STAND. COM. REP. 151

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: H.B. No. 474

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor and Public Employment, to which was referred H.B. No. 474 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE EMERGENCY ENVIRONMENTAL WORKFORCE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to improve the State's economy and protect the State's environment by:

(1) Employing citizens through the Emergency Environmental Workforce (Workforce) established under Act 4, Third Special Session Laws of Hawaii, 2001; and

(2) Appropriating funds to continue the efforts of the Workforce.

The Mayor of the County of Maui, The Research Corporation of the University of Hawaii (RCUH), Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species, Maui Invasive Species Committee, and the Sierra Club, Hawaii Chapter, testified in support of this measure. The Department of Land and Natural Resources and Department of Agriculture testified in support of the intent of the measure.

 

The Workforce enjoyed success in both assisting persons who were laid off as a result of the events of September 11th and in aiding in the fight against the silent invasion of alien species. This success not only impacted the State economically, but environmentally as well.

Your Committee finds that current events around the globe once again threaten to have devastating impacts on Hawaii's economy. This measure would provide needed short-term employment opportunities to persons displaced from employment by these events.

Moreover, the invasion of alien species continues to damage Hawaii's environment, most recently observed in Lake Wilson and Kawainui Marsh with the spread of the aquatic weed Salvinia Molesta. The continuation of the Workforce could have a major impact in the eradication of these invasive species, preserving Hawaii's natural beauty.

Your Committee understands the need for RCUH to have the flexibility to spend any appropriations on infrastructure. Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Providing RCUH with the flexibility to use the appropriations to establish program infrastructure, purchase necessary supplies, equipment, and transportation;

(2) Specifying the aquatic weed Salvinia Molesta as one of the invasive species to be eradicated by the Workforce; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor and Public Employment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 474, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 474, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor and Public Employment,

 

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair