STAND. COM. REP. NO. 86

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 1323

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 Agriculture & Food Systems, to which was referred H.B. No. 1323 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE TRANSFER OF NON-AGRICULTURAL PARK LANDS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the Department of Agriculture, upon approval of the Board of Agriculture, to accept the transfer of and manage certain qualifying non-agricultural park lands.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii; Ernest De Luz Ranch, LLC; Hawai‘i Farm Bureau; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council; Boteilho Hawaii Enterprises Inc.; SC Ranch Company, Inc.; Maui County Farm Bureau; Larry Jefts Farms, LLC; Kapapala Ranch; and eight individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture.

Your Committee finds that for over two decades, the transfer of non-agricultural park lands from the Department of Land and Natural Resources to the Department of Agriculture has been stalled, creating uncertainty for farmers and ranchers who rely on these lands for agricultural production. Act 90, Session Laws of Hawaii 2003, was intended to ensure the long-term productive use of public lands for agriculture, but many leaseholders are still waiting for their lands to be transferred. Without the stability of long-term agricultural leases under the Department of Agriculture, farmers and ranchers face significant challenges in making necessary investments in infrastructure, conservation, and sustainable land management. This measure resolves the long-standing delays by requiring the Department of Agriculture, upon approval of the Board of Agriculture, to accept the transfer of qualifying agricultural lands, ensuring that lands primarily used for farming and ranching are managed by the agency dedicated to fostering agriculture.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

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

(2) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1323, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1323, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Water & Land.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems,

____________________________

KIRSTIN KAHALOA, Chair