STAND. COM. REP. NO.  563

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2021

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1276

      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 Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1276, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO STATE PARKS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Authorize the Board of Land and Natural Resources to adopt, amend, and repeal administrative fee schedules for the Division of State Parks within the Department of Land and Natural Resources by formal board action at a publicly noticed meeting; and

 

     (2)  Raise the expenditure ceiling for the State Parks Special Fund.

 

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

 

Your Committee finds that budget cuts and reduced funding due to the COVID-19 pandemic necessitate new self-funding tools for the Department of Land and Natural Resources' Division of State Parks to maintain, improve, and enhance the visitor experience in Hawaii's state parks.  Your Committee further finds that Hawaii's administrative rulemaking process is not designed to quickly respond to rapidly changing resource conditions.  This measure will allow the Board of Land and Natural Resources to better respond to rapidly changing conditions by providing the Board with an alternative process to quickly update fee structures after an opportunity for public review and comment.

 

     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. 1276, H.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair