THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2906
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to landowners of numerous acres.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that there is a need to create a dedicated source of funding to fight wildfires that occur in large rural areas on privately owned acreage such as ranches, farms, and undeveloped land.

The legislature further finds that other states have initiated large landowner funds to create dedicated sources of funding to respond to fires that occur in these and surrounding areas. Large landowners have embraced this approach since it helps to ensure that funding and resources are available to minimize loss from wildfires that may occur on their lands.

Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to assess an annual fee on large landowners and use the revenue from those fees for firefighting and fire prevention.

SECTION 2. Chapter 209, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding two new sections to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§209- Large landowner fee. (a) Each person owning more than five hundred acres of land shall be assessed an annual fee of $ for each acre in excess of five hundred acres. Each fraction of an acre shall be assessed as a proportionate fraction of the per-acre fee.

(b) The annual fee shall be paid to the department of land and natural resources.

(c) Revenues received by the department of land and natural resources pursuant to this section shall be deposited into the firefighting special fund.

§209- Firefighting special fund. (a) There is established the firefighting special fund into which shall be deposited:

(1) Legislative appropriations to the fund; and

(2) Revenues received by the department of land and natural resources pursuant to section 209- .

(b) Moneys in the fund shall be used by the department of land and natural resources for firefighting and fire prevention."

SECTION 3. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2024.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Landowner; Fee; DLNR; Special Fund; Firefighting

Description:

Establishes an annual fee on landowners who own more than 500 acres to be collected by the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Uses the revenue for firefighting and fire prevention.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.