STAND. COM. REP. NO. 184-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 2626

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. 2626 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FISHPONDS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require and appropriate funds for the Board of Land and Natural Resources to create a standard lease application and programmatic environmental impact statement to further streamline the process for leasing government-owned Hawaiian fishponds.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Joseph & Josephines LLC; Wahine Maoli Poʻo E Ola Kakou Hawai‘i; Hawaii Reef and Ocean Coalition; Kuaʻāina Ulu ʻAuamo; The Nature Conservancy; Hawai‘i Alliance for Progressive Action; and numerous individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committee finds that traditional Hawaiian fishponds, or loko iʻa, play an important role in Hawaiian cultural practices, have an ecologically important role in watersheds, are essential components of traditional food systems in Hawaii, and provide food security and community resilience. This measure will ensure that loko iʻa are used for appropriate purposes by expanding certain standards an applicant must satisfy prior to being approved for a lease.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting its purpose section;

(2) Deleting language that would have required the Board of Land and Natural Resources to implement a standard lease application and programmatic environmental impact statement to streamline the leasing process for government-owned Hawaiian fishponds and all its related language;

(3) Specifying certain findings the Board of Land and Natural Resources must make for a lease of a government-owned fishpond;

(4) Deleting the appropriation to create a standard lease application and programmatic environmental impact statement;

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

(6) 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. 2626, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2626, 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