STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2159

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2824

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism and Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 2824 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE COUNTY OF MAUI,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Authorize the Director of Finance to issue general obligation bonds to the Agribusiness Development Corporation for the upgrade of South and West Maui's R-1 water delivery systems, and the upgrade of certain water reservoirs located in the forest watershed areas of South and West Maui;

(2) Require the Agribusiness Development Corporation to collaborate with the Department of Land and Natural Resources, County of Maui, and private land owners, as necessary; and

(3) Appropriate moneys.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, one member of the Maui County Council, Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau, Hawaii Young Republicans, and two individuals.

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

Your Committees find that without increasing the use of reclaimed water in the State, residents will encounter potable drinking water shortages caused by overuse of potable drinking water for agricultural, landscaping, or firefighting purposes. Your Committees further find that this measure will utilize former plantation reservoirs to store reclaimed water, allowing for easier access for agriculture and landscaping use for West Maui and providing firefighters with efficient access to water.

Your Committees further find that the amounts for the general obligation bonds and costs of the capital improvement projects in this measure merit further consideration and request that your Committee on Ways and Means examine and make recommendations as to these amounts. In addition, your Committees respectfully request that your Committee on Ways and Means consider appropriating funds to the Agribusiness Development Corporation for the implementation of this measure.

Your Committees have amended this measure by inserting an effective date of January 1, 2060, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism and Agriculture and Environment that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2824, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2824, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism and Agriculture and Environment,

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair

________________________________ LYNN DECOITE, Chair