STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2862

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2907

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2907 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE PASTORAL AND AGRICULTURAL HOMESTEADING DIVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to prioritize pastoral and agricultural homesteading programs by establishing a Pastoral and Agricultural Homesteading Division within the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.

     The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands submitted comments.

     Pastoral and agricultural homesteading is one of the major programs of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands that is necessary to satisfy the mandates of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1920, as amended.  Native Hawaiians have the lowest rate of homeownership in the State.  More needs to be done to promote successful native Hawaiian farming at various levels and accelerate homeownership opportunities for native Hawaiians.  Your Committee finds that this measure will help promote the homesteading of Hawaiian home lands, protect against the loss of the lands to commercial development, and maximize the agricultural use of the lands that are prime for that purpose.

     Upon further consideration, your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style, including:

     (1)  Uniformly referencing the Division as the Pastoral and Agricultural Homesteading Division; and

     (2)  Clarifying that the Division shall implement, as well as develop projects that maximize the use of Hawaiian home lands.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2907, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2907, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair