STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2234

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 872

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Water and Land and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 872 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE COMMISSION ON WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to add the Chairperson of the Hawaiian Homes Commission, or their designee, as an ex-officio, voting member of the Commission on Water Resource Management to advance the interests of beneficiaries of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, League of Women Voters of Hawaii, Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, and five individuals. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committees find that decisions made by the Commission on Water Resource Management relating to planning, regulation, management, and conservation of water resources in the State shall, to the extent applicable, incorporate and protect adequate reserves of water for current and foreseeable development and use of Hawaiian homelands as set forth by the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act. In 2014, the Hawaiian Homes Commission approved a Water Policy Plan which includes the goal to "aggressively, proactively, consistently, and comprehensively advocate for the kuleana of the beneficiaries, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, and the Hawaiian Homes Commission to water before all relevant agencies and entities." To allow for greater collaboration between the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and the Commission on Water Resource Management, this measure expands the membership of the Commission on Water Resource Management to include the Chairperson of the Hawaiian Homes Commission or the Chairperson's designee.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) 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 Hawaiian Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 872, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 872, 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 Hawaiian Affairs,

________________________________ MAILE S.L. SHIMABUKURO, Chair

________________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair