STAND. COM. REP. NO. 281-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: H.B. No. 2036

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water, Land, & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2036 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CORAL RESTORATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish the Ocean Coral Restoration Pilot Program in the Department of Land and Natural Resources to plan and design an expansion of the Hawaii Coral Restoration Nursery, including improvements to the sea urchin hatchery.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawaii System, Surfrider Oahu, Friends of Hanauma Bay, Hawaii Reef and Ocean Coalition, and three individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committee finds Hawaii's coral reefs provide significant economic, ecological, and cultural benefits to the State. Your Committee further finds that the Coral Restoration Nursery provides large, healthy, native corals for transplantation on impacted coral reefs. This measure supports reef restoration efforts by appropriating funds for the Department of Land and Natural Resources to plan and design an expansion of the Coral Restoration Nursery.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriation amount to an unspecified sum; and

(2) Changing the 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, & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2036, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2036, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair