STAND. COM. REP. NO. 32

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 113

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committees on Public Safety and Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 113 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FIRE PREVENTION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require certain owners and others with charge of or control over properties located in hazardous fire areas to maintain effective firebreaks within thirty feet of the property and to practice other fire prevention activities; and

(2) Establish the Community Fuels Reduction Project to be administered by the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources; a member of the Kauaʻi County Council; Hawaiʻi Climate Advisory Team; Wildfire Safety Advocates of Waikoloa; and three individuals. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Education; State Fire Council; Kamehameha Schools; Life of the Land; and one individual.

Your Committees find that because of Hawaii's many areas of fire vulnerability, it is imperative for the State to be aggressive in public and private efforts to control burnable fuel overgrowth and create effective firebreaks.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting part I, which required certain owners and others with charge of or control over properties located in hazardous fire areas to maintain effective firebreaks within thirty feet of the property and to practice other fire prevention activities;

(2) Changing its effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Public Safety and Water & Land that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 113, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 113, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Public Safety and Water & Land,

____________________________ MARK J. HASHEM, Chair

____________________________ DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair