STAND. COM. REP. NO. 183
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2005
RE: S.B. No. 1877
Honorable Robert Bunda
President of the Senate
Twenty-Third State Legislature
Regular Session of 2005
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Water, Land, and Agriculture, to which was referred S.B. No. 1877 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE OFFICE OF PLANNING,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure is to clarify the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT) has sole jurisdiction over the Office of Planning and require the Office of Planning's director be nominated by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate.
Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by Hawaii's Thousand Friends, Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation, Sierra Club, and two individuals. Testimony in opposition was submitted by DBEDT, the Department of Land and Natural Resources, and the Office of Planning. Comments were also submitted by the University of Hawaii Environmental Center and one individual.
Your Committee finds that the power to direct the Office of Planning to report to a principal department other than DBEDT rests solely with the Legislature. Thus, this measure:
(1) Clarifies that DBEDT maintains sole jurisdiction over land and state planning functions;
(2) Provides that the Office of Planning shall not report to any other principal executive department other than DBEDT; and
(3) Requires the Office of Planning's director be nominated by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, and Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1877 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water, Land, and Agriculture,
____________________________ RUSSELL S. KOKUBUN, Chair |
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