STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3312

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 2000

                                   RE:  H.B. No. 2576
                                        H.D. 1
                                        S.D. 1




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B.
No. 2576, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
     FUND,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to establish a Water Resource
Management Fund for the Commission on Water Resource Management
to use for water-related activities.

     Your Committee finds that the creation of a fund for the
Commission will assure it of continued funding that is not
jeopardized by the annual budgetary cutbacks that have occurred
over the past few years.  The work of the Commission can continue
uninterrupted only if it is not required to reduce services or
change priorities each year to meet reduced funding.  The Water
Resource Management Fund will include appropriations and fees,
administrative charges, fines, penalties, other moneys from
public and private sources, and interest and dividend income, and
will help smooth out the gradually declining budget with which
the Commission has had to cope.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your

 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3312
                                   Page 2


Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No.
2576, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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



                                 ________________________________
                                 CAROL FUKUNAGA, Co-Chair



                                 ________________________________
                                 ANDREW LEVIN, Co-Chair

 
a                                                      HB2576 SD1