STAND. COM. REP. NO. 671

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 833

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 833, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE WAHIAWA IRRIGATION SYSTEM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to provide for the State's fee simple acquisition of the Wahiawa irrigation system.

More specifically, this measure:

(1) Requires the Governor to negotiate for the State's fee simple acquisition of the Wahiawa irrigation system;

(2) Authorizes the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture, and Agribusiness Development Corporation to acquire certain real properties; and

(3) Appropriates moneys to the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture, and Agribusiness Development Corporation to manage and maintain the real properties acquired pursuant to this measure.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture; North Shore Neighborhood Board No. 27; Dole Food Company, Inc.; Hawaii Farm Bureau; Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii; and Ulupono Initiative.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Agribusiness Development Corporation and Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committee finds that proper maintenance of the Wahiawa irrigation system is essential to agricultural irrigation, flood control, wastewater management, and public recreation in central Oahu. Your Committee therefore believes that the State's acquisition, repair, management, and maintenance of the Wahiawa irrigation system and the associated spillway are in the public interest and will benefit the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Specifying additional real properties that the Department of Land and Natural Resources may acquire;

(2) Changing the appropriations to unspecified amounts;

(3) Clarifying the purpose of the four full-time equivalent (4.0 FTE) positions established pursuant to this Act; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 833, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 833, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair