STAND. COM. REP. NO. 184

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 570

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water and Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 570 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to amend the definition of "historic property" under the Historic Preservation Law to require that the property meets the criteria for being entered into the Hawaii Register of Historic Places.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, and Historic Hawai‘i Foundation. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Your Committee finds that to be eligible for inclusion in the Hawaii Register of Historic Places, a property must be significant in the history, architecture, archeology, or culture of the State, its communities, or the nation. Your Committee further finds that the current definition for "historic property" merely considers the property's age of construction, which is not equivalent to its historic importance. According to testimony received by your Committee, this measure would address this issue by also considering the property's integrity and historical significance. Your Committee notes that this measure would allow the Hawaii State Historic Preservation Division to focus its reviews on appropriate properties and help clear their backlog.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water and Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 570 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water and Land,

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LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair