STAND. COM. REP. NO. 329-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 2113

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems, to which was referred H.B. No. 2113 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO NATURAL RESOURCES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for the removal of overgrown vegetation from the Kainahola Stream drainageway.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity.

Your Committee finds that the Kainahola Stream on Kauai flows through State property. The State has not provided the required resources to remove overgrown vegetation from the Kainahola Stream drainageway, resulting in the Kainahola Stream overflowing and at times flooding adjoining properties.

Your Committee further finds that $1,600,000 was appropriated to the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity and Department of Land and Natural Resources for the removal of the overgrown vegetation, which allowed the Departments to complete 75 percent of the necessary cleanup. However, additional resources are needed to complete the removal of the overgrown vegetation. Your Committee notes that the segment of the Kainahola Stream drainageway that remains to be cleaned is managed by the Department of Transportation. Your Committee believes that the Department of Transportation is the more appropriate agency to expend funds for the removal of the remaining overgrown vegetation from the Kainahola Stream drainageway.

Your Committee has amended this measure accordingly by:

(1) Changing the expending agency for the appropriation from the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to the Department of Transportation;

(2) Changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount;

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

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

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of $500,000 to finish removing overgrown vegetation from the Kainahola Stream drainageway.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2113, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2113, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems,

____________________________

CORY CHUN, Chair