STAND. COM. REP. NO. 473
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2005
RE: H.B. No. 1308
Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twenty-Third State Legislature
Regular Session of 2005
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Water, Land, & Ocean Resources, to which was referred H.B. No. 1308 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LAND CONSERVATION,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this bill is to preserve, protect, and enhance "lands having value as a resource to the State" (Valuable Resource Lands) by, among other things:
(1) Clarifying and expanding the types of lands that qualify as Valuable Resource Lands;
(2) Changing the name of the Fund for the Environment to Land Conservation Fund (Fund) and expanding its uses and refunding sources;
(3) Requiring that twenty-five percent of the real estate conveyance tax be deposited in the Fund;
(4) Providing a process whereby state agencies and nonprofit land conservation entities can apply for funding from the Board of Land and Natural Resources (Board) to preserve Valuable Resource Lands, subject to matching requirements; and
(5) Requiring the Board to prepare and make available a report to the Legislature and Governor on an annual basis.
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Sierra Club, Hawaii Chapter, Conservation Council for Hawaii, Trust for Public Land, Hawaii County Council, Enterprise Honolulu, Ko'olau Mountains Watershed Partnership, Hawaii's Thousand Friends, Nature Conservancy, and several concerned individuals testified in support of this bill. The Department of Agriculture testified in support of the bill's intent. The Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Taxation, and Land Use Research Foundation, and opposed this measure. The Tax Foundation of Hawaii and Environmental Center of the University of Hawaii provided comments.
Your Committee finds that this bill addresses the State's desire to protect precious lands for future generations to enjoy by among other things, establishing a dedicated source of funding to purchase wild coastline and other high-value resource areas to protect in perpetuity.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, & Ocean Resources that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1308 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water, Land, & Ocean Resources,
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____________________________ EZRA R. KANOHO, Chair |
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