STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2354

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 3223

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Water and Land and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 3223 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO REAL PROPERTY,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to make an appropriation to fund the creation of a global positioning system/geographic information system based property ownership database that would assist governmental agencies in timely and accurately identifying the ownership of properties that contain or are adjacent to streams, channels, ditches, and other flood control devices so that the responsible parties can be duly notified of their regular maintenance and care requirements.  This database shall be used to interface with the present global information systems in the City and County of Honolulu.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the City and County of Honolulu, Department of Facility Maintenance and a Councilmember of the City and County of Honolulu.

     Your Committees find that streams, channels, ditches and other flood control devices, are prone to flooding due to annual average rainfall of approximately forty to sixty inches of rain that come in torrential downpours.  The seasonal downpours overflow streams and flood control facilities resulting in the flooding of low-lying areas.  Past floods have caused severe damage to personal and real property and have placed residents in imminent danger.  Flood mitigation measures and timely maintenance of streams, channels, ditches, and other flood control devices can minimize or prevent the damage caused by overflowing stream banks and flooding.  However, the State and City and County of Honolulu cannot initiate flood mitigation measures because portions of the streams, channels, ditches, and other flood control facilities are privately owned and accurate information on the property ownership of the flood control facilities is lacking.  This measure will assist the State and City and County of Honolulu in obtaining vital information to prevent damage from floods.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for purpose of clarity.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water and Land and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3223, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3223, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water and Land and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs,

____________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair

____________________________ CLAYTON HEE, Chair