STAND. COM. REP. NO.  248

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   H.B. No. 505

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 505 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to make more lands available for the development of affordable housing by:

     (1)  Authorizing the Department of Land and Natural Resources       (DLNR) to issue 99-year term leases of ceded lands for        the development of low- and moderate-income housing; and

     (2)  Requiring DLNR to conduct a study and submit a report on

          the inventory of available ceded lands and their

          suitability for the development of affordable housing to

          the 2008 and 2009 legislatures.

     DLNR, the Attorney General, and a concerned individual opposed this bill.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to                    encourage further discussion; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for style,         clarity, and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 505, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 505, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Human Services & Housing.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

KEN ITO, Chair