STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2331

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2835

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 S.B. No. 2835 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HISTORIC PROPERTY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to amend the definition of "historic property" to include buildings and structures that are registered on the Hawaii Register of Historic places, objects, districts, areas, or sites that predate August 21, 1959.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from NAIOP Hawaii, Hawaiʻi Association of REALTORS, and Hawaiʻi YIMBY.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Historic Hawaiʻi Foundation and Society for Hawaiian Archaeology.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committee finds that currently, the backlog of historic reviews is encumbering permits throughout the State. Reviews by the State Historic Preservation Division of the Department of Land and Natural Resources are significantly slowing down the permitting process and adding costs and delays to a substantial number of projects. Consequently, much needed housing, economic development, and critical infrastructure projects often face significant delays in permit approvals and project implementation, which result in decreased economic and construction activity and the delivery of housing units. This measure will address delays in the development of affordable housing and critical infrastructure in the State due to the significant backlog of much-needed projects awaiting review by the State Historic Preservation Division.

Your Committee has amended this measure by inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

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 S.B. No. 2835, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2835, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

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

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LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair