STAND. COM. REP. NO.  746

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

RE:   H.B. No. 979

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 979 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ENVIRONMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to protect Hawaii's fragile environment by redirecting certain special fund monies to:

(1)  Support invasive species control and mitigation; and

(2)  Promote reforestation and sediment run-off mitigation.

     E Kupaku Ka‘Aina testified in support of this bill.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources testified in opposition to this measure.  The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii commented on this bill.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2020, to encourage further discussion; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     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 H.B. No. 979, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 979, 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