STAND. COM. REP. NO. 214

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 837

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism, to which was referred S.B. No. 837 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent 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 property;

(3) Sell, assign, exchange, transfer, convey, lease, dispose, or encumber property; and

(4) Acquire property by condemnation.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committee finds that the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism seeks to encourage and diversify economic activity and workforce and business development in the State. Your Committee believes that empowering the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to acquire and manage property will enhance the Department's capacity to implement its objective of developing the economy of the State. This measure will allow the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to support projects that are beneficial to the development of multiple sectors of the economy, create and boost economic opportunities for public benefits, and address a wide array of the public's needs by authorizing the Department to acquire real, personal or mixed property; clear, improve, and rehabilitate property; sell, assign, exchange, transfer, convey, lease, dispose, or encumber property; and acquire property by condemnation.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 837 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism,

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LYNN DECOITE, Chair