STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1705-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   S.B. No. 2833

      S.D. 1

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 2833, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SUSTAINABILITY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to statutorily establish the Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Plan and create and fund a sustainability council.

     The Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Task Force, Department of Education, Hawaii Alliance for Community-Based Economic Development, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, City and County of Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting, Kauai County Council, County of Kauai Office of Economic Development, Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, National Association of Social Workers – Hawaii Chapter, PAHIO Development, Inc., Hawaii Science & Technology Council, Actus Lend Lease, Cardax Pharmaceuticals, Pacific Gateway Center, Aloha United Way, Windward Ahupua'a Alliance, Associated Students of the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and many concerned individuals supported this bill.  The Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO and Pacific Resource Partnership supported the intent of this measure.  Hawaii's Thousand Friends, Hawaii Building and Construction Trades Council, AFL-CIO, Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii, and several concerned individuals opposed this bill.  The Governor's Senior Policy Advisor, University of Hawaii Environmental Center, Hawaii Business Roundtable, and several concerned individuals provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by replacing its contents with provisions that require:

     (1)  The University of Hawaii at Manoa College of Social Sciences Public Policy Center (Public Policy Center) to review the Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Plan and develop defined data, data sources, and benchmarks for each of the major goals; and

     (2)  The Public Policy Center to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including proposed legislation, no later than 20 days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2010.

     This bill contains an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2833, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2833, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair