STAND. COM. REP. NO. 899-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 2029

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2029, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEWS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Allow the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to assume historic preservation review of any proposed project for lands under its jurisdiction, except for projects affecting properties listed or nominated for inclusion in the Hawaii Register of Historic Places or the National Register of Historic Places; and

(2) Establish certain written notice requirements for the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources and Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Historic Hawaiʻi Foundation and one individual.

Your Committee finds that under existing law, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands is required to consult with the Department of Land and Natural Resources regarding the effect of any proposed project relating to lands under the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands' jurisdiction on historic properties or burial sites. Your Committee recognizes that this review process, which takes about one hundred sixty-five days, is delaying projects that would provide housing for beneficiaries of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. Streamlining this process by allowing the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to assume review of these projects, as intended by this measure, will allow the construction of these proposed projects to be expedited.

Your Committee has amended this measure by 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 Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2029, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2029, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair