STAND. COM. REP. NO.  338-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   H.B. No. 1885

      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. 1885 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to enhance opportunities for ocean and other recreation at Sand Island State Recreation Area by establishing the Sand Island Task Force within the Department of Land and Natural Resources to study the Sand Island Ocean Recreation Park Master Plan and appropriating funds for amenities at Sand Island and the operations of the State Parks Division.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources and one individual submitted comments on this measure.

     Your Committee finds that this measure, as it was received by your Committee, created a task force and authorized expenditures based on a proposal that was never subjected to the necessary process to create an official Master Plan document and has never been considered by the Department as such.  However, the Sand Island State Recreation Area is an important resource for the State and is one of the few locations available for ocean and land-based recreation for residents near Honolulu's urban core. 

     Therefore, your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Deleting provisions that would have created the Sand Island Task Force and funded activities, including the general operations of the State Parks Division, in accordance with the purported Master Plan;

     (2)  Appropriating funds for infrastructure planning for the passive recreation portion of Sand Island State Recreation Area;

     (3)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

     (4)  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 that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1885, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1885, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

CINDY EVANS, Chair