STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1131

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 756

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 756, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LAND USE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require and appropriate funds for the Department of Land and Natural Resources to prepare plans and a program to facilitate voluntary relocation of residential development away from areas at risk of sea level rise;

(2) Establish the Sea Level Rise Relocation Special Fund; and

(3) Allow the exchange of public land for private land for the transfer of development rights or land exchanges to relocate private development away from high-risk areas, so long as the public interest is served.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources; Office of Planning and Sustainable Development; Surfrider Foundation, Hawai‘i Region; and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the University of Hawai‘i Sea Grant College Program and Climate Resilience Collaborative.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 756, H.D. 2, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

KYLE T. YAMASHITA, Chair