THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	18
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to historic preservation.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that comprehensive statewide inventories of historic properties and burial sites are critical to managing and protecting these properties and sites in the state. The absence of comprehensive statewide inventories delays project planning because developers, planners, and state and county agencies lack key information on the locations of historic properties and burial sites. The missing data can impact planning processes by requiring projects to be redesigned or delayed after significant resources have already been expended.

The legislature further finds that a lack of key information on historic property and burial site locations hampers the state historic preservation division's ability to perform its responsibilities. The state historic preservation division relies on submitted documentation and knowledgeable individuals contributing new information to existing databases and inventories when conducting its surveys and inventory. Because some historic buildings and burial sites are located within restricted or undeveloped areas of the State, the data collected is often neither accurate nor comprehensive.

The legislature further finds that while the state historic preservation division of the department of land and natural resources is required to create and maintain inventories, the department does not receive funding to fulfill this mandate.

Therefore, the purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to the state historic preservation division of the department of land and natural resources to expedite development of a comprehensive inventory of historic properties and burial sites located in the State and conduct relevant archaeological surveys necessary to compile the inventory.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 to be deposited into the Hawaii historic preservation special fund established by section 6E-16, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the Hawaii historic preservation special fund the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the state historic preservation division to develop a comprehensive inventory of historic properties and burial sites located in the State and conduct relevant archeological surveys necessary to compile the inventory; provided that the sums shall be expended as follows:

(1) $           for state-of-the-art archaeological surface surveys utilizing remote sensing, aerial, and satellite imagery;

(2) $           for the collection of data regarding the locations of burial sites; and

(3) $           for the development of an inventory of historic buildings, structures, and other properties.

The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of land and natural resources for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:

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Report Title:

SHPD; Inventory; Burial Sites; Historic Properties; Hawaii Historic Preservation Special Fund; Appropriations

Description:

Makes appropriations into and out of the Hawaii Historic Preservation Special Fund to the State Historic Preservation Division to inventory historic properties and burial sites in the State, collect data on burial site locations, and conduct an archaeological surface survey.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.