Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water and Land Use, to which was referred H.B. No. 692 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to give the State more time in its effort to protect Hawaii's endangered species, including the issuance of habitat conservation plans, and safe harbor agreements by extending the sunset date in section 13 of Act 380, Session Laws of Hawaii 1997, from July 1, 2002 to July 1, 2007.

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of Land and Natural Resources, Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii, Hawaii Forest Industry Association, Hawaii Leeward Planning Conference, the Estate of James Campbell, Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, and Hawaii Audubon Society testified in support of this bill.

Your Committee finds that extending the sunset date will convey to landowners that the Legislature is committed to providing responsible solutions to conserve Hawaii's endangered species.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water and Land Use that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 692 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.