Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2900 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to make an unspecified appropriation to the University of Hawaii for fiscal year 2002-2003 to continue the emergency environmental workforce established under Act 4, Third Special Session of 2001.

Your Committee finds that the emergency environmental workforce was established to improve the State's economy by employing residents to protect the environment. The emergency environmental workforce is, in many ways, reminiscent of the very successful and highly popular Civilian Conservation Corps created by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1933--a time of rampant unemployment, economic chaos, and unchecked destruction of the nation's natural resources.

The emergency environmental workforce program allows the State to protect Hawaii's natural resources from destruction while providing a paycheck to people who lost their jobs due to the downturn in the islands' economy following the tragic events of September 11.

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. 2900 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.