STAND. COM. REP. NO. 66

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 259

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 259 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR A COMMUNITY CENTER,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to improve the quality of life for the residents of the Papakolea homestead and surrounding areas by appropriating funds to assist in covering the operations costs of the Papakolea Community Center and Park.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

     The Papakolea Community Center and Park is located on Hawaiian Home Lands.  Although the community center and park is open to everyone, its primary users are from the surrounding neighborhoods of Papakolea, Tantalus, Pauoa, and Makiki.  In 2005, the Community Center recorded over 15,000 visitors and users of the Center.  The Center provides area residents with a full-range of comprehensive services including life long education classes and experiences, health and wellness programs, and entrepreneurial and employment opportunities.  Thus, the Center is the focal point for kupuna, family, and youth activities.

     Your Committee finds that appropriating funds to assist the Center with covering the operations costs of this important resource fulfills the intent of this measure, which is to improve the quality of life of the residents of the Papakolea homestead and surrounding areas.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by deleting the dollar amount and replacing it with a blank amount for determination by the Committee on Ways and Means.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 259, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 259, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

RUSSELL S. KOKUBUN, Chair