Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 1433 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to appropriate funds to the Commission on Water Resource Management (Commission) for data collection, monitoring, and planning, in connection with the management of Hawaii's freshwater resources.

Testimony in support of this bill was received from the Nature Conservancy and Earth Justice. The Commission on Water Resource Management of the Department of Land and Natural Resources testified in support of the intent of this bill.

Your Committee is aware that freshwater is vital to life and culture in our islands, and must be protected. However, your Committee finds that the Commission responsible for freshwater management lacks the funding and staff to adequately protect Hawaii's most precious resource. This bill proposes to appropriate an undetermined amount of funds, allowing the Commission to begin more adequate monitoring of Hawaii's freshwater resources.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1433 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance.