STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2483

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2111

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Water and Land and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2111 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE HAWAIIAN HOMES COMMISSION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to add the Chairperson of the Hawaiian Homes Commission or the chairperson's designee to serve as an ex officio, voting member of the Commission on Water Resource Management.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, one member of the Maui County Council, and two individuals. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure the Center for Hawaiian Sovereignty Studies. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committees find that the state water code has not been implemented in full compliance with the requirements of section 174C-l01(a), Hawaii Revised Statutes, that adequate reserves of water for current and foreseeable development of Hawaiian home lands be incorporated into and protected by the decisions of the Commission on Water Resource Management. The Commission on Water Resource Management has only reserved water for current and foreseeable development of Hawaiian home lands on Oahu and Molokai, and in Keauhou on the island of Hawaii. Your Committees further find that representation on the Commission on Water Resource Management by the Hawaiian Homes Commission is necessary for section 174C‑l01(a), Hawaii Revised Statutes, to be properly fulfilled. This measure will add the Chairperson of the Hawaiian Homes Commission to the Commission on Water Resource Management, which will help ensure adequate reserves of water for current and future development of Hawaiian homelands.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Including the Chairperson of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands as ex officio, voting member of the Commission on Water Resource Management and making conforming amendments; and

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

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water and Land and Hawaiian Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2111, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2111, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water and Land and Hawaiian Affairs,

________________________________ MAILE S.L. SHIMABUKURO, Chair

________________________________ KAIALI'I KAHELE, Chair