STAND. COM. REP. NO.  212-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   H.B. No. 2501

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 2501 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WATER RIGHTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to allow a holdover permit to be issued for applicants seeking to renew their previously authorized water rights lease for a period of time necessary for the disposition of the pending application.

Alexander & Baldwin, Inc., Hawaii Farm Bureau, MauiGrown Coffee, Inc., Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc., GO Maui, Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii, Hawaii Agriculture Research Center, Pacific Resource Partnership, Kauai Island Utility Cooperative, Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, Building Industry Association – Hawaii, Realtors Association of Maui, ILWU Local 142, and many individuals provided testimony in support of this measure.  The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Earthjustice, Conservation Council of Hawaii, Life of the Land, Pana‘ewa Hawaiian Home Lands Community Association, Ho‘opae Pono Peace Project, Big Island Fisheries Alliance, www.WeAreOne.cc, Sierra Club of Hawaii, ‘Ohana o Kaua‘i,  and many individuals provided testimony in opposition.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, and some individuals provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by clarifying that the holdover of previously authorized lease rights until the pending application can be resolved does not require a permit.

     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. 2501, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2501, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

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

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair