STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1230

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: S.B. No. 1747

S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 1747, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE LYON ARBORETUM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to help the Harold L. Lyon Arboretum (Lyon Arboretum) reach its potential as a research, scientific, and educational institution by appropriating funds for the repair, maintenance, and operation needed to address health and safety concerns resulting from decades of neglect.

The Lyon Arboretum Community Steering Committee, Na Leo Pohai, and many concerned individuals testified in support of this bill. The University of Hawaii and Hawaii Government Employees Association, HGEA/AFSCME, Local 152, AFL-CIO, supported the intent of this measure.

Your Committee finds that Lyon Arboretum is Hawaii's premiere repository for rare and endangered native Hawaiian plants, and the only biological field research facility in a tropical rainforest owned and operated by a university in the United States. As such, your Committee believes that Lyon Arboretum deserves the financial support provided by this bill.

 

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1747, S.D. 2, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Higher Education,

 

____________________________

TOMMY WATERS, Chair