STAND. COM. REP. NO.  651

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 172

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 172 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PRIVATE PROPERTY,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize a property owner or agent to enter adjacent property under certain conditions to eradicate albizia trees before they become hazardous, and provide the property owner or agent with a defense to criminal prosecution for trespass.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources, Hawaiian Electric Companies, Nanawale Community Association Ltd., Polestar Gardens, Kalapana Seaview Estates Community Association, Pele Lani Farm LLC, and numerous individuals supported this measure.  Several individuals provided comments.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by changing its effective date to January 28, 2081, to encourage further discussion.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Water & Land that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 172, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 172, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Water & Land,

____________________________ RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair

____________________________ CHRIS LEE, Chair