STAND. COM. REP. NO. 829

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: H.B. No. 902

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 902, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC LANDS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Exempt lands set aside by the Governor to the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation and lands leased to the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation by any state department or agency, from classification as public lands subject to Department of Land and Natural Resources management;

(2) Require the land to be subject to legislative approval prior to the sale or gift of those lands; and

(3) Require state department or agency lands leased or set aside to the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation that are no longer needed for housing, finance, or development, to be returned to the state department or agency that leased or approved the set aside of the lands to the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism; Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation; Stanford Carr Development, LLC; and Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Kūpuna for the Mo‘opuna, and one individual.

Your Committee finds that setting aside land for the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation will help in streamlining the development of affordable housing on state lands by reducing the number of approvals required by the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committee notes the suggested amendment offered by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to minimally recognize and protect Native Hawaiian claims to "ceded" lands that may be subject to the broad leasing authorities of the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 902, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair