STAND. COM. REP. NO. 355

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 953
                                        S.D. 1




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Labor and Environment and Economic
Development and Water, Land, and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was
referred S.B. No. 953 entitled: 

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

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to create the Hawaii
Environmental Authority to develop and oversee the State's
environmental protection policies.

     This measure also distributes a portion of the transient
accommodations tax (TAT) to the Environmental Special Fund.

     Testimony in support of this measure with amendments was
received from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, the
Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Hawaii Audubon Society, the
Hawaii Green Party, the Sierra Club, Hawaii Chapter, the People's
Water Conference, the Vegetarian Society, and two individuals.
Testimony in support of the measure was also received from the
Environmental Center, Na Leo Pohai, the Community Revitalization
Coalition, Hawaii's Thousand Friends, Hawaii Fishermen's
Foundation, and an individual.

     Testimony in opposition to this measure was received from
the Hawaii Tourism Authority and the Office of Information
Practices.


 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 355
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     Your Committees find that there is a clear and vital
connection between the health of Hawaii's environment and the
vitality of its economy.  This is particularly true with respect
to the economy's tourism sector.  However, your Committees find
that it is unwise at this point to redirect funds from the TAT
that have been earmarked for the Hawaii Tourism Authority to the
Hawaii Environmental Authority.  Accordingly, your Committees
have amended this measure to remove references to the TAT from
the measure.

     Your Committees also have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Adding two new sections to prevent the amendments made
          to sections 36-27 and 36-30, Hawaii Revised Statutes,
          relating to special funds, from being repealed under
          Act 216, Session Laws of Hawaii 1997, and Act 142,
          Session Laws of Hawaii 1998; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments to conform
          to statutory language.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your
Committees on Labor and Environment and Economic Development and
Water, Land, and Hawaiian Affairs that are attached to this
report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose
of S.B. No. 953, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass
Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 953,
S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committees on Labor and
                                   Environment and Economic
                                   Development and Water, Land,
                                   and Hawaiian Affairs,



____________________________       ______________________________
LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair          BOB NAKATA, Chair



_____________________________
COLLEEN HANABUSA, Chair

 
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