STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1870

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 994

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 994, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LAND USE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development to conduct a study to refine rural district policies and identify strategies for the expansion of the rural district.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Department of Agriculture; and Hawaii Farm Bureau.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development and Ulupono Initiative.

Your Committee finds that the limited use and availability of the rural district encourages land owners to creatively farm so that they may benefit from the reduced real property tax rates of the agricultural district. Your Committee believes that expanding the use of the rural district will help to distinguish rural communities from subsistence farms and allow better protection of productive agricultural lands.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 994, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair