STAND. COM. REP. NO. 853-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: H.B. No. 2539
                                     H.D. 2




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No.
2539, H.D. 1, entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSE
     REVOLVING FUND,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to provide financial support to
a greater variety of environmental protection programs by:

     (1)  Increasing the State Environmental Response Tax that is
          levied on petroleum products; and

     (2)  Expanding the uses of the Environmental Response
          Revolving Fund (Fund) to be used to support
          environmental protection and natural resource
          protection programs.

     Your Committee notes the expansive array of environmental
protection and natural resource protection programs that the Fund
may be used for and has concerns about the Fund's ability to
provide for these programs.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Changing the amount of the Environmental Response Tax
          from twenty-five cents per barrel of petroleum product,
          to an unspecified amount;


 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 853-00
                                 Page 2

 
     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2000; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity
          and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your
Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No.
2539, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass
Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2539, H.D.
2.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Finance,



                                   ______________________________
                                   DWIGHT Y. TAKAMINE, Chair