REPORT TITLE:
Environmental Protection


DESCRIPTION:
Requires the director of environmental quality control to
establish and operate an environmental protection hotline to
enable the public to make confidential reports or inquiries about
events that may adversely affect the State's environmental
quality or ecology, as these events are taking place.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        
THE SENATE                              S.B. NO.           2047
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.



BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  Section 341-4, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 
 2 amended by amending subsections (a) and (b) to read as follows:
 
 3      "(a)  The director shall have such powers [delegated by the
 
 4 governor] as are necessary to coordinate and, when requested by
 
 5 the governor, to direct pursuant to chapter 91, all state
 
 6 governmental agencies in matters concerning environmental
 
 7 quality.
 
 8      (b)  To further the objective of subsection (a), the
 
 9 director shall:
 
10      (1)  Direct the attention of the university community and
 
11           the residents of the State in general to ecological and
 
12           environmental problems through the center and the
 
13           council, respectively, and through public education
 
14           programs;
 
15      (2)  Conduct research or arrange for the conduct of research
 
16           through contractual relations with the center, state
 
17           agencies, or other persons with competence in the field
 
18           of ecology and environmental quality;
 
19      (3)  Encourage public acceptance of proposed legislative and
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           2047
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1           administrative actions concerning ecology and
 
 2           environmental quality, and receive notice of any
 
 3           private or public complaints concerning ecology and
 
 4           environmental quality through the council;
 
 5      (4)  Recommend programs for long-range implementation of
 
 6           environmental quality control;
 
 7      (5)  Submit direct to the governor and to the legislature
 
 8           such legislative bills and administrative policies,
 
 9           objectives, and actions, as are necessary to preserve
 
10           and enhance the environmental quality of the State;
 
11      (6)  Conduct public educational programs; [and]
 
12      (7)  Offer advice and assistance to private industry,
 
13           governmental agencies, or other persons upon
 
14           request[.]; and
 
15      (8)  Establish and operate an environmental protection
 
16           hotline to enable the public to make confidential
 
17           reports or inquiries about events that may adversely
 
18           affect the State's environmental quality or ecology, as
 
19           these events are taking place."
 
20      SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
21 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $        , or so much
 
22 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2000-2001, to enable
 
23 the director of the office of environmental quality control to
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           2047
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 establish and operate an environmental protection hotline to
 
 2 enable the public to make confidential reports or inquiries about
 
 3 events that may adversely affect the State's environmental
 
 4 quality or ecology, as these events are taking place.  The sum
 
 5 appropriated shall be expended by the department of health.
 
 6      SECTION 3.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed.
 
 7 New statutory material is underscored.
 
 8      SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2000.
 
 9 
 
10                           INTRODUCED BY:_________________________