STAND. COM. REP. NO. 538

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1311

       S.D. 2

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1311, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FEES FOR HABITAT CONSERVATION PLANS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to authorize the Department of Land and Natural Resources to collect fees to cover the technical assistance program costs associated with assisting landowners in the development, review, and monitoring of habitat conservation plans.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from William J. Aila Jr., Chairperson, Department of Land and Natural Resources; Richard Lim, Interim Director, Department of Business Economic Development and Tourism; and George Massengale, Legislative Analyst, Hawaii Audubon Society.

     Your Committee finds that the number of incidental take licenses and requests for technical assistance related to habitat conservation plans has increased significantly in recent years, and the Department's current budget cannot meet this increase in demand.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the issue; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1311, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1311, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair