CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 38

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: S.B. No. 1263

S.D. 2

H.D. 3

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir and Madam:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 1263, S.D. 2, H.D. 3, entitled:

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

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Amend the procedures and required information for the Department of Land and Natural Resources historic preservation review of proposed state projects, privately owned historic property, and other proposed projects that require entitlement for use; and

(2) Establish procedures for the review of transit-oriented development identified by the counties and Hawaii Community Development Authority, or Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation.

Your Committee on Conference finds that the State's chronic housing shortage necessitates the expeditious development of housing projects to address existing demand, particularly in transit‑oriented areas to promote access to transportation. Your Committee on Conference further finds that it is critically important to preserve the State's unique history, character, and identity and to mitigate disturbances to historic places, iwi kupuna, and archaeological artifacts. Therefore, this measure streamlines existing historic and cultural preservation procedures while also including safeguards to enable and empower agencies to expedite housing development.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Moving the definition of "complete submittal" from section 6E-8, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to section 6E-2, Hawaii Revied Statutes, to make it applicable to the entire chapter of 6E, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

(2) Clarifying that the Hawaii Community Development Authority and the counties shall submit, rather than provide, to the Department of Land and Natural Resources specific parcels and rights-of-way;

(3) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2025; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1263, S.D. 2, H.D. 3, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1263, S.D. 2, H.D. 3, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ LUKE A. EVSLIN Co-Chair	____________________________ STANLEY CHANG Chair
____________________________ RACHELE LAMOSAO Co-Chair	____________________________ KARL RHOADS Co-Chair
____________________________ DAVID A. TARNAS Co-Chair