STAND. COM. REP. NO. 26

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 840

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 840 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO KIKALA-KEOKEA,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to perpetuate the cultural heritage and unique lifestyle of the residents of Kalapana by authorizing the Department of Land and Natural Resources, subject to specific criteria and priority requirements, to award leases for the remaining nineteen lots at Kikala-Keokea.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Department of Land and Natural Resources, and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

     The unique way of life of the Native Hawaiian residents of Kalapana was disrupted by volcanic eruptions and lava flows that began on January 3, 1983, which destroyed one of the last Native Hawaiian settlements on the island of Hawaii.  The Legislature enacted Act 314, Session Laws of Hawaii 1991 (Act 314), to provide relief to the displaced residents of Kalapana by authorizing the Department of Land and Natural Resources to negotiate long-term leases with qualified, displaced Kalapana families so that they could continue to maintain their heritage and unique way of life in the Kikala-Keokea homestead area, adjacent to the Kalapana-Kapoho Beach Road.

     Your Committee finds that, prior to the sunset date of Act 314, the Department of Land and Natural Resources entered into lease agreements with forty-eight qualified and eligible families, but there were still nineteen remaining lots that were not leased after Act 314 expired.  Authorizing the Department of Land and Natural Resources to award leases for the remaining nineteen lots at Kikala-Keokea will fulfill the intent of this measure which is to recognize and perpetuate the unique cultural lifestyle of the area residents of Kalapana.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 840 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

RUSSELL S. KOKUBUN, Chair