STAND. COM. REP. NO. 210

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 571

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 571 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE KAHO‘OLAWE ISLAND RESERVE COMMISSION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Land and Natural Resources for the Kaho‘olawe Island Reserve Commission to effectively meet the unique challenges of restoring, preserving, and determining the appropriate uses of the Kaho‘olawe Island Reserve for the people of Hawaii.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Kaho‘olawe Island Reserve Commission, Protect Kaho‘olawe ‘Ohana, and numerous individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Center for Hawaiian Sovereignty Studies.

Your Committee finds that the Kaho‘olawe Island Reserve Commission has made great strides in recent years in the restoration of Kaho‘olawe's natural and cultural resources; however, additional funding is needed to ensure that Kaho‘olawe's on‑island operations, safety, and infrastructure are maintained and the island remains open for critical restoration and cultural activities. Funding for additional positions is also necessary to augment the Kaho‘olawe Island Reserve Commission's boat operations and to expand coastal erosion and shoreline protection projects on Kaho‘olawe.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriations to unspecified amounts;

(2) Changing the effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of $400,000 for the Kaho‘olawe Island Reserve Commission and $72,500 to fund one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) permanent Kaho‘olawe island reserve specialist III, one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) permanent Kaho‘olawe island reserve specialist II, and one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) permanent ocean resource specialist II.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 571, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 571, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

LINDA ICHIYAMA, Chair