STAND. COM. REP. NO.  76

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   H.B. No. 1268

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Water & Land and Ocean, Marine Resources, & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1268 entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to permit the transfer or assignment of a nine hundred ninety-nine-year homestead lease to the trustees of a land trust created to manage and hold the homestead leasehold estate for the benefit of the lessee and lessee's family members.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources, Ho‘opae Pono Peace Project, and two individuals testified in support of the measure.

     Your Committees find that conflicts often arise between family members having an interest in nine hundred ninety-nine-year homestead leases, which make the homestead program increasingly difficult to manage.  This measure provides an option for family governance of homestead lands that could facilitate the pooling of resources, long-term planning, and organized decision-making, thereby preventing the loss of land.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water & Land and Ocean, Marine Resources, & Hawaiian Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1268 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water & Land and Ocean, Marine Resources, & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________ FAYE P. HANOHANO, Chair

____________________________ CINDY EVANS, Chair