STAND. COM. REP. NO.  457

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

 

RE:   H.B. No. 618

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 618 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LAND LEASES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to mandate the transfer of certain non-agricultural park lands from the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) to the Department of Agriculture (DOA) by setting a deadline to transfer the lands.

 

     One concerned individual supported this measure.  The DLNR and DOA provided comments.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Requiring that any identified non-agricultural park lands that are not transferred by the deadline be placed under the DOA by July 1, 2020;

 

     (2)  Requiring the DLNR to be responsible for leases and agreements that are not in compliance with the Non-Agricultural Parks Program of the DOA;

 

     (3)  Requiring DOA to assume responsibility for compliant leases and agreements and to negotiate future leases and agreements by July 1, 2020; and

 

     (4)  Inserting a savings clause.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 618, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 618, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water & Land,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair