STAND. COM. REP. NO. 273

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 734

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 734, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO BURIAL SITES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish and appropriate moneys for an inter-division program in the Department of Land and Natural Resources, in collaboration with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, to locate, move, and restore Hawaiian burial sites and iwi that are exposed, or likely to be exposed, by coastal erosion.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, International Archaeological Research Institute, and one individual.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Society for Hawaiian Archaeology, and one individual.

Your Committee finds that this measure will provide the resources and coordination to effectively and proactively protect Hawaiian burial sites and iwi that are threatened by coastal erosion and climate change.

Your Committee acknowledges testimony from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs recommending that the Department of Land and Natural Resources cover costs related to the movement and relocation of iwi impacted by coastal erosion until recommendations can be made by the inter-division program to appropriately allocate alternative funding sources, and until the State Historic Preservation Division alters its rules to enable the sharing of historic preservation program responsibilities.

Your Committee also acknowledges testimony from the Department of Land and Natural Resources estimating that an appropriation of at least $250,000 will be needed to implement the measure.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 734, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair