STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1229-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: S.B. No. 3153

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 3153, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DAM AND APPURTENANCE IMPROVEMENT OR REMOVAL GRANT PROGRAM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish the Dam and Appurtenance Improvement or Removal Grant Program Special Fund to receive funds for the Dam and Appurtenance Improvement or Removal Grant Program; and

(2) Appropriate funds into and out of the Dam and Appurtenance Improvement or Removal Grant Program Special Fund for purposes of the Dam and Appurtenance Improvement or Removal Grant Program.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources; Agribusiness Development Corporation; Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii; Hawaii Crop Improvement Association; and Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau.

Your Committee finds that the Dam and Appurtenance Improvement or Removal Grant Program was established to financially assist owners of private dams and appurtenances to keep them properly maintained. Your Committee further finds that the original appropriation for the Program will lapse prior to the establishment of grant application rules and processes by the Department of Land and Natural Resources. This measure provides for a special fund to receive and preserve the availability of funds for the Program.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriations into and out of the Dam and Appurtenance Improvement or Removal Grant Program Special Fund to unspecified amounts;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider inserting appropriation amounts of $10,000,000 into and out of the Dam and Appurtenance Improvement or Removal Grant Program Special Fund for fiscal year 2024-2025.

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 S.B. No. 3153, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3153, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

LINDA ICHIYAMA, Chair