Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water, Land, & Ocean Resources, to which was referred H.B. No. 953 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to improve the State's ability to respond to the effects of droughts. This bill:

(2) Appropriates funds to develop the Plan.

The City and County of Honolulu Board of Water Supply, Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Maui County Farm Bureau, Big Island Farm Bureau, and Pineapple Growers Association of Hawaii testified in support of this bill. The Office of Hawaii Affairs and the Department of Agriculture supported the intent of this measure. DLNR opposed this bill due to budgetary concerns.

Your Committee has amended this bill by:

Your Committee usually defers to the Committee on Finance to determine the appropriate amount of funding. However, by deviating from standard practice, your Committee is sending an urgent message that the Commission, a constitutionally mandated agency, is chronically underfunded and that the $100,000 for each fiscal year represent additional funds over and above the Commission's base budget.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, & Ocean Resources that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 953, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 953, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.