STAND. COM. REP. NO. 624

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 321

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Transportation and Culture and the Arts and Water and Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 321 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to provide that fee simple absolute title of a privately owned highway, road, alley, street, way, lane, bikeway, bridge, or trail is deemed transferred to adjacent property owners or the community association if certain conditions are met.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from one member of the Hawaiʻi County Council and two individuals.

Your Committees find that there is a need to provide for the ownership of certain properties following the dissolution or cessation of their owners and failing the conveyance of a deed naming the State or county as grantee. Without a clearly designated owner, issues of caretaking, liability, and access often arise and can lead to costly legal disputes. This measure preempts those issues by providing for the transferred ownership of certain properties following certain circumstances.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Transportation and Culture and the Arts and Water and Land that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 321 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Transportation and Culture and the Arts and Water and Land,

________________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair

________________________________ CHRIS LEE, Chair