Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water, Land Use, and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1951 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to preserve Hawaii's natural environment by protecting certain lands for conservation purposes, such as:

(1) Parks;

(2) Habitat protection;

(3) Cultural preservation;

(4) Watershed protection;

(5) Agricultural production; and

(6) Open spaces.

Specifically, this bill:

The Sierra Club, Hawaii Chapter, Trust for Public Land, Hawaii Audubon Society, Conservation Council for Hawaii, and Maui Coastal Land Trust testified in support of this bill. The Department of Budget and Finance and Department of Education opposed this measure. The BLNR deferred to the position of the Department of Accounting and General Services, which supported the intent of the bill but expressed concerns about the effect this measure may have on capital improvement projects.

Your Committee has amended this bill by:

Your Committee fully recognizes that the children of Hawaii deserve and need a top-quality public education system that will prepare them for the challenges of the twenty-first century. Indeed, the improvement of public education is a principal concern of not only the Legislature but also the community at large. It is the intent of your Committee that the reallocation of one percent of all capital improvement appropriations designated for the construction or renovation of state buildings should not adversely affect the State's public schools.

Nevertheless, the preservation of Hawaii's natural environment is extremely important, as well, and the State presently lacks an effective funding mechanism for such purposes. Furthermore, a clear nexus exists between protecting the environment and dedicating one percent of all capital improvement appropriations designated for the construction or renovation of state buildings, because many capital improvement projects involve a loss of open space, the construction of roads, or the expansion of visitor infrastructure. Your Committee believes that such an important issue warrants further deliberation and requests that the Committee on Finance continue discussion on the matter.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land Use, and Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1951, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1951, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.