STAND. COM. REP. NO.142

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: S.B. No. 536

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water, Land, and Agriculture, to which was referred S.B. No. 536 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII FORESTRY AND COMMUNITY INITIATIVE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for the Hawaii Forestry and Community Initiative.

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Hawaii Forest Industry Association, Hawaii Leeward Planning Conference, the Nature Conservancy, Hawaii Agriculture Research Center, and the Hawaii Farm Bureau. Testimony in support of the intent of this measure was submitted by the Board of Land and Natural Resources, the Board of Agriculture, and the Department of Accounting and General Services. Testimony in opposition to the measure was submitted by Ka Lahui Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that the funds requested in this measure will be matched by both cash and in-kind contributions from the private sector, and will continue a six-year, federally-funded program. This program will diversify and strengthen the State's economy by expanding the forest industry. This program has already brought approximately $1,200,000 in federal dollars to Hawaii.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, and Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 536 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________

LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair