STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2829

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2618

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2618, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish and appropriates moneys for a Molokai-centered environmental investigative hotline pilot project, which the Department of the Attorney General, Investigations Division, shall implement and manage.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from a member of the Maui County Council.

Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from the Department of the Attorney General.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that many state departments do not have the capacity to investigate environmental concerns in remote rural areas. Your Committee believes that the implementation of a temporary hotline program that uses the services of trained investigators who are familiar with rural matters will help protect the State's natural environment.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2618, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair