STAND. COM. REP. NO.  542

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2021

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1031

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 1031 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII HISTORIC PLACES REVIEW BOARD,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to reduce the number of members who serve on the Hawaii Historic Places Review Board.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Historic Hawaii Foundation.

 

     Your Committee finds that the Hawaii Historic Places Review Board was established in 1980 to order and enter historic properties into the Hawaii Register of Historic Places and the National Register of Historic Places.  The Hawaii Historic Places Review Board comprises a diverse cross-section of professionally qualified members from disciplines in archaeology, architecture, history, and sociology, and one person knowledgeable in traditional Hawaiian society and culture.

 

Your Committee further finds that it has been difficult to identify ten qualified and suitable candidates for board membership, which has led to delays in placing historic properties on the state register.  There are currently two vacancies on the Hawaii Historic Places Review Board, with another two seats set to become vacant at the end of this fiscal year.  Reducing the number of members from ten to seven will enable the Hawaii Historic Places Review Board to achieve quorum and take action.

 

     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. 1031 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair