STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1609-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   S.B. No. 2906

      H.D. 2

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. 2906, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SECTION 13 OF ACT 380, SESSION LAWS OF HAWAII 1997,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to permanently allow the use of new safe harbor agreements, habitat conservation plans, and incidental take licenses as recovery options for conserving and protecting the State's threatened and endangered species.  This measure also requires the Department of Land and Natural Resources to submit biennial reports to the Legislature on safe harbor agreements.

The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, Kamehameha Schools, Sempra US Gas and Power, and Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii provided testimony in support of the measure.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources provided comments.

     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. 2906, H.D. 2, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair