STAND. COM. REP. NO.1149

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2001

RE: H.B. No. 505

H.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Tourism and Intergovernmental Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 505, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC LANDS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require that any transfer of the Ala Wai Golf Course lands from the City and County of Honolulu to the State by executive order shall be subject to legislative disapproval.

Testimony in support of this measure was received from the Board of Public Golf Courses and Golf Media Association of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that the Ala Wai Golf Course is one of the oldest on Oahu – first opening in the 1920s – and the most heavily used. Golfers have expressed considerable frustration at the lack of public input on the decision to close the course, given its extensive use by both residents and visitors.

Your Committee is supportive of more open decisionmaking, particularly when the decision will impact so many people.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Tourism and Intergovernmental Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 505, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________

DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair