STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2321

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2153

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water and Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 2153 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds out of the State Parks Special Fund to raise the expenditure ceiling of the special fund.

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

Your Committee finds that the Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of State Parks oversees and has jurisdiction over fifty park units encompassing thirty thousand acres throughout the State, which are composed of some of the State's most sought after and cherished natural, cultural, and historical resources. These park units enable residents and visitors to connect with nature and experience Hawaii's unique history through outdoor recreation and cultural heritage features including wildland areas with rustic camping opportunities and notable hiking trails.

With the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, the state parks system increased parking, entry, camping, and lodging fees for out-of-state visitors at nine state parks. With the robust return of visitor arrivals in 2021, combined with other park revenue sources, revenue from state parks is expected to exceed $12,000,000 while the State Parks Special Fund expenditure ceiling is $93,312. To improve the quality of maintenance, management, and public safety of the state park system from an influx of visitor and illicit use, this measure effectively increases the State Parks Special Fund ceiling by appropriating monies from the special fund to the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting a blank appropriation amount;

(2) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

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. 2153, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2153, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________

LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair