STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1688-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   S.B. No. 2644

      S.D. 1

      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. 2644, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to improve state historic preservation efforts by requiring that a State Historic Preservation Officer appointed by the Governor meet the standards established by the United States Secretary of the Interior and have professional experience related to historic preservation in Hawaii.  In addition, this bill requires the Governor to immediately advise the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the appointed individual and the appointee's qualifications.

     The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Hawaii Government Employees  Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO, Society for Hawaiian Archaeology, and a concerned individual supported this bill.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources opposed this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1)  Providing that the professional qualifications standards may be satisfied by either the State Historic Preservation Officer or the Deputy Historic Preservation Officer; and

(2)  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. 2644, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2644, S.D. 1, H.D. 1.

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

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair