STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2745

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 3221

       S.D. 2

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. 3221, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE COCO PALMS RESORT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to:

     (1)  Acquire the Coco Palms Resort on the island of Kauai and convert it into a public historical park and cultural center to preserve and benefit native Hawaiian culture; and

     (2)  Appropriate matching funds for that purpose.

     Bali Hai Weddings and one individual submitted testimony in support of this measure.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources submitted comments.

     Your Committee finds that the area encompassing the Coco Palms Resort on the island of Kauai is culturally significant to the history of native Hawaiians.  The area was once the home of Kauai's last reigning queen, Queen Deborah Kapule, and includes some of the oldest heiau, which are places of refuge and for birthing of chiefs.  A two thousand‑tree coconut grove is also within the Coco Palms Resort that was originally planted with coconut tree nuts imported from Samoa in 1896.  The Coco Palms Resort has been neglected over the years and fallen into disrepair.

     This measure appropriates funds for the Board of Land and Natural Resources to enter into negotiations in partnership with other public and nonprofit agencies to acquire the approximately thirty-two acres of land referred to as the Coco Palms Resort for a public historical park and cultural education center.  Your Committee finds that this measure will help preserve and benefit the native Hawaiian culture.

     Upon further consideration, your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing the sums of the general obligation bonds and the appropriation to unspecified amounts;

     (2)  Adding language to indicate that the appropriation made for the capital improvement project authorized under section 4 of the bill that are unencumbered as of June 30, 2010, shall lapse as of that date;

     (3)  Designating the Department of Land and Natural Resources as the expending agency for purposes of the general obligation bonds and the appropriation out of the general revenues; and

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

     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. 3221, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3221, S.D. 2.

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

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair