STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3319

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1925

H.D. 2

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 H.B. No. 1925, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII STATE PLANNING ACT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Establish the Hawaii State Planning Act Phase II Task Force; and

(2) Appropriate funds.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Agriculture; Office of Planning and Sustainable Development; Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Holomua Collaborative; Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau; aio; Hawaiʻi Gas; Hawaiian Host Group; HPM Building Supply; Title Guaranty of Hawaiʻi; Tori Richard, Ltd.; Mana Up; and one individual.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the University of Hawaiʻi Economic Research Organization and Hawaiʻi Community Foundation.

Your Committee finds that since the completion of the first comprehensive review of the Hawaii State Planning Act in 1985, the State has experienced significant economic, physical, social, and technological changes, rendering the findings and recommendations made in that review outdated. Considering these circumstances, the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development completed Phase I of a comprehensive review of the Hawaii State Planning Act in 2018, which yielded findings and recommendations that provide a foundation and scope of a recommended Phase II update, including an approach to align current and emerging conditions and issues to enhance the effectiveness of planning, the needs of Hawaii's people, and the future of the trajectory of the State. This measure will continue to build on the work done and involve the community in updating and simplifying the Hawaii State Plan.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Specifying that the Hawaii State Planning Act Phase II Task Force shall include the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, or their designee; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments 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 H.B. No. 1925, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1925, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________

LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair