CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. -0 130-06

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2006

RE: S.B. No. 2145

S.D. 2

H.D. 2

C.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 2145, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ENVIRONMENT,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to promote the coordination of the State's environmental justice activities and require a comprehensive review of the State's existing environmental impact statement process.

This measure will help ensure that principles of environmental justice are systematically included in all phases of the environmental review process. It will also help ensure that each agency fulfills its duty to identify and address any disproportionately adverse human health, environmental, or cultural effects on minority populations, native Hawaiians, and low-income populations that would be caused by a proposed action or the agency's policies, programs, and activities.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2006; and

(2) Making technical, non-substantive amendments for consistency, clarity, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2145, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2145, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

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HERMINA MORITA, Co-Chair

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J. KALANI ENGLISH, Chair

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BLAKE K. OSHIRO, Co-Chair

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COLLEEN HANABUSA, Co-Chair

____________________________

CINDY EVANS, Co-Chair

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BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Co-Chair