STAND. COM. REP. NO. 825

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1094

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1094 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE LAND CONSERVATION FUND,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to expand the legacy land program.

     Specifically, this measure will allow the Board of Land and Natural Resources to:

     (1)  Acquire interests in land having a value as a resource to the State through the establishment of agricultural easements; and

     (2)  Use moneys in the land conservation fund for the payment of debt service related to the acquisition of interests in land having value as a resource to the State.

     Your Committee received comments in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, the Department of Agriculture, and the Hawaii Agriculture Research Center.

     Your Committee believes that this measure will give the Board of Land and Natural Resources more options and tools with which it can expand the legacy lands program and protect lands having value as a resource to the State.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1094 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair