STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1621-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   S.B. No. 2788

      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 Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 2788 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE MOLOKAI IRRIGATION SYSTEM WATER USERS ADVISORY BOARD,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to amend the membership requirements of the Molokai Irrigation System Water Users Advisory Board.  Specifically, this measure:

     (1)  Makes agents, officers, or employees of Molokai irrigation system users eligible to be Molokai Irrigation System Water Users Advisory Board members; and

     (2)  Removes the requirement that Molokai Irrigation System Water Users Advisory Board members be active general excise tax licensees.

Hikiola Cooperative, Inc., Molokai Farm Bureau, Pulama Lanai, and a few individuals provided testimony in support of the measure.  The Department of Agriculture provided comments.  

     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 S.B. No. 2788, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2788, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair