STAND. COM. REP. NO. 185-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 2724

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 2724 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish the Kona Community Development District to allow for planning, development, and maintenance of public lands in Kona, Hawaii.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi Community Development Authority. 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 and Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that certain public lands in Kona on the island of Hawaii are underutilized. Redeveloping, renovating, or improving these public lands to provide suitable recreational, residential, educational, industrial, governmental, and commercial areas where the public can live, congregate, recreate, attend schools, and shop as part of a thoughtfully integrated experience is in the best interest of the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that funds collected by the Hawaii Community Development Authority for the Kona Community Development District are to be deposited into the newly established special fund, notwithstanding any law to the contrary;

(2) Deleting unnecessary language indicating the lists of at-large members of the Hawaii Community Development Authority are submitted by nominating authorities, as the nominating authorities are already indicated in other provisions of the statute;

(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(4) 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 is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2724, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2724, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

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

____________________________

LINDA ICHIYAMA, Chair