Report Title:

Molokai Irrigation System Water Users Advisory Board; Membership Qualifications

Description:

Requires that at least four members of the Molokai irrigation system water users advisory board be Hawaiian homestead farmers.

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	633
TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to water.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  Section 167-23, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"[[]§167-23[]] Molokai irrigation system water users advisory board; establishment; meetings.  (a)  There is established a Molokai irrigation system water users advisory board, to be appointed by the governor under section 26-34.  The advisory board shall consist of [six members, as follows:] seven members.  At least four members shall be:

(1) Hawaiian homestead farmers;

(2) Molokai irrigation system users;

(3) Residents of the island of Molokai; and

(4) Active general excise tax licensees. 

(b)  To the extent possible, the advisory board shall include members as follows:

     (1)  [A] Two homestead farmer [user] users on Molokai;

     (2)  A nonhomestead farmer user on Molokai;

     (3)  [The designee (by name rather than office)] A nominee of the Molokai County Farm Bureau;

     (4)  [The designee (by name rather than office)] A nominee of Hikiola Cooperative, Inc.;

     (5)  [The designee (by name rather than office)] A nominee of the Molokai-Lanai soil and water conservation district; and

     (6)  [The designee (by name rather than office)] A nominee of the department of Hawaiian home lands.

(c)  Each nominee from subsection (b) shall be evaluated according to the qualifications established in subsection (a).  If the nominees do not qualify under subsection (a), the governor shall appoint members that do meet the qualifications regardless of whether the member is affiliated with a group designated in subsection (b).

(d)  The members of the advisory board shall serve without compensation, but shall be entitled to reimbursement for necessary expenses while attending meetings and while in the discharge of their duties.  For administrative purposes, and pursuant to section 26-35, the advisory board shall be placed within the department of agriculture.

     [(b)] (e)  The advisory board shall meet with the department of agriculture at least six times each year.  The meetings shall be held on Molokai, whenever possible.

     The advisory board's duties and responsibilities shall be to advise the department on matters of concern to the users of the system, to provide support for improvements to the irrigation facilities, to participate in the long-range planning of the system, and to act as liaison between the users and the department."

     SECTION 2.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

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