STAND. COM. REP. NO. 365

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: H.B. No. 1243

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water, Land, & Ocean Resources, to which was referred H.B. No. 1243 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to protect Hawaii's unique natural resources, such as geological and volcanological features and distinctive marine and terrestrial plants and animals, many of which occur nowhere else in the world by:

(1) Changing the conveyance tax rate to an unspecified rate, 25 percent of which is deposited into the Natural Area Reserve Fund (Fund); and

(2) Including projects undertaken in accordance with the management of the Natural Area Reserves System (Reserves System) in the list of priorities for funds disbursed from the Fund.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs and The Nature Conservancy testified in support of this bill. The Department of Land and Natural Resources testified in support of the bill's intent. The Land Use Research Foundation and Cendant Timeshare Resort Group, Inc., and Fairfield Resorts, Inc., testified in opposition to this bill. The Tax Foundation of Hawaii provided comments on this bill.

Your Committee finds that one of Hawaii's most precious assets, its natural resources, must be protected to help provide for a better quality of life for future generations. The Legislature has deemed the conveyance tax as an appropriate means to fund the conservation of natural resources on private land. This bill provides for a conveyance tax to be set at an unspecified rate to spur further discussion as well as provides for a stable funding mechanism that maintains the appropriate level of conservation work within the Reserves System.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, & Ocean Resources that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1243 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 Water, Land, & Ocean Resources,

 

____________________________

EZRA R. KANOHO, Chair