STAND. COM. REP. NO. 197

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1555

       S.D. 1

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Water, Land, and Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 1555 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Establish the Public Land Development Corporation to create recreation and leisure areas while creating revenue-generating opportunities; and

     (2)  Rehabilitate Ala Wai and Keehi Boat Harbors by imposing fees and directing the Department of Land and Natural Resources to enter into public-private partnerships to develop Ala Wai Boat Harbor.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from one individual.

     Your Committee finds that public lands in certain areas may serve the State and its people better if managed and developed into suitable recreational and leisure centers where the public can congregate and where visitors to our State can go as part of their holiday experience.  Creating the Public Land Development Corporation proposed by this measure as the development arm of the Department of Land and Natural Resources and placing appropriate public lands under the corporation may help to create recreation and leisure areas, while also creating revenue-generating opportunities to help maintain existing state recreation areas, such as small boat harbors and public restrooms at state recreation areas, which are in dire need of capital inflows.

     Your Committee further finds that the Ala Wai and Keehi Boat Harbors are valuable assets for the future generations of our State, and that their condition should not be allowed to deteriorate.  Allowing the limited issuance of commercial use permits for vessels with assigned mooring in Ala Wai and Keehi Boar Harbors would generate revenue that could be expended on costs related to the operation, upkeep, maintenance, and improvement of state small boat harbors.  Similarly, providing for mooring fees would provide monies that could be expended on the same costs without unduly burdening state residents.

     Your Committee also finds that public–private partnerships are a tried and true method of bringing benefits to the public by providing opportunities for interested stakeholders to contribute to the upkeep of public facilities.  Therefore, a public-private partnership to improve the Ala Wai Boat Harbor can benefit the public while also benefiting the interested stakeholders who care for and use the boat harbor.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, and Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1555, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1555, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water, Land, and Housing,

____________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair