STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1243

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: S.B. No. 837

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Water & Land and Economic Development, to which was referred S.B. No. 837, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND TOURISM,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to:

(1) Acquire real, personal, or mixed property;

(2) Clear, improve, and rehabilitate and to sell, assign, exchange, transfer, convey, lease, dispose, or encumber the property; and

(3) Acquire property by condemnation.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; and Agribusiness Development Corporation. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from UNITE HERE Local 5 and four individuals. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committees find that authorizing the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to acquire properties that present financial opportunities for the State will stimulate economic growth and community revitalization. Your Committees further find that adding to the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism's authority the ability to acquire and hold title to real, personal, or mixed property will ensure that the acquisition of title to any real property by the Department will not require the involvement of the Department of Land and Natural Resources or the approval of the Board of Land and Natural Resources.

Accordingly, your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism is authorized to acquire and hold title to real, personal, or mixed property; and

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

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water & Land and Economic Development that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 837, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 837, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water & Land and Economic Development,

____________________________ DANIEL HOLT, Chair

____________________________ LINDA ICHIYAMA, Chair