STAND. COM. REP. NO.  37-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   H.B. No. 1823

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 1823 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide a process for resolving disputes regarding the fair market value or fair rental value of public land in sale, lease, or repurchase transactions involving the Board of Land and Natural Resources through mediation while preserving the existing remedy of binding arbitration.

Steiner & Associates; David S. DeLuz, Sr., Enterprises, Inc.; Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry; and Hilo Bay Printing Co., Ltd. submitted testimony in support of this measure.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources submitted testimony in opposition.  One individual submitted comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2020, to encourage further discussion; and

     (2)  Making nonsubstantive technical amendments for the purpose of consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1823, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1823, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committees on Consumer Protection and Commerce and Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water & Land,

____________________________

CINDY EVANS, Chair