Requires DLNR to work with the county park departments to identify state parks that should be transferred to the county and work on a plan to accomplish the transfer; appropriates money to plan to transfer the parks. (SD1)

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. Hawaii is a great state to live in, and many of the residents enjoy the excellent year round weather in many of the parks located within the State. However, the legislature finds that some of the state parks are in great need of maintenance and management services. There are some state parks that are maintained and managed well; however, many of the better-maintained parks are maintained and managed by the county in which they are located.

Thus, rather than continue to split park ownership and maintenance between the State and the counties, the legislature finds that the ownership of the state parks should be transferred to the counties in which they are located. This transfer of title will eliminate any duplication of services and would streamline the governmental process.

The purpose of this Act is to:

SECTION 2. The department of land and natural resources shall work together with each county's parks division to identify at least one state park in each of the counties that should be transferred to the county, to identify at least one county park that should be transferred to the State, and to design a plan to transfer at least one state park to the county where the park is located and at least one county park to the State. The department shall initiate these proceedings no later than August 1, 2005. Each county is requested to cooperate and participate in this process.

SECTION 3. The department of land and natural resources shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the legislature at least twenty days prior to the convening of the 2006 regular session of the legislature.

SECTION 4. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $          , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2005-2006, and the same sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007, for identifying at least one state park in each county that should be transferred to the county, identifying at least one county park in each county that should be transferred to the State, and designing a plan to transfer the ownership of the parks, including addressing issues related to funding, revenue sources, and recommendations.

SECTION 5. The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of land and natural resources for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2005.