STAND. COM. REP. NO. 568

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 409

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water and Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 409 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FIRE PREVENTION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Appropriate funds to the Department of Land and Natural Resources for the Community Fuels Reduction Project; and

(2) Require the Department of Land and Natural Resources, beginning with fiscal year 2025-2026 and each fiscal year thereafter, to establish the Community Fuels Reduction Project as a separate line item within the Department's budget.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, State Fire Council, Honolulu Fire Department, Department of Fire and Public Safety of the County of Maui, Hawai‘i Fire Department, Big Island Invasive Species Committee, Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization, Hydroponics Alternatives LLC, Stone Creek Fire LLC, Livable Hawaii Kai Hui, Puu Lani Ranch Homeowners' Association, and eleven individuals.

Your Committee finds that the Department of Land and Natural Resources is statutorily mandated to take measures for the prevention of wildland fires within the Division of Forestry and Wildlife managed lands and to cooperate with county and federal fire agencies in developing plans and programs for the prevention of wildfires on lands not managed by the Division. Your Committee further finds that ongoing climate change will result in warmer, drier conditions and droughts, and can lead to longer and more active fire seasons. Your Committee finds that appropriations are necessary to continue the Community Fuels Reduction Project. Therefore, this measure appropriate funds to the Department of Land and Natural Resources for the Community Fuels Reduction Project and requires the Department of Land and Natural Resources, beginning with fiscal year 2025-2026 and each fiscal year thereafter, to establish the Community Fuels Reduction Project as a separate line item within the Department's budget.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting a blank appropriation amount; and

(2) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water and Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 409, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 409, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________

LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair