STAND. COM. REP. NO. 418-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 2465

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. 2465 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO REGULATION OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to clarify that failure to comply with approved mitigation commitments, conduct an archaeological inventory survey, or comply with other administrative requirements pertaining to archaeology approved by the Department of Land and Natural Resources shall result in civil and administrative violations.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources; Office of Hawaiian Affairs; and Historic Hawaiʻi Foundation.

Your Committee finds that this measure will provide the State Historic Preservation Division with more flexibility in regulating archaeological activities in the State and protecting historic properties and burial sites.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

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

(2) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment 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. 2465, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2465, 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