STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1700

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.R. No. 160

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Water and Land and Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.R. No. 160 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO TRANSFER TO THE COUNTY OF MAUI THE LAHAINA PUBLIC LIBRARY MAKAI LAWN,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Department of Land and Natural Resources to transfer to the County of Maui the makai lawn at the Lahaina Public Library.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from one member of the Maui County Council and one individual. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committees find that because the makai lawn adjacent to the Lahaina Public Library belongs to the State, the attractive site and location has sat unused, and members of the public have been foreclosed from obtaining permits to use the space for events. Your Committees believe that by transferring the makai lawn from the State to the County of Maui, the makai lawn can be restored and put to its highest and best use. Therefore, this measure requests the Department of Land and Natural Resources to transfer the makai lawn to the County of Maui.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water and Land and Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 160 and recommend its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water and Land and Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs,

________________________________ GLENN WAKAI, Chair

________________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair