STAND. COM. REP. NO. 140-14
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2014
RE: H.B. No. 2256
Honorable Joseph M. Souki
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twenty-Seventh State Legislature
Regular Session of 2014
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred H.B. No. 2256 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSE, ENERGY, AND FOOD SECURITY TAX REPEAL DATE,"
begs leave to report as follows:
More specifically, this measure extends the environmental response, energy, and food security tax repeal date from June 30, 2015, to June 30, 2030, to provide financial support to the Departments of Health, Agriculture, and Business, Economic Development, and Tourism so that they can meet the 2030 clean energy and food security goals established pursuant to Act 155, Session Laws of Hawaii 2009, and Act 73, Session Laws of Hawaii 2010.
Your Committee finds that, in Act 155, Session Laws of Hawaii 2009, the Legislature established clean energy goals for the State to meet by the year 2030. Your Committee also finds that, in Act 73, Session Laws of Hawaii 2010, the Legislature stated that the State's resource strategy should also promote food security and sustainability. In order to provide a source of funding, Act 73 increased the state fuel tax and required that a portion the tax revenues collected be deposited into the environmental response revolving fund, energy security special fund, energy systems development special fund, and agricultural development and food security special fund. These provisions are presently scheduled to be repealed on June 30, 2015. While this measure would extend the repeal date for an additional fifteen years, your Committee respectfully requests that subsequent Committees to which this measure is referred consider making the tax revenue stream established by Act 73, permanent.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2256 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture,
|
|
____________________________ JESSICA WOOLEY, Chair |
|
|
|