STAND. COM. REP. NO.  11-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   H.B. No. 1769

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 1769 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO MANAGE ALBIZIA TREES ON THE ISLAND OF HAWAII,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate $5,000,000 to the University of Hawaii at Hilo for the management of invasive albizia trees that threaten access to critical emergency services and transportation routes identified by the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency.  

The Chair of the Hawaii County Council and several individuals submitted testimony in support of this measure.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources submitted comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Inserting an unspecified appropriation amount;

     (2)  Clarifying that the funds appropriated shall be expended by the Department of Land and Natural Resources for the purpose of managing albizia trees that threaten access to and safe passage along tsunami evacuation routes on the island of Hawaii;

     (3)  Directing the Department of Land and Natural Resources and the state's Department of Defense to collaborate to secure additional funding and resources to mitigate the public safety hazard caused by albizia trees on Hawaii island;

     (4)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2020, to facilitate further discussion; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1769, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1769, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Higher Education.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water & Land,

____________________________

CINDY EVANS, Chair