STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1087

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 1348

H.D. 2

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1348, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC LANDS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the Board of Land and Natural Resources to lease public lands for recreation-residence use by public lottery and restrict participation in the public lottery to residents of the county in which the leased land is located.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources; Kōkeʻe Leaseholders Association; and numerous individuals.

Your Committee finds that the demand for recreational-residence use of public lands in the State has increased, presenting a need for a more equitable and systematic method of allocating these lands. While direct negotiations for leases have historically been an option, this process has sometimes resulted in uneven access, favoring certain individuals or groups over others. This measure enhances the transparency of the leasing process of certain public lands while also maintaining protections for the environmental, cultural, and scenic integrity of the leased lands.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Defining the term "recreation-residence";

(2) Requiring the Board of Land and Natural Resources to lease lands within a state park or forest reserve and other lands set aside under executive order for recreation-residence use by public lottery;

(3) Clarifying the provisions for renewing, rather than extending, the recreation-residence use lease;

(4) Requiring the Board of Land and Natural Resources to limit participation in the public lottery of recreation-residence use leases to residents of the same county in which the land to be leased is located; and

(5) 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 Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1348, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1348, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair