STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1757-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   S.B. No. 2421

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 2421, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LAND ACQUISITION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to preserve prime agricultural lands and irrigation resources in central Oahu by appropriating funds for the purchase of certain lands currently owned by the George Galbraith Estate.

     The Trust for Public Land and several concerned individuals supported this bill.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) and Office of Hawaiian Affairs provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1)  Requiring the governor or the governor's designee, rather than authorizing DLNR, to negotiate the purchase of, enter into a cooperative agreement to purchase, or condemn the Galbraith Estate lands;

(2)  Providing that the list of properties designated by tax map key numbers in the Act as portions of the Galbraith Estate lands are inclusive, rather than exclusive;

(3)  Providing a list of sources of funds that may be used for the purchase of the property to include general funds; special funds; private funds, financing, or donations; federal funds; exchange of public lands; or any other means of financing;

(4)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(5)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for style, clarity, and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2421, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2421, S.D. 2, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair