STAND. COM. REP. NO. 658

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                   

 

RE:     S.B. No. 1138

        S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Water and Land and Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 1138 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE IOLANI PALACE PARKING LOT,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to transfer jurisdiction and management of the parking lot surrounding Iolani Palace from the Department of Accounting and General Services to the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Accounting and General Services and one individual.

 

     Your Committees find that Iolani Palace is a state monument administered by the Division of State Parks of the Department of Land and Natural Resources, who regulates and manages the various special use activities and events of the adjacent four quadrants that comprise the grounds surrounding the buildings.  The Friends of Iolani Palace manage and operate Iolani Palace, Iolani Palace Barracks, and the Coronation Pavilion under a lease executed by the Department of Land and Natural Resources.  The Department of Accounting and General Services performs all of the grounds and tree maintenance functions and manages the parking areas surrounding the Palace.  Your Committees further find that there have been ongoing discussions between the agencies to remove the current parking infrastructure and resurface the asphalt into a condition that is more aesthetically and historically appropriate for the ambiance of the grounds to add sanctity to the Iolani Palace experience. 

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by clarifying that the Department of Land and Natural Resources shall assume jurisdiction and management over lands on which the parking lot surrounding Iolani Palace is situated.

 

Your Committees request that the Department of Land and Natural Resources and Department of Accounting and General Services continue operating under the existing memorandum of understanding until the Department of Land and Natural Resources completes the rulemaking process regarding rules for long-term parking options on or adjacent to the Iolani Palace grounds, with a deadline goal of December 31, 2020.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water and Land and Government Operations that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1138, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1138, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water and Land and Government Operations,

 

________________________________

LAURA H. THIELEN, Chair

 

________________________________

KAIALI'I KAHELE, Chair