STAND. COM. REP. NO.713

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: S.B. No. 719

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 719 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AQUACULTURE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the Department of Transportation to adopt reduced rate and fee schedules for Hawaii aquaculture enterprises that use harbors and wharves, which are managed and operated by the State.

Your Committee finds that the future of aquaculture enterprises in Hawaii is based on offshore activities, which require adjacent dock and wharf space at major harbor facilities. Major state harbors are required to charge sufficient fees to sustain their operations and capital improvement costs. Your Committee finds that the going rates and fees set by the Department of Transportation may be prohibitively expensive for these small businesses, and in order to assist the aquaculture industry, the lower rates should allow the industry to access these state sites.

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. 719 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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BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair