Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1169, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a funding mechanism that links the state park system's operating and maintenance expenditures to its use by visitors to the State.

Your Committee finds that part of what brings people to Hawaii is the opportunity to experience the State's natural outdoor beauty. That beauty is preserved and maintained under the state park system. Unfortunately, park facilities have deteriorated over the years resulting in overloaded sewage systems, overdrawn water supplies, eroding trails, and dilapidated facilities and shelters. Facilities designed and built decades ago to handle a few dozen visitors a day are now overwhelmed by thousands of people daily.

This bill, in conjunction with S.B. No. 1029, S.D. 2, provides a funding mechanism that ties the repair and maintenance of the state park system to its users - visitors to the State. By earmarking $1,000,000 from the transient accommodations tax for the state parks system under S.B. No. 1029, S.D. 2, both bills provide needed funding for the state park system to properly and adequately operate and maintain its facilities.

Your Committee has amended the bill by:

Your Committee received favorable testimony from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, the Hawaii Tourism Authority, the Trust for Public Land, the Sierra Club and Hawaii's Thousand Friends. Opposition to the bill was presented by the Hawaii Hotel Association. Also presenting comments were the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, the University of Hawaii's Environmental Center and the Tax Foundation of Hawaii.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1169, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1169, S.D. 2.