STAND. COM. REP. NO. 712

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 1087

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 1087 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEWS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to allow the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to review the effect of any proposed project on historic properties or burial sites for lands under its jurisdiction, except in certain cases.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Historic Hawai‘i Foundation. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committee finds that historic preservation review is necessary to ensure the preservation of the State's historical and cultural heritage. Your Committee further finds that because of the high volume of requests and specialized knowledge needed to conduct a historic preservation review, the review process can often delay the completion of development projects. Allowing the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to assume responsibility for conducting historical preservation reviews on lands under its jurisdiction, as proposed by this measure, will streamline the historic preservation review process and ensure the timely review of projects proposed on lands under the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands' jurisdiction.

Your Committee further finds that the island burial councils, responsible for overseeing the preservation of burial sites, are currently established within the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Your Committee believes the Office of Hawaiian Affairs would be a more appropriate agency to house and support the island burial councils.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to consult with the appropriate island burial council if the proposed project impacts a burial site or if a burial site is inadvertently discovered;

(2) Transferring the administrative placement of the island burial councils from the Department of Land and Natural Resources to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs;

(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. 1087, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1087, 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,

____________________________

MARK J. HASHEM, Chair