STAND. COM. REP. NO. 822

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: H.B. No. 1029

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1029 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LIVING PARK PLANNING COUNCILS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to repeal Act 15, Special Session Laws of Hawaii 2009, which established living park planning councils.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committee finds that Act 15, Special Session Laws of Hawaii 2009, established a living park planning council to develop a master plan for Ahupua‘a ‘O Kahana State Park. However, after ten years and numerous meetings, the community-based planning council could not develop the framework for a master plan for the park, and the Department of Land and Natural Resources subsequently engaged a private planning contractor to initiate the master planning process.

Your Committee further finds that a report finalized in 2019 identified three issues that needed resolution before proceeding on the master plan. To date, there have been no further discussions and no resolution of these issues. Your Committee finds that based on the lack of action on the master plan and in consideration of the limited resources and other pressing state priorities brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is in the public interest to repeal Act 15, Special Session Laws of Hawaii 2009.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1029 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair