STAND.
COM. REP. NO. 449-20
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2020
RE: H.B. No. 2160
H.D. 1
Honorable Scott K. Saiki
Speaker, House of Representatives
Thirtieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2020
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Water, Land, & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2160 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FORESTRY,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The
purpose of this measure is to
increase the availability of tree stocks for agroforestry and soil health in
the State by expanding the tree and plant stock available to the public through
the creation of the State Tree Nursery Special Fund.
Your Committee finds
that healthy soils are a critical resource for supplying food security, diverse
habitats, water storage, and climate resiliency. Your Committee further finds that trees serve
an important function in improving soil health, and that the strategic planting
of trees in agricultural landscapes may increase crop yield, improve soil
health, and provide habitats for wildlife.
This measure supports the State's commitment to sustainability by
expanding the tree and plant stock available to the public through the creation
of the State Tree Nursery Special Fund.
Your
Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Removing the requirement that the State Tree
Nursery Special Fund work in collaboration with appropriate stakeholders,
including the Greenhouse Gas Sequestration Task Force and researchers from the
College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources;
(2) Requiring additional, beneficial native trees
and plant stocks to be identified by Native Hawaiian groups, rather than the
Division of Forestry and Wildlife;
(3) Removing language allowing for the provision
of clean planting materials for private projects;
(4) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050,
to encourage further discussion; and
(5) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments
for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2160, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2160, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water, Land, & Hawaiian Affairs,
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____________________________ RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair |