Recycle Hawaii; Clean the Pacific; and seven individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources and Department of Budget and Finance.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1954, H.D. 2, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair