CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: S.B. No. 79

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. 79, S.D. 1, H.D. 2, entitled:

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

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) Require the Department of Land and Natural Resources to determine the effect of any proposed state or county housing projects that may affect a historical property, an aviation artifact, or a burial site within ninety days of a request for determination;

(2) Establish historic review requirements based on the project area's known historic, cultural, and archaeological resources; and

(3) Establish procedures and notification requirements if previously unidentified human remains or previously unidentified historic property are discovered.

Your Committee on Conference finds that there is a shortage of affordable housing in the State. Your Committee on Conference further finds that the State Historic Preservation Division has a lengthy backlog of historic preservation reviews, delaying the development of affordable housing. This measure streamlines the historic preservation review process to expedite the development of affordable housing projects.

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. 79, 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. 79, 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

____________________________ LUKE A. EVSLIN Co-Chair	____________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE Chair
____________________________ MARK J. HASHEM Co-Chair	____________________________ STANLEY CHANG Co-Chair
____________________________ DAVID A. TARNAS Co-Chair	____________________________ HERBERT M. RICHARDS, III Co-Chair
	____________________________ MIKE GABBARD Co-Chair