STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3124

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1684

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Economic Development, Environment, and Technology and Government Operations, to which was referred H.B. No. 1684, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE NATURAL ENERGY LABORATORY OF HAWAII AUTHORITY,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to exempt the operations of the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority from bidding requirements for concessions or space on public property.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority; and one individual.

     Your Committees find that the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority administers the Hawaii Ocean Science and Technology Park (HOST Park).  Your Committees further find that while the fifteen-year limit on concessions or concession space under section 102-2(a), Hawaii Revised Statutes, may place an undue burden on the development of the HOST Park, it is unnecessary to exempt the operations of the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority from all bidding requirements under section 102-2(a), Hawaii Revised Statutes.

     Your Committees have therefore amended this measure by:

     (1)  Exempting the operations of the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority from the fifteen-year limit, rather than all bidding requirements for concessions or space on public property; and

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

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Economic Development, Environment, and Technology and Government Operations that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1684, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1684, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Economic Development, Environment, and Technology and Government Operations,

________________________________ DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair

________________________________ GLENN WAKAI, Chair