STAND. COM. REP. NO.  849-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   H.B. No. 2308

      H.D. 2

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 2308, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION MANAGEMENT OFFICE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish an Environmental Information Management Office within the Department of Health to support environmental protection by facilitating the efficient and effective collection and dissemination of environmental data.

The Department of Health, Office of Environmental Quality, Department of Transportation, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and an individual testified in support of this measure.  The Building Industry Association of Hawaii provided comments on this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2030, to encourage further discussion; 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 Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2308, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2308, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair