STAND. COM. REP. NO. 83

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1341

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 1341 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING APPROPRIATIONS RELATING TO NATURAL DISASTERS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to:

 

     (1)  Cover the costs of recovery and remediation efforts as a result of storms that occurred in February and March 2006;

 

     (2)  Stabilize and repair storm-damaged slopes, drainage ways, and drainage systems to restore functionality and prevent future damage;

 

     (3)  Hire consultants to determine structural integrity of dams and reservoirs statewide, assess potential immediate risk, and recommend long-term plans to ensure dam safety; and

 

     (4)  Investigate, review, and litigate all issues relating to the Ka Loko dam breach that occurred in March 2006.

 

     The bill appropriates $500,000 for fiscal year 2007-2008, to be expended by the Department of Land and Natural Resources, and $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2007-2008, to be expended by the Department of the Attorney General.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Defense, the Department of Land and Natural Resources, and the Attorney General's Office.

 

     Your Committee finds that the state agencies requesting funds pursuant to this measure continue to respond to the impact of the storms that occurred in February and March, 2006, to ensure the safety of all of Hawaii's residents.  All of Hawaii's residents will benefit from the State's ongoing effort to remediate after the storms and will safeguard Hawaii's residents from natural disasters of this sort in the future.  The appropriations made by this measure are in the public interest and for the public health, safety, and the general welfare of the State.

 

     Your Committee has changed the effective date from upon approval to July 1, 2007.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Intergovernmental and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1341, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1341, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Labor.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Intergovernmental and Military Affairs,

 

 

 

____________________________

LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair