STAND. COM. REP. NO.  594-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   H.B. No. 2563

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ocean, Marine Resources, & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2563 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TOURISM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for the restoration of a continuous beach and associated infrastructure along the Waikiki waterfront, with the funds to be allocated for planning and design of the area between the Royal Hawaiian groin and the Fort DeRussy storm drain groin, including a multi-use pedestrian and bicycle path that allows public access and connects Kaimana Beach with Ala Moana Beach Park.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources, The Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, Blue Planet Foundation, Waikīkī Beach Special Improvement District Association, and one individual testified in support of this measure. Ho‘omana Pono, LLC testified in opposition to this measure. O‘ahu Island Parks Conservancy provided comments on this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the appropriation amount from $1,500,000 to an unspecified amount.

     Should the Committee on Finance deliberate this measure further, your Committee on Ocean, Marine Resources, & Hawaiian Affairs respectfully requests that it consider appropriating $1,500,000 for the purposes of this measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ocean, Marine Resources, & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2563, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2563, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ocean, Marine Resources, & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

KANIELA ING, Chair