STAND. COM. REP. NO. 878

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1255

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1255, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FOREST STEWARDSHIP,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to improve the management and protection of privately managed forests.

 

     Specifically, this measure:

(1)  Clarifies that the forest stewardship program may assist landowners of privately managed forests;

 

(2)  Clarifies the requirements for participation in the forest stewardship program; and

 

(3)  Specifies that seventy-five percent of the cost of developing a forest stewardship management plan may be funded by payments from the forest stewardship fund.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources and Hawaii Agriculture Resource Center.

 

     Your Committee finds that the majority of Hawaii's forested areas are privately owned or managed.  This measure will help to ensure that those forests are properly managed by reducing the financial barriers faced by landowners in obtaining technical expertise to develop forest stewardship management plans.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     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. 1255, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1255, S.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

 

 

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair