STAND. COM. REP. NO.  873

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

RE:   H.B. No. 1483

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1483 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE MOLOKAI IRRIGATION SYSTEM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to carry out the objectives of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, 1920, as amended, by:

     (1)  Providing water to Molokai irrigation system users who lease tracts of Hawaiian Home Lands at an unspecified reduced rate;

     (2)  Forgiving past due amounts owed by Molokai homestead farmers for the irrigation of water; and

     (3)  Appropriating unspecified funds to cover the operational costs of the Molokai irrigation system.

     The Sovereign Councils of the Hawaiian Homelands Assembly testified in support of this bill.  The Department of Agriculture, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, and several concerned individuals submitted comments.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2030, to facilitate continued 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. 1483, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1483, H.D. 1.

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

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair