HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2602

TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2016

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to historic preservation.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that:

     (1)  Since the establishment of chapter 6E, Hawaii Revised Statutes, and the enactment of the federal Archaeological and Historic Preservation Act (Public Law 93-291), thousands of archaeological studies have been carried out in the State;

     (2)  Many of these studies have resulted in the collection of tens of thousands of archaeological artifacts and other archaeological resources;

     (3)  The State lacks an archaeological repository, and thus the collections generated by these archaeological studies are stored by the organizations that collected the archaeological materials;

     (4)  It is unknown how much material has been collected as a result of those studies;

     (5)  It is not clearly understood where all collections are housed or the conditions under which they are stored; and

     (6)  The public interest requires that these artifacts and archaeological resources be stored or curated to ensure that they are available for future research and education.

     Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to make an appropriation to the state historic preservation division of the department of land and natural resources to conduct a study to determine the size and condition of archaeological collections currently in private storage, and to assess alternatives for providing safe and secure curation facilities for these and future archeological collections.

     SECTION 2.  The state historic preservation division of the department of land and natural resources shall conduct a study to assess the size and condition of archaeological collections in the State and examine the need for alternatives for safely storing those collections for future research and educational purposes.  The study shall:

     (1)  Determine the amount of archaeological material currently in private storage;

     (2)  Assess the quality of the storage facilities currently in use;

     (3)  Estimate the additional amount of archaeological material that is likely to be produced as a result of archaeological studies conducted by 2025;

     (4)  Assess alternatives for providing safe and secure storage of archaeological collections; and

     (5)  Assess the feasibility and cost of the various alternatives, including planning, designing, constructing, and operating state-owned archaeological curation facilities.

     The state historic preservation division shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the start of the regular session of 2018.

     SECTION 3.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $65,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2016-2017 for the state historic preservation division to conduct a study to assess the size and condition of archaeological collections in the State and examine the need for alternatives for safely storing those collections for future research and educational purposes.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the state historic preservation division of the department of land and natural resources for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2016.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

 

 


 


 

Report Title:

Historic Preservation; Archeology; Collections; Storage; Study; Appropriation

 

Description:

Appropriates funds for DLNR to study the size and storage of archeological collections.  Requires a report.

 

 

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