STAND. COM. REP. NO. 158

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1179

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 Water and Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 1179 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FUNDING FOR THE DIVISION OF CONSERVATION AND RESOURCES ENFORCEMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to allocate a portion of the conveyance tax to the Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) of the Department of Land and Natural Resources to partially cover operational costs related to upholding the laws that serve to protect, conserve, and manage Hawaii's unique and limited natural, cultural, and historic resources.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, For the Fishes, Trilogy Excursions, Ocean Tourism Coalition, and one individual. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawai‘i Association of REALTORS.

Your Committee finds that this measure would provide funds to DOCARE to help offset funds that were reduced due to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. According to testimony received by your Committee, DOCARE has one of the lowest rates of state funding per person compared to all other state wildlife agencies. Your Committee further finds that DOCARE is already short staffed and underfunded and will continue to struggle to effectively carry out its mission unless additional funding sources are found.

Your Committee has amended this measure by 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 Water and Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1179, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1179, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

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LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair