Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 3098 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide funding for low-interest mortgage loans for lessees at Kikala-Keokea.

Your Committee finds that over the past fifteen years, the Legislature has been engaged in an effort to assist families that were displaced from their homes in Kalapana due to lava flows by relocating them to the Kikala-Keokea region of the island of Hawaii. Thus far, the State has negotiated long-term leases with a majority of these families and will complete the installation of infrastructure for the area this year. Once the infrastructure improvements are completed, home building for the displaced families may finally be commenced. To facilitate this long awaited occurrence, your Committee finds it appropriate to provide funding for the Kikala-Keokea Housing Revolving Fund, so that low interest loans can be made available to the Kikala-Keokea leaseholders for home construction.

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. 3098 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.