Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Water, Land, and Agriculture and Transportation, Military Affairs, and Government Operations, to which was referred Governor's Message Nos. 241, and 263, submitting for study and consideration the nomination of:

beg leave to report as follows:

Upon review of the background information submitted by the nominee, your Committees find that Gilbert Coloma-Agaran was born and raised on Maui, graduating from Maui High School. He went on to graduate from Yale College with a degree in history and to receive a law degree from Boalt Hall, the University of California, Berkeley. Mr. Coloma-Agaran practiced law in Honolulu and Wailuku before entering public service. He has been the first deputy to the chair of the Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR), deputy director of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, director of Labor and Industrial Relations, and chair of BLNR. He has served on the Commission on Water Resources Management, Board of Agriculture, Hawaii Tourism Authority, Kaho`olawe Island Reserve Commission, Natural Area Reserves Commission, Aloha Tower Development Corporation, Agribusiness Development Corporation, Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority, Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council, United States Coral Reef Task Force, Hawaii Workforce Development Council, and Barbers Point Naval Air Station Redevelopment Commission. Mr. Coloma-Agaran currently serves on the boards of the National Asian Pacific Bar Association - Hawaii Chapter and the Yale Club of Hawaii. He is an active member of the Hawaii Institute for Public Affairs, Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, Maui Young Business Roundtable, the University of Hawaii Basketball Boosters Club, the Hawaii State Bar Association, Kahului Filipino Community Association, Pinili-Badoc Maui Association, and Saranay Maui.

Testimony in support of the nominee was submitted to your Committees by the Kaho`olawe Island Reserve Commission (KIRC) and the Maui County Council.

Your Committees' members diligently questioned the nominee regarding his administrative qualifications, his vision and priorities for the KIRC, and related policy issues presently before the Legislature. In addition, your Committees questioned Mr. Coloma-Agaran about the State's liability concerns upon the transfer of access control from the Navy to the State later this year. Mr. Coloma-Agaran explained that a draft plan for managing Kaho`olawe is being reviewed, but that because the Navy had to change its commitment levels of possible ordnance clean up, the management plan will have to reflect a shift in priorities, and several measures must be revised. He assured your Committees, however, that such a plan is a priority of the KIRC.

Your Committees find that Mr. Coloma-Agaran is well qualified to both complete the term of the last commissioner representing Maui County, and to fulfill the following, consecutive appointment to a full four-year term. Mr. Coloma-Agaran has extensive experience as a senior administrator for the State, and his legal background allows him to understand, and explain to the KIRC, the various legal and liability issues raised by the November 2003 transfer of control of access from the Navy to the State. His familiarity with Kaho`olawe and its issues, and with state and county governments make Mr. Coloma-Agaran a valuable resource to the KIRC.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water, Land, and Agriculture and Transportation, Military Affairs, and Government Operations that are attached to this report, your Committees, after full consideration of the background, character, experience, and qualifications of the nominee, has found the nominee to be qualified for the position to which nominated and recommend that the Senate advise and consent to the nomination.