STAND.
COM. REP. NO. 498
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2023
RE: H.B. No. 285
H.D. 1
Honorable Scott K. Saiki
Speaker, House of Representatives
Thirty-Second State Legislature
Regular Session of 2023
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 285 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FIRE PREVENTION,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure is to:
(1) Appropriate funds for the Department of Land and Natural Resources' Community Fuels Reduction Project; and
(2) Beginning with fiscal year 2025-2026 and each fiscal year thereafter, require the Department of Land and Natural Resources to establish the Community Fuels Reduction Project as a separate line item with the Department's budget.
Your Committee finds that with changes in land use and climate in the State, wildfire is a significant and growing hazard in many places across the State. Your Committee further finds that the Division of Forestry and Wildlife of the Department of Land and Natural Resources is the primary responder for wildland fires across 1,368,002 acres of the State's forested watersheds. Your Committee believes that funds are needed to support wildfire mitigation efforts and to reduce hazardous fuels on landscape that threaten watersheds, communities, and critical public infrastructure.
Your Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Changing the appropriation amount to an unspecified amount;
(2) Changing the effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and
(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.
Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of $1,500,000.
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. 285, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 285, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water & Land,
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____________________________ LINDA ICHIYAMA, Chair |
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