STAND. COM. REP. NO. 327-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: H.B. No. 2443

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water, Land, & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2443 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to make it a civil and administrative violation for any person to engage in certain archaeological activities, or use explosives in land development or land alteration activities that are subject to historic preservation review, without obtaining the required permission or approval from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Historic Hawaii Foundation, Honua Consulting, and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources and one individual.

Your Committee finds that existing laws regulating historic preservation do not penalize unpermitted archaeological activities. Your Committee further finds that existing law does not impose a civil or administrative penalty for the use of explosives during land development activities subject to historic preservation review. This measure makes it a civil or administrative violation to conduct unpermitted archaeological activities or use explosives during land development activities that are subject to historic preservation review.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

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

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2443, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2443, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair