CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 5

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2011

RE:    S.B. No. 283

       S.D. 1

       H.D. 1

       C.D. 1

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 283, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SUSTAINABILITY,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The purpose of this measure is to incorporate the definitions, guiding principles, and goals of the Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Plan into the Hawaii State Planning Act, codified as chapter 226, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

     In 2008, the Legislature adopted Act 225, Session Laws of Hawaii 2008, directing the University of Hawaii College of Social Sciences Public Policy Center to review the Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Plan and provide a definitive framework for the Plan, including defined data, data sources, and benchmarks for each of the major goals of the Plan.  One of the Center's recommendations is to incorporate the Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Plan's goals and definition of sustainability into the Hawaii State Planning Act, chapter 226, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

     Your Committee on Conference finds that achieving sustainability in Hawaii requires a plan of action with clearly defined objectives and benchmarks.  Your Committee on Conference further finds that the codification of the guiding elements of the Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Plan takes an important step toward realizing a sustainable Hawaii.

     Upon further consideration, your Committee on Conference has made the following amendments to this measure:

     (1)  Deleting language that added a new part, including a findings and purpose and definitions section, to chapter 226, Hawaii Revised Statutes, and replacing it with language that adds one new section and amends several existing sections within chapter 226, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

     (2)  Inserting the definitions of "ahupuaa", "kanaka maoli", and "sustainability" into section 226‑2, Hawaii Revised Statutes, the existing general definitions section for chapter 226, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

     (3)  Making numerous amendments to the language that codifies the seven priority guidelines and principles of the Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Plan to promote sustainability for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and brevity;

     (4)  Deleting language establishing five major goals that are designed to achieve a preferred future by the year 2050 and replacing them with language that establishes "principles of sustainability" as one of six major areas of statewide concern that merits priority attention;

     (5)  Specifying that the University of Hawaii Public Policy Center, in consultation with the Office of Planning, is to submit a status and progress report to the Legislature regarding the implementation of this Act, and streamlining the requirements for the mandatory report;

     (6)  Changing the effective date from July 1, 2112, to July 1, 2011; and

     (7)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 283, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 283, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ ANGUS L.K. MCKELVEY, Co-Chair	____________________________ DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair
____________________________ FAYE HANOHANO, Co-Chair	____________________________ MALAMA SOLOMON, Co-Chair
____________________________ ISAAC W. CHOY, Co-Chair