STAND. COM. REP. NO. 80

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: H.B. No. 203

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 203 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO A WATER STORAGE AND DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM FOR CERTAIN AGRICULTURAL LAND IN WAHIAWA, OAHU,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the issuance of $3,000,000 in general obligation bonds to fund the construction costs of a water storage and distribution system on agricultural lands owned by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs in Wahiawa, Oahu, surrounding the Kukaniloko birthing stones site.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Agribusiness Development Corporation, Hawaii Farm Bureau, Waialua Hawaiian Civic Club, Kupuna for the Mo‘opuna, and ten individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committee finds that the water storage and distribution system envisioned in this measure will enable the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to take a significant step forward in the development of its Wahiawa property and will advance diversified agriculture, food security, and cultural preservation in Central Oahu, thereby providing a model for sustainable agricultural development throughout the islands.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Blanking out the amount of general obligation bonds authorized;

(2) Providing that the general obligation bonds can also be used to fund the construction costs of related improvements;

(3) Changing its effective date to January 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As this measure moves through the legislative process, your Committee notes that $3,000,000 in general obligation bonds has been requested for this project.

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. 203, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 203, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

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

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair