CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 4

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: S.B. No. 15

S.D. 1

H.D. 2

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. 15, S.D. 1, H.D. 2, 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 definition of "historic property" to require that the property is over fifty years old and meets the criteria for inclusion in the Hawaii Register of Historic Places; and

(2) Exclude proposed projects on existing residential property and proposed projects on existing residential property and proposed projects that are in nominally sensitive areas from the State's Historic Preservation Program review, under certain circumstances.

Your Committee on Conference finds that the existing definition of "historic property" is overly broad, requiring the State Historic Preservation Division to evaluate historic and cultural resources and the effects that proposed projects may have on these resources solely based on the age of the historic or cultural resource. The existing definition does not consider whether a historic or cultural resource maintains sufficient integrity and significance to be identified as a historic or cultural resource. This measure narrows the definition of "historic property" to streamline the historic preservation review process.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by making it effective upon its approval.

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. 15, S.D. 1, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 15, S.D. 1, H.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ MARK J. HASHEM Co-Chair	____________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE Chair
____________________________ DAVID A. TARNAS Co-Chair	____________________________ MIKE GABBARD Co-Chair