STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3520

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 2235

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 2235, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HONOKOHAU SMALL BOAT HARBOR,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to facilitate the efficient administration of Honokohau Small Boat Harbor.

     Specifically, this measure:

(1)  Authorizes the Board of Land and Natural Resources to transfer its duties to operate the Honokohau Small Boat Harbor to a public-private partnership or a private organization;

(2)  Requires an entity that assumes the duties to operate, administer, manage, and maintain the harbor to comply with applicable laws;

(3)  Authorizes the Board of Land and Natural Resources to adopt administrative rules necessary for the transfer of the harbor; and

(4)  Appropriates funds for the repair and maintenance expenses of the harbor.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Aha Moku Advisory Committee, and Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce.

     Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from Hawaii Government Employees Association.

     Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

     Your Committee finds the Honokohau Small Boat Harbor is in need of maintenance and repair.  Your Committee further finds that transferring the management and related responsibilities of the harbor to a localized entity will improve communications between harbor users and management and enable timely repairs to the harbor's infrastructure and facilities.

     Your Committee requests that, as this measure moves through the legislative process, the Department of Land and Natural Resources provide the appropriation amount necessary to fund the repair and maintenance expenses of Honokohau Small Boat Harbor.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Providing the Board of Land and Natural Resources with the option to transfer the Honokohau Small Boat Harbor to the County of Hawaii; and

(2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

     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 H.B. No. 2235, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2235, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

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

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair