Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 505, H.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide that any transfer of Ala Wai golf course by executive order be subject to disapproval by a majority of both houses of the legislature or two-thirds vote of either house.

Your Committee finds that Ala Wai golf course is the most heavily played golf course in the nation, and the only public course located in urban Honolulu. Any proposal that would convert the Ala Wai golf course to another use and relocate a golf course elsewhere will be extremely expensive. Such a step requires legislative review. Your Committee understands that originally such legislative review was required, but it was removed in 1993 when the Ala Wai golf course was one of the sites under consideration for the Convention Center. Since the Convention Center has now been built on another site, it is appropriate to restore the legislative consent provision.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 505, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.