Bill Text: HI HB1086 | 2015 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Environmental Reorganization; Update LRB Study; Appropriation ($)
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 19-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2015-03-23 - Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM. [HB1086 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2015-HB1086-Amended.html
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
1086 |
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TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2015 |
S.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO THE ENVIRONMENT.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that Hawaii's government should operate as efficiently as possible to make the best use of government resources, personnel, and taxpayer dollars as it works to achieve the policy goals enacted by the legislature on behalf of the people of Hawaii. However, natural resource and environmental management is split among many departments and agencies, often leading to inefficiencies. For example, the use and protection of water resources is scattered among the environmental health administration and the clean water branch of the department of health, the division of aquatic resources, the commission on water resource management, the office of conservation and coastal lands, the division of boating and ocean recreation of the department of land and natural resources, and the coastal zone management program of the office of planning of the department of business, economic development and tourism, to name a few.
The legislature also finds that several departments also suffer from internal conflicts of interest, including the department of land and natural resources, which is tasked to preserve Hawaii's public lands as well as make them available for other purposes.
The legislature further finds that because the scope and mission of some departments is so broad, directors must prioritize their requests for resources. Inevitably, some programs and services outside a department's core mission are left behind. These programs and services may be a better fit in another department where they take a higher priority.
In addition, modern critical issues such as climate change necessitate that action and responsibility be spread among several departments. It is sometimes unclear which departments will take the lead and which will be responsible for using their limited resources to tackle these challenges.
The legislature finds that in 1984, the legislature adopted Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 135 and House Concurrent Resolution No. 78, requesting the legislative reference bureau to conduct a study of establishing a state environmental protection agency, department, or comparable body to coordinate and address matters of environmental quality. In 1985, the legislative reference bureau released a study "The Feasibility of Environmental Reorganization for Hawaii", which, in part, discussed the creation of a state department of environmental protection.
The legislature further finds that Act 293, Session Laws of Hawaii 1991, temporarily placed a department of environmental protection in the Hawaii Revised Statutes; however the Act also provided for its repeal on July 1, 1992, if the legislature failed to enact a bill establishing the powers, duties, and other provisions of the department of environmental protection during the regular session of 1992. The department of environmental protection task force report, in response to Act 293, found that while there was consensus that a department of environmental protection should be established, the task force could not reach consensus on the strategy regarding the overall establishment of the department. The legislature was not able to enact a law establishing the powers, duties, and other provisions of the department of environmental protection, and thus, Act 293 was repealed.
The purpose of this Act is to require the legislative reference bureau to update the 1985 study "The Feasibility of Environmental Reorganization for Hawaii" and to assess the feasibility of implementing findings and recommendations.
SECTION 2. (a) The legislative reference bureau shall update its study "The Feasibility of Environmental Reorganization for Hawaii" and assess the feasibility of implementing the findings and recommendations of the department of environmental protection task force.
(b) The legislative reference bureau may contract the services of another entity to perform any related services that may be required pursuant to this Act. Any contract for services executed pursuant to this Act shall be exempt from chapter 103D, Hawaii Revised Statutes.
(c) The legislative reference bureau shall submit the updated study to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2016.
SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2015-2016 for the purposes of this Act.
The sum appropriated shall be expended by the legislative reference bureau for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2015.
Report Title:
Environmental Reorganization; Update LRB Study; Appropriation
Description:
Requires LRB to update its 1985 study on environmental reorganization for Hawaii and assess the feasibility of implementing the findings and recommendations of the 1992 department of environmental protection task force. Makes an appropriation. (SD1)
The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
