STAND. COM. REP. NO. 779

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 953
                                        S.D. 2




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

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B.
No. 953, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to create the Hawaii
Environmental Authority, within the Department of Land and
Natural Resources for administrative purposes, to develop and
oversee the State's environmental protection policies.

     The bill requires the Authority to develop a strategic long-
range environmental protection plan, to be updated every three
years, to preserve and enhance the State's natural and cultural
resources and protect and market the State as a desirable visitor
destination, taking into account the economic, social, and
physical impacts of tourism on the State.  The bill also creates
an environmental special fund the moneys in which are to be used
to carry out the functions and duties of the Authority including
funding the salaries and expenses of the Office of Environmental
Quality Control established in section 341-3, Hawaii Revised
Statutes.  The bill also requires the Office of Environmental
Quality Control to provide assistance to the Authority beginning
on January 1, 2000.


 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 779
                                   Page 2


     Your Committee has amended this bill by making technical,
nonsubstantive amendments for the purpose of clarity 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.
953, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third
Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 953, S.D. 2.

                                 Respectfully submitted on behalf
                                 of the members of the Committee
                                 on Ways and Means,



                                 ________________________________
                                 CAROL FUKUNAGA, Co-Chair



                                 ________________________________
                                 ANDREW LEVIN, Co-Chair


 
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