STAND. COM. REP. NO.  571

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

RE:   H.B. No. 281

      H.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 281, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENVIRONMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to prioritize the use of federal economic stimulus funds that are distributed to the states for the reestablishment of an emergency environmental workforce (workforce).  The workforce will temporarily employ between 400 and 450 people who lost their jobs in the current recession to provide contract employees to state and county agencies in need of environmental clearance and eradication services for the eradication of invasive species and other ongoing environmental improvement programs.

     The Conservation Council for Hawaii testified in support of this bill.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1)  Directing the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT) to identify and develop a policy framework for action to seek partnerships and opportunities to address the need for a highly skilled and well-trained "green collar" workforce to meet the needs of an emerging "green economy" sector;

(2)  Appropriating funds for DBEDT to carry out its mandate;

(3)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2009; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 281, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 281, H.D. 2, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection,

____________________________

HERMINA MORITA, Chair