STAND. COM. REP. NO. 319-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 1841

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 1841 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Land and Natural Resources for operating expenses, equipment, the establishment of positions, and capital improvement projects to support wildfire emergency response.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources; State Fire Council; Maui Fire Department; Honolulu Fire Department; Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi; Resources Legacy Fund; Trust for Public Land; The Nature Conservancy; KUPU; Maui Chamber of Commerce; and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that the interim Wildfire Prevention Working Group was specifically tasked with identifying the causes of wildfires and preventative action that may be taken to reduce the risk of wildfires throughout the State and preparing recommendations for appropriate legislative action. This measure adopts a recommendation of the Wildfire Prevention Working Group to maintain and update wildfire-specific equipment and wildfire-suppression infrastructure statewide.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

Your Committee requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider a total amount of $7,425,000 for operating expenses; $13,549,000 for equipment; $706,464 for positions; and $9,231,640 for capital improvement projects.

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. 1841, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1841, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

LINDA ICHIYAMA, Chair