STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2598

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 2000

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 2917
                                        S.D. 2




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B.
No. 2917, S.D. 1, entitled:

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
     FUND,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to establish a Water Resource
Management Fund for the Commission on Water Resource Management
to use for water resource related activities.

     Your Committee finds that by creating and providing a
funding source for a water resource management fund, the
Commission on Water Resource Management will have a consistent,
reliable source of moneys with which to manage its operations and
perform its duties.  Water is necessary for life and the
Commission on Water Resource Management must oversee everything
from water distribution, water quality, water conservation, water
resource development, and other important water related
responsibilities for the State's residents.  Unfortunately, the
Commission's reliance on state general funds cannot be assured
when the state budget in general is in jeopardy every year from
declining tax revenues.  This measure is designed to reduce this
reliance on the general fund and in the long term will benefit
both the Commission and the State.


 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2598
                                   Page 2


     Your Committee has amended this bill by removing the
specific dollar amount in the appropriations section and made
some technical, nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity
and grammar.

     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.
2917, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass
Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2917, S.D.
2.

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



                                 ________________________________
                                 CAROL FUKUNAGA, Co-Chair



                                 ________________________________
                                 ANDREW LEVIN, Co-Chair

 
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