STAND. COM. REP. NO. 266-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 1881

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 1881 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose 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 The Outdoor Circle; Hawaii's Thousand Friends; Keep the North Shore Country; Defend Oahu Coalition; Waimanalo Neighborhood Board No. 32; Plant A Tree Hawaii; Mana Warrior Collective; Free Access Coalition; and numerous individuals.

Your Committee finds that mountains, slopes, and hills provide essential habitats for native species, which are under continuous threat of invasive species, climate change, and land mismanagement. Your Committee further finds that allowing passenger ropeways on Hawaii's mountain lands would pose a grave threat to the State's valuable natural and cultural resources. This measure seeks to prevent such a threat from occurring.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the prohibition applies to commercial funiculars, not all funiculars;

(2) Changing its effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(3) 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. 1881, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1881, 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,

____________________________

MARK J. HASHEM, Chair