STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1292-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   S.B. No. 2421

      S.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs, 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 Hawaii's limited natural resources by:

     (1)  Authorizing the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) to acquire lands owned by the Galbraith Estate in Central Oahu;

     (2)  Requiring DLNR to exercise its power of eminent domain to acquire the land, if an agreement to acquire the property is not reached within a reasonable time; and

     (3)  Appropriating funds for the land acquisition.

     The Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Kamehameha Schools, Trust for Public Land, Wahiawa Community and Business Association, and ILWU Local 142 testified in support of this bill.  The Office of Hawaiian Affairs supported this measure with amendments.  A concerned individual opposed this bill.  DLNR provided comments.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2421, S.D. 2, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

KEN ITO, Chair