STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2913

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 2594

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Water, Land, and Housing and Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred H.B. No. 2594, H.D. 2, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE VII, SECTION 12, OF THE HAWAII STATE CONSTITUTION TO ASSIST DAM AND RESERVOIR OWNERS,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to propose a constitutional amendment to the Hawaii State Constitution to authorize the State to issue special purpose revenue bonds and use the proceeds from the bonds to assist dam and reservoir owners.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Budget and Finance, Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Alexander & Baldwin, and Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii.

 

     Your Committees find that dams and reservoirs are a critical part of the State's infrastructure.  Due to the age of most of these facilities, many pose risks to life and property due to dam failures.  This measure will provide dam and reservoir owners with a suitable means of financing work to bring Hawaii's dams and reservoirs into compliance with new safety standards.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by deleting the portion of the constitutional amendment question that unnecessarily specifies that the bond proceeds be used to make dam and reservoir owners' facilities compliant with current safety standards.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water, Land, and Housing and Judiciary and Labor that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2594, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2594, H.D. 2, 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 Housing and Judiciary and Labor,

 

____________________________

CLAYTON HEE, Chair

 

____________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair