STAND. COM. REP. NO.571

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: S.B. No. 559

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Education and Water, Land, and Agriculture, to which was referred S.B. No. 559 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT HILO,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate general funding to assist the University of Hawaii at Hilo (UH-Hilo) in developing the Pacific Aquaculture and Coastal Resources Center.

Your Committees received testimony in favor of this measure from the County of Hawaii, Department of Agriculture, University of Hawaii, Hawaii Island Economic Development Board, Hawaii Aquaculture Association, and Ahi Nui Tuna Farming Company.

The Pacific Aquaculture and Coastal Resources Center (Center) is a joint project of UH-Hilo, the local community, the County of Hawaii, the State, and the federal government. The Center's facilities will provide much needed basic infrastructure for world class aquaculture and marine science programs at UH-Hilo. In addition to providing teaching and research facilities, the Center will provide a focus for programs and studies related to the sustainable development of aquaculture and the stewardship of marine and coastal resources in East Hawaii and the Pacific region.

An additional $1.5 million to $2 million is needed to complete construction of the Center. Failure to obtain this funding will jeopardize the receipt of $2 million in federal funds and result in the termination of the project. This measure will enable the project to proceed.

Your Committees find that the University of Hawaii cannot receive financial support for a project of this nature as an addition to its base budget. Therefore, your Committees have amended this measure by replacing the general funding authorization with authorization for the issuance of $2 million in general obligation bonds, and for appropriation of a sum between $1.5 million and $2 million therefrom for fiscal year 2003-2004, with the specific amount to be determined by the Committee on Ways and Means. Your Committees also made conforming amendments to the findings and purpose section of this measure.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Water, Land, and Agriculture that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 559, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 559, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

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LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair

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NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair