STAND. COM. REP. NO. 323-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: H.B. No. 2443

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 2443 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AN ACCESSIBLE PLAYGROUNDS PILOT PROGRAM FOR DISABLED CHILDREN,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require and appropriate funds to the Department of Accounting and General Services to develop and implement a three-year Accessible Playgrounds Pilot Program (Pilot Program) to provide recreation opportunities for children of all abilities.

Hawaii Disability Rights Center and Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii supported this measure. The Department of Accounting and General Services provided comments.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring the Department of Land and Natural Resources to develop and implement the Pilot Program, rather than the Department of Accounting and General Services;

(2) Authorizing the Department of Land and Natural Resources to contract with and provide grants for counties to implement the Pilot Program;

(3) Appropriating general funds into the State Park Special Fund to implement the Pilot Program; and

(4) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

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. 2443, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2443, 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