STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1326

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1552

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 2

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1552, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC LANDS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to encourage the development of living parks within state parks.

     Specifically, this measure:

     (1)  Authorizes the Department of Land and Natural Resources to issue long-term residential leases to qualified persons residing within a state living park; and

     (2)  Establishes, within the Department of Land and Natural Resources, a living park planning council for each state living park.

     Your Committee received two written comments on this measure.  The written comments may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committee finds that living parks within state parks allow individuals to reside within the state park as an essential part of the purpose of the living park, to nurture and foster native Hawaiian culture and spread knowledge of its values and ways.

However, to ensure the success of a state living park, it is essential not only that qualified residents be issued long-term residential leases to reside within the state living park, but also that the development of each living park be based upon a master plan that establishes goals and objectives and identifies and develops programs to enhance educational opportunities and cultural awareness in the living park.  Such a master plan would require the participation and input from representative of families residing with the state park and also persons possessing expertise in land use laws, land use and community-based planning, the environment, and native Hawaiian culture.  Establishing a living park planning council comprised of such persons for each state living park will fulfill this requirement.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to allow further discussion on the measure.

     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 H.B. No. 1552, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1552, H.D. 2, S.D. 2.

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

____________________________

DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair