STAND. COM. REP. NO. 643

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 266

       S.D. 2

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 266, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO GLOBAL WARMING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to establish a global warming task force to assess the impacts of global warming and climate change trends in the State. 

     Your Committee received three written comments on this measure.  The written comments may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committee finds that global climate changes are a threat to the health of the residents of the State and Hawaii's prosperity.  Your Committee further finds that these climate changes lead to the threat of stronger hurricanes, prolonged drought, shifting weather patterns, warmer temperatures, shifting micro-climates, increased spread of invasive species, and saltwater intrusion into Hawaii's aquifers.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Changing the source of financing from the state general fund to the tourism special fund;

(2)  Appropriating $100,000 from the tourism special fund for fiscal year 2009-2010 and a like amount for fiscal year 2010-2011; and

(3)  Changing the effective date of this measure to July 1, 2070, to encourage further discussion.

     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. 266, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 266, S.D. 2.

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

____________________________

DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair