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. 1155 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the Commission on Water Resource Management to establish a Hawaii drought preparedness plan to be included in the Hawaii Water Plan.

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Department of Agriculture, Big Island Farm Bureau, Hawaii Agriculture Research Center, Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, Hawaii Farm Bureau, and Pineapple Growers Association of Hawaii. Testimony in opposition to this measure was submitted by the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Over the past several years, drought declarations have been issued intermittently, providing relief to stricken areas through emergency conservation measures and emergency appropriations. However, no current statewide strategy has been prepared for mitigating or responding to drought conditions. Your Committee finds that a statewide drought preparedness plan is needed.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

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. 1155, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1155, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.