STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1085

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 300

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 300, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE EXPENDITURE OF PUBLIC FUNDS FOR LAND IMPROVEMENTS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to prohibit expenditures of public moneys for improvements of lands not owned or leased by the State, subject to exceptions for certain legislative appropriations and for grants made pursuant to Chapter 42F, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

Your Committees received written comments in opposition to this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committees find that public moneys are held for the benefit of the public. Your Committees believe that placing certain limitations on the expenditure of those moneys, as proposed by this measure, will ensure that those moneys are used for public purposes.

Your Committees have amended this measure by exempting from the measure's prohibition:

(1) Any expenditure for a project with the purpose of natural or cultural resource management; and

(2) Any state grant.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 300, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 300, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary,

________________________________ KARL RHOADS, Chair

________________________________ DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair