STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2452
Honolulu, Hawaii
President of the Senate
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 2777 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose and intent of this measure is to:
(1) Establish the environmental council special fund; and
(2) Allocate 0.00525 cent of the state environmental response, energy, and food security tax on each barrel of petroleum product to be deposited into the environmental council special fund.
Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Hawaii's Thousand Friends and five individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance and Tax Foundation of Hawaii.
Your Committee finds that the Environmental Council serves as a liaison between the Director of Health and the public on matters concerning ecology and environmental quality. The Council also monitors the progress of state, county, and federal agencies in achieving the State's environmental goals and policies and publishes its findings in its annual reports. The fifteen Environmental Council members are appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, to assure a broad and balanced representation of educational, business, and environmentally pertinent disciplines and professions. Your Committee finds that in order to ensure the Environment Council can fulfill all of its duties, it requires funding. Accordingly, this measure establishes a funding source for the Environmental Council.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture and Environment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2777 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture and Environment,
|
|
|
________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair |
|
|
|
|