STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3254

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2361

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. 2361, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE KANEOHE BAY REGIONAL COUNCIL,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Department of Land and Natural Resources to provide administrative support to the Kaneohe Bay Regional Council;

(2) Require the Chairperson of the Council to be selected by the voting members from among all voting and nonvoting members on an annual and rotating basis; and

(3) Require the Council to meet quarterly.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committee finds that the Kaneohe Bay Regional Council (Council) was established to serve as a community-based advisory body to the Department of Land and Natural Resources (Department) regarding the management, use, and protection of Kaneohe Bay. Your Committee believes that the Council's capabilities may be further strengthened through the direct administrative support of the Department, and through increasing the frequency of the Council's meetings and autonomy in the selection of the Chairperson of the Council. This measure will improve the operations and leadership of the Council, leading to greater collaboration and more publicly transparent management of the State's natural and cultural resources.

Your Committee has amended this measure by inserting an effective date of January 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion.

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. 2361, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2361, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair