STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3162

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 879

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 Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 879, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COUNTIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Give counties jurisdiction over the infrastructure of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands housing developments in their boundaries under specific conditions; and

(2) Require counties, under specific conditions, to commence maintenance on that infrastructure within sixty days.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Honolulu Board of Water Supply.

Your Committee finds that one of the most serious barriers to distribution of house lots under the Hawaiian Home Lands Program has been the lack of suitable infrastructure to serve those properties, including water, sewer, roads, and electricity primarily. This measure will help to address this barrier by requiring the counties to ensure that such infrastructure is properly maintained.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 879, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,

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KARL RHOADS, Chair