STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2393

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2628

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 2628 entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Require any disposition of public lands under the jurisdiction of the Board or Department of Agriculture by public auction to be open to the public; and

 

     (2)  Require the Board or Department of Agriculture, as applicable, to issue public advertisements for each public auction.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Hawaii Meats, LLC; Thompson Ranch; and twelve individuals.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Agriculture and one individual.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc., and Hawaii Farm Bureau.

 

     Your Committee finds that public participation is crucial to the disposition of public lands.  Additionally, public participation requires timely notice be given to members of the public.  This measure promotes public participation in the disposition of public lands by requiring the Board and Department of Agriculture to open public auctions to the public and issue public advertisements for each public auction.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by limiting the provisions to disposition for new leases and not renegotiation of existing leases.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture and Environment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2628, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2628, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture and Environment,

 

 

 

________________________________

MIKE GABBARD, Chair