STAND

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1236

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: S.B. No. 1474

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 1474, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE MAUNA KEA SCIENCE RESERVE AUTHORITY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to support national and international astronomy programs while protecting natural and cultural resources by directing the Legislative Reference Bureau (LRB) to:

(1) Conduct a study on matters relating to the project approval and decision-making process for the management of the Mauna Kea Science Reserve; and

(2) Conduct a study to determine the feasibility, desirability, and necessity of creating a new management authority whose responsibility shall be to maintain, operate, and manage the Mauna Kea Science Reserve and its attached facilities.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, KAHEA, Mauna Kea Anaina Hou, Royal Order of Kamehameha I, and several concerned individuals testified in support of this bill. The Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Hawaii and Hawaii Island Chamber of Commerce opposed this measure. The Department of Land and Natural Resources, University of Hawaii, and LRB offered comments.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1474, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Higher Education,

		____________________________ TOMMY WATERS, Chair