STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1576

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 620

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 620, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE KAHO‘OLAWE ISLAND RESERVE COMMISSION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to support efforts by the Kahoolawe Island Reserve Commission to restore, preserve, and determine the appropriate uses of the Kahoolawe Island Reserve.

     Specifically, the measure appropriates funds to the Department of Land and Natural Resources for:

(1)  Nineteen full-time permanent positions for the Commission; and

(2)  The Kahoolawe Island Reserve Commission's general operations and promotion of water sustainability and photovoltaic powered desalinization on the Island Reserve.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Kahoolawe Island Reserve Commission, Office of the Mayor of the County of Maui, Protect Kahoolawe Ohana, Hawaiian Affairs Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Kalihi Palama Hawaiian Civil Club, Conservation Council for Hawaii, and twenty-nine individuals.

     Written comments in opposition were received from the Center for Hawaiian Sovereignty Studies.

     Your Committee finds that additional funding will permit the Kahoolawe Island Reserve Commission to continue mitigating ecological damage on Kahoolawe, protecting its endangered and rare flora and fauna, and ensuring that visitors can access the Island Reserve meaningfully and safely.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Changing the number of full-time permanent positions for the Kahoolawe Island Reserve Commission to an unspecified number; and

(2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

     Your Committee notes that it has added in H.B. No. 100, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, the General Appropriations Act of 2017, 15.00 permanent positions and general fund appropriations of $1,065,147 in fiscal year 2017-2018 and $1,097,047 in fiscal year 2018-2019 for the Kahoolawe Island Reserve Commission.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 620, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 620, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair