STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1161

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: H.B. No. 491

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Water, Land, and Agriculture and Business and Economic Development, to which was referred H.B. No. 491 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MAKENA STATE BEACH PARK,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for lifeguard services at Makena State beach park.

The Mayor of Maui County, two Maui County council members, Dr. Leisure's Friends of Makena State Park, and five individuals submitted testimony in support of this measure. The Department of Land and Natural Resources submitted testimony in opposition to this measure.

Makena State beach park is one of Maui's most popular beaches. However, it is also one of its most dangerous beaches because of a very severe shore break and strong rip currents. These hazards catch people off-guard and severely injure or sometimes even kill swimmers.

Currently, there are no lifeguards on duty at Makena State beach park, and your Committees find that lifeguard services are needed there to protect tourists and other swimmers. Accordingly, this measure will appropriate the necessary funds to provide ocean safety services at the beach park.

Your Committees have left the amount of the appropriation blank for determination by the Committee on Ways and Means. However, your Committees noted testimony from the Department of Land and Natural Resources that approximately $428,000 is needed to provide equipment (i.e. lifeguard tower and other life-saving equipment) and lifeguard services at Makena State beach park for the 2005-2006 fiscal year. An additional $328,000 would also be needed to provide lifeguard services for the 2006-2007 fiscal year.

Your Committees have amended this measure by inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050 to facilitate further discussion on this measure.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water, Land, and Agriculture and Business and Economic Development that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 491, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 491, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water, Land, and Agriculture and Business and Economic Development,

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WILL C. ESPERO, Chair

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RUSSELL S. KOKUBUN, Chair