STAND. COM. REP. NO.  664

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

RE:   H.B. No. 744

      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. 744 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DAM SAFETY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to protect public health and safety by:

     (1)  Creating the Dam Safety Task Force (Task Force) to review applicable laws, rules, and ordinances and recommend actions to be taken by the engineering division of the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) in its administration of the Hawaii Dam Safety Program;

     (2)  Establishing the membership of the Task Force; and

     (3)  Requiring the Task Force to report its findings and recommendations to the Legislature.

     The Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii, Hawaii Agriculture Research Center, and several concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.  DLNR, Alexander and Baldwin, Inc., Hawaiian Commercial and Sugar Company, and Kauai Coffee Company provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2030, to encourage further 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. 744, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 744, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair