STAND. COM. REP. NO. 487

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1182

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water and Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 1182 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE KOKE'E STATE PARK ADVISORY COUNCIL,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to repeal section 171-8.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, establishing the Koke‘e State Park Advisory Council.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources and Kōke‘e Leaseholders Association.

Your Committee finds that the implementation of the Kōke‘e/Waimea Canyon Final Master Plan can take years, if not decades, and requires consultation and community collaboration to have a successful outcome. However, for a variety of reasons, the Kōke‘e Advisory Council has not been populated with necessary members. Community advisory groups and other organizations are more flexible than legislatively appointed groups and are equally able to develop long-term relationships with the Division of State Parks. Therefore, this measure repeals the statutory establishment of the Kōke‘e State Park Advisory Council. Your Committee encourages the community to continue to engage with the Division of State Parks to fulfill the remaining mandates intended for the statutory Kōke‘e State Park Advisory Council.

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. 1182 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

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

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LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair