STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3248

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1881

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water, Land, Culture and the Arts, to which was referred H.B. No. 1881, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to prohibit passenger ropeways on mountain lands within all land use districts.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Keep the North Shore Country, Hawaii's Thousand Friends, Defend Oahu Coalition, Free Access Coalition, Association of Hawaii Civic Clubs, Koʻolauloa Hawaiian Civic Club, and nine individuals.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that the State contains many protected species and sensitive ecosystems that must be protected from overdevelopment. Passenger ropeways, such as gondolas, are one type of development that threaten to degrade the natural and cultural resources of state lands, with one passenger ropeway project currently proposed for Mount Kaala. This measure will protect and respect the State's aina for the betterment of neighboring communities and the public for the present and future generations.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the operation of passenger ropeways shall be prohibited in all land use districts, rather than on mountain lands within all land use districts;

(2) Inserting language that exempts a government entity, official government-recognized corporation, or official government-recognized nonprofit organization from the prohibition of the operation of passenger ropeways in all land use districts, subject to approval by the Legislature;

(3) Deleting the definition of "mountain";

(4) Amending the definition of "passenger ropeway" to exclude a device or system strictly for private, single‑home use and of a length not greater than one hundred feet; and

(5) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, Culture and the Arts that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1881, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1881, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

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

________________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair