STAND. COM. REP. NO. 706

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1354

S.D. 2

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 S.B. No. 1354, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEWS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to authorize the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to assume historic preservation review of the effect of certain proposed projects for lands under its jurisdiction.

The authorization requires the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to:

(1) Designate each review to a competent and experienced preservation officer;

(2) Ensure that copies of certain documents are provided to the Department of Land and Natural Resources for incorporation into the historic preservation digital document management system and library;

(3) Provide the Department of Land and Natural Resources with written notice of certain information; and

(4) Consult with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs when reviewing historic properties that are important to Native Hawaiians.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and one individual.

Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from the Historic Hawaii Foundation.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committee finds that state historic preservation law is important for the protection and management of the State's historic properties and burial sites. Your Committee further finds that the law requires the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, before it proceeds with any proposed project relating to lands under its jurisdiction, to consult with the Department of Land and Natural Resources regarding the effect of the project upon a historic property or burial site. However, your Committee believes that authorizing the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to assume review for certain projects, as proposed by this measure, would facilitate the review process without sacrificing the preservation of important historical and cultural resources.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the date upon which the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands will assume responsibility for project review shall be among the information included in the written notice that the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands provides to the Department of Land and Natural Resources;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

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

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 S.B. No. 1354, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1354, S.D. 2.

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

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair