STAND. COM. REP. NO. 992

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1517

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 1517 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC LANDS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to authorize the Board of Land and Natural Resources to lease public lands for recreational-residential use by public lottery and restrict participation in the public lottery to residents of the county in which the leased land is located.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Kōkeʻe Leaseholders Association, and numerous individuals.

Your Committee finds that the State has a unique asset in the recreational residential cabins in Kokee and Waimea Canyon State Parks, which were intended for temporary residence to allow families to gather and commune with nature while maintaining the parks. However, many cabins have become unaffordable for local families to rent due to increases in rent appraisals and the auctioning off of unencumbered cabins at higher bid prices. This measure will increase the accessibility of the cabins to local families by establishing a fairer and more equitable process for the affordable leasing of cabins on public lands for recreational‑residential use.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Lowering the maximum term for a lease of public lands for recreational-residential use to five years;

(2) Inserting an effective date of April 23, 2057, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1517, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1517, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,

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KARL RHOADS, Chair