STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1666-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.C.R. No. 140

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 Public Safety, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 140 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING STATE AGENCIES THAT OWN OR CONTROL LAND IN WEST MAUI TO IMPLEMENT AND ENFORCE AGGRESSIVE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT, FUEL REDUCTION, DEFENSIBLE SPACE, AND EMERGENCY ACCESS MEASURES TO REDUCE WILDFIRE RISK TO LAHAINA AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to urge state agencies owning or controlling land in West Maui, including the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, Department of Accounting and General Services, Department of Land and Natural Resources, and any other applicable state agencies, to immediately identify, prioritize, and abate hazardous vegetation, invasive grasses, and other combustible growth on lands in or adjacent to Lahaina and nearby West Maui communities for the purpose of reducing the risk of wildfires.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committee finds that post-disaster reports regarding the August 2023 Maui wildfires documented that state-owned lands formed part of the larger, unmanaged, fire-prone grassland landscape around Lahaina and that West Maui remained at high wildfire risk because invasive grasses lacked active management, placing the State on clear notice that similar conditions can again serve as a conduit for the spread of fire into developed areas if hazardous fuels are not systematically reduced. Your Committee further finds that community concern remains acute regarding rampant vegetation growth on large parcels near homes, schools, evacuation corridors, and temporary housing areas for wildfire survivors.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Adding language to specify that it is vital that the efforts to protect West Maui from the risk of wildfire should be undertaken in alignment with the work currently being performed by the Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization through the recommendations of the Fire Safety Research Institute; and

(2) 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 Public Safety that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 140, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Water & Land in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 140, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety,

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair