STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1425

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: S.B. No. 735

S.D. 1

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 S.B. No. 735, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DISPOSITION OF WATER RIGHTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish that the public auction requirement for the disposition of water rights is not required for a lease of water for commercial kalo cultivation.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Hawai‘i Farmers Union United, and one individual. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that exempting water leases for commercial taro cultivation from public auction, as proposed in this measure, would reduce the uncertainty for applicants of water leases while allowing oversight by the Board of Land and Natural Resources for the use of the water.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion.

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 S.B. No. 735, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 735, S.D. 1, 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