STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1720

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.C.R. No. 104

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 104 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO IDENTIFY ALL STATE AND COUNTY ROADS, LANDMARKS, MONUMENTS, AND PUBLIC PARKS THAT USE THE NAME "DIAMOND HEAD" AND IDENTIFY THE PROCESS FOR RENAMING THESE ROADS, LANDMARKS, MONUMENTS, AND PUBLIC PARKS FROM "DIAMOND HEAD" TO "LE‘AHI","

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of Land and Natural Resources to identify all state and county roads, landmarks, monuments, and public parks that use the name "Diamond Head" and identify the process for renaming these roads, landmarks, monuments, and public parks from "Diamond Head" to "Lē‘ahi".

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from one individual. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committee finds that due to the rich cultural history surrounding Lē‘ahi and the renewed state interest in encouraging the appropriate use of the Hawaiian language, it is fitting to properly reference roads, landmarks, monuments, and public parks that currently use the name "Diamond Head" by their Hawaiian name instead.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Adding the City and County of Honolulu as an entity requested to independently identify the roads, monuments, landmarks, and public parks within its jurisdiction that use the name "Diamond Head" and identify the process for renaming them from "Diamond Head" to "Lē‘ahi";

(2) Limiting the Department of Land and Natural Resources' responsibility for identifying roads, monuments, landmarks, and public parks that use the name "Diamond Head" to those within the State's jurisdiction;

(3) Requesting the City and County of Honolulu to also submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature;

(4) Changing its title to make technical amendments; and

(5) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 104, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 104, H.D. 1.

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

____________________________

LINDA ICHIYAMA, Chair