STAND. COM. REP. NO. 764

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1318

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1318, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to reorganize the functions of state government in the long-range planning for the State.

 

     Specifically, this measure:

 

     (1)  Repeals chapter 205A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, the coastal zone management law, including the special management areas program, shoreline setbacks program, and marine and coastal affairs program;

 

     (2)  Abolishes the Office of Planning by repealing chapter 225M, Hawaii Revised Statutes; and

 

     (3)  Transfers all rights, powers, functions, and duties of the Office of Planning to the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.

 

     Your Committee received two written comments on this measure.  The written comments may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

 

     In these austere, belt-tightening times, your Committee feels that a major overhaul of the long-range planning process on the state level is required.  Since the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism was previously responsible for all planning functions of the State and the Office of Planning is placed within the Department, your Committee finds that the obvious choice of executive department to assume the authority and functions of the Office of Planning is the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.

 

     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. 1318, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

 

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

 

 

 

____________________________

DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair