STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2240

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2414

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2414 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO STATE PARKS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to establish within the State Parks Special Fund, a separate sub-account for each county, excluding Kalawao County, into which shall be deposited one hundred per cent of park user fees collected at state parks in the respective county.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from five individuals.  Testimony in opposition was received from the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR).  Comments were received from one individual.  Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

 

     This measure requires the DLNR to expend the moneys from each county sub-account for repair, maintenance, and operating costs incurred by the State in the management of state parks in the same county.  The intent of this measure is to ensure, in the main, that Neighbor Island state parks receive back their proportionate share of user fees.  However, your Committee is not entirely convinced that this measure would accomplish that result because of the varying degree of upkeep required by different state parks statewide.

 

     Your Committee is aware of the concerns of the DLNR to the effect that this measure would negatively impact its ability to operate, maintain, and repair its parks statewide.  The current situation apparently is that a few parks generate most of the revenue for the state park system while some parks generate no revenue and have little potential to ever generate revenue.  However, your Committee believes that the DLNR is still able to subsidize those state parks lacking sufficient resources.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2050 to continue the discussions on this matter.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2414, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2414, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs,

 

 

 

____________________________

CLAYTON HEE, Chair