HB706 HD1

SECTION 1. (a) Throughout the State there remain certain lands that retain special cultural value. These lands are:

(1) Usually in rural areas and contain culturally valuable sites and resources, both tangible and intangible;

(2) Sustain and support native Hawaiian lifestyles and traditions that are retained and continue to be practiced on an everyday basis;

(3) Include lands where native Hawaiian agricultural uses, such as taro cultivation, are perpetuated; and

(4) Include native Hawaiian gathering areas and lands where native Hawaiian activities, such as fishpond cultivation and limu gathering, are practiced.

Some of these culturally special lands are found in Hana and Keanae on the island of Maui, Halawa and Milolii on the island of Hawaii, the east-end of the island of Molokai, Waiahole, Waikane, and Kahana on the island of Oahu, and Hanalei and Hanapepe on the island of Kauai.

(b) The purpose of this Act is to recognize and support culturally special lands described in subsection (a) by specifying the definition of, and process for establishing, culturally valuable districts.

SECTION 2. Chapter 205, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new part to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"Part . CULTURALLY VALUABLE DISTRICTS

§205-A Culturally valuable districts; definition and objectives. (a) As used in this part, "culturally valuable districts" means those lands identified pursuant to this part:

(1) That contain valuable cultural and historical sites and resources, tangible and intangible;

(2) That include lands where native Hawaiian agricultural uses, including taro cultivation, are continued;

(3) That include native Hawaiian gathering areas for sustenance and cultural purposes; and

(4) Where native Hawaiian lifestyles and traditions are retained and continue to be practiced on an everyday basis.

(b) The objective for the identification and establishment of culturally valuable districts is to identify and provide for the protection, perpetuation, and restoration of these valuable state resources.

§205-B Establishment of culturally valuable districts. (a) A culturally valuable district shall be established by concurrent resolution of the legislature.

(b) Any member of the legislature may and, upon the request of any person, including a county, the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives shall, introduce concurrent resolutions to establish a culturally valuable district.

(c) The concurrent resolution shall set forth the boundaries of the culturally valuable district, following natural monuments, ahupua‘a, moku, or other traditional land divisions, and may extend from the highest reaches of the mountains to a designated distance beyond the shoreline. A culturally valuable district may include one or more ahupua‘a and all or a part of any moku on any island. The concurrent resolution shall also include a description of how the land identified in the concurrent resolution meets the definition of a culturally valuable district."

SECTION 3. In codifying the new sections added by section 2 of this Act, the revisor of statutes shall substitute appropriate section numbers for the letters used in designating the new sections in this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	706
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII