STAND. COM. REP. NO.  47-14

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1679

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Water & Land and Ocean, Marine Resources, & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1679 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DIAMOND HEAD SEAWALL,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for planning, design, and construction costs associated with assessing, repairing, and maintaining the Diamond Head seawall.

 

     The Representative of the 19th Representative District, the Gold Coast Neighborhood Association, and the Diamond Head Beach Hotel and Residences Association of Apartment Owners testified in support of this measure.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources testified in opposition of this measure.

 

     Your Committees note that although an official order of final judgment has yet to be issued, the First Circuit Court has made findings that the State is responsible for maintaining the Diamond Head seawall pursuant to Gold Coast Neighborhood Association v. State of Hawaii (Civil No. 07-1-1122-06).  Your Committees also note that the Diamond Head seawall has significant cultural, historic, and recreational value, acting as a public thoroughfare to the ocean for nearly a century for both residents and visitors alike.  Accordingly, as a matter of public policy, your Committees find that efforts should be undertaken to preserve and maintain the seawall to ensure continued safe public usage.     

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by changing the appropriated sum from $3,000,000 to an unspecified amount.

 

     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. 1679, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1679, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

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