STAND. COM. REP. NO. 536

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1168

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Water and Land and Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 1168 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AUTHORIZING THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO LEASE PASTURE LANDS ON TERMS THAT PROMOTE COLLABORATIVE BENEFICIAL USE FOR FORESTRY, WILDLIFE, RECREATIONAL, AND FOOD PRODUCTION PURPOSES,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to amend and extend existing pasture leases and issue new pasture leases by negotiation, to further protect and enhance the State's pasture lands.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Conservation Council for Hawai‘i, and one individual. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture; Hawai‘i Farm Bureau; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; and Ulupono Initiative.

Your Committees find that this measure is intended to address the concerns of the lessees of many large acreages of land, primarily farmers and ranchers, who were notified that the lands they lease would be transferred to the Department of Agriculture pursuant to Act 90, Session Laws of Hawaii 2003.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting language requiring lease rents for pastoral and agricultural leases to be determined based on agricultural use value;

(2) Inserting language to allow the Department of Land and Natural Resources to alter or convert the existing use of the productive agricultural land transferred under certain circumstances; and

(3) 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 Agriculture and Environment that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1168, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1168, 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 Agriculture and Environment,

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair

________________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair