STAND.
COM. REP. NO. 539
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2021
RE: H.B. No. 469
H.D. 1
Honorable Scott K. Saiki
Speaker, House of Representatives
Thirty-First State Legislature
Regular Session of 2021
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 469 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE TRANSFER OF NON-AGRICULTURAL PARK LANDS,"
begs leave to report as follows:
Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture; Hawaii Farm Bureau; Ulupono Initiative; Hawaii Crop Improvement Association; Local Food Coalition; GreenWheel Food Hub; Hawaii Aquaculture & Aquaponics Association; Hawaii Meats LLC; Maui County Farm Bureau; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; Maui Cattlemen's Association; McCandless Ranch; Kapapala Ranch; Kealia Ranch; Larry Jefts Farms, LLC; Hawaii Youth Livestock Association; and numerous individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Sierra Club of Hawaii and two individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.
Your Committee finds that the importance of supporting local farmers and ranchers and strengthening the State's agricultural industry must be balanced with the need to protect Hawaii's environment and safeguard other public-lands priorities.
Your Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Requiring the Department of Agriculture, by
January 1, 2022, to transmit to the Department of Land and Natural Resources a
list of lands that it has identified as being disputed lands;
(2) Requiring the Department of Land and Natural Resources to review
the list;
(3) In the event that the Department of Agriculture and Department of Land
and Natural Resources disagree regarding the disputed lands, requiring the Board
of Land and Natural Resources to establish a third-party advisory committee
prior to any disposition or transfer of the disputed lands;
(4) Requiring the third-party advisory committee to review the disputed
lands proposed for disposition or transfer and determine whether any of the
lands requested meet certain criteria;
(5) Requiring the third-party advisory committee to determine whether
the Department of Agriculture or Department of Land and Natural Resources is the
appropriate agency for managing the parcel of land;
(6) Requiring that, if the Department of Agriculture and Department of Land
and Natural Resources are unable to reach a mutual agreement regarding the
disposition or transfer of disputed lands, the disputed lands will remain under
the jurisdiction and management of the Department of Land and Natural Resources
until such time as a mutual agreement can be reached regarding their
disposition;
(7) Requiring that for lands for which the Department of Agriculture
and Department of Land and Natural Resources reach a mutual agreement regarding
their disposition, such lands will be transferred to the Department of Agriculture;
(8) Requiring that beginning with the 2026-2027 fiscal year, and no
less than every fifth fiscal year thereafter, the Department of Agriculture and
Department of Land and Natural Resources will undertake the process set forth
in paragraphs (1) through (7);
(9) Changing its effective date to January 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and
(10) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.
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. 469, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 469, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water & Land,
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____________________________ DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair |
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