STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2434

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2908

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water and Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 2908 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE PAYMENT OF DEBT SERVICE ON THE TURTLE BAY REIMBURSABLE GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Board of Land and Natural Resources to expend $1,500,000 per fiscal year from the Land Conservation Fund to be used for the reimbursement of debt service on the Turtle Bay reimbursable general obligation bonds.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Hana Arts, and eight individuals.

Your Committee finds that section 173A-13, Hawaii Revised Statutes, currently requires the Legacy Land Conservation Program to complete a cumbersome and prolonged annual grant application and award process before the Department of Land and Natural Resources can make an annual debt service payment that is required by the Hawaii Revised Statutes. The existing process requires extensive and unnecessary effort by the Legacy Land Conservation Program. This measure would relieve the Legacy Land Conservation Program from this burdensome obligation thus freeing up more time and resources for performing other important activities and functions.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water and Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2908, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2908, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________

KAIALI'I KAHELE, Chair