STAND. COM. REP. NO. 184

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 908

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. 908 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE LAND CONSERVATION FUND,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to amend the amount of conveyance tax to be deposited into the Land Conservation Fund.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Legacy Land Commission; Trust for Public Land; Livable Hawaii Kai Hui; Coastal Planners, LLC; Ala Kahakai Trail Association; Hi‘ipaka LLC; The Nature Conservancy; Kupa‘aina o Kuli‘ou‘ou; and three individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawai‘i Association of REALTORS. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources and Tax Foundation of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that this measure will ensure adequate funding is deposited into the Land Conservation Fund to help meet the demand for and cost of acquiring land for public and ecological benefit.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion.

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. 908, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 908, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

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

____________________________

LINDA ICHIYAMA, Chair