STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1742

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.R. No. 25

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Economic Development and Taxation, to which was referred S.R. No. 25 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION DIVISION TO RESEARCH AND REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE ON HOW BEST TO PROTECT HAWAII'S HISTORIC BUILDINGS FROM DEMOLITION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to determine how best to protect Hawaii's historic buildings by researching:

     (1)  The current status of historic buildings in Hawaii, with special emphasis on those that may be in danger of demolition;

     (2)  Existing practices at the state and county levels related to demolition of historic buildings; and

     (3)  Model programs from other states and jurisdictions.

     Testimony in support of this measure was received from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Historic Hawai‘i Foundation, and the Society for Hawaiian Archaeology.

     Your Committee has considered a number of recommended changes to this measure, all of which are intended to enhance protective measures for historic properties throughout the islands.

     Your Committee has reviewed the recommendations and amended this measure accordingly, by:

     (1)  Deleting the provision that the report include the current status of historic buildings in Hawaii, with special emphasis on those that may be in danger of demolition within the next one, three, five years, and beyond;

     (2)  Adding language that the report include existing programs to provide incentives for preservation and rehabilitation of historic buildings; and

     (3)  Clarifying that model programs from other states and jurisdictions are related to protection from demolition and incentives for preservation.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Development and Taxation that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 25, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 25, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Economic Development and Taxation,

____________________________

CAROL FUKUNAGA, Chair