STAND. COM. REP. NO.  773

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   H.B. No. 194

      H.D. 2

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 194, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to continue to preserve Hawaii's history and strengthen the State Historic Preservation Division of the Department of Land and Natural Resources by:

     (1)  Requiring the State Historic Preservation Officer to meet the required professional qualification standards established by the United States Secretary of the Interior;

     (2)  Requiring the State Historic Preservation Officer to ensure that the State Historic Preservation Division fulfills all the responsibilities of a state historic preservation office as established under federal laws; and

     (3)  Converting certain positions within the State Historic Preservation Division to civil service status.  

The Historic Hawaii Foundation, Legislative Committee of the Society for Hawaiian Archaeology, and a concerned individual testified in support of this bill.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources testified in opposition to this measure.  The Department of Human Resources Development provided comments.  

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2030, to encourage further discussion; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 194, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 194, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair