STAND. COM. REP. NO. 433-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 2505

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 2505 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Increase the fines for violations of land use laws; and

(2) Impose enhanced fines for developers and owners of Important Agricultural Lands who repeatedly use the lands for unintended purposes.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources and Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture.

Your Committee finds that this measure protects Important Agricultural Lands from being used for unintended purposes, which would undermine the State's objective of supporting a diversity of farming activities and opportunities that expand agricultural income and job opportunities, conserving the State's agricultural land resource base, and assuring the long-term availability of agricultural lands for agricultural use.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing its effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2505, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2505, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water & Land,

____________________________

LINDA ICHIYAMA, Chair