STAND. COM. REP. NO. 947

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1066

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. 1066, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FRESH WATER SECURITY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish and appropriate moneys for a water security working group to study and recommend priority capital improvement projects that leverage public-private investment to increase the State's water security.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Board of Water Supply, Hawaii Department of Water Supply, Ulupono Initiative, Hawaii Community Foundation, and three individuals.

Your Committee finds that establishing a water security working group to identify priority capital improvement projects to enhance the State's water security will help to ensure the long‑term protection and management of the State's water resources.

Your Committee notes that in its written comments in support of this measure, the Department of Land and Natural Resources recommended reducing the appropriation from $200,000 to $50,000.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Specifically placing the water security working group within the Commission on Water Resource Management, rather than the Department of Land and Natural Resources;

(2) Clarifying that the Deputy Director of the Commission on Water Resource Management's designee may serve on the working group;

(3) Inviting, rather than requiring, specific private entities to serve on the working group;

(4) Changing the appropriation from $200,000 to an unspecified amount to facilitate further discussion on the measure;

(5) Changing the expending agency from the Department of Land and Natural Resources to the Commission on Water Resource Management; and

(6) 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. 1066, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1066, 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