Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Transportation, Military Affairs, and Government Operations and Water, Land, and Agriculture, to which was referred S.B. No. 463 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the Kaho'olawe Island Reserve Commission (KIRC) to provide the Legislature with a master plan, by July 1, 2003, for the Navy's transfer of administrative authority over the island to KIRC.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs and KIRC both submitted testimony supporting the intent of this measure, but requesting that the reporting date be moved to September 30, 2003.

Your Committees find that the State will legally assume control of Kaho'olawe on November 12, 2003. For one hundred twenty days after that date the Navy will maintain access while KIRC implements its action plan.

Your Committees believe that since the State will be legally responsible and liable for the island as of November 12, it is vitally important that the Legislature receive KIRC's master plan with sufficient time to study the plan and determine its adequacy. KIRC has had years to work on the plan, and your Committees believe that it is reasonable to expect it to be ready in time for review by the Legislature.

However, based on the concerns raised, your Committees decided to compromise and amend this measure by extending the date for the report to August 1, 2003.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Transportation, Military Affairs, and Government Operations and Water, Land, and Agriculture that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 463, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 463, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs.