STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2255

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2152

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water and Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 2152 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE BOARD OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to limit the discretion of the Land Division of the Department of Land and Natural Resources by requiring the Board of Land and Natural Resources to approve all decisions to revoke, limit, condemn, remove, or modify the Department of Land and Natural Resources' leases and revocable permits.

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

Your Committee finds that the Land Division of the Department of Land and Natural Resources has significant discretion in revoking, limiting, removing, or modifying leases granted by the Department of Land and Natural Resources, issuing condemnations, and rescinding revocable permits without prior approval from the Board of Land and Natural Resources. Enhanced review of public land leases and revocable permits would allow the State to ensure that the use of public lands best benefits people in the State. This measure will ensure a more thorough review of public leases and revocable permits to benefit Hawaii's residents.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water and Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2152, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2152, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

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

________________________________

LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair