STAND. COM. REP. NO. 757-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: H.B. No. 2973
                                     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.
2973, H.D. 1, entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR MICONIA
     ERADICATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to sustain Hawaii's valuable
forest resources by appropriating funds for miconia eradication
in the counties of Hawaii, Kalawao, Kauai, and Maui, and the City
and County of Honolulu, provided that it is a cooperative effort
between the Departments of Agriculture (DOA) and Land and Natural
Resources (DLNR).

     The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, the Hawaii Society of
American Foresters, the Maui Invasive Species Committee, the
Hawaii Forest Industry Association, the Hawaii Chapter of the
Sierra Club, Na Leo Pohai, three Maui County Councilmembers, and
several individuals testified in support of this measure.  DOA
supports this measure provided its passage does not replace or
adversely impact priorities indicated in the Executive Biennium
Budget.  DLNR supports the intent of this measure as long as it
does not displace administrative budget priorities.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Reducing the appropriation to $1 for purposes of
          further discussion;


 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 757-00
                                 Page 2

 
     (2)  Specifying DLNR, instead of DOA, as the expending
          agency; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for
          purposes of 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.
2973, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass
Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2973, H.D.
2.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   DWIGHT Y. TAKAMINE, Chair