STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2827

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2697

       S.D. 2

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2697, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to amend the Hawaii Community Development Authority's procedures with respect to development proposals by requiring increased public input, public notice, infrastructure studies, notice to legislators, and authorizing appeals by those adversely affected by the decisions of the Hawaii Community Development Authority.

     This measure also prevents the Hawaii Community Development Authority from amending the community development plan without authorization of the Legislature.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from fifteen individuals.  Written comments in opposition were received from the City and County of Honolulu Department of Environmental Services, The Howard Hughes Corporation, and Alexander & Baldwin, Inc.  The Department of the Attorney General and the Hawaii Community Development Authority submitted written comments on this measure.

     Your Committee notes that members of the community have expressed concern over the level of public input that the Hawaii Community Development Authority accepts prior to making its decisions, as well as the Authority's responsiveness toward community concerns.  Your Committee finds that this measure will increase the accountability of the Hawaii Community Development Authority, raise community engagement in the development process, and establish a more transparent process for approving development projects.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Clarifying the requirement that the Hawaii Community Development Authority provide various documents to all members of the Legislature; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2697, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2697, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair