STAND. COM. REP. NO.  461

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 636

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 636 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WATER CONSERVATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to promote water conservation initiatives by establishing a Water Conservation Financial Assistance Pilot Program to provide financial assistance to county-owned public water systems to help implement their respective water conservation incentive programs.

The Honolulu Board of Water Supply, Hawaii Green Growth, Hawaii Fresh Water Initiative, The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, Hawaii Community Foundation, and two concerned individuals supported this measure.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Removing the requirement that the Commission's report to the Legislature contain recommendations on the program's funding and any proposed legislation;

     (2)  Clarifying that the funds are to be appropriated out of an unspecified special fund rather than general fund revenues;

     (3)  Specifying that contractors or other third parties that receive funds via this measure, may be subject to state audit;

     (4)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

     (5)  Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 636, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 636, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water & Land,

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair