STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1219

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1348

H.D. 2

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water and Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 1348, H.D. 2, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require 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 Associations, and twenty-nine individuals.

Your Committee finds that recreation-residences, including the cabins located at the Kokee and Waimea Canyon state parks, are not affordable for most local families. Your Committee further finds that the majority of these cabins were leased via direct negotiation with existing leaseholders at rents far exceeding the appraised value of these cabins. Accordingly, this measure will increase the accessibility of these cabins to local families by setting the rent of all cabins at appraised values, making them more affordable, and requiring that available cabins be offered via public lottery rather than auction.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2040, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water and Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1348, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1348, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water and Land,

________________________________

LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair