STAND. COM. REP. NO. 86

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 772

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred S.B. No. 772 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Establish special number license plates that commemorate forest and ocean conservation; and

(2) The fees from these plates will be used to fund conservation efforts.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources and City and County of Honolulu Department of Customer Services. Your Committee received comments on this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that the Legislature has from time to time authorized special decorative or commemorative license plates, the proceeds of which fund various causes and organizations. A prominent example of this is the popular Hawaii National Park license plates depicting Haleakala National Park or Volcanoes National Park, where a portion of the license plate fee is used to support Hawaii's national parks.

Your Committee further finds that state residents understand and appreciate the importance of the unique ecosystem that Hawaii provides. More specifically, residents appreciate the beloved native and endemic plants and animals of Hawaii, strongly believe that these resources must be preserved for future generations, and support opportunities to directly contribute to the conservation of these critical resources. This measure offers the people of Hawaii the opportunity to support the conservation of forests, beaches, and nearshore environments through the purchase of a special number license plate.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring that the renewal fee amount be the same as the initial fee;

(2) Specifying that funds deposited into the beach restoration special fund be used for beach and nearshore environmental cleanup; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 772, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 772, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation,

________________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair