STAND. COM. REP. NO.  716

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

RE:   H.B. No. 424

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. 424 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to extend the temporary exemption from the State's environmental impact statement law afforded to certain proposed actions involving infrastructure within an existing public right-of-way.

     More specifically, this measure would amend Act 87, Session Laws of Hawaii 2009, by changing the date of its repeal from July 1, 2011, to July 1, 2013.

     The Department of Transportation, The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, and Hawaiian Electric Company and its subsidiaries, Hawaii Electric Light Company and Maui Electric Company supported this bill.  The Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii submitted comments.

     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. 424 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair