STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2205

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2755

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water and Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 2755 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE BOARD OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to limit the discretion of the Department of Land and Natural Resources Land Division by requiring all decisions to revoke, limit, remove, or shorten Department of Land and Natural Resources leases and revocable permits, and issuance of condemnations, to be approved by the Board of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committee finds that the effective management of public lands and oversight of land usage is necessary to ensure the benefit to Hawaii's people. Currently, the Department of Land and Natural Resources Land Division has broad discretion to revoke, limit, remove, or shorten leases; issue condemnations; and rescind revocable permits without prior approval from the Board of Land and Natural Resources. This measure will provide an enhanced review of public land leases and revocable permits to benefit Hawaii's residents and allow the State to repurpose land for optimal usage.

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. 2755 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