STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1527-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: S.B. No. 2613

S.D. 1

H.D. 2

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 S.B. No. 2613, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC SCHOOL LAND TRANSFER,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Amend Act 307, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022, which directed the conveyance of the fee simple interest in specified parcels owned by various public entities to the Department of Education, to revise Tax Map Key numbers and the conveyance process by which identified properties are conveyed;

(2) Direct the conveyance to the County of Kauai and Hawaii State Public Library System of certain lands held by the Department of Education; and

(3) Clarify that land dispositions of school buildings, facilities, and grounds made by the Department of Education shall not require approval from the Board of Land and Natural Resources when these dispositions are for periods exceeding one year.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi State Public Library System. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General and Department of Education.

Your Committee finds that this measure revises Tax Map Key references and clarifies the conveyance and disposition processes for identified public school properties, including specifying circumstances under which a disposition by the Department of Education does not require approval from the Board of Land and Natural Resources. Your Committee further finds that this measure directs the transfer of specific parcels of land owned by the Department of Education for public schools and school libraries to the County of Kauai and Hawaii State Public Library System to reduce jurisdictional complexities and lessen delays in land management projects.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Directing the conveyance to the Department of Land and Natural Resources, rather than the Hawaii State Public Library System, of certain lands held by the Department of Education that include a school library;

(2) Requiring the City and County of Honolulu to transfer fee simple title ownership of the parcel of land on which Kaimuki Middle School is located to the Department of Education; and

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

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider the appropriate appropriation amount to fund the transfers contained in this measure. Your Committee further requests the Board of Education to testify at any public hearing held by your Committee on Finance on this measure.

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 S.B. No. 2613, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2613, S.D. 1, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

MARK J. HASHEM, Chair