STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2114

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 2000

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 2909
                                        




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

Sir:

     Your Committee on Economic Development, to which was
referred S.B. No. 2909 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO STATE PARKS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to replace the temporary
`Aina Ho`omalu special fund with a permanent state parks special
fund, and to expand the authorized uses of the fund to include
general administration and operations of the state parks system.

     Testimony in favor of this measure was submitted by the
Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR).  The Office of
Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) testified in opposition.

     Your Committee finds that the `Aina Ho`omalu special fund
was established to support interpretive programs focusing on
"Parks of Distinction" within the State Parks Division.  With the
decline in revenues over the last several years, the restricted
aspect of this fund has had a negative impact on the overall
resources available for the statewide system of state parks.

     Your Committee has heard the concerns of the Office of
Hawaiian Affairs regarding both the broader focus of this new
special fund, and the fact that the special fund language does
not address the revenue due to OHA from state parks located on
ceded lands.  Your Committee has also heard that representatives
from DLNR and OHA will be meeting to discuss the ceded lands
revenues, and believes this issue can be resolved outside of this

 
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measure.  While your Committee finds interpretive programs to be
an important part of the state parks program, our parks suffer
from neglect and remedying this situation should be first
priority of the parks system. 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Economic Development that is attached to this
report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose
of S.B. No. 2909 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and
be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Economic
                                   Development,



                                   ______________________________
                                   LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair

 
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